With the Mediterranean Ocean softly glistening under the sun behind you and a myriad of mountains standing dramatically in front of you, whatever direction you swing a golf club on the fairylike Cote d’Azur, you are guaranteed to be inspired.

With such inspirational surrounding, that uniquely combines affluence and modernity with tradition and simplicity, the Cote d’Azur, for decades, has been a favorite European destination for golfers of all abilities and ages.

There are a total of 20 golf courses on the Cote d’Azur, all of which have been designed by some of the world’s most internationally-renowned golf course architects.  Below is three of the best golf course the Cote d’Azur has to offer:

Golf du Claux Amic

Situated on the hills above the beautiful town Grasse with breath-taking views of the Med and the mountains, playing Golf du Claux Amic demands concentration and inspiration. Established in 1992 Golf du Claux Amic blends some intimidating drives with several more easy and ‘relaxed’ ones, meaning that this golf course caters for golfers of all abilities.

But it is perhaps Golf du Amic’s spectacular surrounding countryside that includes courses and holes lined with trees and a stunning vista looking down on the city of Cannes with the Mediterranean behind, that is this golf course’s greatest asset.

For more information on Grasse’s Golf du Claux Amic, click HERE.

Golf Country Club Saint Donat

This diverse course of tree-lined landscapes was created by the renowned golf architect Robert Trent Jones in 1993. The Golf Country Club Saint Donat provides golfers with a challenging yet rewarding game of golf in the most luxurious of surroundings.

Located in the heart of the Cote d’Azur between the cities of Grasse and Nice, this motivating golf country club is open all year round.

Top quality facilities, including a luxurious country house that houses a lavish restaurant complement this first-rate golf course.

For more information on Golf Country Club Saint Donat, click HERE.

Read full post

Nice is a city with colour, vivacity, opulence and charm as is known by many as being the ‘aristocratic capital of the Cote d’Azur’.

Besides its luxurious marina, brimming with prosperity and style, ancient old quarter, it’s many world-renowned boutiques, top-class restaurants and premier casinos, and being home to one of the ‘prettiest markets in Europe, with Nice’s numerable palm trees, complementing the region’s mild climate and generous amounts of sunshine, one could easily mistake Nice for Miami!

Although there is a furtive dilemma that is threatening the future of one of Nice’s most iconic symbols – weevil!

Benoit Kandel, the deputy mayor of Nice, is urging residents on the French Riviera to unite in a battle against onslaught the dreaded red palm weevil which has been methodically destroying the palm trees which line the pavements and marine of Nice for the last three years.

Since 2009, when it is believed that the weevil had travelled from to the south of France from Malaysia, this species of beetle and the destruction it has been causing to the palm trees in the region, has been a major concern for the Nice city council, which fears that the palm trees could be completely destroyed as a result of the infectious spread of Weevil.

Although this pressing problem is not just confined to Nice. There are more than 70,000 palm trees dotted along the Cote d’Azur, and Kandel says that the dreaded weevil has spread along the coast and is affecting the whole of the Cote d’Azur. Speaking at a recent press conference about what methods need to be taken to prevent the beetles from destroying the region’s palm trees further, the deputy Nice Mayor said:

“It is essential for everyone to get behind us and help rid us of this infestation.”

Read full post

With its inimitable beauty, throng of cultural sites, and cities synonymous with glitz, glamour and wealth, it is of little wonder that Nice Cote d’Azur Airport attracts a huge volume of passengers year in year out.

Reinstating the dedication to excel in a reputation that is tantamount to luxury that the French Riviera is renowned for, in recent years France’s second biggest airport has undergone several ‘luxury’ developments, meaning visitors are welcoming to the Cote d’Azur with an air of lavishness before taking foot outside the airport!

With a consistently high volume of traffic hitting record heights in recent years, which is expected to rise by 20% by 2016, Nice Cote d’Azur Airport has announced plans to build a third terminal to cater for the increasing traffic.

In a meeting earlier this year, the President of the Societe des Aeroports de la Cote d’Azur spoke about the plans for the 30,000 square metres new terminal, including that it will be heavily focussed on supporting air traffic of low-cost airlines, including EasyJet.

Terminal 3 will be located between the Var River and the airport’s terminal 2, and he major revamp of the airport is expected to cost 80 million euros.

Other plans for the new terminal include the allocation of nine shuttle buses that will rally passengers from the airport to the airplanes and thus removing the need for a footbridge.

Another improvement that is reportedly going to be part of the Cote d’Azur Airport’s new terminal will be the construction of a pre-boarding room that will enable passengers to relax in more comfortable surroundings as they wait to board the plane.

Read full post

The Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur, often abbreviated as PACA, has long been associated with providing quality services to its visitors, with a recent study conducted by the ‘Comite Regional de Tourism’ (CRT) showing that visiting sites of historical and cultural heritage was the third most popular thing to do on the Cote d’Azur.

The study did, however, also show that as much as 41% of its participants believed that more could be done to improve the services of these cultural sites.

In response to the survey’s findings and in an attempt to position France as being a one of the greatest holiday destinations in the world, a dozen selected cultural heritage sites across the region will be given the ‘Quality Tourism’ stamp of approval.

As part of the region’s ‘quality seal’ the selected sites will be equipped with the best facilities, staff, research, security and information, which will be available in multiple languages and re-emerge with a fresh look.

Keen to commence the prestigious ‘quality seal’ programme, which has been named ‘Lieux de viste et sites culturels’, the CRT initiated the ‘stamp of quality’ programme in three of the greatest tourist attractions on the Cote d’Azur – the Saorge Monastery, the Matisse Museum in Nice and the Henry Clews Chateau in Mandelieu.

Read full post

With luxury casinos beckoning you through their grand and opulent doors on almost every street, boulevard and square, it has to be said that the city of Monte Carlo is a gambler’s paradise.

If your trip to the world-renowned ‘playground for the rich and famous’ comes attached with intentions to spend an evening or two rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous in a lavish casino, then read on, as we locate three of the top casinos in Monte Carlo.

Le café de Paris

Walk away from a world of beautiful bronzed bodies lying on soft and immaculate sand as the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean water gently laps the shores, and into a world of where glamour, glitz and wealth reaches new heights. Le Café de Paris is the largest casino in the whole of Monaco and even its lobby emulating the very essence of style and sophistication.

Situated on Monte Carlo’s famous Place du Casino, le Café de Paris is set within futuristic décor Guests can discover the largest array of slot machines and Jackpot hand-outs on the Cote d’Azur, living up to its reputation that an evening at the Casino Café de Paris is more than just a night out, it is a journey in itself…

Casino Monte Carlo

The Casino Monte Carlo was one of the world’s first major casinos to be opened. Also situated in the prestigious Place du Casino, this legendary casino oozes a charming and almost hypnotic atmosphere with décor that combines the traditional with the contemporary.

Last summer this world-famous casino was enhanced even further by the opening of a vast terrace where players can enjoy playing in the open air whilst taking in the dazzling view of Monte Carlo at night.

Read full post