Stretching from Theoule-sur-Mer in the west to Menton and the Italian border on the right, running through the famous towns of Nice, Antibes and Cannes, the Cote d’Azur has, for decades, been ‘the place’ for winter vacations of the rich and famous, a place where artists have found inspiration in their brushes, and a place where writers find themselves unavoidably putting their pens to paper.

Asides its obvious charms of affluence, stateliness and grandeur which attracts the aristocracy to the Cote d’Azur, the vibrant scenes of colour, diversity and life that attracts the artists to this luscious stretch of coastline, the region’s remarkable history, untamed wildness, traditional and medieval villages, a stone’s throw from some of the most infamously glamorous cities in the world, attracts many a writer to write about this remarkably unique region of southern France.

Take a look at three such writers, whose desire to put the Cote d’Azur’s many charms onto paper, led them to create three fascinating books about a truly remarkable part of the world.

Cote d’Azur Le Reve / The Dream

Cote d’Azur Le Reve / The Dream is a tribute to what has become known as the ‘golden years’ of the Cote d’Azur, from around the beginning of the 20^th century until the 1970s.

This book provides a fascinating insight into what attracted the world’s most elite to winter on the Cote d’Azur, focusing on Le Prince Rainer de Monaco and Le Pricesse Grace, Madame Winston Churchill Jouant au Tennis, Queen Victoria and Bridget Bardot.

The words are accompanied with some great photographs and illustrations of the magic of the Cote d’Azur during its ‘golden years’.

Provence Cote d’Azur, Claude Herve-Bazin

In this extremely well-written an informative book, Claude Herve, Bazin describes the Cote d’Azur as being a place where “From the bright yellow sunflowers to the purple lavender, from the ochres and terracotta of the houses to the Mediterranean Sea, every landscape is a work of art. The towns read like a history book of Europe”. Not only do we want to read the rest of this book but we want to drop what we’re doing, jump on a plane, and discover this intriguing place for ourselves.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Provence & The Cote d’Azur, Roger Williams

This visually stunning book could possibly be the perfect companion to explore this mesmeric region with. This great travel guide provides readers with comprehensive information about the best attractions, beaches, villages, walks and sites, with clear and detailed maps and some striking photography.

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