Riviera Corniches

Hotels in Côte d'Azur

The French Riviera may be a playground for the rich and famous, but there's much more to the Côte d'Azur than casinos, exclusive villas and harbours stuffed with billion-dollar yachts. This delightful coast stretches from St.Tropez to Menton on the Italian border, with Frèjus, Cannes, Antibes, Nice and Monaco along the way. There couldn't be a better way of appreciating the natural beauty and diverse character of this special place than by driving the three spectacular coast roads known as corniches, with each of these parallel highways delivering a different perspective on the Riviera.

The Grand Corniche (La Grande Corniche) is a 31 km (19 mi) cliff-top road, rising to a height of some 450 m 1475 ft) as it passes above the Principality of Monaco. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century (following the line of the Roman Via Julia Augusta) to facilitate the movement of Napoléon's troops to Italy, and as such does not pass through many interesting places. No matter - the road itself is the star of the show, offering sensational far-reaching views.

It is by far the most satisfying way to entering and leaving Nice, and the drive from there to sober Menton is unforgettable.

The 33 km (20 mi) Base Corniche (La Corniche Inférieure) along the shoreline is an altogether different experience - slow-moving and traffic choked, it was built by a Prince of Monaco and visits each and every place on the Côte d'Azur in turn. This is the way to go if you're interested in the hothouse social and commercial street life of the Riviera.

The Middle Corniche (La Moyenne Corniche) runs between the other two roads, clinging to the escarpment's rocky backbone as it winds through the Mediterranean landscape, offering wonderful views of the coast and the coast and the Riviera's towns and village below.

HOW

By car

WHEN TO GO

Any time

TIME IT TAKES

Allow a day to drive all three in turn, with leisurely stops.

HIGHLIGHTS

Le Turbie on the Grand Corniche - the symbolic border between Gaul and Ancient Rome, with an impressive Roman colonnade.

On the Middle Corniche - the view of Cap Ferrat from the elevated Villefranche Neck, and (upon exiting a tunnel) the sudden appearance of the dramatic village of Eze, perched high on its soaring rock.

On the Base Corniche - Cap Ferrat...and course Monte Carlo, where you definitely won't break the bank.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Princess Grace of  Monaco died when her car mysteriously plunged from the Middle Corniche.

Hotels in Côte d'Azur

Aiguille du Midi Cable Car

Hotels in Chamonix

Once, only a very few people could enjoy the sensational views from the top of the Aiguille du Midi, a sharp-topped peak in the Mont Blanc Massif in the French Alps - and they were intrepid Alpine climbers capable of reaching the summit under their own steam.

Nowadays, the panorama may be enjoyed by anyone who rides up from the centre of Chamonix by cable car, in two stages, enjoying terrific mountain scenery all the way.

 

The pre-war Téléphérique fell into disuse but it was rebuilt, extended and reopened in the 1950s, for many years offering the world's most elevated cablecar journey. It has lost that distinction, but still delivers the world's highest vertical ascent, from 1035 m (3400 ft) up to 3842 (12608 ft), with the first stage to the Plan de l'Aiguille at 2300 (7500 ft). The second stage traverses the Pelegrins Glacier before rising up the mountain's North Face. Once all the way up, it's possible to enjoy those amazing 360º views of the Swiss, French and Italian Alps, have a cup of coffee and check out the gift shop before catching a return car. But in fact there are other options, winter and summer.

 

The famed Vallée Blanche ski run begins here, and the nearby Cosmiques Refuge is the starting point of a climb to the summit of Mont Blanc. In summer only, there is another cable car - the 5 km (3 mi) Panoramic Mont Blanc route, open from mid-March to September - across the Geant Glacier to Helbronner Point on the Italian side of the massif. From there, another cable car runs to and from the Italian village of la Palud in the Aosta Valley, facilitating one of the world's most unusual border crossings.

 

HOW

By cable car

WHEN TO GO

Any time of year (apart from three weeks in October or November when the cable car is closed for maintenance).

TIME IT TAKES

Around 20 minutes from Chamonix to the summit.

HIGHLIGHTS

An elevator ride up another 42 m (138 ft) at the summit of the Aiguille du Midi - to the top terrace with even better views.

Spotting the distant Matterhorn on a clear day.

Getting as close as is humanly possible to the summit of Mont Blanc without actually climbing.

Another "up and away" outing from Chamonix - on the old funicular Montenvers Railway (now with electric or diesel locomotion) to the Mer de Glace glacier.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

The literal translation of Aiguille du Midi is "Midday Needle", as the sun sits directly above the peak at noon when viewed from Chamonix.

Hotels in Chamonix

 

Normandy Beaches

Hotels in Normandy

  

It's easy to jump into a car and whiz along the Normandy Coast from the mouth of the River Orne to the Varneville Dunes on the Cotentin Peninsula. It's pleasant journey, as the coast road passes sand dunes with wide expanses of sand beyond and a series of small seaside towns. For most visitors today, this is the place for relaxed sun, sand and seafood holidays.

 

Nothing hints at the drama played out here when Allied troops stormed ashore on D-Day - 6 June 1944 - to begin a fight to liberate France that saw 100 000 dead and dozens of Normandy's towns and villages destroyed. From east to west, the invasion beaches were codenamed Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah. Sword stretches from Ouistreham to Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, and here British forces came ashore. From Saint-Aubin to Courseulles-sur-Mer was Juno, where Canadians landed. Gold occupied the next 8 km (5 mi), again attacked by British troops. Omaha Beach was another stretch of broad sand from Saint-Honorine-des-Pertes to Vierville-sur-Mer, where American troops sustained heavy casualties. By contrast, the Americans found Utah Beach between Pouppeville and La Madelaine to be lighly defended.

 

Little evidence of the furious battles that raged here survives, though the sheer size of these beaches makes it easy to imagine the enormous scale of operations. Some traces are left - like remains of the astonishing Mulberry Harbour that was towed across the Channel to Arromanches and many German bunkers, notably at Pointe du Hoc on Omaha beach, where cliffs are pitted with shell holes. Also, nearly every town has a D-Day museum and war memorial that helps to bring the reality of the savage fighting that took place along this coast to life, as do numerous Allied and German war cemeteries. It's a drive that's well worth making - a journey of solemn remembrance.

 

HOW

By car

WHEN TO GO

April to September

TIME IT TAKES

Two hours non-stop by car, or a full day with exploration stops.

HIGHLIGHTS

One of the best D-Day museums - the seafront Musée du Débarquement in the main square of Arromanches, overlooking the remains of "Port Winston".

The immaculate American Cemetery above Omaha Beach at Colleville-sur-Mer, putting the invasion's cost into sharp perspective - here lie over 9000 fallen US soldiers and the D-Day Memorial names another 12557 who died but were never identified for burial.

The modern Juno Centre above the beach of the same name, commemorating the Canadian involvement in D-Day. Here also is a memorial to the French Resistance and a preserved German bunker.

A side trip to Bayeux - damaged in the Battle of Normandy, sympathetically rebuilt and home of both the famous Bayeux Tapestry and a magnificent cathedral.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

The first Allied soldier to die in combat on D-Day was Lieutenant denholm Brotheridge, killed during the British glider-borne night attack on the now-famous Pegasus Bridge over the Caen Canal near Oulstreham.

Hotels in Normandy

 

The Loire Valley

Hotels in Loire Valley

The Loire Valley is known as 'The Garden of France and Cradle of the French Language', The lush landscape combines with architectural and cultural heritage to make this an area of outstanding natural and cultural excellence. High on everyone's list of special attractions are the numerous chateaux along the river - around a thousand remain in the Loire Valley out of a total that was once much greater, with some 300 along the river itself. The reason for this over-abundance of great houses is simple - just about every one of the country's serious movers and shakers - from kings on down - built here over the centuries.

 

The Valley between Chalormes-sur-Loire and Sully-sur-Loire is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and this is an ideal section for an extended cycle tour. Starting at Chalonnes and heading east, the route follows the river to Angers, Saumur, Tours, Amboise, Chaumont-sur-Loire, Blois, Beaugency, Orleans, Chãteauneuf-sur-Loire and finally Sully. The distance is around 300 km (185 mi). The riding is not too hard, and this is a splendid way to see and appreciate the best that the Loire Valley has to offer - which is very good indeed.

 

What an experience - the banks of this delightful river are ablaze with sunflowers and home to the finest examples of the castle-builder's art, from imposing medieval fortresses like Angers and Amboise to  Renaissance masterpieces like Chambord and Chenonceaux and spectacular gardens like Villandry. This is also the home of great white wines, with the vineyards of great domaines everywhere, so there will be plenty of opportunity to sample fine vintages and enjoy the distinctive local cuisine (river fish a speciality!).

Shops in most of the Loire towns rent bicycles by the day for those who prefer to explore locally rather than make the full journey.

 

HOW

By bike

WHEN TO GO

April to October

TIME IT TAKES

A week to cycle from Chalonnes to Sully, with ample sightseeing time included.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Royal Abbey at Fontevraud - resting place of the English King Henry II, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine and their son Richard the lionheart.

Leonardo da Vinci's manor house at Clos-Luce near Amboise - now a museum dedicated to the great man and his revolutionary ideas.

The chateau at Cheverney – see stunning interiors full of original furniture, tapestries and paintings (plus a Tintin museum ... this is Captain Haddock's Castle).

A side-trip to see the extraordinary troglodyte dwellings of Les Goupillieres near Azay-Ie-Rideau on the banks of the Indre River – the caves were made by quarrying the limestone used to construct the magnificent château.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

The fairy-tale chãteau of Usse, begun in the 15th century and re-modelled in the 1600s, provided inspiration for the timeless tale of Sleeping Beauty.