Antibes, Monaco, St-Tropez, and Cannes are well documented places where a quick search on the web or reference to a guide book will provide you with everything you need to know. So, we have dedicated these pages to the areas which we think are worth a visit and might not have been an obvious choice. Perhaps you can take a day to explore these places from Nice, or even better, why not stay in two of our apartments in the same holiday? If you're a frequent visitor to Nice, find a car essential, or are traveling with children for your main holiday, then an apartment just outside Nice might be a better base for you. That way you have less of the stress that comes with a city, but can still pop into Nice for your Niçois fix. Either way, we hope you will discover more with us. Cagnes A little along the coastal road, half way between Nice and Antibes, is Cagnes, divided into Cros-de-Cagnes, Cagnes-sur-Mer and Haut-de-Cagnes. Only seven miles from the Nice airport, this area is most famous for the medieval town of Haut-de-Cagnes. Less well known, Cros-de-Cagnes has been described as the only authentic town left in the Riviera. It is the only port left on the Riviera to be used exclusively by fishermen who land their catch on the beach. In the middle, Cagnes-sur-Mer is more residential. Not only does Cagnes have the sea, the art, and the convenience, it also has fantastic gourmet restaurants, at least three Michelin-starred restaurants are to be found here, and many more besides. See Nice Cuisine for a review of our favourites. Haut-de-Cagnes is a favourite haunt for art lovers and those with a penchant for ancient villages. This ancient hill top village is crowned by a chateau built by the Grimaldi family in the early 14th century. Culturally, this is one of the most important towns in the south of France. For art lovers, painters such as Felix Ziem, André Derain, Paul Cezanne, and Amedeo Modigliani all lived and/or painted here. Renoir's house, Musée Renoir, covered in our Art and Culture section, can be found here, as can the gorgeous palace of Château Grimaldi which was built in 1620 by Henri Grimaldi and is home to many pieces of modern and historic art. Art and culture types have claimed Cagnes is too commercial and not worth a visit except to see Renoir's house. They also say Cagnes is stuck in the 1960s and perhaps it is, but this is why we love it. It's unpretentious, extremely family friendly, quieter than any other part of the Riviera, great for water sports, and just has a peculiar charm of being stuck in an era gone by. How long this will last, we don't know. In 2005, considerable funds were allocated to this area and a new marina is being built and new cafés, bars, and restaurants (at much more reasonable prices than its neighbours) are springing up all the time. It's also a great base. You can easily hire a car from the Nice airport and visit all of the Riviera and then park the car easily at many designated car parking spots. Most of our apartments in Cagnes have allocated car parking. With these factors in mind, Cagnes is a great choice for a stress-free holiday, especially with children, or if you are touring the region for several weeks. From Nice: the bus will get you there in 25 minutes, the train in 10 minutes, or you can cycle in 40 minutes. If you are cycling, whilst most of the route is along the Promenade, you will have to take the road for some ten minutes which could be a little hairy for novices. From Nice Airport: take a ten minute bus ride or taxi. Villefranche This medieval shipping village, nestled between Cannes, Nice, and Monte Carlo, offers quintessential charm combined with terrace cafés, lively bars, and excellent restaurants. A pied is the only way to travel in Villefranche with its nooks and crannies tucked away in each cobbled labyrinth of lanes and stairways often obscured by lush bougainvillea. Known also for its community of artists and writers, and perhaps the best sandy beach on the Riviera, we can understand why Tina Turner has made this little place her home and why it's a favourite for film crews. If you have had enough of the sun-drenched beach, from the yacht-cladded harbour you can walk to St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat or take the boat to the surrounding area, including Nice and Monaco. If you like market wandering, every Sunday there are decent antique stalls at the Amelie Porlannais square and don't miss the Église of St-Michel next to Rue Obscure which harbours a lifelike carved sculpture of Christ from the 17th century. From Nice: Either take the bus or train, both of which run regular efficient services to this popular coastal village. Either method shouldn't take longer than 20 minutes. Biot Sitting high on a hilltop, this pretty and popular medieval village was almost wiped out completely by the "Black Death" plague at the end of the 14th century. Biot is now famous for its pottery and glass making, which you can watch in action at La Verrerie de Biot, just outside the village. For art lovers, the modern Musée National Fernard-Léger holds over 400 of his paintings and drawings. If you're a walker or a hiker, head here. From Nice: You can catch a bus from the Gare Routiere, or if you have a car, take the coastal road past Villeneuve Loubet and then head inland on the D4. Beuil Somewhat unexpectedly, given that it's only 50 miles from Nice, is the medieval mountain village of Beuil, often named with its neighbour Valberg. These two villages make up the national park of Mercantour, and are an enclave for all kinds of sports, from hiking to paragliding, cross-county cycling, tennis, rock climbing, horseback riding, fishing, and archery, as well an canyoning across fantastic countryside. For skiers, there are 55 miles of alpine ski slopes of various levels of difficulty and 15 miles of well maintained cross-county skiing trails. A day on the slopes costs under € 30 through the 2007 season. If just reading that has brought you out in a sweat, Beuil is still a gorgeous open-air retreat where one of the best things can be the drive through the Gorges du Cians, a canyon carved into rich red rock. A simple stroll or car ride can be all that is needed to take in breathtaking views of this alpine community whilst listening to the bell chimes of the 17th century church and the bustle of the animated villagers going about their day. From Nice Airport: Beuil is best accessed by car. From the airport, take the N202 up the Var valley and then proceed through the Gorges du Cians on the D28. Îles de Lérin From Cannes, take a twenty-minute boat ride from the Palais des Festivals et des Congrés to these two extremely old and intriguing islands. The smaller of the two, Îles St-Honorat's only inhabitants are Cistercian monks who sell homemade wine, honey, and lavender oil to visitors. The larger Island, Îles Ste-Marguerite, is most famous for holding in confinement the "Man in the Iron Mask". Both Islands are well protected and relatively wild with dense forestry making them a sacred sanctuary from the glitz of Cannes and well worth a visit. From Nice Centre: Take the train (not the bus as it's very slow and will take nearly two hours) and you will be in Cannes in 40 minutes. From there take the boat from the Palais des Festivals. Èze Located between Nice and Monaco is one of the most picturesque villages on the Côte d'Azur. Perched on top of a huge rock, 1,410 feet above sea level, the views from Èze are unbeatable. Almost all the tiny winding streets of the medieval village are stairways and at the very top are the ruins of a 14th century castle and a cactus garden (Jardin Exotique) which is well worth the € 4 entry fee. From Nice Centre: Èze is a 20-minute bus ride from the Gare Routiere.