French Riviera
with palms, flowers and tropical shrubs, is bounded on one side by the sea and on the other by the grand drive, lined with hotels and villas, while beyond lie orange orchards and the hills. Many nations are represented, many languages spoken, many costumes worn, and on a sunny day the spectacle is as gay and brilliant as a carnival.' In particular, the Promenade' s lavish
Negresco hotel is synonymous with literary stardust. Writers such as Hemingway, Fitz- gerald and H. G. Wells all stayed there, and the hotel' s reputation continues to attract a roll call of glamourous guests. Matisse, by contrast, preferred the Hotel
Regina, in the quiet suburb of Cimiez, where he lived intermittently between 1938 and his death in 1954. Today, Cimiez houses a museum devoted to Matisse, which, together with the nearby Chagall Museum, is testament to the appeal Nice exerted on artists. But any serious lover of modern art must at some point abandon the coast and make the pilgrimage to the historic fortified village of Saint Paul de Vence, situated half an hour' s drive inland. Saint Paul' s reputa- tion far outweighs its size. Its sleepy, winding streets and the stone farmhouses in the sur- rounding hills, which look down to Cap d' Antibes in the distance, are a huge draw for people wishing to escape the hectic glamour of the coastline. The village is home to the Fondation Maeght, one of the most impressive modern-art collections in the world, and the Hotel La Colombe d' Or, whose
50 Country Life International, Summer 2011
La Colle Sur Loup Dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries,
this historic château has a vast 1,120sq m of living space, which includes magnificent reception rooms, 15 bedrooms and further accommodation in the caretaker houses outside. More than 10,000sq m of gardens have been beautifully laid out and feature a swimming pool and a little pavilion, which were both designed by Jean Cocteau. He was a friend of the owner and spent time at the château, together with many other artists, in the 1920s and 1930s. Today, the property would benefit from some renovation, but it' s in perfect working order. The asking price is €7.6 million through Home Hunts (00 33 9 70 44 66 43;
www.home-hunts.com;
www.luxurypropertypartners.com).
Cap d' Antibes Honoré de Balzac once owned this charming
property, set right on the seafront with spectacular, uninterrupted views out across the bay to Cannes, Nice, Monaco and Italy. Built in Provençal style, it has been beauti- fully renovated into a stylish home with three reception rooms and a large terrace off the living room, and, upstairs, a master suite with roof terrace and Jacuzzi, and two further guest rooms. The pool level has a guest suite and the outdoor pool is heated. The house also has access to a small private beach. The asking price is €20 million through Burger Sothebys International Realty (00 33 4 93 76 29 40;
www.burger-sothebysrealty.fr).
www.countrylife.co.uk/international
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