Welcome to the Côte d’Azur!

Did you manage to guess from the last clue which destination features in the third installment of Our Team Recommends? This month Lucie from the marketing team fills us in on the Côte d’Azur in France.

Hey Lucie! Which destination would you recommend?

Hey! Personally, I recommend a region in France which I absolutely love: PACA (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur), and in particular the Côte d’Azur.

What’s so special about this place?

This place is special for me because it brings back memories of family holidays there.  The singing crickets, the summer sun and the beautiful scenery that we all love.

Which parts of the region are not to be missed?

Well, cities like Nice, Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and Toulon. And also the natural parks such as the Peaks of Combeynot, the National Park of Mercantour and of course the Calanques National Park.

What do you like most about this region?

As I mentioned before, this region has beautiful landscapes which, in my opinion, must be why so many people enjoy holidaying there.

But there are also other aspects which stand out for me: the locals are very welcoming of the tourists and because of that there is a lovely atmosphere; also the contrast between the lively nightlife of the coast and the pure air in the mountains is remarkable.

Where is your favourite place in the PACA region?

That is quite a difficult question to answer, but I would say along the coast, particularly the small bays between Marseille and Cassis which are called Les Calanques. The first time that I saw them was from a boat. I found it a good way of seeing all the bays and deciding which one I wanted to go to later. Some are difficult to get to but the effort is worthwhile!

My favourites are En Vau and Morgiou.

Do you know of a top secret spot which you would be willing to tell us about?

A secret spot which I would recommend is an ice-cream parlour. But this is no ordinary ice-cream parlour – it sells the best ice-cream that I have ever tried!! It is called Pinocchi, in the small town of Fréjus. The owners are so friendly. They offer good quality products, their ice-cream is homemade and there is, what feels like, an endless range of flavours to choose from!

What would be the perfect day in this region?

After getting up early, I would go for a mooch around one of the artisan markets situated in Cassis to do a spot of shopping. My purchases would probably be along the lines of some nibbles and a few small gifts. Afterwards, I would head to the next town, La Ciotat, and catch a boat which takes you to see the beautiful bays along the coast up to Marseille.

I would disembark in Marseille and spend a touristy afternoon visiting the monuments such as the cathedral of Sainte-Marie-Majeure and the opera house, Opéra Municipal. Late afternoon/evening I would head towards Nice to enjoy dinner by the harbour and plan the next day in one of the region’s beautiful cities.

What would be the soundtrack of the trip?

Without a doubt it would be “Le sud” by Nino Ferrer. It isn’t actually a song about this region but whenever I listen to it, I always think about ‘my south’: the south of France.

Describe the region in three words…

Beautiful, blue, and poignant.

Do you have any advice for future visitors?

Don’t wait until August to visit this region! This part of France has a lot to offer in spring which is in fact the perfect time of the year to visit: the weather is good and it is not as crowded as in summer.

Thanks Lucie for your insight into the PACA region! We hope that it has helped you plan your next trip to the South of France.

Do you want to know which destination features next month? Well here’s the clue: the word ‘art’ is crucial to this city.