Cote D’Azur
Private Experiences and Tours
While the Cote d’Azur is technically part of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region, we highlight it separately given its unique geography and cache! There is no official geographic boundary for the Cote d’Azur (also known as the French Riviera), but it is usually considered to be from Cassis or Toulon on the west to Menton at the France–Italy border in the east. You will find the famous Cotes de Provence rose wine in this region, the well-respected Bandol appellation with its famous reds, and Cassis, where white wine is king. While it’s best known for its glamorous resort areas, the Cote d’Azur offers many charming villages and delicious local cuisine.
Walking Tour of Nice
Nice is one of the most ancient French cities which became the capital of the French Riviera during the late 1800’s. Today Nice is the 5th largest city in France. With the Roman sites, the Baroque churches, the Belle Époque style hotels, the Piedmontese, Genoese, and Art Deco architecture, the famous Promenade des Anglais, and the old town with its bars, pubs and restaurants, Nice is a perfect place to make a compromise between culture, entertainment and the coveted Mediterranean way of life. You will enjoy a great walk through the flower market and the old town.
Visit Nice Open Market
Cours Saleya market is in the heart of the Old Town and offers some of the area’s freshest food, most stunning flowers and beautiful French linens.
Walk Around Saint Paul de Vence
Saint-Paul-de-Vence is an extraordinary fortified medieval village, surrounded with intact 16th century ramparts, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in France. A fascinating place, not only for its charm but also for its great cultural and artistic influence. Since the 1920’s, the village has been a real haven for artists like Marc Chagall, Picasso, Dufy, and Matisse. Chagall lived in St Paul for 19 years and is buried in the local cemetery. St. Paul is also home to the Fondation Maeght which hosts one of the most important European collections of 20th century art.
Visit Eze Village and Exotic Garden
Hanging above the Mediterranean Sea, Èze is a village with a unique appeal. Famous for its peaceful atmosphere, it welcomed a lot of world-known writers and artists. The local crafts are part of the lifestyle and you will be conquered right away by the medieval castle ruins, its narrow cobblestone streets and atypical houses with an unavoidable stop in its botanical garden. It is the jewel of the village thanks to its floral compositions, succulent plants and stunning, panoramic views of the French Riviera.
Visit Mougins
Mougins is a medieval town built in a circle with sweeping views of the surrounding area. Historically, the village was a hub for artists, including Pablo Picasso, who lived there for the last 12 years of his life until his death in 1973. Cesare Baldaccini, Jean Cocteau, Yves Klein, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior and many other artists visited and drew inspiration from Mougins. Mougins also has become a culinary center. In the 1970s, several notable chefs in town were awarded Michelin stars. And, in 1992, Mougins became the most starred village in France — with 7 Michelin stars.
Olive Oil Tasting
You will visit an olive oil mill that has been in the same family for the last 175 years! You will see the traditional mill using both granite stones and hydraulic presses as well as the more modern mill used to produce olive oil. You also will learn how to recognize the aromas and flavors of the oils and understand how flavor will vary based on a variety of things such as the soil, the climate, the production process and different olive types.
Visit Tourrettes sur Loup
You will visit this medieval village which was built on a rocky outcrop. It is known and celebrated annually as the “violet village” given that the flower has grown there for more than a century. In the historic center of the village there are more than 30 artists’ workshops and galleries.
Private Wine Tasting/Picnic Lunch at Chateau
Visit the chateau and see furniture once owned by Coco Chanel. Visit and taste wines from a vineyard in a small appellation in the hills around Nice. The Bellet appellation produces red, white and rosé wines. Despite Provence’s focus on rose wines, in Bellet, red wines represent just over 40% production, whites 36% and rosé just 23%. Enjoy a wine tasting with a picnic lunch of local specialties.
Visit Antibes
Antibes is famous for its charming old town and medieval fortress. It is much more quaint and down to earth than its glamorous Cote d’Azur neighbors. Visit the Provencal market and Billionaires’ Quay, which is Europe’s largest yachting hub in the Mediterranean with more than 1,500 berths and 18 superyacht berths. Walk along the 16th century ramparts that surround much of Antibes and were built to protect the residents from invaders. Lastly, visit the Picasso Museum, if you wish, which is the most extensive collection of Picasso art in the world, covering every period of his life from childhood to death, with nearly 5000 pieces of art.
Private Glass Blowing Experience
Enjoy a guided tour of the glass gallery and an introduction to the works created by exhibiting glass artists. Tour of the hot and cold shops. See a glassworking demonstration, learning about the different techniques and tools used by master glassmakers. Take a shot at using the pipe to blow a bubble!
Private Glass Art Workshop
Enjoy a guided tour of the glass gallery and an introduction to the works created by exhibiting glass artists. Tour of the hot and cold shops. See a glassworking demonstration, learning about the different techniques and tools used by master glassmakers. Now it’s your turn to shine! Choose the shape and colors you would like to create your own glass art. Learn the creation process step by step. Note: once your creation has cooled, they will polish and grind it and give it to you to keep as a wonderful memory from your tip.
cooking classes
Private Cooking Class in Nice
Choose from a range of cooking class proposals where you will learn tips, tricks and techniques. You can visit Nice’s outdoor market to learn how to choose seasonal and local products and discover the specialties of the region.
Pasta Making Nicois Style
Did you know that Nice has historical ties to Italy? And the Italian influence in Nice carries on today...in both the architecture and food. Learn how to make fresh pasta with sauces that exude a Nicois flare…such as pistou (Nice’s version of a pesto sauce that is made with garlic, basil and olive oil, and emmental cheese instead of parmigiano). Or ravioli made with chard (instead of spinach). And if gnocchi is your pasta of choice, try some green gnocchi (made with chard) that is served with pistou.
FOODIE TOUR
Foodie Walking Tour and Visit to Monastery Vineyard
Tour an indoor food market and taste unique delicacies from the area. Take a ferry to an island where 21 monks live at the monastery that has made high-quality wines since the middle ages and liqueurs for the last 150 years. Taste the wines that were served to heads of state at the G20 summit and to the Jury at the International Film Festival in Cannes. Enjoy lunch on the island as well as a tour of the fortified tower.
PERFUME
Private Perfume Creation
Be a perfumer for the day and create your own tailor-made scent. Accompanied by an expert, discover how perfume ingredients come together and complement one another.
WINE
Cotes de Provence Appellation
This is the largest wine appellation in Provence. Visit an award-winning vineyard with its delicious wines and breathtaking views of the Med.
Bandol Appellation
Along the southern coastline, the Bandol appellation produces premium reds that are full-bodied with strong tannins. Like many French appellations, small, family-owned vineyards are produce amazing wines! Visit their caves and taste their nectars, or spend more time with a gourmet lunch and an extensive tasting with the wine maker.
The Masters’ Love for the Cote D’Azur
Learn about three famous painters while they lived in the Cote D’Azur. See where Picasso, Chagall and Matisse lived and worked in Antibes, St-Paul-de-Vence and Vence…and see examples of their work. Take in the beautiful scenery in each of these villages, from medieval architecture to the French Riviera coastline, from cobbled stone roads to charming fountains.
