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Where else besides the Cote d'Azur?

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    We decided to go to the French Riviera next month as my hubby has been working in the middle east and he needs some fabulous food and some r&r. So I was ready to start booking the trip, and I realized that the end of May is the Cannes Film Festival so that is no time for us to go. So, what would be a comprable trip? I was thinking maybe Rome and then flying down to Palermo for island r&r? Keep in mind, he's flying back from the middle east so we want to meet in Europe, good food, relaxing place, we aren't interested in zooming around. Also, I suggested the Red Sea resorts like Sharm el Sheik and he said no, he wants out of middle east.

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    We've enjoyed....

    Santorini, Greece
    Malta
    Sardinia
    Marbella/Puerto Banus, Costa del Sol, Andalucia, Spain
    Amanjena, Marrakesh, Morocco

    Monaco (though it's right next door to Cannes)

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    I wouldn't give up on the French Riviera just yet. If you were going to go to the French Riviera for r&R on the beach, in my opinion, St. Tropez is a better choice over Cannes anyway. So if the French Riviera still intrigues you, you should consider St. Tropez as one of your destinations. The Château Hôtel de la Messardière in St. Tropez that is a fine option, and there are a lot of small towns nearby that make excellent day trips when you want to get away from the scene that is St. Tropez.

    Monaco can be a nice place to relax, especially if you have access to a yacht in one of the harbors. [Really, a docked yacht anywhere is ideal for r&r.] But, another relaxing option very close to Monaco is the cliffside village of Eze. You can stay at the Château Eza, a medieval castle which was the former home of the Prince of Sweden. It's a great (and romantic) place to relax and do nothing. But, you still have access to Monte Carlo when you want a change of pace.

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    Thanks Forager. I was under the impression that the whole coast would be crowded. I do love all those places but I would think that from Monaco to St. Tropez would be filled with people taking extended trips either before, during or after the festival. I doubt anyone just stays in Cannes the whole two weeks. Or do you think that the crowds are just limited to Cannes/Antibes and that's it? Because truth be told, I'm not wild about Cannes anyway--I do prefer Monaco for shopping anyway.

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    Officially, only about 30,000 accredited industry members attend the Cannes Film Festival (plus another 4,000 journalists), but it's often said that up to 200,000 people are actually in Cannes during the festival— spread out over a period of two weeks (though that number might include the people that live and work in Cannes already). Even still, the festival just doesn't attract enough people to have that much of a noticeable impact on the rest of the Riviera.

    In fact you'll probably still find availability even at the Château Messardière in St. Tropez for that time of year.

    Now, if Cannes were hosting the Summer Olympics, which could easily attract as many as 5 million people, then I'd tell you to stay away from the Riviera!

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    I'd go to La Londe Les Maures, located at 10 km from Toulon, facing the island of Porquerolles, which is a must see!

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    Forager: Good points, maybe I'm building up this Cannes Film Festival a little too much...:)

    Elinesca: I'll look your destination up on the internet.
    THANKS SO VERY MUCH!

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    Go toward the border--both Villefranche-sur-Mer and Menton are lovely, and you have the added attractions of the hilltowns (ie Eze) and the cities of Nice and Monaco. You are also across the border from the Val di Nervia and some beautiful Italian hilltowns like Apricale.

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    If you're traveling west from Monaco, through Eze village and on to Nice, if you go a little further, you'll pass through Antibes. There, you'll find the highly-rated, exceptional restaurant Bacon (http://www.restaurantdebacon.com/) where you'll be able to try what may be the best bouillabaisse in the entire world.

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    Actually this summer will be a good time for visiting the art museums of the Cote d'Azur. The Picasso Museum in Antibes will be reopening later this summer after an extensive renovation. And in Nice, the Matisse Museum recently completed its renovations and the Chagall Museum's new entrance is supposed to be phenomenal. Excellent diversions if you're in the vicinity.

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