Often painted as slow-paced and romantic destinations in the most popular summer reads, these small towns are also for the locals a window to showcase French terroir and Art de Vivre. While the typical Basque houses painted in white with red or green shutters are mostly found on the outskirts of the town, the historical centre is organised around a couple of cobblestone streets bordered with old sandstone buildings turned into restaurants, artisanal boutiques, outdoor shops and hostels.
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is located a few kilometres away from the Spanish border and only one hour drive from the towns of Biarritz in France or Pamplona in Spain. Visit the town anytime from April to October and you will be crossing paths with many pilgrims who can easily be identified by the Scallop shell attached to their backpacks! Perched on top of a hill overlooking the ocean sits a small village that princes and poets have visited! The best way to visit Eze is a day trip from Nice.
Once in Eze, most of the fun is getting lost in the cobblestone streets with your camera. From there you can visit the Exotic Garden, which is the main attraction of Eze. The Garden also acts as an outdoor museum and teaches you about the history of Eze and its surrounding villas. There are luxurious hotels and restaurants, artisan shops, hidden churches, and even a famous hiking path that leads down to Eze Beach! Although Eze may only have enough for a day or half-day , it is guaranteed to be one of your favourite days!
The charming seaside town of Cassis enjoys a privileged location along the Mediterranean, tucked away between the towering limestone cliffs of Calanques National Park and the ochre cliffs of Cap Canaille.
The lively heart of this Mediterranean gem is its picturesque port, where to this day fishermen moor their pointu boats to supply local chefs with the catch of the day. The rocky inlets that make up the Calanques National Park are the perfect playground for outdoor enthusiasts, with a challenging network of hiking and mountain biking trails on land and a vast offer of kayak and SUP tours in the aquamarine waters. After your adventurous escape, go wine-tasting at a local vineyard or head to one of the convivial restaurants that dot the quays, before shopping for lavender-scented souvenirs at the enchanting Provencal market at Place Baragnon.
