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Luxurious sea-view apartments make an ideal Continental base or excellent investment property in locations such as Nice, Cannes and St Tropez.
Buying a property on the Côte d’Azur doesn’t have to be about the coast though.
Moving inland towards the foothills of the mountains, spacious and traditional villas with gardens and pools augment the prime residential market, with manor house-style ‘bastide’ properties with larger land parcels available in rural areas.
Inside the Côte d’Azur
Picturesque glamour personifies Europe’s most famous coastline, drawing homebuyers who seek the indulgent luxury of property on the Côte d'Azur.
The stretch of Mediterranean coast, frequented by aristocrats and film stars, is home to France’s premium beachside locations, including St Tropez, Cannes and Nice.
By the promenades and yacht harbours, bustling bars, avant-garde restaurants and exclusive shopping boutiques combine to create salubrious urban living, while inland, the mountains and countryside offer tranquility to those after peaceful living or a canvas for outdoor exploration.
Landscape
Exquisite Romanesque and baroque architecture epitomise the towns and cities of the Côte d'Azur, whose beaches bask in the region’s near 300 days of sun.
Away from the coast, historic towns such as Mougins, Valbonne, Saint-Paul de Vence and Grasse nestle in the hills and mountains, offering an authentic taste of French culture.
Further inland, parks such as the Préalpes d'Azur, home to more than 2,000 plant species, offer hiking and cycling trails with dramatic views, while a short distance further lie the ski resorts of the Alps.
Education
Expats living on the Côte d'Azur will find leading international schools in Nice, including ISN – The International School of Nice – a private institution offering education from pre-school through to 19 years of age.
Further afield, Valbonne, Mougins and Antibes all offer international schools, while the Côte d'Azur University includes several member institutions, such as the prestigious University of Nice Sophia Antipolis and the École supérieure de danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower, created in 1961 by the prima ballerina Rosella Hightower.
Activities and Entertainment
The Côte d'Azur’s peerless coastline is the star attraction for the area, with its golden beaches offering rest and relaxation by the warm waters of the Mediterranean.
The harbour towns of Cannes and St Tropez are yachting hubs, both within reach of the microstate of Monaco, and each boasting a superb array of fashion boutiques, high-end restaurants serving Mediterranean specialties, and cafés and bars suiting all tastes.
Away from the shore, the proximity to the mountains means the area is a hidden gem for cycling and mountain activities, with some ski resorts in the southern Alps accessible for a day trip.
Art and Culture
Nice’s old town, whose narrow and windy streets have barely changed since the 18th Century, offers a glimpse into the past, while its dramatic centrepiece – the vast market square Cours Saleya – bursts with local produce and vivid flowers.
The Matisse museum is a cultural jewel in the city, which became home to the renowned French artist Henri Matisse during the Great War, while the stunning Colline du Château provides an unrivalled panorama across the city. And the captivating town of Mougins has a vibrant art scene thanks in part to famed painter Pablo Picasso spending the final years of his life here.
Film industry royalty flock to the Côte d'Azur for the Cannes Film Festival each year, while the summer calendar is punctuated with carnivals and festivals from Menton to Monaco.
Food and Drink
Abundant seafood makes dishes such as bouillabaisse, which requires four types of fish, a local Côte d'Azur delicacy alongside other pescaterian dishes from mussels to lobster. Cheeses and cured meats are also popular, while locally produced fruit and vegetables are plentiful.
The international appeal of Nice, St Tropez and Cannes also mean a wide variety of top-quality global cuisine is readily available.
The aniseed-flavoured liqueur pastis, invented in Marseille in 1932 by French industrialist Paul Ricard, is a favourite apéritif, while St Tropez and the wider area excels in its rosé wine.
Accessibility
The Côte d'Azur is most readily accessible via Nice airport, the country’s second busiest. The smaller Cannes Mandelieu caters for smaller aircraft, while the St Tropez La Mole airfield accommodates private jets.
France’s high-speed rail network also runs to Nice, providing direct access to other major cities including Paris. The area is well-connected to the country’s network of major autoroutes, providing easy entry to Italy too.
The area also has plenty of ports for yachts and cruisers to moor in, including Cannes, Antibes, Nice, St Tropez and Grimaud.