Cannes (and vicinity) holidays

Best-known for its film festival, Cannes promotes a jet-set image. Celebrity visitors enjoy high-rolling entertainment in clubs and casinos along the famous Croisette promenade with its ornate seafront hotels. The graceless Palais des Festivals is the main venue for award ceremonies. Cannes has few sights, but its medieval castle houses an interesting ethnographic museum. Local beaches are bottle blondes of imported sand.

The perfume industry in Grasse dates from the 16th century when local tanners used flower fragrances to scent their speciality soft leather gloves. The Musée International de la Parfumerie explains the extraction processes, and all the larger factories provide free tours. Grasse has a fascinating old quarter with several interesting museums. Place du Cours has lovely sea views. Visit in August for the Jasmine Festival.

A thriving Riviera town, Antibes began its existence as the Greek trading post of Antipolis. Today, smart shops, a luxury marina and historic quarter ringed by ramparts attract many visitors. Open-air markets specialise in locally grown cut flowers. The Musée Picasso in Château Grimaldi contains works by 20th-century artists. Cap d’Antibes is a lush and beautiful enclave of the super-rich, studded with luxury villas and hotels.

Le Cannet is a picturesque and much-visited suburb on the northern outskirts of Cannes. Once a separate community, the families who lived here originally were brought from Liguria in the 15th century to tend citrus plantations after an outbreak of plague. Orange trees and a mural commemorate these workers on Place Bellevue. The little 15th-century chapel of St Sauveur has lavish decorations by the modern artist Tobiasse.

This twin community lies on the Esterel coast near Cannes. The scenery along this part of the Riviera consists of startling red cliffs and rocky coves backed by forests of pine and cork oak. Some way inland, amid wooded hills, Mandelieu is a premier golfing resort, while coastal La Napoule is a ‘station nautique’ with excellent sailing and water sports facilities. A February festival celebrates the mimosa that flowers here so profusely.