February on the French Riviera

It's all about getting off to a good start! In this case the best place to stay was Antibes. I must have been to Provence at least 15 times, but every time I manage to find something new to see. Even Nice, which I know by heart, revealed to me the interesting Parc des Arènes de Cimiez with its lovely Musée Matisse. Then what can I say about the splendid Village Perché of Sainte-Agnes perched right above worldly Menton, or about the overpowering nature of the Gorges du Loup (Loup? Bass?) a few kilometres from quiet Tourrettes-sur-Loup, from the ultra-touristy Saint-Paul de Vence, from Matisse's Vence and from chaotic Cagnes-sur-mer. If you're tired of the crowds and the glamour (and of hearing only Italian spoken...) it's easy to flee the Côte d'Azur (even if Cannes and Saint-Tropez are always stimulating) and take refuge beyond the Esterel and the Maures.

Surrendering to the tranquillity of the Presqu'île de Giens with its sandbars and salt flats, or to the beauty of the slightly choppy winter sea that separates the fort at the tip of the peninsula from the Hyères islands, is the worthy conclusion to a quick getaway holiday that is nonetheless indispensable...