On the beach...
Sleeping with your head in the stars and having lunch or dinner at the water’s edge...
Sleeping with your head in the stars and having lunch or dinner at the water’s edge - a dream ! A dream that can come true, in the Var and on the Côte d’Azur.
Far from the hustle and bustle of Saint-Tropez, south of the cape, the “Château de Valmer” stands on an old vineyard estate offering discretion and charm. Here, you’ll enjoy many simple pleasures : swimming in the pool or the beach close by, relaxing in the spa opened this year, having lunch or dinner in the gastronomic restaurant (the chef prepares vegetables from the kitchen garden and morning-fresh fish). Equally discreet, the former “Villa Saint-Elme”, now known as “Hôtel Hodéo”, is sheltered from noise and prying eyes. Like a big ship beached on the Corniche des Issambres, this 1930’s villa offers a chance to get away from it all. Little gates lead to the beach. On one side, a small creek, on the other, a private strip of sand with the hotel’s landing-stage. Before sitting down at table (the cuisine is decidedly Provençal), you’ll sip an aperitif on the terrace, facing the Deep Blue Sea. Very close to Le Lavandou, “Le Club de Cavalière & Spa” basks in well-deserved renown. Amidst maritime pines, bougainvillier and exotic gardens, this lovely Provençal villa and its private beach propose “incognito” stays. This is the real South of France, with chirping cicadas and local recipes. “Les Roches” has had its moment of glory… on TV. Clinging to the rocks of Aiguebelle, the hotel served as the backdrop for a series called “Les Cœurs Brûlés” in 1992, before being destroyed by a fire. After a few difficult years, the address has re-surfaced and poses like a superb ship with refined amenities. In the kitchens, Mathias Dandine is at the helm... This year, the Michelin Guide acknowledged his talent with a well-deserved star. Nothing pretentious, a simple sea-bream with a sauté of seasonal vegetables and juice of roast veal with parsley or rack of lamb with cannelloni of pepperoni and “panisses” with mild garlic. Once across the border back on the Riviera, the atmosphere changes radically. And if tranquillity is preserved as much as possible, this is the land of showy sand ! In the limelight of Cannes, which knows more than anywhere else how to benefit from its many assets… On the Croisette, a must is the illustrious Art Deco “Martinez”. At its “Z Plage”, Christian Sinicropi re-invents the art of lunch on the beach. In the most chic manner, of course, with icy fusions, a collection of breads and savours, and the essential sardines, lobster, “cigale de mer”, fillets of John Dory... Just as prestigious, but nestling in a grandiose park (and nevertheless at the water’s edge), the “Hôtel du Cap” on Cap d’Antibes welcomes its guests by land, by sea (thanks to its landing-stage), or by air. The chef serves his famous rabbit terrine in jelly with small beans and black olives, fillet of royal sea-bream with olives from Nice, or oven-baked sea-bass with basil. “Les Belles Rives” is an institution looking out towards Juan-les-Pins but with a backward glance at Cap d’Antibes. For a summer treat, choose from “La Passagère” with its terrace or the “Plage Belles Rives”. Both have the same chef, Jean-Laurent Depoil, newly arrived from the nearby Hôtel Juana. Discovering his dishes is a must ! For the record, he seconded Georges Blanc at Vonnas, a reference in the field. Our last port-of-call is the “Grand Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat” at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Built in 1908, this palatial hotel offers suites with private gardens, an Olympic-sized pool and the “Club Dauphin”, where lunch is served. This spring, spit-roast pigeon and pan-fried artichokes compete for your favours with sole garnished with broad beans, tomatoes, olives, fennel and coriander. Not an easy choice !
