the voyage book to do list · cote d'azur · provence le mas shabanou the voyage book to do list · cote d'azur · provence le mas shabanou By Edwin & Ingrid Lichtveld Created by Marjolein Meulendijks 04 cities and villages 16 restaurants 30 beaches 36 to see & to do 38 perfumes 41 museums 42 wines 44 shopping cities & villages - 04 - - 05 - cities & villages cities & villages Grasse Saint-Paul-de-Vence Features: city, perfume, flowers, romantic Features: village, art, little streets, views, idyllic Drive: 18 mins. from Mas Shabanou Drive: 17 mins. from Mas Shabanou Grasse is a romantic little town in Southern France with idyllic Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a little village surrounded by city walls, streets and squares, only a 18 minute drive away from Mas near by Vence. It’s situated on a mountaintop and therefore Shabanou. offers an amazing view. Just imagine an old medieval town Grasse is considered the world’s capital of perfume. Therefore perfectly conserved, a place where time has stopped by you should definitely pay a visit to one of the perfume families and a private atmosphere: this is Saint Paul de Vence. Art is Grasse has to offer. The most famous ones are Fragonard, everywhere: the streets are full of little galeries with paintings Galimard and Molinard. Tip: take a guided tour in one of and sculptures, and even the streets are made of little pebble the factories to learn about the perfume history, the making stones with flower patterns. Don’t forget to visit the Jeu de process and the secrets of wonderfull world of fragrence. The Boules court, and have lunch at La Colombe d’Or, where souvenir shops are worthy of your visit as well: bring home paintings of Chagall, Matisse and Picasso are to be seen. your new favorite scented soap or eau de parfum! Gourdon Tourette-sur-Loup Features: village, views, hiking, boutiques, idyllic Features: village, violets, idyllic Drive: 22 mins. from Mas Shabanou Drive: 27 mins. from Mas Shabanou Gourdon is one of the most picturesque of all the perched Perched on a rocky outcrop surrounded by superb landscapes villages, and one of the most touristic. It’s rated as one of the where prickly pears grow naturally, the village of Tourrettes sur Plus Beaux Villages de France, and well deserves the title. Loup seems to conquer all beneath it with its tall houses built The village is full of little boutiques with perfume products, a along its ramparts. It’s not called “Violet village”for nothing glass blower who creates intricate masterpieces and loves to because for over a century this shy pretty flower has been talk, an early-17th-century fortress, and several large buses grown in the village. Even today it’s one of the main activities dropping off and picking up tourists. The view from the edge in the village. The flower is honored each year in March with a of the village is worth adding yourself to the tourist count. You flower festival, decorated floats and a flower battle. The best can see most of the coast, all the way to the Esterel; and the way to discover Tourrettes sur Loup is by calmly wandering Gorges du Loup below is beautiful, with the tall stone pillars around its pretty, narrow streets, its vaulted passage-ways from the old, destroyed railway bridge. taking in the tastefully restored stone facades, and climbing some of the stepped passages, bordered with pretty flower baskets... - 06 - - 07 - cities & villages cities & villages Cagnes sur Mer Features: city, sea, beach, boulevard Eze Drive: 20 mins. from Mas Shabanou Features: city, views, charming, idyllic Drive: 45 mins. from Mas Shabanou Cagnes-sur-Mer is found on the French riviera between Nice and Antibes. Cagnes consists of three separate parts: Cagnes- The breathtaking views of the Mediterranean from Eze, sur-Mer, the seaside resort; Cagnes town just behind the a charming hill town in the French Riviera will make you resort; and Haut-de-Cagnes, the original settlement on the hill truly amazed. The beautiful cobbled streets and the bright behind. pink bougainvillea are quite different from the glamour of If you want to go to the beach, Cagnes-sur-Mer is one of Cannes or St. Tropez and for travelers who are not interested the closest beaches to Mas Shabanou. So if you want to in celebrities and decadent yachts, Eze is obviously very sunbathe, swim, take a walk on the beach of ride a bike on the attractive. If you want to shop, you can eat your heart out in boulevard, this is your place. The Cagnes-sur-Mer boulevard one of the many local perfumeries and art galleries. also offers a lot of restaurants and terraces so you’re all set for a day at the beach! Nice Features: city, luxury, old centre, beach, boulevard, shopping Monaco Drive: 34 mins. from Mas Shabanou Features: city, luxury, glamour, casino, boulevard, palace, port Drive: 51 mins. from Mas Shabanou Of course Nice is a must-see on your holiday in Southern- France, it’s the largest city of the region. Most of Nice’s We bet Monaco is on your vacation bucketlist, just to particular charm and character comes from the Italian feel of experience the luxurious lifestyle. Pay a visit to the the Prince’s the city, which only joined France in 1860 after a long spell as Palace of Monaco, the port, and the Casino and old streets part of various Italian kingdoms. in Monte Carlo. Have a cup of expensive -but worthy- cup of Nice is a fine city to stroll around in the old and new city coffee at the Cafe de Paris terrace, overlooking the Casino centre, go see the port, have a nice meal, go to the beach, and the parade of exclusive cars. walk or bike along the seaside (you can rent a bike by Not really a fan of all the luxury? You can also pay a visit to the creditcard), visit a museum, or spend your day shopping! Nice Musée Océanographique de Monaco to see the underwater offers a lot of boutiques, but also main shopping streets with world with its most beautiful and exotic fish. all its famous shops. Don’t forget to visit Place Massena, the Castle Hill waterfalls, Galeries Lafayette, Cathedrale Russe, and of course Promenade des Anglais. - 08 - - 09 - cities & villages cities & villages Antibes Features: city, port, restaurants, shopping Cannes Drive: 36 mins. from Mas Shabanou Features: city, luxury, old centre, beach, boulevard, shopping Drive: 33 mins. from Mas Shabanou Antibes is the home of Cap d’Antibes, Europe’s largest port. So if you’re a yacht lover, go and check it out, you will be Cannes is a very dynamic and well known city. It’s famous by amazed! its luxurious form of lifestyle involving restaurants, parties, The old town of Antibes also offers lots of nice streets, shops, cars and beach clubs, the Vieille Ville and of course the yearly terraces and restaurants. The athmosphere is amazing at night, Festival des Cannes (film festival). The shopping areas -such so cosy! as boulevard La Croisette with the finest designerstores, Rue If you want to combine great beaches, culture, history and Antibes with more affordable and famous stores and the little good food, Cap d’Antibes and Antibes represent the perfect boutiques in the Vieille Ville- are very worthy of your visit as match for your needs. The shopping areas are also great and well (as long as you love shopping). So for a all including day diverse. Don’t forget to visit the Pabo Picasso museum! of luxury, relaxation, shopping and fine dining, visit Cannes! Juan les Pins Features: beach, boulevard, cocktails St. Tropez Drive: 36 mins. from Mas Shabanou Features: city, boulevard, beach clubs, shopping, port Drive: better go by boat from one of the beach resorts nearby The resort at Juan-les-Pins is on the north-west side of the Cap d’Antibes peninsula (home to many rich and famous people, And the luxury continues. If luxury, relaxation, beaches, beach hidden away in grand villas up the wooded hillside). Much clubs and designer clothing are your cup of tea, you might like more recently developed than it’s eastern neighbour, Juan-les- St. Tropez! Nestled along the French Riveria and a short drive Pins became popular in the early decades of the 20th century, from Nice or Cannes, St. Tropez is one of the liveliest towns and during the 1920’s played host to many celebrities, Ernest along the coast during the summer. Vacationers delight in the Hemingway and Charlie Chaplin among them. The popularity sandy beaches, culture, gourmet food and hot nightlife of St. continues to this day, and Juan-les-Pins is a very lively summer Tropez. If you want to check the most famous beach places off resort, with beach and sea related activities during the day of your bucketlist, visit Plage Port Grimaud and Le Club 55. giving way to the nightlife in the casino, clubs and (cocktail) bars. - 10 - - 11 - cities & villages cities & villages Biot & Vallauris Valbonne Features: little villages, ceramics, glassworks, terraces Features: nearby village, charming, boutiques, restaurants Drive: 20/30 mins. from Mas Shabanou Drive: 12 mins. from Mas Shabanou Two cute villages with little (shopping) streets and terraces. Valbonne is the perfect place if you don’t want to travel far, Biot is a very picturesque and very popular medieval village but do want to be in a typically Southern-French village. that’s actually about 2500 years old. It sits on a hilltop only What it has to offer? Lots of little idyllic streets with boutiques 4 km from the Mediterranean beaches between Antibes and and restaurants, fresh food stores, and a big square with Nice.