Images from La Belle Èpoque (1871-1914) on the French Riviera generate the impression of a whimsical golden era brimming with pleasurable pursuits and indulgences. It was a time of pure fantasy; the stuff little girls might dream of — castles, palatial homes, ball gowns and glass slippers. For Madame Ephrussi, …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: It’s the number of large cranes that give us a clue to the scale of the construction projects going on in Aix at the moment. Thirty projects are underway…Continue reading here for details on just ten of them including the building of a great new music venue, a …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: The 13th edition of Top Marques Monaco is the place you want to be with your kids on the last weekend of Zone B school holidays if they are remotely interested in supercars or fast shiny things! Hosted at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, the …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: The repaving of the area outside the tourist office has been completed and I was really hoping for something a bit more attractive and tourist-friendly – some benches for instance wouldn’t go amiss. And why has Cezanne just been plonked down on the ground? …Continue …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: This doesn’t take place until June but, if you are into this kind of event, it might be worth putting on the calendar now. Dozens of planes will be converging on the Istres Air Base for this show which takes place every 5 years. There …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: Is it just me or does anyone else feel a slight lull after Festival February that saw some major events here on the French Riviera – Nice Carnival, Fête du Citron, Fête du Mimosa etc?? Personally, I enjoy that each month there is always so …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Things are starting to feel decidedly spring-like here in Provence. There are orchids in the grass, the almond blossom has just waned in time for the pear trees to start budding. We’ve had, as seemingly everywhere, a mild winter. We haven’t had anywhere near as …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: With all the major festivals on during February, some of the nicest events to take your children to are the smaller local carnivals. Next weekend on Saturday, Villeneuve Loubet is hosting a free ‘Carnaval for Kids’ between 1pm-5pm with entertainment including: Music from Jazz Band …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: 2016 and Provence gets its very own cycle-race, for the first time. It will be taking place over three days, 23, 24 and 25 February and will be contested by 18 teams of 8 professional cyclists. Here are the stages: 23rd Aubagne to Cassis, 175km, mainly …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: Menton on the French-Italian border is blessed with high sunshine hours and it is this climate that supports the growth of citrus fruits, in particular the famous Mentonnais lemon. Each year in February the town celebrates its citrusy wonders by hosting Fête du Citron, literally …