Visiting The French Riviera

Shopping at a street market for fresh food, flowers, and local products is not just for tourists in France; it is a part of every household’s weekly routine. The most beautiful market on the French Riviera, in Sébastien’s view, is the Forville covered market (Open 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every day except Monday; Place Marché Forville, Cannes.) in Cannes. “Your typical Cannes resident will take the following route,” he advises: “Upon arrival, go right to the end of the market and pop into the café on the left. This is the ideal place to start the day, people watching and seeing the world go by. Next, stroll between the stalls under the covered hall. There are beautiful stands of fish freshly caught from the bay of Cannes. Then continue your walk down rue Meynadier, a historic street where you will find some fantastic products.”

The Abbaye de Lérins (Île Saint-Honorat, Cannes; +33-4-92-99-54-32), on the island of Saint Honorat in the bay of Cannes, is “a location unparalleled anywhere in the world, home to seven hectares of vineyards owned by monks, a tradition that goes back to the 5th century,” Sébastien says. This set-up was originally designed simply to produce wine for use during Mass, but it was transformed in recent years by Friar Marie Pâques, the abbey’s commercial director, who decided to replant everything and bring the production upscale. “The wine is exceptional and has won many awards,” Sébastien adds. “The grapes are harvested by volunteers and it is possible to organize visits and tastings onsite. A simply divine experience!”

You won’t need a passport to explore the principality of Monaco during a stay at Château Saint-Martin. The hotel works with Vélo Monaco, a bespoke tour company, to create personalized road trips by bicycle. Sébastien recommends that culture vultures check out what’s on at the Grimaldi Forum (10 Av. Princesse Grace; Monaco; +377-99-99-30-00), which organizes a new modern art exhibition every year: “This is an ideal place for vagabond spirits like mine.” On the way home, stop by La Mala beach (Allée Mala, Cap d’Ail) in the neighboring town of Cap d’Ail. “A pebbly beach with crystalline waters, not far from Monaco,” Sébastien says. “The atmosphere is young and trendy, and the days play out to the rhythm of music.”

To savor the region around the Château Saint-Martin, Sébastien recommends that guests lace up their walking shoes and explore on foot. His favorite city walk is in Vieil Antibes, the old quarter of his home town, starting with the Rues du Haut et Bas Castellet: “A picture-postcard scene. Small paved pedestrian streets, villas with colored shutters, stone fronts, jasmine, and bougainvillea climbing from one side of the façade to the other. Streets with a calming effect, where you can recharge your battery.” His favorite country walk is around the Col de Vence, which rises above the Château Saint-Martin: “A lunar landscape, with not a tree to be seen. In the evening, the Col de Vence offers a sublime panorama with a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean Sea, and the chance to spot shooting stars.” He adds, “This unusual setting has become a meeting place for UFO enthusiasts convinced that aliens might land here.”

Finding the perfect souvenir of a memorable stay can be a challenge if you don’t know where to go. Sébastien and his team can help. At L’Atelier du Croco (1 Place Charles Felix, Nice; +33-4-93-80-00-90) in Nice, “you will find a couple of passionate artisans and their daughter working leather,” Sébastien says. Everything, from briefcases to keychains, are handmade to measure: “Once you have entered the shop, your imagination is the only limit.” In the neighboring town of Tourrettes sur Loup, Dubosq (8 Grand’Rue, Tourrettes sur Loup; +33-4-24-34-29-35 ) is the place for olive wood, harvested locally and hand molded into custom-made tableware and furniture. The shop has earned the prestigious designation of Living Heritage enterprise by the French government. “Dubosq is one of the most impressive artisanal shops in the south of France,” Sébastien says.