Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Please Help with Cote d' Azure Location and Lodging

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Please Help with Cote d' Azure Location and Lodging

Thank you for everyone's help in earlier posts. I am still trying to find that picturesque place to stay. I am considering Villefranche-sur-Mer, St-Paul-de-Vence and Antibes. I found a cute apartment in Haut-de-Cagnes, but Fodor's uses words like "congested sprawl" to describe Cagnes-sur-Mer and does not really describe Haut-de-Cagnes. Wondered if anyone had been there and could give me the true picture of the area. I would really appreciate all thoughts on these cities and especially recommendations for apartments/ gites/ small character hotels. Thank you so much!! Gem

Hi Gem, It's me again, dena. I have a Frommer's Provence and the Riviera book and I will quote from it about Le Haut-de-Cagnes. "Cagnes-sur-mer, like the Roman god Janus, has two faces. Perched on a hill in the hinterlands of Nice, Le Haut-de-Cagnes is one of the most charming spots on the Riviera. Naomi Barry of the New York Times wrote that it crowns the top of a blue-cypressed hill like a village in an Italian Renaissance painting. At the foot of the hill is an old fishing port and rapidly developing beach resort called Cros-de-Cagnes, between Nice and Antibes." Although I did not visit Cagnes, it sure sounds nice to me. I would go to a book store and read some other recommendations about the place if you do not get a reply from someone that has been there. Good luck and again, feel free to contact me if you wish. Villefranche-sur-mer is my favorite! Have a wonderful time!

Hi Dena, Thank you for your helpful information. Where did you stay when you visited Villefranche-sur-mer? Quite a few people have recommended the Hotel Welcome, but the pictures of the rooms on the website do not look very exciting. Also, is there a market in Villefranche-sur-mer? Best regards, Gem

Hi Gem, Sorry about the delay in response, once the kids are home from school, the computer is no longer mine! Anyway, we stayed at the Pierre & Vacances residences. They are actually on the other side of the harbour of Villefranche, close to St. Jean Cap Ferrat and Beaulieu. I loved the location, but not the accomodations. It served us well as we were there for 3 weeks with our children and it was affordable, but it was not the cleanest place. I loved the location, but I would not stay there again, so therefore I would not recommend it. I did not see any of the rooms in Hotel Welcome, but many other posters say it is nice. There is an absolutely beautiful, but a bit pricey hotel in St. Jean Cap Ferrat called the Royal Riviera. I did see the lobby and the hotel looks fabulous. Maybe something to consider if $$ are not an issue. I don't know the prices and perhaps they have a website, but this hotel is not in the middle of town, like the Hotel Welcome. As far as markets, there was a "farmers" market on Saturday near the Tourist office in Villefranche. It was great, lots of vendors from Villefranche and Nice. And also an antique market on Sunday at the Harbour. There is a Villefranche-sur-mer.com web site that will give you more information. I'm not sure if the markets are year round or perhaps only during the summer months. If you have a chance check out the web site. Please feel free to contact me further, if I don't respond right away, it's because of the kids and I apologize in advance. Have fun planning and please let me know what you decide! Au revoir, Dena

I can recommend a wonderfaul little B&B in the hills near Vence and St. Paul de Vence. It's called "La Bastide des Olivier" and the URL is: http://bastidoliv.virtualave.net/page2e.htm To find out more details about our visit to the area, check out our web site - http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/5733

Wow! Thank you for the helpful and super-nice replies. Well, I made up my mind. We are going to go with the small house in Haut-de-Cagnes. I am so excited. I have been in contact with the lady who handles the reservations and she is checking on it for us. She was a bit surprised to find out that it is for January 2004 but I plan our trips around our lodging and I did not expect to find the perfect one so quickly. One tip to share, I have found that each town has an official web site (easily found by doing a web search) and the websites have lists, and often links, to all the lodgings. Very Best Regards, Gem

I think you have made a good choice. My son booked a table at a restaurant in Haut de Cagnes for my birthday in June and we had a great evening. It is difficult to park in the village but they have an amazing automated underground car park. Cagnes sur Mer is an urban sprawl but Haut de Cagnes is a few miles away up in the hills. Do visit as many of the other great places nearby.I love the area!