Fine wines, rustic countryside, wild mountain ranges, scenic beaches and celebrity haunts - the south of France, specifically the Cote d' Azur and Provence, has something for everyone.

The area is famed for the glitz and glamor of Cannes with its film festival, the seaside resort of Nice, and the extravagance of St Tropez.

In the winter, however, it becomes an entirely different place.

Stripped of the majority of its tourists and the commercialism of the summer high season, the region's natural beauty shines.

There are two main defining areas in the south of France, the Cote d' Azur and Provence, both of which are very different.

The Cote d' Azur includes all the beach resorts and runs along the Mediterranean shore. Provence is inland.

From September to June runs the quiet season for the south of France's famous beaches.

Compared with the bustling summer months, during this time the Cote d' Azur is a virtual ghost town.

The glitz and glamor melts away, leaving behind the few true residents who have not sold their land for holiday homes.

In the winter, they can continue their lives as they would have many years ago before celebrities laid claim to the area.

One such example is St Tropez, where the thousands of summer visitors are gone, leaving just a few hundred winter locals.

The Papagayo nightclub, considered the place to be seen in the summer and where reservations made months in advance can not even guarantee you a table, stands empty as people saunter past without a second glance.

Now is the time to truly enjoy the beauty of the town, the pastel colors of each adjoining building and the soft sway of the sea as it accommodates the over-sized yachts and boats.

An ice rink lies just off the Place des Lys and visitors can relax in the small cafes and watch the skaters while eating the unique Tropeziene cake.

This is a vanilla sponge filled with thick cream that is along the lines of a light custard sauce.
The dropping temperatures may not cool the restaurant prices but at least securing a reservation is a lesser endeavor.

Nice, although a budget resort in comparison, is a far larger town with a much longer history.

Although much of the architecture of the Promenade des Anglais has been tarnished by unsightly structures built in the 1960s, the old town more than makes up for this.

With a picturesque castle (rumored to have once been owned by Elton John), old chapels and streets lined with quaint boutiques, patisseries, ceramic and traditional fabric shops, you can spend hours in an authentic French atmosphere.

Once you have lost yourself in the little lanes, it is worth looking out for a small restaurant called Jesu situated on the Place du Jesu.

Here locals and those in the know make long queues waiting to be seated to tuck in to what is one of the best plates of gnocchi in France.

Moving on from Nice, the most dominant point between Nice and St Tropez is, of course, Cannes.

Every year this small town makes headlines while hosting the world's most famous celebrities at the international film festival.

In the winter, the place's glamor is not diminished, it is just quieter.

The red carpet remains on the steps of the Palais although the movie stars have been replaced by grinning tourists.

You can tell why this place draws the glitterati as top designer shops overlook a flawless beach and a sleepy harbor.

Magnificent yachts rock hypnotically in wait for their glamorous owners to return when the temperatures are again bikini-worthy.

Moving inland from Cannes, three lesser-known villages lie close together, each offering a specialty.

Biot has made a name for itself by producing hand-made glass with small air bubbles inside, Grasse produces perfume and Eze is an old medieval village clinging to a rock just above the sea.
A mass of mountains, foliage and vineyards, Provence is less touched by tourism and is where quaint little villages nestle among breathtaking landscapes.

In the winter sun, the rocks called Rock au Brune shine red, a unique sight for this region, while the rolling landscape is sewn together by the tangled dormant lines of grape vines ready to burst into life after spending the winter in hibernation.

Very much still an agricultural land where the main industries are olives and wine, the local people live by the rhythm of the seasons.

Winter is a time of rest and being with the family, as the only vigorous activities are hunting the wild pigs, burning cuts of wood (removed to thin out forests and thereby lessen the fire risk) and of course, drinking and eating.

Locals gather in the nearest country inn or tables d'hotes and fill themselves with rich fois gras, wild pig daube (boar cooked in a red wine sauce), the customary cheeses and indulgent sticky deserts that utilize winter berries and seasonal fruits.

Everything is decadent and fresh and as the wine flows the locals toast everyone around them for good health and an even better vintage for the coming year.

With thanks to our wonderful hosts the Moretti family.

(Shanghai Daily January 14, 2008)