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)