Beaches and coast

The nearest beach is at Villeneuve-Loubet, only 15 mins away by car, where you’ll find water sports and a yacht club that rents sailing boats by the hour. The beach is pebbly and depending on the wind can have a slight swell making it possible to body surf.

Heading east along the coast, the beaches are all pebbly and vary from the grand sweeping bay of Nice’s Baie des Anges to secluded coves on the exclusive and beautiful Cap Ferrat, then on as far afield as Monaco and Italy (still under an hour’s drive).

Heading west, you’ll find calm, sandy beaches in Antibes, Juan les Pins and Cannes (30 mins away) and dramatic cliffs and an underwater snorkelling trail at Théoule sur Mer.

A 15 minute ferry ride from Cannes takes you to the quiet, unspoiled islands of Sainte Marguerite and St Honorat, les Iles de Lerins, with pretty coves, walking trails, a bird watching sanctuary and a medieval fort.

Galleries, museums and the arts

The French Riviera and its surrounding countryside is famous for the artists who have lived here, attracted by the stunning light, wonderful climate and natural beauty, leaving a legacy of fabulous museums and art galleries.

Nice is home to the Musée Matisse and Musée Chagall, both of which have unrivalled collections. The Fondation Maeght in St Paul de Vence is one of the largest private collections of modern art in the world.

In Antibes, there’s a museum of work by Picasso, in Biot, Fernand Leger and in Cagnes sur Mer, Renoir. In Villeneuve-Loubet, there’s even a museum of gastronomic history, dedicated to the famous chef Escoffier (inventor of the Peach Melba).

The pretty village of Biot is famous for its glassblowing, Vallauris for pottery, Mougins and St Paul for their art galleries. Grasse, only a 15 minute drive, was the world centre of perfume making and still retains several traditional perfume factories which are open to the public. Its museum, the Musée International de la Parfumerie is also well worth a visit.

Sports, adventure, fun parks and entertainment

The nearby mountains and coastal paths offer spectacular walking territory, through forests of ancient green oaks or open plateaus covered in wild rosemary and thyme or beaches with majestic umbrella pines.

Whether you want an easy stroll or a whole day’s hike, there’s something for everyone. If you don’t want to take the car, there are plenty of walks to be done direct from the door in the surrounding forests, with stunning views across the mountains and coast all clearly signposted.

And if you don’t want to walk, the many scenic drives from Lou Messugo will take your breath away.

For thrill seekers there’s canyoning and kayaking in the stunning Loup river gorge, para-gliding, rock climbing and Via Ferrata in the hills behind.

This area is renowned for its challenging cycling, following many of the routes taken in the Tour de France but for something a little less strenuous, the seafronts in Nice and Cagnes sur Mer have wide cycle lanes and pavements excellent for families cycling and rollerblading.

There are several top golf courses within 10 mins drive including Opio Valbonne golf club, Grand Bastide and Royal Mougins.

Within 15 mins drive there are 3 equestrian centres offering horse riding at all levels and Lou Messugo can even be a base for days out to the snow for sledging and skiing at the small family resort of Gréolières les Neiges, 50 mins away, or for more advanced skiing at Isola 2000 or Valberg and Auron, only an hour and a half away.

10 mins from the apartment there’s a fantastic complex including two adventure playgrounds with climbing trails in the trees from age 4-8 and 8 up, a maze and a children’s theme park. It is ideal for families with young children.

Only slightly further away there are a couple of water parks, karting, paintball and crazy golf. For those rare days when you want to be indoors you’ll find bowling alleys, laser tag games, trampoline parks, escape rooms and cinemas showing films in English and French.

Food, wine and shopping

This part of the Côte d’Azur is a foodie’s paradise with traditional markets bursting with fresh local produce (Roquefort every Wednesday morning, Valbonne on Fridays, Antibes every morning among many others) and restaurants galore to suit all tastes and budgets.

Roquefort les Pins, while only a small town has around 10 restaurants, all of which are within walking distance from the apartment. In the immediate vicinity, within 15 mins drive there are several Michelin starred restaurants for a gourmet feast. Being foodies ourselves, we will be delighted to share our knowledge, give you tips and help you with restaurant bookings if you should so desire.

For shopping whether it’s original local souvenirs, a beautiful painting or chic designer clothes you’re after the Côte d’Azur has it all. We are only 10 mins drive from an excellent open-air shopping mall designed to the highest standard with sculptures by international artists, fountains, restaurants and gardens dotted among the shops.

Of course Cannes and Monaco are full of high-end designer stores, while the many villages around showcase their local arts and crafts. In Grasse you can even make your own signature perfume.