Fifty shades of Côte d’Azur

Extreme Pleasure. Minimal Effort. Maximum of French Riviera

When

May - October

How long

6 nights ideal length

Price

from €6.200 pp excl. flights (based on 2 ppl sharing)

Fifty shades of Côte d’Azur

Extreme Pleasure. Minimal Effort. Maximum of French Riviera

When

May - October

How long

6 nights ideal length

Price

from €6.200 pp excl. flights (based on 2 ppl sharing)

Fifty shades of Côte d’Azur

from

6200€*

Share:

What the tour is about

    The French Riviera. The Côte d’Azur. Words that practically ooze luxury, sun-soaked glamour, and that maddeningly perfect sort of elegance that makes you wonder if you’ve done your whole life slightly wrong. Everyone’s heard of it. Most have been. The rest are plotting how to get there.

    And yet… the dream, as it turns out, comes with baggage. The South of France – especially this glittering strip by the sea – has been a victim of its own fabulousness for quite some time. Overcrowded, overpriced, and often more sweat than chic, the Riviera has been lovingly smothered by mass tourism. Which, frankly, annoys us. So we made this program.

    The idea is simple: without trying too hard (because trying hard is not the Riviera way), you’ll get to see the entire Côte d’Azur. And not in the “tick it off your list” kind of way. We mean really see it. Understand why Menton is not Cannes. Find your own perfect spot. Not where they go. Not what the guidebooks shout about. But where you – the real, complicated, sun-hungry you – feel utterly and unapologetically good

Grasse. 50 shades of Côte d'Azur tour © Fine journeys

Go — but why, really

1

To be that guy at the table — the one who can casually drop, “Oh, when I was on the French Riviera…” and actually mean it

2

To see more than 20 of the most beautiful towns and villages on the Côte d’Azur in one week — and somehow not feel like you’ve run a marathon

3

To crack the secrets of Provençal cooking. To taste sea bass so fresh it probably waved goodbye before hitting the oven — baked in real Camargue salt

4

To become fluent in the fine art of rosé — from the “easy as water” kind to the serious business of Garrus, made from vines older than your great-grandparents

5

To feel the simple, stupidly perfect joy of sea salt tightening your skin under the gentlest Mediterranean sun imaginable

6

To find a slightly better, deeper version of yourself — and maybe, just maybe, realise happiness isn’t some far-off fantasy. It’s right here. Right now

Tour itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Nice – Airport pickup – Hotel transfer
Welcome dinner and awkward small talk that quickly turns into good wine and new friends

Arrival day is always a bit of a wildcard. Flights get delayed, connections aren’t quite what you hoped, and sometimes travel just… travels. But no worries — whatever happens, we’ll be there to meet you at Nice Airport, no matter when you land or how the day unfolds.

From there, it’s straight to the hotel to check in, freshen up, and regroup. Then we’ll gather for a little welcome apéritif and, as a team of rational adults (ish), decide what we feel like doing. Options are wide open: a gentle stroll through Saint-Paul or Nice, a quick dip in the pool, a beach run, a nap, a bit of shopping — or maybe just a slow start and some well-earned lounging.

We won’t go full throttle just yet. There’s a superprogram waiting for us tomorrow

Saint-Paul-de-Vence. French Riviera village tour

    This is the big one. One long, glorious day where we cover the entire coastline from Cannes to the Italian border. Cannes, Nice, Èze, Monaco, Menton. Sea, mountains, chaos, calm – and yes, they all look like variations of the same postcard, until you’re standing there thinking, “Hang on… this is completely different.”

     We’ll investigate why the Russian royal family had opinions about the Carlton Hotel, what a real salade niçoise actually is (spoiler: it’s not what that café in London served you), why Nice’s main promenade is British by name, and who on earth decided Monte Carlo needed a casino shaped like an opera house.

    It’s a full day. Potentially a very full evening too, if dinner gets involved (and it usually does). You’ll return to the hotel tired, slightly shell-shocked, and wondering how one day managed to feel like a weeklong holiday. Perfect time to do absolutely nothing tomorrow – because doing nothing, in the right place, is an art form

    In the morning, we’ll head to Théoule-sur-Mer – our personal nominee for “beaches that haven’t sold their soul to Instagram.” Think views of Cannes, the Lérins Islands, a sea you can actually see through, and just enough people to remind you that you’re not a hermit.

    We’ll spend the day doing what the South of France was made for: a bit of swimming, a bit of sun, and a lot of pretending that this is what your life looks like all the time. After lunch, we retreat to the hotel for a nap (essential), followed by a sunset cooking class by the pool with Christian – a man who believes rosé should be cold enough to make your teeth hurt and that all problems can be solved with a right piece of meat

    But let’s be honest. We start with a fib. Our first stop is a city: Grasse. The world capital of perfume and the place where Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (read it, seriously) was both set and dreamt up. You’ll learn enough about perfume to bluff your way through a Chanel interview and get a bit philosophical about symbolism in religious art. We’ll peer at a few Rubens paintings, play spot-the-original, and detour through history’s more interesting characters – Maria de’ Medici, Ivan Bunin, Pauline Bonaparte… yes, it’s quite the cast list.

    Then it’s on to Gourdon, Tourrettes-sur-Loup, Saint-Paul-de-Vence. There will be waterfalls. There will be views that make you consider selling your house. There will be food that ruins you for anything else

    Yes, that’s the real lyric. Not “Do you, do you” – though frankly, that version’s probably lodged in your brain forever.

    Today’s a bit of a solo mission. We’ll get you on the boat to Saint-Tropez, then meet you at the port and bring you home – assuming you don’t lose track of time in a boutique or a beach bar.

    Saint-Tropez doesn’t need a tour guide. Just stare wistfully at the ochre cliffs of the Estérel as your boat glides by, then do whatever Saint-Tropez seems to demand: pose, wander, eat, and spend more than you meant to.

    It’s still a village, technically – though good luck finding a baguette without walking past six Dior windows. Some of you will head to the old gendarme station for a photo op. Others – blissfully unaware of Louis de Funès – will make a beeline for Pampelonne Beach. Either way, the day is yours. We’ll be waiting at the port with a mildly judgmental look if you’re late

    Visiting France and skipping the wine? That’s not tourism – that’s blasphemy.
    Today is about rosé. Proper rosé. Light, flirty (not fizzy), and designed for drinking somewhere with lavender in the background.

    We’re going to two wine estates, tasting the good stuff (cru classé, if you must know), hearing straight from the source about what goes into making it, and why the answer is never “just grapes.” Then we’ll have lunch in the Provençal countryside, where you’ll likely say something like “I could live here” while casually googling real estate.

    On the way back, we’ll stop at Château de la Napoule – a place I’m quite sentimental about. It’s bizarre, beautiful, and quietly brilliant. A monument to love, layered with symbolism, and so sincere it almost feels rebellious in this glittery, surface-obsessed region.

    A perfect final note: art that whispers instead of shouts. Love that lingers. And wine that makes you forget what day it is

    That’s how it could go. But it probably won’t.

    Because now, you know your way around the Côte d’Azur. More importantly, you know what you actually love about it.  And there’s still time before your flight.

    So we’ll do whatever feels right: lounge by the pool with one last glass of rosé, wander through a nearby village, or maybe start plotting the next adventure

Where to rest your head

   We don’t just look at stars, prices, or big names when choosing hotels — and honestly, five stars don’t always mean five-star vibes. For us, what really matters is the atmosphere. That feeling when you walk in and think, “Yes, this is exactly where I want to wake up tomorrow.”

    So, for this tour, we’ve handpicked places that feel just right — charming, comfortable, and full of character. Here’s where you’ll be staying:

L'Abbaye hotel
A beautifully restored medieval abbey, brought back to life with incredible love and fantastic taste — complete with its own refectory, amazing restaurant, patio, and even a chapel
View at Booking

What's included

 

  • A 6 nights hotel stay with brekfasts
  • All transfers and tours according to the program;
  • Wine tastings during the tour;
  • Entry and guided visit to Château de la Napoule;
  • All church and cathedral visits;
  • Boat tickets to and from Saint-Tropez;
  • Provençal cooking masterclass and dinner;
  • All activities listed in the program

What's not

  • Flights;
  • Visa;
  • Meals and drinks not included in the program;
  • Medical insurance;
  • Personal expenses;
  • Tips for the guide are not included — but always appreciated

Frequently asked questions

Each and every trip here is tailored exactly to who you are and what you want to do. That’s why one-click booking isn’t an option. So tell us about yourself, and we’ll create something that’s entirely you. When the trip is set up, we’ll send you a payment link for a 30% deposit. As soon as the payment is received, we’ll secure the dates, hotels etc for your tour. The remaining balance can be paid on the spot when we meet

*Why would that be a problem? We’ll gladly arrange transportation and everything else, of course, after discussing the details and pricing with you in advance

*Of course! We’re not here to just rattle off a standard tour program. The main goal is to have an enjoyable and meaningful experience. Tell us what you have in mind, and if it’s at all possible, we’ll do our best to make it happen

The Riviera, as it should be — slow, beautiful, delicious. Not a race, but a feeling you’ll want to keep 😎

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Villefranche-sur-Mer © Fine journeys

*The final tour price may be higher — or, more often, significantly lower — than the one listed. It all depends on your preferences: the hotel you choose, room type, extras

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