Ever colourful, the French Riviera has long been a magnet for artisans, tourists and the curious who like to rub shoulders with the rich and famous. But it's not all boutiques, seaside cafes and restaurants. This is a truly beautiful coastline. Just turn the corner and you are miles away from everything, perhaps anchored in crystal blue waters surrounded by mediterranean pines and a rocky shore. If you like your sailing peppered with good food, a bit of shopping and relaxed evening strolls then this is one of the best places to be.

The coastal areas of Languedoc and Provence have a mediterranean climate. Summers are warm, or even hot, with a three-month period when rain rarely falls. Any summer rains are short, heavy downpours often with thunder. Sunshine is abundant, as much as 12 hours a day in summer. Winters are generally mild and sunny but this is often interrupted by cold and blustery weather brought by a northerly wind called the mistral. The mistral can bring unseasonably cold weather for a few days in spring. The Côte d'Azur from Toulon to the Italian border, including the small independent principality of Monaco, is much less exposed to the cold blasts of the mistral.