Destination: French Riviera | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Viewing French Riviera
Viewing French Riviera Features Essence Time Line Peace & Quiet * The Coast * The Hinterland * The Mountains Famous People |
The Mountains
It is easy to forget that the Riviera comprises as much mountain as coast. Behind Cannes and Antibes, undulating hills stretch to the Pré-Alpes of Grasse, cut by dramatic ravines and gorges such as the Gorges du Loup and carpeted with acre upon acre of flowers - jasmine, roses, carnations and striped fields of lavender, stretching like mauve corduroy across the countryside. Further east, the Vallée de la Vésubie in the Pré-Alpes of Nice offers walkers and bird watchers spectacular alpine scenery and occasional glimpses of rare birds. A short journey north leads to the majestic, snow-capped peaks of the Alpes-Maritimes and the Parc National du Mercantour, the only remaining French National State Park, ablaze with rhododendrons and gentians in spring; it boasts 600km of designated footpaths amid chamois, ibex, wild sheep and marmots and with breathtaking alpine views. |
|