European Travel

Destination: French Riviera

Opening Times

Most shops on the Riviera are open from Tuesday to Saturday, 10-12 and 2-6, although some stay open longer during the height of the summer season or during festival times.

A Ray of Sunshine

Souleiado is a Provençal word meaning 'a sun-ray piercing through the clouds' and is the name of the leading manufacturer of block-printed Provençal textiles. The company was founded in 1938 by Charles Deméry in a successful attempt to revive a 200 year-old textile industry. Today, the original 18th-century fruitwood blocks still form the basis for all the Souleiado patterns.

Local Talent

The region's top name in the world of fashion is undoubtedly Christian Lacroix, one of haute couture's most innovative and eclectic designers, famous for his classic yet daring, feminine yet boldly Mediterranean, fashions and accessories.

... and Some More

Look out for items produced by local Riviera designers: notably bright and bold clothes by Biot resident Arlette Chacok; evening wear by Jiki, a glamorous Monégasque designer; and the smart, affordable daytime separates of Alain Manoukian.

Symbol of Provence

The olive tree has long been the symbol of Provence, introduced by the Greeks 3,000 years ago as 'the tree of wisdom, abundance and glory'. Over 50 varieties of olive tree now grow on the Riviera. Harvesting takes place from November (for the ripe green ones) to January (for the more mature black ones). It takes 1,000 kilos of olives to produce 10 to 15 litres of oil.

Wine from Bellet

Nice's tiny AOC wine region called Bellet is little known, largely because the majority of the 1,200 hectolitres produced annually never get beyond the cellars of the Riviera's top restaurants. The special quality of the wines is attributed to their unusual grape varieties and the sea and mountain air. The full-bodied red, with its wild cherry bouquet, can be aged up to 30 years. The golden white is reminiscent of Chablis and the rosé is quite the best accompaniment to local fish specialities.

The Second Nice School

The Riviera is still very much a mecca of modern art thanks largely to the Second School of Nice (the first was during the Renaissance). Starting in the late 1950s as a neo-realist reaction to abstract expressionism, the movement was led by multimedia iconoclasts Klein, Rayasse, César, Arman, Ben and Tinguely. Their extraordinary constructions of consumer junk, smashed machinery and burnt musical instruments were designed as a spoof on society and the precious world of contemporary art.

Mecca of Motor Racing

The first Monte-Carlo Car Rally in 1902 occasioned the world's first tarmac road. The racing has come a long way since then, when 'gentlemen' drivers competed at speeds averaging 25kph. Nowadays, the real crowd-puller is the Monaco Grand Prix during the second week of May, with thousands of spectators wild with suspense on the pavements of the town.

COUNTRY

France

REGION

French Riviera

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