When temperatures on the coast and in the cities soar, we can always find freshness in the lower Alps. For communities like Caille, however, changes in the climate are making the step from winter destination to summer something much more permanent.Read more
Any golfer passing along the A8 motorway should know – and make a stop at – Saint Endréol. It’s been described as one of France’s flagship courses and was designed by Michel Gayon, who is responsible for dozens of excellent sites developed in the last 30 years.
This autumn, the 35th edition of Roc d’Azur will be the stage of a new race: the Gravel Origins 83, an opportunity for gravel bike riders to discover the most impressive landscapes of the Var.
Kitesurfer Matthieu Girolet has finished his epic tour of the French coast – from Dunkirk to Nice – on the beaches of the Côte d’Azur. The 44-year-old from Béziers had been at sea for over a month and completed over 2,400 kilometres when he made landfall yesterday afternoon.
Golf de Valescure is a time-honoured place founded by a group of English aristocrats who, appreciative of the mild climate in the French Riviera, began playing here as far back as 1895. Some years later, in around 1910, the course was extended to 18 holes by the famous and acclaimed golf course architect Harry Shapland Colt. Valescure can’t claim to be the oldest in France – that’s in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and opened in 1856 – but it has certainly welcomed many generations of golfers on to its lawns and is the longest established in the Var. 
Racing in the principality dates back the reign of Prince Louis II, who authorised an event in 1929. The current track harks back to 1950 and, since 1955, Monaco has been a regular and ever-popular fixture on the FIA calendar. There have been barely any alterations to the course in almost 70 years.
Only a few decades ago, the Finalborgo neighbourhood was considered run-down, dark, dirty and even dangerous. Today, the historic centre is known as one of Liguria’s most beautiful villages and has won the I Più Bei Borghi d’Italia award. This incredible redevelopment is in large part thanks to visionaries who recognised the potential of the heritage and unique landscape of Finale Ligure as well as its capacity to move beyond beach-limited, summer-only tourism. European Union funds did the rest.
Even though we visit in mid-January, it’s warm enough to watch two teams from Sophia Antipolis play off against each other on one of the outdoor pitches at lunchtime. Under the winter sun, they swiftly canvas the 26-metre by 16-metre terrain before a player strikes gold with the deciding goal: 19-18. Five-a-side is quicker than a standard football game – between 45 and 60 minutes on average – and the score board often runs much higher. The grass underfoot is artificial, but features fine fibres and a softness that mimics natural conditions. Soccer Park Antibes has three indoor pitches and two outside the main building to offer an all-year, all-weather service.
If you thought that vintage cars belong only in museums and under dust sheets, the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique is here to prove that there’s plenty of life still in these metal beasts. From 11th to 13th May, fleet after fleet of golden oldies – in lifetime only – will tear along the famous Monaco circuit, which remains 80% the same as that used in the very first race nearly a century ago.
Rafael Nadal has continued his Monaco legacy of success with an impressive 11