Italy and France are among the most visited countries in the world and for good reason: a historical treasure trove of cultural treasures from multiple eras and exceptional natural environments such as the Alps, vineyard-covered landscapes and captivating coastal areas. Since maximum vacations have time limits, even the most committed Franco-Italophiles know that it is neither simple nor practical to try to fit any of the destinations together in a vacation frenzy.
But there is an undeniable solution if you don’t want to have to choose: stay in the westernmost part of the Italian Riviera (Imperia) or in the easternmost part of the French Riviera (Menton), to be able to move smoothly from one to the other. the other. Italy and France and look at some of the most productive places each has to offer. If your hotel is in San Remo, Italy, for example, Nice is just an hour away by car. From Menton you can explore the entire Riviera di Fiori d’Imperia, also in about an hour by car.
Here’s what to do and see in these neighboring and sublime coastal regions.
In the Middle Ages, many Riviera villages were located on perches overlooking the sea—the better to spot potential invaders and pirates hovering offshore, a recurring threat that lasted until the 1600s. Densely packed with compact stone houses and a warren of steep streets, these hamlets typically tucked churches, a castle stronghold and surveillance towers within their fortified walls. In later centuries, newer districts grew up around the ancient cores, so when you visit today, you get an old-town/new-town experience.
The ancient town of Sanremo is called “La Pigna” (pineapple), because the streets have been mapped in a way that resembles the pineapple scale trend. La Pigna, which dates back to 1000 AD, can be easily obtained in San Remo. The main grocery shopping street, Via Giacomo Matteotti. The Regina Elena Gardens, named after a queen of Italy, are a charming resting place after the walk to the most sensitive part of this historic village, where the view of the port and the city is exceptional.
In Bordighera, head to Città Alta, a compact former city market dotted with century-old caruggi, home to small department stores and restaurants offering sea-focused Bordigheran cuisine. Imperia was a commune created in 1923, linking the cities of Oneglia and Porto Maurizio, as well as an organization of neighboring villages. Parasio, the historic center of Porto Maurizio, is situated on a promontory and offers diverse architectural styles: medieval, baroque and neoclassical.
The ancient city of Menton, France, designated a “City of Art and History” in 1991, rises above the Old Port and is a delight to explore, especially the Rue Longue, an ancient street from the 13th century. The iconic Church of San Miguel La Basílica offers surprising perspectives of the area. It is also where the Menton Music Festival is held each year.
A café-terrace in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
In the Roquebrune part of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, you’ll find the vieille ville with a 10th-century castle and various spots providing expansive panoramas. Coco Chanel, who helped popularize the French Riviera as a summer destination, had a villa here; it was also a favorite vacation stop of Winston Churchill.
Painters, writers and musicians have long been attracted to the extraordinary natural beauty of the French and Italian Rivieras, settling in for both short and long stays (Matisse spent nearly three decades in Nice). Museums along the coast commemorate the works of the most famous maestros who came here, like the Musée Picasso in Antibes (the artist painted in a studio in the town’s former Grimaldi Castle), the Musée Matisse and the Musée National Marc Chagall, both in Nice. In Menton there’s a museum devoted to the work of Jean Cocteau, the polymath author, film director and artist.
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
The Sanremo Casino.
The region also offers many architectural treasures. Becoming winter resorts in the 19th century, French and Italian coastal towns experienced a structural boom, when villas and grand hotels were built in other Belle Époque styles. You can see those sumptuous structures in San Remo (the casino and the villas along Corso degli Inglesi); Bordighera (Villa Etelinda and Villa Regina Margherita, owned by a queen of Italy); and many charming period houses in Menton, where fin-de-siècle hotels, such as the Grand Hôtel des Ambassadeurs and Le Royal Westminster, are still in operation. Of course, there is even more Belle Époque splendor in nearby Monte Carlo at the sumptuous Hotel Hermitage and Hotel de Paris, as well as the elaborate casino designed by Charles Garnier. Also not to be missed: Rothschild’s Ephrussi Villa and Gardens , a grand palace and ancient monument surrounded by sumptuous themed gardens, built for Béatrice de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
Italy and France are famous for their lovely hill towns, but if you’re seeking lesser-known locales with not only sweeping views of rural splendor, but the seaside as well, there are a number of medieval villages along the Riviera di Fiori and in the pays Mentonnais (the Menton countryside) to seek out.
Cervo in Italy is only 66 meters high, but it is more than enough to appreciate the coastal landscapes. In this city, rows of pastel-colored buildings stretch out to the sea, where you’ll find a sandy beach. The town is also known for its castle, its magnificent baroque church and its promenade.
Seborga, about an hour’s drive from Bordighera, offers insights of the French and Italian Rivieras, all the way to Monaco. This people has a history, having proclaimed themselves an independent principality in recent decades (though not identified through Italy), with an elected prince or princess and locally minted currency and stamps.
Perinaldo, also 30 minutes from Bordighera, is known for its artichokes, olive oil and eminent astronomers (the local son, Giovanni Cassini, discovered 4 of Saturn’s satellite moons). In the town hall there is a famous astronomical observatory named after Cassini. (Cervo, Seborga and Perinaldo are among the I Borghi più belli d’Italia).
Sainte-Agnès, near Menton, is classified as the seaside town of Europe.
Across the border, in the Maritime Alps, are several high-altitude villages, the mountain towns of the Menton region. Castellar is the closest to Italy, with stunning perspectives of Garavan Bay in Menton and a historic center with building facades painted in citrus colors. In spring, the region blooms with an abundance of peonies.
To the west of Castellar, Sainte-Agnès, at 800 meters, is ranked as the highest village in coastal Europe and as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. Gorbio, home to a chateau still inhabited by the family that has owned it since the 17th century, lies to the south. (Note: All three towns are about a 20-to-25-minute drive from Mention. Access to many hilltop villages in mountainous regions in Italy and France often involves driving steep, narrow and winding roads. Travel cautiously and only in good weather with experienced drivers.)
A in San Remo.
The Menton waterfront.
On both sides of the border, you’ll find plenty of places to soak up the sun or swim. In Italy, those who like sandy beaches can head to the small towns of Arma di Taggia and San Lorenzo al Mare or the giant hotel in the city of San Remo, which has stretches of sandy coastline. Bordighera offers a nice strip of pebble beach with numerous spa establishments and beach restaurants. The Spiagetta dei Balzi Rossi is a famous beach near the archaeological site of Balzi Rossi with pebble terrain and translucent waters.
Menton has sandy beaches bordering the longomare leading to the Old Port, and a pebble beach along the coast adjacent to the Promenade du Soleil; Both spaces are covered with restaurants, clubs, and public and private beaches (which fill up early on weekends in high season). In Roquebrune-Cap-Martin you will find pebble beaches such as Plage de Carnolès, Plage du Buse and Plage du Golfe Bleu.
Despite being part of the same kingdom for centuries (the French Riviera was annexed to France in 1860), the French and Italian Rivieras have evolved in their local cuisines. But even today there are many similarities, for example, the ubiquitous pesto in Liguria has a culinary cousin in France called pistou (although it is made without cheese or pine nuts; almonds are added to it). French fish stews, bouillabaisse and bourride have an Italian counterpart in burrida. The Rivieras produce their own bureaucracy of pizza-like dishes: check out the sardenaira, made with tomatoes, anchovies, and olives, when you visit Imperia towns like San Remo. Order the pissaladière, with caramelized onions, olives, and anchovies from the French Riviera. Wherever you land, it may not be difficult for you to eat well.
Pissaladiere with anchovies, olives and onions.
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