This full day private Cannes shore trip includes a driver-guide who takes you to two of the most popular hilltop towns on the French Riviera, Saint Paul de Vence and Eze, plus a wine tasting at Chateau de Cremat, with free time for lunch along the way.
After meeting your driver-guide at the pier in Cannes, you drive to the hilltop town of Saint Paul de Vence. The vehicle parks outside the medieval walls near several cafes, where you can enjoy a coffee while watching locals play the Provencal game of boules or petanque, or take a stroll along the cobblestone streets to browse the many art galleries and boutiques. Saint Paul de Vence has long been known for its resident artists, and the town cemetery holds the grave of painter Marc Chagall, who died in 1985 and is buried there alongside his wife and gallerists Marguerite and Aime Maeght. You can also walk the town's medieval ramparts, or stop at the Maeght Foundation gallery.
Next you drive to the hilltop town of Eze, a pedestrian only medieval village of tiny, steep stone lanes about 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) northeast of Nice and 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) west of Monaco. The village clings to the cliffs over 1,000 feet above the sea. There is time to walk to the top of the village, where a succulent garden offers sweeping views of the sea far below (expect an entry fee if you wish to explore the garden), or to browse the boutiques. Alternatively, you can enjoy the scents of Provence at the nearby Fragonard perfume factory. There is time here to have lunch.
On the way to the wine tasting, you enjoy photo stops overlooking the Bay of Nice, the Promenade des Anglais, the old port of Nice, and its hilltop castle. Later in the afternoon, you stop at Chateau de Cremat, a hilltop wine estate in the Bellet vineyards above Nice, for a tasting. The Bellet appellation was established in 1941 within the walls of the chateau, which was built in 1906, and the vines here make up one of the few urban wine growing areas anywhere in the world, entirely within the boundaries of a major city. Their white wines come from Chardonnay and Rolle grapes and their red wines from Grenache and Folle Noire grapes.
At the end of the day, your driver-guide returns you to the port in Cannes.