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Eze

The steep climbing paths that wind through the tiny medieval village of Eze, have been frequently trodden by Frederich Nietzsche, Walt Disney, Bill Clinton and a host of other famous names.

Perched on cliffs 429 metres above the sea, Eze is situated on a corniche (coastal road) between Nice and Monaco.

Villefranche-sur-Mer

Villefranche is separated from Nice by the verdant heights of Mont-Boron, whose Belle-Époque villas offer fabulous panoramas of either Nice or Villefranche and remain relatively tranquil due to the neighbouring nature reserve. For example the Villa la Romarine offers views right across Nice and the Baie des Anges.

The town is situated in a bay between the capes of Nice and Ferrat on a site inhabited since prehistoric times. The setting for countless films, Villefranche was also home to Jean Cocteau and Aldous Huxley; while many modern celebrities reside in the town.

Its stunning beach and Italianesque old town are popular tourist spots, while the hills behind offer incredible vistas over the bay and to Cap Ferrat, such as those seen from these apartments and villas.

Nice

After Paris, Nice receives more annual visitors than anywhere else in France. The largest city on the Côte d’Azur, it has long held a reputation as a playground for the rich and famous and the hotels along the palm tree-lined Promenade des Anglais have accommodated many illustrious residents.

With its International airport and large population, Nice is often considered the métropole of the Côte d’Azur.

Many different properties are available through Rentals France in and around Nice, whose diverse medieval, classical, Belle Époque and art-deco buildings form a timeline of architectural history. This apartment in the exclusive Carré-d’Or of Nice is situated in typical art-deco building with seafront views.

During two weeks of February, the Nice seafront witnesses parades of street performers, flower-decked floats and orchestras celebrating Mardi Gras. Hundreds of thousands of spectators come for the carnival that culminates in fireworks and the burning of a cartoon-like effigy of a king.

The abundance of art galleries in Nice is testament to its artistic legacy and the city has provided inspiration for many of art’s grand masters, including Matisse, Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir and Chagall. Some of the latter’s work are displayed in Nice’s Marc Chagall gallery.

Antibes + Juan les Pins

Antibes hosts one of the biggest yachting marinas on the Côte d’Azur and Cap d’Antibes, its exclusive southern peninsula, was the setting for F.Scott Fitzgerald's novel, Tender is the Night. The Hotel du Cap (called Hôtel des Étrangers in the book) is one of the world’s most expensive hotels. The Villa St Antoine is a good example of a Cap d’Antibes.

As well as being a fashionable beach resort, Antibes contains an attractive old town and encompasses the communes of Juan les Pins and Golfe Juan. Every July, Juan les Pins hosts a jazz festival that attracts such famous names as Charles Mingus and John Coltrane.

Biot, Mougins, Valbonne

In the arrière-pays behind Cannes and Antibes, the communes of Biot, Valbonne and Mougins are favoured by a large ex-pat community as well as homeowners and holidaymakers seeking to enjoy the Riviera lifestyle without the noise, overdevelopment and traffic of the towns. Pablo Picasso chose to retire in a vast villa in the medieval village of Mougins, seduced by the elevated panoramas of the Bay of Cannes and the Préalpes mountains. Some excellent such properties can be viewed on the Rentals France website.

Cannes

Dubbed a true “salon of the world” by the author Prosper Mérimée, the city of Cannes’ seafront, la Croisette, is as well trodden as Oxford Street in London, or Broadway in New York.

Aside from its multitude of famous hotels, restaurants and private beaches, Cannes and its surrounding area possess a wealth of rental accommodation, from seafront apartments to city centre studios and suburban villas.

While the Cannes film festival brings the world’s attention and the stars of cinema to Cannes, it also has an enormous impact on rental prices, which often triple during its 10-day duration. A number of Cannes rental properties are available on Rentals France.

Fréjus, St-Raphaël

A former Roman port, the ancient city of Fréjus is characterised by its roman and medieval architecture. Foremost among these are is ruined aqueduct and the amphitheatre, which holds 12 000 spectators and is currently used for Bullfights and rock concerts.

St-Tropez, Cavalaire- sur Mer

St Tropez’s iconic status was established in the 1950s, by Roger Vadim’s film, And God created Woman, starring Bridget Bardot.

Since its 50s and 60s heyday St Tropez has continued to attract the international jet-set due to the quality of its beaches which often feature waters-edge restaurants and bars that host daily fashion shows and remain open well into the evening. Many customers arrive by tender from their yachts anchored offshore.

Parts of the fishing town of St Tropez have resisted the invasion of designer boutiques and five-star hotels. Its narrow streets and open markets retain a Provencal atmosphere and locals still play pétanque in the town square.

Nearby Cavalaire-sur-Mer is more family orientated than its illustrious neighbour, but its beaches are equally high-quality. Seafront apartments inside the town are also less expensive to rent than those in St Tropez. This is not to say that Cavalaire is without charm, as the town boasts a sizeable marina and is popular with water-sports enthusiasts.

Outside of Cavalaire-sur-Mer, the resorts of Cavalière and Le Lavendou possess excellent beaches and are popular rental locations for holidaymakers. This apartment in Cavalière can be rented for £650 per week in peek season.