Côte d’Azur & Monaco

Arrive in Beaulieu-sur-Mer (30 minutes by car from Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport), check-in from 15:00, and spend an evening at leisure exploring the famed Golden Triangle of the Côte d’Azur – Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villefranche-sur-Mer

The jewel in the crown of the La Réserve de Beaulieu hotel is the magnificent gastronomic restaurant “Restaurant des Rois” which was described early on as “the Restaurant of Kings and the King of Restaurants” by a gastronomic critic. Its chef, Olivier Samson, holds two Michelin stars.

Hotel: 5* La Réserve de Beaulieu Hôtel & Spa, Beaulieu-sur-Mer – 30 m² double room with port & mountain view

Your car will be delivered to the hotel in the morning and after a short personal tour briefing with our team you´ll start your driving adventure. The first leg of the journey takes you from Beaulieu-sur-Mer into the vineyard region of Provence, where you´ll stop for a delicious gourmet lunch in the middle of the wild Provencal countryside on a magnificent wine estate, surrounded by lavender, vines and statuesque olive groves.

After lunch your journey continues through the edge of the Verdon Regional Natural Park and towards Gargas, an ancient village situated in the Luberon Regional Natural Park, which is also the last village in the Vaucluse region who´s historic ochre stone quarries still operate today. Once a fortified hilltop village, Gargas is made up of about thirty hamlets. Here you´ll check in to the luxurious hotel La Coquillade, with a panoramic view over fields of vines and Provence´s highest mountain in the far distance, Mont Ventoux. This hotel has both an indoor and an outdoor pool, as well as an impressive luxury spa. Not only can you enjoy a gastronomic meal in the hotel´s beautiful gourmet restaurant, but on site you can also arrange a visit to the hotel´s own Aureto vineyard, so don´t miss the opportunity to enjoy a pre-dinner wine tasting and sample freshly prepared local produce.

Hotel: 5* La Coquillade, Gargas – 50 m² junior suite with balcony or terrace
Driving time: 3½-4 hours plus stops

Today you´ll follow the lavender route through Provence – an experience you´ll never forget. When the lavender is in bloom – from end of June to the beginning of August – one can admire oceans of purple lavender flowers with fields stretching to the far horizon, and even outside blooming season it makes for an enchanting and dream-like landscape. Next you´ll tour into the Verdon Natural Regional Park, to one of the most beautiful hilltop villages in France, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Here you´ll find the 12th-century Notre Dame de Beauvoir Chapel, perched like an eagle´s nest on the edge of a cliff, that can only be reached by steep stone steps. The Verdon Gorge – ‘Europe´s Grand Canyon’ – is one of the most unique locations in Provence, and the roads winding through this beautiful landscape offer some spectacular views over the canyon and the lake. In Verdon you´ll stop for lunch at a Michelin starred restaurant by world-famous chef Alain Ducasse, a French culinary legend.

Before you arrive at the Château Saint-Martin & Spa you´ll find yourself in a James Bond movie, twisting through cliff tunnels and rocky archways, on balcony roads winding down towards the clear Mediterranean sea. Your hotel stop for tonight is the elegant Château Saint-Martin & Spa, overlooking the valley and the Mediterranean from a stunning high location, and you´ll enjoy an unforgettable panoramic view from the hotel´s Michelin starred restaurant.

Hotel: 5* Château Saint-Martin & Spa, Vence – 35 m² traditional junior suite with garden view
Driving time: 4-4½ hours plus stops

The day begins with a beautiful drive up to a hilltop village, with perhaps the most magnificent panoramic views in the whole of the area, far over the hills to the distant sea. From here the journey continues on a scenic route that will take you up on the world-famous mountain pass Route Napoleon, one of the most thrilling drives in the South of France, and the most perfect supercar territory. You’ll stop for lunch at a charming restaurant that specialises in fresh local produce delivering mouthwatering dishes, and after eating you´re ready to pick up the last stretch of the journey.

Now your adventure takes you further north into the French Alps through open landscapes, passing by still lakes and following stunning roads winding along the riverbank, before you drop down to the coast on a smooth, fast and wide road through the foothills, heading towards your final destination, Monte Carlo. You´ll arrive in Monaco in the mid-afternoon and check in to the exclusive Hôtel Hermitage Monte Carlo, a Belle Époque style palace in the heart of Monte Carlo’s casino district, and home to the Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo spa, just a few minutes from the world-famous Casino de Monte-Carlo once frequented by Winston Churchill and President Eisenhower. You might wish to spend an evening at leisure exploring the stylish boutiques and elegant parks of Monaco, or stroll down to the Larvotto quarter for beachside cocktails. Monaco has a world-famous reputation for its exclusive nightlife, with numerous clubs and bars catering for a variety of different styles and tastes.

Should you wish to end your gourmet driving holiday enjoying a very special meal we recommend to reserve your table at the 3 Star Michelin Le Louis XV by Alain Ducasse, located inside the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo and possibly one of the greatest restaurants in Europe, or the 2 Star restaurant Joël Robuchon Monte-Carlo on the other side of the Casino Square.

Hotel: 5* Hôtel Hermitage, Monte-Carlo – 30 m² exlusive double room with sea view
Driving time: 4-4½ hours plus stops

Check out by 12:00, or if you wish you can extend your stay on the French Riviera

If you would like to extend your tour to include more than 3 days of driving in the South of France please contact our team for more information