Travel – France: Glamour comes in Cannes

I could not have imagined a more quintessential Gallic moment. It’s karaoke night at the Château de Camiole (a resort in the Provencal hills behind the Cote D’Azur) and a bronzed and bejewelled 81-year-old Madame takes the microphone at the Jay’C Club lounge bar.

Screwing her face up with the raw emotion of Edith Piaf, she breaks into ‘Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien’. Singing to her husband with whom she is celebrating a 60th wedding anniversary, she brings the house down.

The only pity is that few other guests at this resort, perched delightfully on a remote hillside well inland from Cannes, are there to hear it.

The place seems to suit all generations. While the happy octogenarian couple are here for the “good air”, a retired Dutch couple intend to scrutinise numerous insects populating the vast woods surrounding this region, while a Parisian couple are on a ‘last hurrah’ before the first baby arrives.

And us? I want to show my family the razzmatazz of the French Rivera and the peace of Provence without spending a small fortune. We’ll sip rose wine on warm evenings and coax our little toddler into the sea for a frolic by day. She’s a city girl and needs a nudge!

Late May is a great time to visit southern France. Wild flowers are out in full bloom, the sun is starting to pack a decent punch without being overbearing and the crowds that flock here in summer are largely absent.

We’re guests at the Château de Camiole, a complex of 18 luxurious villas (some with private pools), 183 apartments and 43 hotel suites and rooms, with a spa and fitness centre for some pampering - all resembling a smallish, snug village in Provence - in one of France’s sunniest spots, Pays de Fayence, Le Var.

But we’re practically on the doorstep of the famous coastline of Antibes, Cannes and St-Tropez that make up the Cote d’Azur. We’re barely a 30-minute drive from the coast yet far enough away to escape the madding crowds.

The Pays de Fayence includes seven ancient hilltop villages dating from Roman and medieval times. We are only a 10-minute walk from Callian, one of the oldest and most charming villages in the region. And despite warnings that the narrow road is dangerous for walkers, our late-afternoon stroll to the village became a ritual.

Winding our way around the narrow and picturesque alleyways we eventually find our way to the village square where, under the chestnut and plane trees bookended on one side by an imposing cathedral, we take great delight in our treats: aperitifs for the adults and a generous portion of ice cream for our two-year-old.

In 30-degree heat we would perch on the ledge of the square’s trough filled by water raining down from a mossy bank. Not a shabby way to end a day.

It’s bliss being in this peaceful spot surrounded by craggy olive groves and cypress trees that point purposefully to the hot sky. But few places thrill me like the stretch of coast below, so we head for the beach.

Call me shallow but I love the glamour of Cannes, the chicness of Nice and the sheer ridiculous fantasy that is Monte Carlo.

We go to one of the few beaches in Cannes where you don’t have to stump up good cash for a touch of sun (30 Euros for a few square metres of beach? No thanks). And after a cooling dip in the Med, we stroll along the Croisette, the desperately fashionable boulevard by the beach, and a simply surreal stretch of road.

Whereas most beachfronts have tacky shops selling air mattresses, overpriced bathing suits and cut-price cigarettes, Cannes’s promenade seems to be reserved for the mega rich.

Luxury brands like Gucci and Prada stand shoulder to shoulder and our wallets stay firmly in the backpack. Until we find a shop that does not cater to the well-heeled, but sells simple ice cream cones for a reasonable 2.50 Euros.

As we lick our fast-melting, cooling snacks, a slightly grubby man stumbles across to one of the city’s many fountains to cool off his booze. But no cheap lager for this homeless man. It’s Cannes and standards must, so also goes in a bottle of seemingly good rose.

In the fierce sun, the old town is a natural shelter. It’s cooler than the beachfront, less crowded and deeply charming, helped no end by meals being much cheaper - big plates of seafood pasta and much-needed cold beers setting us back only 30 Euros.

In Nice, we find the old town again, with reasonably priced tiny restaurants huddled into the sides of the alleyways. The pizza is the best I’ve eaten. Well, we are just an anchovy away from the Italian boarder.

Shops selling trinkets dot the narrow paths and eventually give way to the famous flower market on the Cours Saleya. The picturesque market is a riot of colour and a hive of activity. The flower and produce vendors are flanked by cafes and sellers of antiques.

A little further along the glittering and sweltering coastline is the Principality of Monaco. I unsuccessfully gambled all of 20 French francs at a casino here way, way back in the late 1980s. No one can call me a big spender but I got value for money people watching.

Casinos aside, it’s worth a wander around the streets of this tiny principality. Take in the exotic garden and stop for a massively overpriced drink at Le Cafe de Paris as Lamborghinis and Ferraris cruise by.

Further south still is elegant Menton, where the locals like a sedate pace of life. Queen Victoria liked it and the writer Katherine Mansfield came here in 1920 in a bid to restore her health, because it’s famed for its mild and curative climate.

Sit at a beachfront café for a citron presse or, if you’re up for some culture, head to the 17th century built museum dedicated to the life of famous artist, poet and film director Jean Cocteau.

Back at the Chateau de Camiole, it was still balmy enough for a dip in the resort’s beautifully designed four pools, while our little girl hankered for the kids’ club, the best we have come across in all our travels. Apart from a lush garden smattered with see-saws, slides and bouncy toys, the indoor club has umpteen attractions and activities too. In peak seasons, a childminder is on duty to allow parents a few hours of uninterrupted bliss. Or time to savour the award-winning Les Jardins de Mathilde restaurant that offers daily breakfast and a la carte lunch and dinner, along with set-choice menus for 23 or 36 Euros.

To its credit, the resort caters for just about any budget. Weekly rentals vary according to property size, amenities and season, but many units are bought as investments, after which they are let to tourists throughout the year.

Most are extremely well equipped with loads of crockery and cutlery, dishwasher, microwave, TV, fridge and all the stuff you need for a self-catering holiday.

Our four days flew past, and on our final morning we do our end-of-holiday ritual: pack, check our return flights are on time, then reflect on our holiday. Did we enjoy it? Was it good value for money?

The famous refrain summed it up perfectly: Je Ne Regrette Rien!

Key facts - Provence Cote D’Azur

:: Best for: French Riviera beaches and Provencial countryside.

:: Time to go: Spring and summer.

:: Don’t miss: A flutter at a Monte Carlo casino.

:: Need to know: A car is an absolute necessity.

:: Don’t forget: Your best threads for a night out on the Riviera.

Travel facts

:: Bess Manson and her family travelled to Provence-Alpes-Cote D’Azur as guests of Chateau de Camiole, where hotel B&B ranges from 64 Euros per person to 113 Euros (high season, which is about £55-£100). Studio accommodation ranges from 455 Euros per week to 1,141 Euros (around £400-£1,000), and villas cost from 1,246 Euros to 3,696 Euros (approx £1,090-£3,230).

:: Easyjet return flights ex-Gatwick to Nice from £175, ex-Edinburgh from £282, ex-Liverpool from £96.

:: Car hire from Nice with Easycar starts at £226 per week and from £285 with Hertz.

All pictures: PA