Gary Nicks

Rock stars, royalty and the rich love it so much they’ve made it their second home. And artists and writers were so intoxicated by its beauty, they let their creativity run riot.

Hollywood has always treated it like a hedonist’s paradise... “a sunny place for shady people” as one author called it.

And for the millions of tourists who head there year after year?

They love it because, quite simply, it’s the Cote d’Azur, that stretch of coast in the south of France where the deep blue

Med and long, hot summers leave visitors spellbound.

Running from St Tropez to Monte Carlo near the Italian border with glamorous towns such as Cannes, Antibes and Nice along the way, this is a playground for millionaires. But don’t let that put you off visiting too.

What struck me is the scenery while driving on the three corniches, the coast roads carved into the cliffs. There’s the ‘base’ or seafront, middle and ‘grande’ corniche high in the hills.

There are sheer drops and gorgeous views as you pull round hairpin bends, idyllic towns and secluded bays.

Travelling with my family we took the

COSY Saint Louis Camping

Eurostar, which speeds from London or Kent to Marseille in six hours.

Sleek 186mph trains, onboard wi-fi, a generous luggage allowance and a good buffet car make it a pleasure. We then picked up a hire car through Holiday Extras from the station.

We stayed with Eurocamp at Saint Louis Camping Village in the hills above Cannes, where a big old Provencal farmhouse with shutters and a pink terracotta roof has been converted into a reception, bar, restaurant and shop.

It’s a buzzing little park with a mix of Brits, Dutch, German and French all having a great time in the lagoon pool with waterslides and a separate heated pool.

There’s a play area for kids, ping-pong tables and footie, and as the sun sets campers play boules and enjoy pizzas and drinks before the entertainment on stage in the evening. Our accommodation was a smart, three-bedroom Azure mobile home with air con and terrace. The master bedroom had a queen-sized bed... fancy camping!

Palms sway in the hot Med winds, pine trees give off a sweet scent and the

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There are sheer drops and gorgeous views as you pull round the hairpins