Alpes-Maritimes

The Alpes-Maritimes is sandwiched between the sun-drenched high plains of Vars to the west and the soft mountains of the Italian side to the east. The Alpes-Maritimes is primarily known for its coastline, the most varied in the south of France with cliffs, pebbles, wide sandy beaches and enchanting coves, the fashionable Riviera towns of Nice and Cannes, the beautiful marinas with yachts, luxury hotels and the whole fashionable life. But the Alpes-Maritimes is much more than that, the vibrant French Riviera also has a peaceful - and in some places - completely deserted hinterland with stunning scenery and idyllic medieval villages.

To the north is the mighty Parc National du Mercantour National Park, which stretches right up to the Italian border and is the outermost part of the Alpes-Maritimes. Mercantour is renowned for its wild nature and has the status of the most unspoilt corner of Europe. Even in summer, the climate can be very harsh. The weather is very changeable and can vary greatly from valley to valley.

Excursions are endless and there are plenty of activities in the area such as water sports, cycling, horse riding, fishing, hiking, tennis and kite flying. With its many golf courses, the Riviera is also a great holiday destination for golf enthusiasts. Within half an hour's drive, you'll find good golf courses everywhere on the Riviera that are open most of the year. Skiing has also become all the rage in the south of France, where you can move from the palm-fringed coast to the highest peaks of the Alps in less than two hours.

The Alpes Maritimes has a subtropical climate. As a result, winters are usually mild and sunny and summers are hot and rainless. On the Côte d'Azur you can count on 2,700 hours of sunshine a year, but the heat is usually not unbearable as there is usually a fresh breeze from the Mediterranean. During the high season, temperatures rise to 25-30 degrees. However, it will be somewhat warmer inland, where the humidity is lower. The temperature is usually around 13-15 degrees in winter but somewhat colder inland. The rainy season is usually during autumn and spring. In both autumn and spring you can experience the strong wind, la Tramontane, which doesn't occur as often here as the Mistral does further west. The closer you get to the Rhône Valley, the more pronounced it becomes.