What's New: An Online Update for Frommer's Provence & the Riviera

Planning Your Trip

An increasingly popular way to explore southern Provence is via a scooter rental from Auto Europe (www.autoeurope.com/scooters.cfm). Italian Vespas are for rent in Marseille, Nice, and Cannes. In addition to saving money, the company is touting the benefits of sidewalk parking and the ease of maneuvering in heavy traffic.

In the months ahead the government of France is considering granting free access to a sampling of museums in Paris, the French Riviera, as well as other French towns. François Fillon, the prime minister of France, did not name any museums specifically but said a study was underway to make many museums free. He noted that several other European nations have made museums free. "I want access to our artistic heritage to be truly democratized," Fillon said. The minister also said that he wanted young people to receive a "culture passport" valid nationwide to grant them easy access to sites.

Provence

Avignon

Serious foodies in the area are driving 15 miles south of Avignon to experience the sublime viands at Bistro d'Eygalieres, rue de la République (tel. 04-90-90-60-34), the creation of Wout Bru who is from Belgium, not Provence. He prepares such dishes as the most satisfying lobster lasagna with confit tomatoes and thyme butter. If you'd like to stay over, he offers four beautifully furnished bedrooms over the restaurant. It's worth the detour, as Michelin always says.

Gordes

Ignore the tacky souvenir shop in front and penetrate deeper to Le Bouquet de Basilic, Route de Mars (tel. 04-90-72-06-98), which has some of the best and most affordable Provençal dishes in this tourist-trodden town. A leafy terrace offers a cool refuge on a scalding Provençal day. In charge is a Sicilian, Marianne Galante, who has a wonderful spin on Mediterranean dishes given her own distinctive slant. She posts her daily specialties on a blackboard menu. She even grows her own garlic, and her olive oil is locally pressed. Dig in and try almost anything, especially her tagliatelle with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and her fresh basil from which the restaurant takes its name.

The Western Riviera

St-Tropez

The legendary Hotel Byblos, Av. Paul Signac (tel. 04-94-56-68-00; www.byblos.com), celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2007 and is better than ever, still a favorite of such stars as George Clooney, Elton John, and Naomi Campbell. Many of its bedrooms and suites have been redecorated in a palette of colors in yellows, blues, turquoises, and taupes. The resort's Mediterranean restaurant, Bayader, has a new menu and look, emphasizing "assiettes composes" with olive oil, pimentos, sage, savory eggplant, and caramelized onions accompanying young lamb or fish purchased daily from the local market. A new spa also opened in 2007 offering a full range of Sisley skin care products, especially created for the hotel with both face and body treatments.

Cannes

After dark diversions continue to grow, including Morrisons Irish Pub, 10 rue Teisseire (tel. 04-98-98-16-07; www.morrisonspub.com), which has become the meeting place for the expat community. The mix of French with foreign languages creates a wonderful ambience. Staff members are native English speakers. There's a live DJ every night. The Quays Pub, 17 Quai St-Pierre (tel. 04-93-39-27-84), is the most popular joint at the old port, especially among yachters. Live music and sports broadcasts fill the night.

The Eastern Riviera

Nice

Billing itself as the first holistic spa in France, Hip at 16 rue de la Liberté (tel. 04-93-16-00-20), is a sight both for the eyes and the body, with its egg-shaped treatment beds upholstered in a wet-look vinyl. Its haircutting salons are constructed around sculpted cement boulders. After a day spent here, one woman customer claimed, "I emerged a new person." We can't guarantee that, however.

The Brice Tulip Inn Hotel, 44 rue Maréchal Joffre (tel. 04-93-88-14-44), is a newly renovated, government-rated three-star hotel, close to the Promenade des Anglais. With attractively furnished guest rooms, it opens onto a lovely garden and charges moderate tariffs.

Devoted to contemporary electronic jazz, Smarties, 10 rue Defly (tel. 04-93-62-30-75; nicesmarties.free.fr), is a cool lounge with the hottest DJs in town on Tuesday nights, when the club is the place to be in Nice. It is closed on Saturday and during all of August. White Lab, 16 quai Lunel (tel. 06-88-08-26-15), draws a choice set of fashionistas mostly in their 20s to its elegant pink-and-white precincts. It doesn't get going until after midnight. One of the latest clubs to open is Guest, 5 quai des Deux Emmanuel (tel. 04-93-56-83-83), attracting a crowd in their early 20s to late 30s to its setting of romantic lighting and deep banquettes.

Monaco

One of the most coveted dinner reservations is in the dining rooms of Maya Bay, 24 avenue Princesse Grace (tel. 377/97-70-74-67), which offers an Asian-inspired restaurant with some of the tastiest dishes in this principality. Stone Buddhas look down at you as you peruse the menu which changes frequently to take advantage of the best produce of any given month. Try some of the chef's specialties such as stir-fried lobster with Chinese noodles or miso-glazed black cod.

Another hot dining ticket is the new Beefbar, 42 quai Jean-Charles Rey (tel. 377/97-77-09-29; www.beefbar.com), an elegant salon overlooking the Mediterranean. This is the place for hearty eaters who devour the Argentine steaks and even the raw fish specials. The restaurant has the best collection of Bordeaux in Monaco.

Outside Montpellier

A privately owned hotel and a bit of a secret is Le Mas du Loriot, Route de Joucas, Murs-en-Provence (tel. 04-90-72-62-62; www.masduloriot.com). A hotel of discretion and charm, it offers south-facing bedrooms overlooking the Luberon mountains, each with a private terrace. Isolated in beautiful country surroundings, it opens onto the southern slopes of Monts du Vaucluse in the heart of Luberon Regional Nature Park between Gordes and Roussillon. The on-site swimming pool is surrounded by pine trees and lavender, and the Provençal cuisine is full of flavor, using quality regional produce.

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