Côte d'Azur

If you’re a culture vulture then there’s no doubt you’ve heard of the Cannes Film Festival, the yearly screening series and fête held in a particularly sunny patch of southern France. But don’t stop your exploring there — this is truly one of the most breath-taking regions in the world. Côte d'Azur, also known as the French Riviera, showcases Mediterranean-splashed white sands and was once a favourite vacation destination of new wave bombshell Brigitte Bardot. Today the area is visited in equal parts by rock stars and the fashion world elite, as it is by relaxation seekers and nature enthusiasts. With relatively mild year-round weather, visitors can hike among the oak trees or check out the regional wineries of Languedoc and Provence, whose scenic lavender fields are the stuff of legend.