South of France - The insider's guide

Provence and the Côte d'Azur cannot fail to enchant, with its rich natural beauty, rolling hills of lavender, forests of deep scented pine, hilltops dotted with ancient towns and dazzling beaches.

If you fancy doing something a bit more active than relaxing by the pool then there's no shortage of activities on offer in the Côte d'Azur - tennis, sailing, horse riding, go-karting, watersports and more.

The coast during the summer months is notoriously busy and on some beaches you’ll struggle to find space. However, there are some quieter areas and if you’re after a bit of sea and sand, it’s useful to know where to head.

The superb fresh fish and seafood from the Mediterranean dominate the local cuisine. As well as restaurants serving traditional Mediterranean food, there are numerous restaurants serving cuisine from across the world.

Wherever you’re staying in the South of France, you’ll not be far from a local market. And whether they’re daily or weekly, in Nice or Antibes or a small hilltop village, they’re brimming with wonderfully fresh, seasonal produce and are the hub of local life.

The region’s golf courses are prized for their beauty, quality and layout, many of them designed by some of the most highly respected course architects. Wherever you stay in the Côte d’Azur, you’re never far from a great golf course.

You’ll always find something happening in Provence, if it isn’t a local market, then it’s a celebration of a saint, a firework competition or an international festival.