Sainte-Maxime

 

A not often-spoken-about, yet highly regarded part of the Cote d’Azur is the spectacular small city of Sainte-Maxime.

This beautiful seaside place seems slightly tucked away and yet offers a multitude of options for a long weekend getaway or to call home.

Here, it is only a short distance to the summer glam of Saint Tropez, yet life feels much calmer and relaxed amongst the locals.

Situated along the Mediterranean Sea, there is a shoreline promenade with parks, the tourist office, and the city beaches, as well as a casino with its own area of white sand.

In addition to the city beaches, there are the Blue Flag-certified supervised ones. On the west side, The Croisette has a sailing school. On the east side of the town are La Nartelle, La Plage des Eléphants and La Garonette (also called Val D'Esquieres), which all provide water-skiing and jet-skiing activities. In addition, there are several smaller beaches that are unsupervised, for a total of 10 km of publicly accessible shoreline.

Sainte-Maxime also has a wonderful old town with shops, markets, restaurants, bars, and cafés, opposite the harbor. On the pier are marine shops, and also fast boat transportation with Les Bateaux Verts to Les Issambres, St Tropez, and Port Grimaud, which enables you to avoid any traffic jams in the summer months.

There are eight golf courses within a 30-minute radius by car. As for an LGBTQ scene, the best plan would be to login to an app such as Grindr or Scruff and see who pops up, tourists will also be looking for some action.

Sainte-Maxime also has a long history as one of the first settlements in the region and played an integral part in WWII.

Make Sainte-Maxime part of your next trip to the French Riviera.

La Fabrik Des Garcons in Nice

 

Seeking out a tasty treat while in Nice? Then head to a delightful, gay-owned pastry shop, La Fabrik des Garcons at 5 Rue Niepce in Nice that must be experienced to be believed.

Open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 am to 6:30 pm, and Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm, each of the delectable pastries at La Fabrik des Garcons is lovingly handmade daily and truly out-of-this-world delicious.

Going beyond the usual pastries one would find in such a shop in France, La Fabrik des Garcons takes pride in coming up with its own dreamy, even experimental, totally memorable, and fun takes on what an everyday dessert can look and especially taste like.

The owners, a longtime couple, both well-regarded in Nice, have been in the food industry for an extensive number of years, and come with first-hand experience on not only what their regular clients are looking for when it comes to refined food items, but also visitors to the city by offering mouth-watering, reasonably-priced confections that will definitely make you want to come back for more.

All this while being surrounded by a most amazing, charming shop in the heart of the city worthy of many an Instagram shot.

 

Make sure to stop by La Fabrik Des Garcons!

Photo credits: La Fabrik Des Garcons

Halloween 2022

Halloween in France was not always something that people generally took part in and was thought to be more of something that North Americans did as a favorite pastime.

Dressing up for Halloween only seems to have become more mainstream in France slowly over the past decade as more expats moved into the country, parents and children got involved and for a while now has also been popular, especially in the LGBTQ communities in the country.

 
This year, the Centre LGBT Cote d’Azur in Nice is holding an event open for all to attend.

 
Along with that, various nightclubs and bars in the city will be holding events, and although Halloween is on a Monday this year, Tuesday is a holiday so stay out all night if you want.

 
Trick or Treat!

French Riviera LGBTQ Real Estate Options Three

When people think of the French Riviera, one of the first thoughts that come to mind are the beaches up and down the coastline and the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.

In fact, most of our requests for either a holiday villa rental or property purchase tend to be as close to the sea as possible. That is until people tend to see the price for such a luxury.

One of the best things about being in the Cote d’Azur is that no matter where you are located, you are never far from a beach.

With that, we have seen a dramatic change since the springtime of 2021 where people are seeking to buy a property not necessarily at the seaside but more so in what is locally considered the countryside, in such areas as Valbonne, Biot, Mougins, Grasse, and Saint Paul de Vence. And all are within a reasonable driving distance of any city center and beach.

These more tranquil locations tend to offer a reminder of the Riviera from days gone by and are steeped in history once filled with artists such as Picasso. In these areas, there is more of a sense of community, where villas feel more solid in a sense and in a range of architectural styles and usually come with an expansive plot of land including a swimming pool, making it all possible to both entertain and relax.

And best of all, property prices can be more realistic for most budgets.

With this in mind, listed below are just a few listings currently available in the region.

Valbonne - 2,090,000 EUR

Provencal property for sale with guest villa within walking distance to Valbonne village.

Area: 261 m2
8 room(s)
5 bedroom(s)
Land: 5993 m2

Situated in a closed and secured domain, this property composes of the main villa with 3 bedrooms and a guest villa with 2 bedrooms on a splendid flat parcel of land of 5993 m2.

You will be seduced by the majestic arrival that leads to the main villa, which has been entirely renovated.

The main villa has a spacious and bright living room, a dining room, and a kitchen opening onto a large terrace, two en-suite bedrooms on the ground floor, and a large master en-suite with a dressing room and private terrace on the first floor.

The guest villa has two en-suite bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen.

Plus a beautiful infinity pool, a pool house with a summer kitchen, a bowling alley, a carport, a garage, and a workshop complete the ensemble.

Biot - 2,490,000 EUR

Provencal style villa with panoramic views towards the sea.

Area: 300 m2
6 room(s)
4 bedroom(s)
Land: 4500 m2

In one of the most sought-after neighborhoods of Biot, with easy access links to Antibes, Mougins, and Valbonne, this beautiful villa offers panoramic views stretching down to the sea and flat, landscaped Mediterranean gardens of 4500m2.

This wonderful property has been entirely renovated with taste and offers light and bright interiors leading to the swimming pool and garden.

On the ground floor are a large entrance hall, dining room leading onto the south-facing terrace, living room with fireplace, and fully fitted design kitchen with feature island ideal for cooking and socializing. Plus, a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom is ideal for inviting your friends to stay.

On the top floor, the master bedroom with dressing room and bathroom, and two additional large double bedrooms.

A cellar, a laundry room, and a double garage complete the property.

This south-facing property enjoys maximum sunshine and its lovely gardens and swimming pool invite you to escape and fully experience the Côte d'Azur.

Saint Paul de Vence - 3,490,000 EUR

Charming traditionally built 9-bedroom Provencal villa on the market near Saint Paul de Vence.

Area: 564 m2

16 room(s)

9 bedroom(s)

Land: 4250 m2

The historical nature of this home mirrors the idyllic character of the village. The Provencal decor and the abundance of living space make this villa a true haven of peace.

The property was originally built in the 18th century and has been completely renovated and benefits from a guest house and an independent apartment.

The main home of 345 m2 or 3700ft² includes a beautiful Provencal kitchen, a double-sized living room with fireplace, and a dining room opening onto the extensive gardens. The 4 beautiful en-suite bedrooms include a magnificent master bedroom suite.

The private guest house with contemporary architecture blends into the landscape. It offers 98 m2 or 1050ft² in size and has a sumptuous master bedroom suite on the upper floor. At the ground floor level, is a spacious living room with a wood-burning stove.

There is a second en suite bedroom with large bay windows opening onto a landscaped garden.

The 50 m2 caretaker's cottage offers a living room, kitchen, and bedroom with a bathroom.

The wonderful grounds, sunny terraces, and landscaped gardens are planted with mature trees and flowering Provencal essences and bushes.

Adjoining the swimming pool, the pool house has two additional bedrooms and a shower room. There is a substantial storage area, wine cellar, pétanque pitch, and a double garage added to the facilities.

This delightful, air-conditioned, family home is complete with luxurious appointments and includes home automation, alarm, and automatic watering systems.

If you are considering buying a property in the French Riviera, do get in contact with us as we have a wide range of properties on option.