Corniches of the Riviera

The land to the east of Nice is almost vertical, with the coastline one great sweeping cliff. From here comes the name `corniche` - the land terraced by 3 highways which run at a parallel to each other - the Moyenne Corniche, the Corniche Inférieure (also known as the Basse Corniche), and finally the Grande Corniche. Together these roads follow a winding and picturesque route along the coastal cliffs.

The Inférieure is the lowest road, and the slowest one. It gently crawls along the coast and winds through the resort main streets, including Mone Carlo. Other towns located along its 20 mile highway include Beaulieu, Cap Ferrat and Villefranche. Nice is of course a huge tourist draw, with great culture, shopping, food and drink, and Villefranche neck is perfect for taking in the views - it stands at 150 m high, and gives fantastic sights of Cap Ferrat. This road is 33 km long and was built by Monaco`s crown Prince, it services all of the Riviera stations and is the perfect route for visiting the Cap Ferrat peninsula or taking a scenic trip towards the luxury and opulence of Monte Carlo.

The Grande highway is the fastest, and it affords a mix of panoramic and glorious views, as well as views of villas and urban resort landscapes. However it`s worth noting that there are not many safe places to overlook the views on this fast road - and it`s famous for being the road that Grace Kelly crashed and died upon, twenty seven years after shooting the famous film `To Catch A Thief` on the very same road. It is the oldest of the roads, being built by Napoleon, and as the highest it rises up to 450 metres above Monaco`s principality - offering utterly thrilling views!

The Moyenne route is a good compromise, offering lovely views along the shore and villages, and passing through attractive cliff towns such as Èze, located on a rock top. It is called the Moyenne Corniche because it`s sandwiched between these lower and higher roads along the cliffs, and it is around 31 km long. It stretches from Nice to Menton, and is a modern road - pleasant to drive along. The visit of Eze is well worth a stop, and it has fantastic attractions and places to stop for refreshment and food. You can also see the Tete de Chien from here, which dominates the landscape of glamourous Monte Carlo.

A trip along the Riviera corniches would make a fantastic holiday - particularly if taken as a glamourous road trip in a beautiful car. It`s a perfect opportunity for hiring either a classic car, or sporty model for a taste of the highlife. You can research car hire comparisons online to find out more. The holiday road trip would also be an ideal precursor for an onward trip towards Vintimilla, and towards Genoa via the breathtaking Italian coast. Along the way you can enjoy a wide range of activities - as well as the lovely towns to walk around, you can find excellent food and drink in a multitude of hidden local restaurants offering local fare, or well known international venues offering the latest in haute cuisine. Other treats such as Italian wine and the famous gelato are also essential for your holiday trip, and you`ll find plenty of culture, arhitecture, history and sights to explore along your route.

The people are also known for being very friendly, and you will be guaranteed a glamourous and relaxing holiday as your explore the Riviera - following in the footsteps of hollywood stars and royalty in this glorious and luxurious part of the world.