Postcard from the Cote d’Azur: Style Notes from a Riviera Escape

Lindsey
7 days ago
4 min read

French flag waving over terracotta rooftops of a coastal village Eze with bright blue sea in the background.

The Côte d’Azur in late spring is a gentle blur of turquoise seas, pine-covered hillsides, and the scent of salt carried on the breeze. Days stretch lazily into evenings, and everything moves at a slower, sun-soaked pace. With shutters painted lavender blue and the scent of jasmine drifting through the air, it’s the kind of place that makes you reach for clothes that feel as effortless as the setting.

White daisies bloom in front of a rustic stone wall with a window and blue shutters, creating a serene and charming garden scene.

We drift between exploring the winding streets of hillside towns, pausing for market-fresh lunches in shady squares, and cooling off with a barefoot wander along the shore. The Riviera has its own particular rhythm - part refined elegance, part casual ease - and my suitcase was filled with Stylecamp pieces that moved easily between the two.

AMONG THE PERCHED VILLAGES

Saint-Jeannet with pastel buildings nestles beneath a towering rocky cliff, surrounded by lush green trees under a clear blue sky.

High above the coastline, the perched villages feel as though they’ve barely changed in a century. We stayed near Saint-Jeannet, its stone streets and shuttered houses bathed in the scent of the surrounding pine hills - the same timeless backdrop that played host to Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief. It’s easy to imagine her here, winding up the mountain roads in a convertible, scarf trailing in the breeze.

Narrow cobblestone street in quaint French village with stone buildings, lush plants, and colourful flags under a clear blue sky.

In the cool dappled streets, life unfolds at a slower pace. Artists paint in shady courtyards, cafés spill onto sunlit squares, and glasses of pale rosé catch the light on terrace tables. Breezy linen Hepburn trousers are perfect for these quiet wanderings, their wide legs swaying softly with each step.

Woman with short blonde hair in an abstract shirt and orange wide leg summer trousers stands by a stone fountain, smiling, against a weathered stone wall.

A little further along the coast in Cagnes-sur-Mer, the gingham skirt and matching knot bag feel made for a market morning - woven through with Provencal flair, ready for an afternoon tasting wine among the serene hillside vines.

Tree trunks adorned with flowers in a sunlit cobblestone courtyard in Cagnes sur Mer, surrounded by stone buildings with colourful shutters. Peaceful mood.

Model holds a green and white checkered bag, matching their skirt. Background with plants and a stone wall. Serene outdoor setting

Lush Provence vineyard with rows of grapevines, set against a backdrop of rolling hills and a blue sky with scattered clouds. Vibrant, peaceful scene.

A DAY IN NICE

Famous palms of the Promenade des Anglais, Nice, France. Shady palms against a bright blue sky overlooking white soleil-brise structures

Nice unfurls like a painted backdrop - palm-lined boulevards, terracotta rooftops, and that endless sweep of the Promenade des Anglais curving along the sea. The city hums with an upbeat energy that begs you to walk everywhere, so we do. The morning begins in the Cours Saleya market, where stalls brim with flowers, glossy olives, and sun-ripened fruit. The Betty shorts and sweetheart bralet, layered under a loose overshirt, are just right for weaving between the scent of lavender and the chatter of locals.

Cours Saleya Market in Nice, France. Sunny street scene with pastel buildings, green shutters, and palm trees. Blue sky and striped awning add a cheerful vibe.

A glass lift glides us up to the Château de Nice viewpoint, the city falling away beneath our feet until all that’s left is a panorama of ochre buildings and an impossibly blue horizon.

Palm tree fronds in foreground with a serene blue sea in the background, Nice, France. Sunlight casts subtle shadows, creating a peaceful tropical vibe.

Outdoor dining scene with a person in a striped shirt eating salad and pasta. Glasses of water, bread, and condiments on a blue tablecloth.

Back at sea level, lunch is taken Niçoise-style in the bustling market square, before wandering back along the promenade in the golden light of late afternoon - striped umbrellas ripple in the breeze, casting pools of shade onto the pebbled shore. Locals gathered on the iconic blue seafront chairs, their conversations rising and falling like the tide.

Blue and white striped beach umbrellas on Cote d'Azur seafront partially cover people on a pebbled shore. Calm turquoise sea in the background.

The Negresco’s domed silhouette comes into view, impossibly grand. Inside, the galleried lounge is a jewel box of art and history, the perfect place to pause for a cocktail before stepping back out into the soft, salt-scented air. Nice is like that: a layering of elegance and ease, always with the sea in view.

Palm-lined Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, with cars, pedestrians, and the famous pink and blue domed Negresco hotel coming into view. French flag waves in clear sky.

DRIFTING INTO VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER

Colorful boats bob in the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer, with lush hills and houses in the background. Clear blue sky and calm water create a tranquil vibe.

The road east winds gently along the cliffs, each turn revealing another slice of the Côte d’Azur. Pastel villages spill down to hidden bays, their reflections shimmering in the water. Villefranche-sur-Mer appears almost without warning - a quiet, painterly harbour where fishing boats bob lazily and the buildings and pine trees lean toward the sea.

Smiling person stands at the beach shoreline, wearing a striped top and blue wide leg trousers, with a halter top holding a contrasting orange wrist bag. Hills and buildings of Villefranche-sur-Mer in the background.

It’s here the mood shifts. The navy Hepburn trousers skim over my bare feet in the sand, worn with a striped halter nodding softly to the Riviera muse Renée Perle - her languid elegance lingering in the salt air. The world feels slowed to half-speed; gulls wheel overhead, the scent of sea and stone mixing with warm afternoon light. It’s a place to linger without reason, to sit on a harbour wall and let the tide mark the time.

Sunny seaside scene in Villefranche-sure-Mer with cobblestone street, turquoise shutters on a yellow wall, and calm ocean waves. Greenery adds a fresh feel.

MENTON - WHERE THE RIVIERA ENDS

Seagull perched on boat in Menton harbour, France with vibrant buildings and palm trees in the background under clear blue sky.

Menton is a burst of colour — the final flourish where France meets Italy. Lemon and orange trees spill over terraces, the air tangy with their scent. The streets wind toward the water in a sun-washed palette of coral, ochre, and pistachio, shutters flung open against the heat. Cafés hum with conversation, and beyond the rooftops, the mountains rise steeply, guarding the curve of the bay.

Three palm trees on a wooden deck by a turquoise sea in Menton, France, with distant hills of Italy and scattered clouds under a blue sky. Peaceful coastal scene.

Here, the coral Riviera skirt mirrors the vibrant colours the city is so famous for - woven into its sun-washed facades, the painted shutters, the bright market stalls. We wander between harbourfront and hillside, pausing for handmade pasta under striped awnings, then linger in the shade of the old market hall. A swim in the late afternoon cools the skin, the waves meeting smooth pebbles as the horizon fades to gold.

Colorful buildings in Menton, France, with pastel shutters under a clear blue sky, conveying a bright, cheerful Riviera street scene.

As evening falls, Menton glows - the façades lit by the last light, the harbour water turning soft blue to amber to pink. It feels like a place you don’t just visit, but keep. A final glass of wine, the scent of lemons in the night air, and the quiet knowing that this corner of the Riviera has left its colour on you.

Woman in coral orange Riviera skirt with matching bag and sunglasses poses on a coastal path with colourful Menton town backdrop under a bright blue sky.

If this has you dreaming of your own sun-soaked escape, explore Stylecamp’s Holiday Shop. From easy co-ords to elegant dresses, these are pieces made for strolling market squares, long seaside lunches, and golden-hour evenings - wherever your summer takes you.

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