Prestige - French Riviera Lifestyle - Issue 2 by Paul Harwood

F r e n c h

R i v i e r a

www.prestige-magazine.com

L i f e s t y l e

Issue 2 - Free

5, rue Alphonse Karr - 06000 Nice

AVAILABLE AT…

Centre Commercial du Metropole No 121 – 1er Etage 17, av des Spelugues MC 98 000 Monaco Tel: +377 93 50 10 29

c o n t e n t s Mini, Midi or Maxi What’s your dress length. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Mini Skirt Debate How old is too old?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Feeling Hot! Tips on choosing the best bikini for you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Loving Lipstick The history of lippy and tips for luscious lips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Stress! Does your lifestyle need a restyle?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Life Through A Lens Chiara Samugheo local photographer to the stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 V V Brown Prestige exclusive interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 St Jean Cap Ferrat The quieter side of the Cote d’Azur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild The history behind the stunning villa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 The Hidden Palace Palais Lascaris, Vieux Nice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 And The Winner Is? ‘International Living’ names the best country to live in. . . . . . . . . . 51 Speaking French Trying to make sense of speaking French . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Malmaison The old prison turned into a luxury hotel in Oxford, UK. . . . . . . . . . 54 International Travel Holidaying in Hawaii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Rental Returns Renting your property on the French. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

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irstly I would like to say a huge thank you to the readers and businesses that took time out to email us to congratulate us on Prestige Magazine and also it’s virtual magazine website, it means a lot to us to get feed back, so please do keep in touch. Well we have had a very exciting and busy time getting this edition ready for you. This issue saw us whizzing up to Paris for an exclusive interview with the very talented English singer, songwriter VV Brown who after having a remarkable 2009 in the UK has now released her album in France. Prestige caught up with her to chat about her unique style of music and clothes as well as her new modelling contract.

Staying on the theme of talented females, we have another interview, more local this time with the famous Italian, female photographer Chiara Samugheo who has photographed some of the biggest names in cinema history and we are privileged to have her permanent gallery here in the old town of Nice. Turning to summer now, you will find lots of inspirations for make up and fashion as well as ideas on where to go and what to see. If you are planning to head off further afield for your holidays then read our article on Hawaii, there is also a special feature on an old prison in England that is now a luxury hotel, so if you fancy an unusual short break in Oxford, England then you will love this destination. If you feel like you are struggling with learning the French language then we have just the article for you, after reading it, you won’t feel so alone.

Rachael Until next time!

Banking In France The lighter (sometimes frustrating) side of life in France. . . . . . . . . 66

Contact Prestige Editor: rachael@prestige-magazine.com Sales/Publicite (French): clarisse@prestige-magazine.com Sales/Publicite (English): prestigepublicite@ymail.com Editorial: prestigeeditorial@ymail.com Designer: Paul Harwood Tel: +33 (0) 617 403 795 www.prestige-magazine.com Contributors: Catherine Boylan, Laura Porter, Sadie Nachtigal, Kimberley State & Alex Barrie Front cover photo: Debenhams - www.debenhams.com Please note: Reproduction of the contents of this magazine in whole or on part is not permitted without prior consent from the publisher. The publisher accepts no liability under any circumstances should any of the magazines contents be incorrect.

STOP PRESS! Locals spotted dancing in the streets of Old Nice! The trendy and hip people of Nice were out in force to celebrate the 1year anniversary of the vintage shop Caprice. Friends, family and customers of Karine the owner were treated to champagne, canapés and discounts galore on all her stock for that evening. While people were literally dancing in the streets of Rue Droite to great tunes played by DJ Jaz others were busy snapping up vintage Dior, Chanel and Louis Vuitton handbags. Plenty of retro clothes flew of the shelves and a few people were thinking positive about summer finally arriving and purchased designer sunglasses. One lucky customer who turned up for the celebrations won herself a spending spree at Caprice and a hair makeover courtesy of Mistfits hair salon on Rue Rosetti.

Caprice is the only shop of its kind in Nice to sell vintage designer brands and it has proved to be such a success that Karine is now opening a second shop. Le Cheri de Caprice is now open on rue Martin Seytour, which is situated just down from Place Garibaldi and it not only caters for women but stocks men’s clothes too. Karine told Prestige: ”…it has been a fantastic year and I would like to thank my cheri Michael, my family and friends for their support and most importantly the wonderful customers that have made Caprice such a roaring success. I hope that old and new clients will come and help me celebrate the opening of my second shop at the official launch party on Saturday 12th June –6pm.”

www.capricevintageshop.com

The fabulously quirky, ultimate must-have accessory for 2010 Reflecting each of the Zodiac signs; these dazzlingly glam pendants combine striking jewel colours of yellow topaz, blue sapphire, jet black and violet with intricately detailed gem-set motifs. Set in yellow gold plated and blackened silver, these jewel encrusted figures are a sparkling reference to each astrological sign.

Stephen Webster is one of the leading British figures in the fine jewellery and silver design industries. Webster’s keen eye for detail, expert craftsmanship and glam-rock attitude has given way to dramatic creations with an eternally chic aesthetic. The unmistakable amalgamation of precious and semi-precious gemstones set in specially treated metals has led Stephen Webster to a threetime win of the “British Luxury Jeweller of the Year” award and winner of “UK Jewellery Brand of the Year” in 2008. Originating from a modest background, Stephen Webster has evolved into a powerful global luxury jewellery brand with over 120 points of sale worldwide in the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Dubai, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong and over 20 Stephen Webster boutiques internationally. Webster also continues to build his high-profile celebrity following culminating in an alliance with musical artist Christina Aguilera who appears in the brand’s new advertising campaign for Stephen Webster Silver. The Stephen Webster brand offers the consumer a true lifestyle experience – one which has been credited with unprecedented demand.

www.stephenwebster.com

Tel: 00 44 (0)845 539 1840

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The Mini Skirt Debate A

Image: Salvatore Vuono - FreeDigitalPhotos.net

s summer and fashion trends see hems rising as well as the age of women wearing them, we ask the question “at what age should you stop wearing a mini skirt?” Many things in life come with an age limit – age 18 film classifications and cheap child’s prices at theme parks. But should age limits be extended to revealing elements of the female wardrobe? Recent press coverage of celebrities in their 40s and 50s wearing barely there miniskirts focused on their ageing legs has us questioning whether older women should be baring so much flesh. But can we ever be too old to wear a mini-skirt? A mini-skirt has a hemline that sits well above the knees, typically 8-12 inches above to be precise. As London started swinging in the 1960s skirts became shorter and shorter – and it was then that the mini gained its position as a defining fashion symbols of the 1960s. In the past the mini was a wardrobe essential for women in their teens, 20s and perhaps early 30s – after this it was replaced by more conservative skirt lengths. But, nowadays women are holding onto their minis for longer because they’re comfortable with their legs into their 40s and even 50s. Several high profile celebrities – Victoria Beckham (35), Elle Macpherson (46), Sharon Stone (51) and Jennifer Anniston (40) are amongst those that have recently been snapped showing off their legs. To the majority of us they look amazing, but newspapers and gossip magazines relish the opportunity to zoom in on their flaws and imperfections such as minor cellulite and sagging knees. What does this mean for older women who are tempted to wear a mini-skirt? Can we ignore the unwritten rule that skirt length should increase with age? There seems to be two schools of thought on this question…

A woman is only as old as she looks and feels We’ve all seen girls in their 20s in a skirt that resembles a belt – even though their legs aren’t slim, toned and cellulite free. So, if a woman in her 40s or 50s has great legs and bags of confidence then she should be proud to show them off. What’s more, women today are fitter and younger looking than ever before. They invest more time, money and energy in keeping in shape – whether it’s through slogging it out on the treadmill, applying SPF 30 or splurging on cosmetic surgery. So, although on paper a woman may be considered too old to wear a mini, in reality she may have better legs than a woman half her age. Have you seen Kylie’s legs lately – they’d still look great in those gold hotpants she made famous nine years ago! Most of us hope to be a sexy older woman (think Helen Mirren and Demi Moore), and if the mini plays a role in keeping us feeling youthful then let’s admire older women who continue to wear one with confidence.

How old is too old to wear a mini skirt and why? We asked a group of women in their 20s & 30s: Lauren – I don’t think there’s an age limit, but there are definitely rules. To pull it off you need well toned, tanned and have sexy legs otherwise forget about it. This applies to all ages. Being young doesn’t give you a licence to wear a mini!

Grow old gracefully

Maria – Fashion is a way of expressing yourself and if wearing a mini skirt makes a woman feel good she should be able to wear it no matter what her age.

Mini-skirts aren’t like combat trousers – they’re not suitable regardless of age, weight and height. The mini-skirt is for those lucky enough to be blessed with slender, toned and tanned legs – legs that catch a male’s attention. Generally such legs belong to women under the age of 35. By implication older women, whose legs are heading south, should stick to less revealing attire.

Sandrine – There’s no arbitrary age, because it’s different for everyone. As long as you feel that you can pull it off physically and mentally then go for it!

It’s no surprise that Elle Macpherson attracts attention when showing off her legs – she may be known as ‘The Body’ but at 46 many believe her ageing legs should be covered up. If Elle can’t escape criticism then it’s unlikely that the average older woman would – because bare legs on a 50 year old are likely to be attention grabbing for the wrong reasons.

Julia – I wouldn’t put a specific age limit on it although there are some scenarios where one might be too old – for example your ‘60s’ skirt is actually yours, from once-upon-a-time! If it’s your mum’s old skirt then that’s OK.

Women in their 40s and 50s who are still holding onto mini-skirts should pass them down to their teenage daughters or trade them in to charity. If parting with the mini-skirt is really too unbearable then the least they can do is wear a pair of flattering tights to hide blemishes and wrinkles. There’s no right answer on whether the mini should have an age limit. We all have unique fashion tastes and preferences and if an older women enjoys showing her legs and it’s not harming anyone else then she should go for it! By Laura Porter

Karen – You are never too old, if you’ve got it flaunt it! Nathalie – There should be a mini ban from around the age of 35 – unless you’re a fitness instructor or performer then you risk looking like mutton dressed as lamb!

FeelingHot! Fashion and body conscious women are making sure that they get the perfect beachwear for their body shape this summer without compromising on style. Follow our tips to help you look and feel your most confident this summer.

samba – Pain de Sucre 4, Bd Baudoin, Juan-Les-Pain Tel: +33 (0) 493 611 688 54, Rue Allard, St Tropez Tel: +33 (0) 494 973 231 For small hips wear… ▶▶A swimsuit where the waist is cutaway, which will create the illusion of curves ▶▶Horizontal stripes this will give you wider look ▶▶Small prints and light colours ▶▶Bottoms with ties on the hips this will play up your curves

For big busts wear… ▶▶Wide straps or halter neck straps ZITTA – Pain de Sucre

▶▶Detail away from the bust area ▶▶Plunge or V-neck ▶▶Vertical or diagonal stripes ▶▶Colour block, wearing the darker colour on top ▶▶Underwired cups

High Fashion Triumph

For a big bottom wear… ▶▶Large prints in dark colours as they have a slimming effect ▶▶A high cut leg

Kaliko, 9, Rue de la Boucherie, Vieux Nice. Tel: +33 (0) 493 134 922 Pain de Sucre, Quicksilver, Seafolly, Banana Moon, Freya, Livia and more

Boutique Triumph, Lyon. Tel: +33 (0) 478 628 477 Email: pos1.fr-lyon@triumph.com Web: www.triumph.com/fr

Sunshine Coast – Aubade Nice Etoile, 30, Avenue Jean Medecin Tel: +33 (0) 493 850 552 Cannes, 122, rue d’Antibes Tel: +33 (0) 497 065 494

SONIA RYKIEL 3, Rue Paradis-Nice. Tel: +33 (0) 493 878 287 52 La Croisette-Cannes. Tel: +33 (0) 492 989 661 Place du Casino- Monte Carlo. Tel: +377 932 583 70

ACCESSORIZE Nice Etoile - 30 Avenue Jean Medecin, Nice Tel:+33 (0) 493 85 43 14 79, rue d'Antibes, Cannes. Tel: +33 (0) 493 68 62 24

For Small Busts wear… ▶▶Large prints ▶▶Padded tops ▶▶Ruching, ruffles or frills around the bust

KENZO 65, rue d’Antibes - Cannes. Tel:+33 (0) 493 995 454 17, avenue des Spélugues, CC Le Metropole Monaco. Tel: +377 977 082 00

Ray Ban – Manildo Opticienne 9 rue Cassini - Nice. Tel: +33 (0) 493 264 691 For a large tummy wear… ▶▶Tankini, but make sure the top covers your tummy ▶▶Colours & patterns with the core colour being dark ▶▶ Dark colours on the bottom & light colours on the top

For Wide Hips wear…

▶▶Bold prints or florals, to divert the eye

▶▶Darker single-block colours

▶▶Vertical or diagonal stripes

▶▶Any kind of detail along the bust line

▶▶Any detail on the bust, to draw the eyes upwards

▶▶A dark bottom half with a printed top

Mix & Match Triumph

ESCADA STORES 62, La Croisette- Cannes. Tel: +33 (0) 493 940 101 8, Avenue De Verdun, Nice. Tel: +33 (0) 493 822 428 27, Avenue de la Costa, Monte Carlo, MONACO Tel: +377 979 712 42

Audrey Triumph

LovingLipstick W

e all have one or more of them in our make-up bag and most of us have been applying it since we were teenagers. Yes we’re talking about lipstick. Whatever your colour preference, your favourite brand and how often you apply it during the day there’s no denying that we’d be lost without our lippy. Read on to find out about lipstick’s long and interesting history and then check out our tips for keeping your lips luscious.

The earliest records of lipstick being applied date back to a staggering 5000 years ago when lipstick was used as an aid to reproduction. The idea of lipstick is said to have been born from the physiological fact that a woman’s lips flush and moisten during sexual arousal. The goal was to mimic this effect by artificially reddening the lips – red lips symbolised to males a female’s sexual desire. Back then semi-precious stones were rubbed over the female lips to redden their appearance. By contrast the Ancient Egyptians squeezed out a purple red dye from iodine, bromine and fucus-algin –and although it had the desired effect it did lead to serious disease. Cleopatra crushed beetles to produce the base for her lipstick. Lipstick became more widespread in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. During this era powder white faces with blood red lips were the fashion of the day, and at this time lipstick was made using red stains from plants that were combined with beeswax. However, the popularity of lipstick suffered a set back in 1770 when England passed a law against it – in the belief that women who applied lipstick to entice men into marriage could be witches! Come World War II lipstick was back and by this time the ritual of ‘making up’ was embedded into Western culture. The widespread use of make-up in films during the 40s and 50s spurred on the popularity of wearing lipstick. Around the same time Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden were growing their beauty empires – both women played important roles in shaping the growth of the make-up industry. In expanding her lipstick range Elizabeth Arden even supported females in the armed forces by creating a unique lipstick to match the trim on their uniforms – she called it Montezuma Red. Wind forward 50 years and we have a huge variety to choose from when it comes to lipstick. You can choose between lipstick and lip gloss, opt for extra benefits such as longBy Laura Porter

lasting lipstick and even buy lipstick that doubles up as a sunscreen. And with so many options available there’s no excuse not to be adventurous with lipstick – so start experimenting today!

Follow our simple tips to get the most out of your lipstick: Quality is more important than quantity – it’s better to have a select few high quality lipsticks than lots of cheap ones that don’t have the same finish. There are many midpriced brands that offer an excellent range of lipsticks so you don’t have to splash out on Clinque or Chanel every time. When you apply your foundation make sure you don’t miss your lips. A layer of foundation provides a great base for lipstick and it helps to keep your lipstick looking good for longer. And, after applying your first coat of lipstick use a tissue to blot your lips before applying the second coat – this will also make your lipstick last longer. Always carry a lipstick in your handbag and reapply throughout the day. Unlike mascara or foundation you do need to touch up now and then. And remember to use a compact mirror – there’s nothing worse than unknowingly having lipstick on your teeth. Keep your lips moist even when you’re not wearing lipstick by applying lip balm or Vaseline. This is a great cheap option to keep your lips smooth and prevent them from cracking. If you’re out in the sun make sure your lipstick includes sun protection – ideally factor 15 or above. The sun can burn lips quickly and so you need to protect them just like other areas of the body. After a year most lipsticks have passed their prime so watch out for use-by-dates. The best way to determine if a lipstick has seen better days is to look for changes in the colour or texture. Once the use-by-date has passed replace the lipstick with a new one. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, learn from your mistakes. We’ve all bought the latest shade only to get home and realise it looks hideous against our skin tone. If you haven’t worn a lipstick in the last 6 months chances are you never will – so pass it on to a friend or throw it away. Next time you buy a new lippy make a good colour choice by testing it in the shop to ensure that it matches your complexion.

Revann

Hairdresser & Make-Up Artist • Professionals with 15 and 30 years of experience • Specialist in wedding hair and make-up • Hair & make-up in the comfort of your own home or at your wedding venue • Complete makeovers • Hair extensions • Manicure & nail extensions • All of the products we use are from the ‘COLOR CARAMEL’ range and are BIO 91 Avenue de Nice, 06800 Cros de Cagnes

Tel: 04 93 31 35 45 www.coiffeur-maquilleur-revann.fr

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ATELIER DE L’ONGLE Exceptional care from trained professionals Gel & Resin Nail Extensions Nail art French Polish Manicures Pedicures Foot Spas – High quality range of products - OPI & Creative Whichever technique you choose, we guarantee you a perfect set of nails! – Nice - 4 bd Jean Jaures, 06300 Nice Tel: 04 93 62 42 06 Menton - 2 avenue Carnot, 06500 Menton Tel: 04 92 41 05 24 contact@latelierdelongle.com www.latelierdelongle.com

he very latest in a series of famous M·A·C Collaborations, it was only a matter of time before the demure-to-daring kaleidoscopic prints of Liberty of London coloured our world with Brit wit and bohemian chic. From the unstudied, Sienna Miller style of Spitalfields Market to the grit-and-glamour of Portobello Road, the swinging London girl has always been an unstoppable M·A·C makeup force! Spring 2010 insists on the ultimate flower fusion, with M·A·C joining forces with Liberty, creating cool Britannia compacts and Lipsticks, Eye Shadows, Powder, Blush, Nail Lacquers and, of course – blushing, bountiful, quite British accessories. 18

Lipstick 17.50€ ▶▶ Ever hip creamy light coral ▶▶ Peachstock neutral peach ▶▶ Petals & peacocks creamy bright magenta pink ▶▶ Blooming lovely creamy greyed lilac mauve Lipglass 17.00€

▶▶ Frankly fresh neutral pink beige with soft pearl ▶▶ Perennial high style creamy bright pink coral ▶▶ English accents creamy mid-tone blue pink ▶▶ A different groove deep purple brown with pearl

Eye Shadow 15.00€ ▶▶ Give me Liberty of London flat creamy pink ▶▶ Free to be creamy true coral ▶▶ Dame’s desire frosty mid-tone reddish purple ▶▶ Birds & berries frosted dark green blue ▶▶ Bough grey mid-tone blueish grey

Powder Blush 21.50€ ▶▶ Dirty plum sheer dark plum ▶▶ Prim & proper neutral nude Beauty Powder 28.00€

▶▶ Shell pearl pale peach with gold pearl ▶▶ Summer rose soft violet pink with pearl

Nail Lacquer 12.50€

▶▶ Vestral white creamy white ▶▶ Blue india dark green blue with pearl

M.A.C Nice 9, rue Masséna, Nice Tel: +33 (0) 492 109 910 Galeries Lafayette Cap 3000 Quartier du Lac Saint-Laurent-du-Var (Nice) Tel: +33 (0) 493 079 133

All components are in a limited edition luxurious glossy white package. The see-through lids and lipstick and lipglass tubes are decorated with exclusively created floral motif for the M·A·C give me Liberty of London collection.

make-up products

hat’s not to love about flowers? They are colourful, beautiful, and many of them smell as heavenly as they look. Although daffodils and snowdrops hint at the floral abundance of spring, we needn’t be bereft of blooms in the meantime, because flowers have inspired a bunch of girly make-up and delicate scents too, in an array of suitable pastel colours to suit everyone’s tastes. Marc Jacobs Daisy, this spring, Daisy Marc Jacobs is in the air! With carefree days of summer just around the corner, Marc Jacobs suggests throw yourself down on the grass, look up to the sky, let the clouds float by and daydream along with them!

L’Occitane Healthy Glow Face Powder in Mine D’Or a blend of two bronzing shades, a touch of coral and a golden shade to illuminate. The new peonyinspired makeup line launching in May draws on the secrets of this flower and transposes them into the world of make-up. L’Occitane consulted French peony expert and lover Jean-Luc Rivière, who comes from a rich family history of having cultivated and studied the flower for 160 years. The makeup range features eye, cheek and face colours, as well as a bronzer, lip colours and gloss.

Dior Addict Lip Polish Smoothing Lacquers in Petal Pink, the first spin-on lip lacquer for perfectly smoothed and redefined lips. Immediate smoothing action, Redefined lips after just 15 days of use, Radiant shine and a new and pleasurable application technique.

Bobbi Brown Spring Colour Strips in Petal and Orchid allow you to design your own spring look. The eye shadow strips come in four shades and each strip has five coordinating colours.

Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out values all the utilities of the world Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Colour - Just as the name states, Fresh Bloom Allover Colour offers wonderful versatility, sheer coverage and a beautiful finish for the entire face, all in one easy-to-use palette! Available in: Peony, Posy, Almond Blossom and Plum Poppy.

Jo Malone Red Roses is a surprisingly clean, voluptuous scent blended from seven of the world’s most expensive roses. With a heart of crushed violet leaves and a hint of lemon, it unfolds like a bouquet of freshly cut flowers.

Ralph Waldo Emerson Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Lipstick in Stay Rose is a sophisticated, longwearing, ultra creamy lipstick that delivers long-wearing, satin-like, stay-true colour to lips.

Chanel Lilac Sky Le Vernis Nail Colour 13ml.

Inkwear temporary tattoos provide fashionable temporary tattoo jewellery and unique floral patterns in a vibrant range of colours, designs and sizes. Inkwear is non-toxic, skin safe and FDA approved. For all the designs visit www.inkwear.co.uk

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place ShadowCreme in Vintage Violet is a sophisticated, long-wearing, ultra creamy eye shadow that delivers brilliant stay-true colour. The unique formula sets in seconds and won’t change colour, fade or streak in heat and humidity thanks to special blend of film formers.

Stress! Does Your Lifestyle Need A Restyle? By Kimberely State

Common causes of stress: ▶▶Environmental changes such as heat, crowding or noise, a change in work hours or conditions and moving house. ▶▶Social situations such as difficulties with a loved one, divorce, separation or contact with someone you dislike. ▶▶Internal thoughts and feelings such as pain, a change in eating and sleeping habits, concerns about weight and physical appearance.

Which stress relief is right for you? ▶▶Exercise: Can help combat stress by relaxing and focusing the mind, it can also improve the immune system and fitness levels. Physical movement can boost your mood. ▶▶Therapy: Can be in a range of formats from music therapy to group therapy sessions. Talking through your problems in group therapy is like sharing with a friend and can help you to evaluate. ▶▶Massage: Can help in reducing anxiety levels by releasing toxins. ▶▶Hypnotherapy: Can be used to develop stress management techniques and triggers relaxation. ▶▶Aromatherapy: Aromatic bath scents and essential oils stimulate and relax the senses. ▶▶Meditation: Can also help with relaxation and reducing stress levels and clearing the mind.

he stresses of everyday life can have a shocking effect on your body and mind. With career women burning out in their 40’s due to highly stressful jobs and the multiple directions they’re pulled in due to friends and family commitments, you need to safeguard your body from the attacking signs of stress. The signs are varied and depend on how you’re choosing to cope with stress. Some well known symptoms are sleep depravation, lack of appetite, headaches, exhaustion and irritability. Some of the ways we try to counter these warnings are also unhealthy. Binge drinking, smoking, road rage, aggression, impulse buying and not eating healthily all contribute towards added stress.

Many cultures have developed their own techniques on coping with stress. The technique of meditation is used in many different cultures and religions and can be learnt through yoga, which is taught regularly in gym classes and proved to be quite popular. The supportive community within a religion can also become a coping mechanism in keeping stress at bay; the meditation value of prayer can lift a burdened mind. The important thing is not to just ignore stress; it won’t go away unless you develop a way of dealing with it. If you don’t handle the unhealthy signs of stress you could succumb to the ultimate melt down: depression. Men and women of all ages and sizes who work in highly stressful jobs need to spend some time on themselves, not just physically but mentally as well. The way we interact with the world around us and our friends and family can affect how we deal with stress in our lives. Different people handle stress and anxiety in different ways. It really does depend on how you’ve grown up. The younger generation of men and women have a lot to cope with and stress is a regular occurrence. Stress produces hormones in the body,

there’s aldosterone, cortisol and adrenaline, if you’re in sustained stress you get lots of these hormones flying around your body. Your body works best in what is known as homeostasis, where your body’s natural hormones are working in balance. The science is pretty straightforward as our bodies react naturally to the stress caused by the current lifestyle we are living, we should be aware that a stressful state of body and mind is not healthy. A lot of people don’t recognise that they are stressed until they end up at a doctor’s. Sleep plays a very important role in our lives as your body repairs and restores itself overnight. You’ve got cellular growth overnight so if you’re stressed and not sleeping your body’s not able to do that. Treatments are very beneficial in combating stress, celebs can be seen to regularly visit spas to rejuvenate after intense tours and filming schedules. For the rest of us we just never seem to find the time, but making time and trying a restyle of your life could be just what your body is crying out for. We need to make the decision to start taking care of our bodies and our minds, before they take the decision out of our hands by shutting down.

SpareTime

Whether your perfect spa is overlooking the sea, mountains or in the heart of the city, take some personal time to recharge and rejuvenate on the French Riviera.

Le Spa Spendid A private and intimate spa that makes you forget that you are in the centre of Nice. With its friendly and knowledgeable team this really is the city spa to relax, rejuvenate and unwind in. Whether you want to relieve aching muscles, hydrate your skin or eliminate unwanted toxins then you will find an assortment of treatments to help you achieve just that. For beauty or pampering treatments then why not try one of the facials, which will leave you totally relaxed and revived. Or maybe you would like to prepare your body for summer by having some hair removal or self-tan applied professionally. For those of you that cannot decide from the wide variety of treatments, you will find the staff happy to advise and suggest something that personally fulfills all your needs. Thinning Legs, Buttocks, Abdomen - 45 min - 58€ The combination of modeling and drainage stimulates the body flow and the lymph liberating toxins and fatty acids stored in your body My Wellness Day- per person - 195€ Treat yourself to a day of self indulgence or make a special spa date with a friend and catch up whilst your having some serious pampering done. Your day will include a 30 minutes session on Powerplate with a coach (or you may choose another 30 minute service) Use of the Jacuzzi, fitness and hammam for 90 minutes. Take a dietetic lunch (drinks not included) in the panoramic restaurant on the 8th floor and finally wind down with 120 minutes of face and/or body treatments. Prices may be subject to change. 50 boulevard Victor Hugo, Nice Tel: +33 (0) 493 16 41 68

Hotel Martinez Listening to your needs, the qualified team will create a personalised programme especially for you. For face and body skin care, you can choose from a large select ion of treatments and experience a memorable moment of relaxation and well –being. Relaxing & Moisturizing Hydrojet - 30 min - 95€ Laid upon a mattress of stimulating waves, the body is wrapped in thermal gel, this real moisturising mask for the body brings comfort and softness to the skin. Sunsation Face & Body - 1h15 - 130€ A self-tanning treatment that inundates your face and body with an intense moisturised, glowing golden tan. If you are looking to prolong the summer, let yourself be tempted to a moment of pure pleasure with this treatment that will make you feel new from head to toe. 73, La Croisette, Cannes Direct Line: +33 (0) 492 98 74 90

Château de la Messardière Already reputed among discerning travellers as the crème de la crème of refined luxury in Saint-Tropez, the opening of the new Spa has raised Château de La Messardière to the status of a genuine well being destination. Bathed in natural light, and opening onto a magnificent Italian garden, the Château Spa takes you into a world of sereneness. Ko Bi Do - Youthful Face Care Massage - 50 min - 120€ An anti-wrinkle, plumping treatment combined with an active massage movement according to « Ko Bi Do », a genuine natural face-lift for the face inspired by a Japonese Ritual which effectively smoothes the features and tones the neck and bust. After Sunset Face & Body - 80 min - 170 € A deep moisturizing, soothing and regenerating after-sun treatment for the entire body. From head to toe, cranial shiatsu and foot care reflexology add pure pleasure to the overwhelming feeling and well-being that your skin craves for, after exposure to the sun. Route de Tahiti, Saint-Tropez Tél : + 33 (0) 494 56 76 00

The Metropole ESPA

Cap d’Antibes Beach Hotel By adopting the Omnisens concept, the Cap d’Antibes Beach Hotel Spa will awaken your senses. Your mind and body will benefit on a lasting basis from the in-depth treatments. Part of the summer beach spa, the sensorial pool promises new aquatic pleasures and exquisite moments of pure relaxation, all are to be cherished on its lovely teak terrace. Facial Skincare with Almonds & Magnolia Powder 30 mins - 45€ This relaxing, deep cleaning facial will hydrate and brighten your skin. Duet Under The Stars - 1 hour - 250€ An evening for two full of happiness and harmony with Champagne, aperitifs, massage, and relaxation. 10 Boulevard Maréchal Juin, Cap D’antibes Tel.: +33 (0) 492 93 13 30

The ESPA philosophy is the determination to combine the best of ancient and modern therapies with the finest quality ingredients and skin care advances. The result is an unusual combination of spa-inspired products, treatments and services that harness the best of aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, thalassotherapy and phytotherapy. Absorbing these elements the ESPA philosophy is focused upon enhancing an individual’s lifestyle in a way that is both holistic and versatile. Stimulating Hip & Thigh Treatment - 55 mins - 130 € A specialised treatment to stimulate the circulatory and lymphatic systems, concentrating on the areas of the body prone to cellulite, fluid retention and uneven skin texture. Exfoliation with a seaweed and salt combination is followed by a vigorous detoxifying massage using stimulating essential oils and an application of warm Marine Algae. Lymphatic drainage massage is undertaken to the eye area and the feet reflex zones are activated, gently helping to purify and cleanse the body. A course of treatments is recommended. Due to the unique nature of this Spa’s experiences, there is a minimum of a 2 hr booking policy for all non-resident guests. 4, avenue de la Madone, Monaco Tel : + 377 93 1515 15

Le Mas De Pierre Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat The new Spa at the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, which opens onto 1200m2 of private gardens, is the perfect place for wellness, relaxation and harmony. This elegant Spa designed by the renowned interior decorator PierreYves Rochon, offers an exclusive range of facial and body treatments. Cocooning Day - 185€ This package is over flowing with things to try from a single Hydrojet treatment, a 1 hour massage use of the fitness room, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, sensorial shower, ice fountain, relaxation room, counter-current swimming pool and tea bar. Soft Satin Skin - 75min - 145€ A exfoliating and energizing massage that smoothes the skin to reveal its original beauty. This gentle treatment leaves your skin feeling exquisitely soft.

In this enchanting and typically Provencal setting, everything has been designed to arouse and soothe the senses. Soft music to facilitate relaxation, an atmosphere where fragrances cast their spell, subtle decor and exquisite treatments... Everything here combines to create moments of emotion and fulfillment. A diverse range of complete treatments are available to restore wellbeing and serenity, while magnificent massage rooms prolonged by small private terraces invite you to discover new horizons. Hot Stone Massage - 50 mins - 105€ - 80 mins - 150€ A tradition of the Indians living in the plains, which consists of applying heated pebbles (of basalt stone) which diffuse warmth throughout the entire body. Combined with a massage using essential oils, it induces total relaxation while relieving muscular tension.

Finally at the end of your indulgence day, take a wander through the Spas private gardens and pavilions.

Prestige Anti-Aging Treatments - 80 mins - 150€ The smoothing treatment with collagen is an “Intense moisturizing ritual” that is designed to counter the first signs of aging. Lifting and restructuring the “Absolute lift ritual” restores volume to mature complexions and the “Glowing vitality” treatment stimulates.

71 Boulevard du Général de Gaulle, Saint-Jean Cap-Ferrat Tel: +33 (0) 493 76 50 20

Route des Serres, St-Paul-de-Vence Tel : +33 (0) 493 59 00 10

AestheticTreatments The explosion of interest in minimally invasive cosmetic procedures in the last 10 years has been extraordinary. Here we take a look at just a few of the most popular treatments with people searching for correction or perfection. What is Botox, how does it work? Botox is one of the many trade names for the neurotoxic protein called botulinum toxin. When injected in small and diluted amounts Botox interrupts the transmission of nerve signals, which causes the muscle, affected to weaken temporarily. These muscles are not able to contract and the skin overlying these muscles becomes flattened and smoothed out. This smoothing effect applies to frown lines, forehead wrinkles and crow’s feet; in fact any place on the face where the lines are associated with muscle contraction. Clearly the skill and experience of the practitioner is therefore critical in ensuring a good result. It usually takes three to seven days to see cosmetic improvement and the effects tend to last an average of six months. Most patients require retreatment to remove wrinkles and lines as they begin to reappear, but after each injection the wrinkles return as less severe as the muscles are trained to relax. Treatment usually take just a few minutes to perform with the protein injected into the muscle using a fine needle in order to minimize discomfort and maximize accuracy. Whilst Botox procedures do not require anesthesia a topical cream can be applied, if desired, to minimise any minor stinging associated with the needle. In the hands of a skilled practitioner side effects are infrequent. Of these, temporary bruising is the most common. There is no evidence of allergy associated with Botox to date. Botox/ botulinum can also be used in the same way to treat excessive sweating under the arms, feet and hands. Dermal Fillers Dermal fillers are substances (hyaluronic acid) that can be injected into the skin to reduce wrinkles, plump up and fill out the lips and give the face a younger, smoother

appearance. They can be used alone or in conjunction with botox. Dermal fillers can be used on any area of the face to smooth out wrinkles and depressions caused by ageing. They can also be helpful in acne scarring. The treatment entails injecting the substance into the wrinkles, takes about 20 minutes, side effects are minimal (usually slight redness and occasionally bruising) and results are instantaneous. Fillers last a variable length of time from about 12 months to sometimes 3 to 4 years depending on each individual.

Velashape Cellulite & Body Contouring Velashape is a relatively new technique that is the only complete non-invasive / non-surgical alternative to liposuction. It combines energies that target and heat fatty tissues and in the process the skin is smoothed out revealing a smoother, tighter figure. It is effective in reducing cellulite and contouring, shaping and slimming the body and is FDA approved for this treatment. 80% of women over the age of 20 have cellulite, regardless of their body shape or size, which can be very difficult to eradicate with just exercise and healthy eating.

Lip Enhancement

Common areas treated with Velashape are:

As we get older our lips tend to lose their “fullness” which contributes to the general appearance of facial ageing. Even in our younger years fuller lips are seen as more beautiful and for this reason many younger women also seek the change in their appearance that lip enhancement can bring. This particular improvement is achieved by the use of dermal filler and typically the result can be expected to last for up to 12 months.

◆◆ hips ◆◆ thighs ◆◆ buttocks ◆◆ abdomen

Skin Peels Skin peels are used to improve the appearance of the skin, making it look younger and smoother by reducing the sort of irregularities, wrinkling and pigmentation that can develop for a number of reasons including: ◆◆ Ageing ◆◆ Sun damage ◆◆ Scarring caused by acne They can also be used to help reduce skin pore size and decrease oily skin. A number of peels are available depending on the condition being addressed and the treatment required and these have differing strengths. Superficial peels may require between 2 and 4 treatments whilst more penetrating peels may need only 1 or 2.

It can also be used for upper arms and neck. The treatment is comfortable (like a deep tissue massage) and results can be seen gradually over 6 to 8 weeks with an average of between 2 and 7cm circumferential reduction. Optimally 6 treatments are needed with further one off treatments to maintain the effects. The treatment is safe and effective for all skin types and there have been no reported short or long-term health effects. As in any procedure, medical, dental or otherwise there can be no substitute for the skill that comes with a Doctor who has treated thousands of patients, the final cosmetic results and reduction of side effects are undoubtedly linked to the experience of the practitioner. Anyone thinking of having any type of treatment should shop around and find a practitioner with significant experience and qualifications.

Contemporary Photography by

Clarysse Available for: ◆◆ Portraits (family, children & pets) ◆◆ Weddings ◆◆ Events ◆◆ Products ◆◆ Creative images for all business sectors For further details contact Clarysse Email: art.clarysse@gmail.com Tel: +33 (0) 613 308 198

hiara Samugheo was the first Italian, female photographer in the 1950s that witnessed and captured Italian life after Mussolini’s dictatorship. Later in her career she was privileged to capture some of the world’s most famous movie stars and those unique images are available to view at her gallery on Rue Droite in the Old town, Nice.

As I sit in Chiara’s gallery I notice the way that people from different generations view her work, for many of the young trendy ones passing through the tiny streets of Old Nice, it is clear to me that all they see is pictures of sexually posed women. It is the older generation who can hardly believe that they have stumbled across a hidden treasure that is Chiara Samugheo’s gallery. Italian tourists search her out and hope that they get a chance to speak to the lady that made such an impression on their childhood by immortalising Italy’s golden era of moviestars. At the age of 18 rather than marry, Chiara left her hometown of Bari to head for Milan in search of a career. After landing a job in the then male dominated world of photojournalism she was sent on assignments to capture ‘real life’ after Mussolini’s downfall. Later, as life in Italy improved there was little interest in the ‘real world’, a new social awareness was emerging and Chiara recalls that it was precisely towards the end of the 50s that the media started to realise their readers had new needs, it was a need for escapism. Suddenly illustrated magazines portraying the happier side of life were being launched, so Chiara decided to leave her photojournalism job to concentrate on the world of fashion and film. After a meeting with Federico Patellani, one of the most important photographers of those years Chiara was offered the chance to work for him. Federico was part of a team of photographers who worked on a weekly magazine called Tempo. Here, he devised the fototesta, an innovative way of presenting news stories using a large number of photographs with brief captions, the story was then told mainly through images, with the photographer as narrator. This was the first time in Italy that the photographer was considered as an intellectual in his own right and not simply an assistant. For the evolving magazine industry, now rich in colour and stories, a new fascination was brewing with international film stars like Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida and Claudia Cardinal thanks to the film studios, Cinecitta. 26

At this time Chiara was busy building her portfolio on fashion shoots and photographing the new wave of rising stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Ursula Andress and Brigitte Bardot, this proved to be a huge turning point for Chiaras career. Chiara tells us that there was a new found curiosity with actresses, it was always pictures of ladies that appeared in the magazines, “I had taken many pictures of famous couples like Claudia Cardinal and Alberto Moravia, Alberto Sordi and Silvana Mangano as well as Clarke Gable in Naples with Antonella Lualdi but these were never published, it was all about the unfolding of what we have come to know now as the ‘Diva’”.

Magazines were realising the importance of having up and coming film actresses on the cover page, it meant more sales for them and so the demand for a cover shot by Chiara sent the likes of important magazines like Playboy, Tempo and Esquire into a frenzy.

It was now1960 and a film called La dolce vita directed by Federico Fellini had just earned the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The film was to catapult not only Chiara into the public’s growing demand for glamour, but it also heralded the start of a present day obsession with movies icons and the world of cinema. Whilst the paparazzi were clambering over eachother to get that all important shot of a star, Chiara was now firmly established in the world of the famous, dining with film directors like Federico Fellini and mixing with the movers and shakers of the cinema world. Chiara managed to capture all the greats of the 50s,60 and 70’s era , Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, Omar Sharif, Yul Brynner, Charlie Chaplin, Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda, Jeanne Moreau, John Wayne, Joan Collins Tony Curtis, Gregory Peck, Stuart Granger and Cary Grant to name only a few. Chiara’s portfolio shows page after page of famous people and she also has over 165,000 negatives, all with no doubt their own delightful tale to tell.

Present day sees Chiara flitting between Nice and Venice and she has a permanent gallery situated on Rue Droite in the Old Town of Nice, which is testament to all her dedicated years in photography. In 2002 Chiara was decorated with the “ Cavalliere of the Republica Italiana” medal and to date she has won 41 photo prizes. Chiara is still called upon to do special commissions and would ideally love to set up a photography school to pass on her knowledge to the younger generation. At the end of my interview I leave feeling that I have been privileged to meet such an inspiring and wonderful lady that played such an important part in the world of celebrity photography and fortunate to have shared just a little piece of cinema history. You can view Chiaras current exhibition entitled ‘sexy’ at: 20 Rue Droite- 06300 Vieux Nice Tel: +33 (0) 623 97 35 27 www.chiarasamugheo.com Chiaras work is available to buy and for exhibitions around the world.

Chiara tells a wonderful story of when she and her friend Gregory Peck went for dinner. “Gregory picked me up in his Rolls Royce to take me for dinner, then whilst eating we were joined by Cary Grant and Sammy Davis Junior, I would have loved to have captured that impromptu gathering of friends, but I could hardly ask if I could get my camera out and start photographing them”.

The American look gets a 2010 facelift by adding checks and prints while nautical tailoring gets a dressing down with touches of sportswear, pastels and muted shades.

GANT CC Le Metropole, Monaco. Tel: +377 93 50 30 30 GANT CORNER - CAP HORN RĂŠsidence du Port, Saint Tropez. Tel: +33 (0) 494 54 83 10

GANT

NEXT www.nextdirect.com

PEPE JEANS 182 bis, Route de Saint Jules, Althen Les Paluds, Avignon Tel:+33 (0) 490 12 01 28

MANTARAY www.debenhams.com

ZARA

ZARA 9 rue dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Antibes, Cannes Tel: +33 (0) 492 59 28 00 10 avenue Jean Medecin, Nice Tel: +33 (0) 493 13 76 50 CC Quartier Du Lac, Saint-Laurent-Du-Var Tel: +33 (0) 493 19 00 63

Rent a Classic Dream F

ounded in Nice by a couple of enthusiasts, Fabrice and Linda Le Roy, Rent A Car Classic is the first classic and sports cars self-drive rental company in France operating on the French Riviera between Cannes and Monaco. The company offers its vehicles with one ambition: putting classic and sports cars within everyone’s reach!

The French Riviera is a true paradise for car enthusiasts, from taking on the sharp turns in the countryside, to cruising on the seaside roads, the region is one of the most beautiful places in the world to discover and enjoy from behind the wheel of a classic car. Clients can book their cars on the company’s website or through numerous tourism professionals on the French Riviera. The fleet consists of 15 to 20 cars from the 50s, 60s and 70s. These are legendary cars, well-known for their cinema appearances or their famous owners! The famous Westminster Hotel on the Promenade des Anglais is the first prestigious partner of Rent A Car Classic; packages will enable the hotel’s clients to enjoy a classic car at a special rate during their stay. Staying at the hotel and taking one of the cars for a ride on the Monte-Carlo Rally roads, shopping on the Croisette in Cannes or dining in Monaco, makes a fantastic combination! The company’s partnership with the Westminster complements this chic lifestyle perfectly. Evelyne Azzari, Westminster Hotel Director, tells us how this partnership answers a new demand: “Many of our clients ask us to rent appealing and original vehicles so they enjoy their stay to it’s maximum. However, between the normal, luxury or supercar rentals (modern Ferraris, Lamborghini’s, Bentleys) there was a gap that the Rent A Car Classic service fulfils perfectly.” Real estate professionals, French Riviera Real Estate will also offer the cars with their high-end holiday rentals. The classic car chosen will be waiting for the clients at the airport or in the garage of their holiday home with the keys on the dashboard. 30

The fleet ranges between anonymity and very high end with rates from 99 € per day for the Méhari or 219 € per day for a 1967 Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto to 319 € per day for a RAM Cobra. This is 5 to 10 times less expensive than the luxury or supercar rental, for an unforgettable driving experience with added glamour. The cars are rented without a chauffeur (although you can request one), mileage is unlimited and the insurance policy is ‘all risks‘ like normal rentals. Cars are delivered to your airport, hotel, or home on the French Riviera between Cannes and Monaco. Rent A Car Classic have also just announced the launch of their “Classic Tours” (www.rivieraclassictours.com), the first “turnkey” classic car rallies on the French Riviera, especially suited to incentive agencies, business tourism and the corporate events professionals’ expectations. Packages can include a fleet of classic convertibles, a “road-book” taking you through the most beautiful roads of the French Riviera, multilingual assistance and accompaniment, a quiz and “vintage” prize giving, a gastronomic lunch or dinner and scenic & cultural pauses. In a few words, all the ingredients of a memorable day! For further details please contact Fabrice Le Roy: Tel: +33 (0) 954 00 29 33 – Email: contact@rentacarclassic.com Website: www.rentacarclassic.com

DEPUIS 1971 A SAINT-TROPEZ 14 et 24 rue Gambetta, 1 rue de la Poste, Place de la Garonne

MONACO - Metropole Shopping Center, 17 Avenue des SpĂŠlugues - Tel. (+377) 977 70 578

WWW.VILEBREQUIN.COM

N W O V.V. BR A

t the tender age of 19 V V Brown had already cut her baby teeth in the music industry singing backing vocals for the likes of Madonna, Westlife and The Pussycat Dolls, she also signed a major record deal, only for it to all fall through. Now at 26 and after writing her first album in just seven days which was inspired by the unpleasant break up with her boyfriend, V V released her debut album in the UK ‘Travelling Like the Light’, to much critical acclaim. Already earmarked as ‘ the one to watch out for in 2010’ the young singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and producer is set to take France by storm. V V’s appearance on Taratata saw her performing in front of a live audience and the crowds going mad for her. Prestige caught up with V V whilst she was in Paris to hear her story about finding stardom and finding herself. In this 26-year-old’s world, love sounds like the perfect melody. Both are difficult to define she says, but both pour out of the songs on her debut album. Leading the charge is ‘Crying Blood’, written on V V’s one-string guitar, but more of that later, which colourfully illustrates Brown’s penchant for mixing upbeat melodies with lyrics specialising in full-on despair. There are a few of these on her debut album, which is the story of V V’s life but also the story of one specific relationship with one specific arsehole.

“He broke my heart just before I began writing the album”

Image: Crown Music

“In a way writing ‘Crying Blood’, was liberating because I was letting everything out and it felt like there was some distance. But the fact that I was still writing songs about him meant that I wasn’t as liberated as I thought”. As V V now realises, writing these songs brought everything to a close. From the brutal imagery of the song’s title, through “falling like a comet from a broken sky” to the point where she arrives back on earth with a bump, ‘Crying Blood’ represents a cathartic process which also resulted in a pretty nifty pop tune.

V V’s music is dramatic, charismatic and, frequently, as mad as a box of frogs. This is high definition, high concept pop with scuffed edges and laddered tights. “It’s about letting out all these ideas I’ve had locked up in my mind,” Brown states. “It’s honest - it’s not about being festooned with £10m diamonds or having perfect hair.”

“I can’t remember a time when music was not a part of me…” “…when I was five, I remember writing my first song on the piano. I played the same notes over and over again and from that moment I just knew that music would be a huge part of my life.” Evenings were spent in the attic with her five brothers and sisters playing at being in a band and dreaming about being on Top Of The Pops. At school, V V was almost unrecognisable – lunch-breaks would be spent sitting in the school field on her blazer wondering, as she says, “why the grass was green”. Feeling liberated rather than lonely, she immersed herself in her own thoughts.

“I’ve always felt slightly on the edge of the circle” …she explains, and this double life, flitting from extrovert to introvert as the mood takes her, now runs through her album. Every Sunday she’d go to church and sing in the gospel choir; at home her mum and dad would listen to Aretha, The Rolling Stones, Ruth Brown, Elvis Presley, Queen and the music from Super Marioland. Anything with a tune was fair game. It’s easy to see how V V inherited her theatrical, charismatic personality. It’s an excitingly eclectic mix, but V V has another phrase for it: “musical mashed potatoes” If V V’s music is mashed potatoes her songs must, therefore, be Smash hits, but there’s nothing instant or synthetic about these pop tunes. ‘Crazy Amazing’, for example, incorporates piano lesson anthem ‘Chopsticks’ into a breezy pop song, and while it may conjure images of Nina Simone joining Tom Hanks for a dance-off on a 30ft piano keyboard, its sentiment is about being wounded by one relationship then, just when you least expect it, finding crazy, amazing happiness with another. “I felt I’d been left on the shelf and then suddenly… BANG! …a new guy came along and made me feel like a princess.”

‘Crazy Amazing’ came like an explosion of joy for V V, but flashback just a couple of years and things weren’t so peachy. She’d skipped university to pursue music and, when she signed to a major label at the age of 19, things looked like they were fitting into place. She found herself in LA, working with big producers and accidentally ended up providing backing vocals for the Pussycat Dolls’ debut album, as well as working with Madonna & Westlife. But something wasn’t quite right. “I lost myself completely,” she remembers. “I lost my identity. My voice. Everything.” The music wasn’t right and V.V. parted company with the label: three years down the drain. “Artists I love, from Alicia Keys through to Amy Winehouse, connect with people because they do not compromise,” she now realises. “They make music which reflects who they are and when you’re honest on all levels people will connect with that. People can tell. The way you walk, talk, wear your hair and breathe. It took everything that happened with that first deal for me to say: I SHALL NOT COMPROMISE.” A noble sentiment, but at 22 she was out on her ear.

It was these sessions that threw up the extraordinary songs which scored V V her new deal with Island. Her songs are now instantly addictive and unmistakably honest, with lyrics asking what the bloody point is answered by melodies full of life and reasons to be cheerful. The contradiction works, throwing the listener from happy to sad and back again in the space of three minutes. “Everything that’s happened in the last few years has taught me to value the idea of knowing yourself and being yourself,” V V says. “And, my God, it took me a long time to get here.” True to this, and as she prepares to unleash the album on France, V V’s binned off the LA lifestyle, choosing instead to live in London in her auntie’s house with her sisters. “I can’t see myself moving any time soon,” V V says. “Why should I change? I just want a simple life, with extraordinary music in it.”

“I was broke!” she howls, so broke in fact that she had to sell her keyboard to pay for her flight home from LA, “but I wasn’t sitting around watching TV- every day was spent making music. Every hour, every day from nine in the morning until two the next morning.” Money was so tight that V V bought a onestring guitar in a charity shop, marked the frets out with her red nail varnish and wrote ‘Crying Blood’ the very next day.

“I’d wake up in the morning and have no idea what I was going to write”

Image: M&S

quickfire questions with V.V. BROWN Did you always want to be a singer? Yes. Always Has music always been a part of your life? Always. Like a strange spiritual knowing. You are one of five children; does talent run in the family? Yes we all play instruments and are creative. What genre of music do you consider your work to be and who are your major influences? Alternative pop music. Grace Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Sex Pistols. What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Love and heart break. Do you think these topics will change over time? Definitley. I write about life, which always changes. Because the lyrics in your songs are personal and about your past, how do you think you will feel about your songs in the future? Im not sure. I look at life like the wind. Has your music evolved since you first began? Absolutley. Im interested in Africa right now. What has been your biggest challenge as an artist? Not compromising, the balance between pop and indie and being represented well. So many people dream of becoming famous, would you recommend they chase that dream? No. Fame is delusional. Chase after being a good person and being good at what you do. Fame is horrible. If you could perform with anyone in the world, either dead or alive who would it be? Grace Jones If you could cover a song, what song would you choose. Bohemian Rhapsody What CD are you listening too at the moment? Little Dragon Machine Dreams

Have you been involved in any benefit performances? Yes, I was involved with raising money for Haiti, War Child and Africa Express. All were fun! What is the best thing about being an artist? Being expressive and not knowing what is going to happen each day. What is the worst thing about being an artist? Loneliness. Most memorable career moment to date? Being in Africa with Damon Albarn and a load of musicians, singing with Grace Jones and having the number one iTunes in France. Did your love of music or fashion come first? Music came first. Fashion was an extension. You have done quite a bit of modelling, tell us more! I love it and I hope it will evolve more. When I met Jean- Paul Goude who said he wanted to work with me I nearly fainted ! Rumour has it that you have just been signed up to model for Marks & Spencers, is this true? Yes. There are billboards all over the UK now. Very exciting! Tell us about your new online fashion store. vvvintage.com - its a hobby of love. Tell us more about your collaboration with David Allain. It’s a comic book tale - 7 comics are being put out each month between May and November leading to a graphic novel. Check it out here www.thecityofabacus.com The best thing about visiting France? The architecture and the food. What did you think about the way the French dress? Classic and chic Have you purchased anything whilst you have been in France? Yes my Louis Vuitton bag Did you learn any French? Yes at school

Image: Crown Music

Describe who you are in six words. Excentric, Passionate, Obsessive strategist, Creative, Sexual Is there someone special in you life now? Many special people. What is your favourite saying? “The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility”. If you could change just one thing today, to make a better tomorrow what would it be? Free Health care in America What are your future plans? Touring France, festivals, headline shows, my new song in is out in the summer, ‘shark in the water’ is out now! My album is out now! And lots more! For more information see vvbrown.com Your parting words to Prestige readers are? Be true and live.

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Day or night - we promise you an unforgettable dining experience Traditional French cuisine served in ambient surroundings

Relax & Enjoy Lunch on our Terrace

or 16€ (3 courses) menus 12€ (2 courses) • Choose from our set o available & A La Carte menu als • Suggestions of the day 0pm • Service: 11.30am-2.3

Something for everyone!

Evening Dining - Exceptional Value!

• Choose from our set menus (3 courses) - 16€ or 29€ • Suggestions of the day & A La Carte menu als o available • Wine served by the gla ss, pichet or bottle. • Service: 6pm – 10.30p m

risottos, Our extensive menu has dishes that include: fresh fish, meat, pasta, served fresh. and locally sourced are products our All soup. & salads gras, foie

Closed Monday all day & Tuesday lunchtime 5 Place Saint Francois (opposite the Gare Routiere, av Jean Jaures), Vieux, Nice

For Reservations please call:

+33 (0) 493 798 440

19, rue Bonaparte (Place du Pin) - 06300 NICE - Tel: 04 92 04 22 09

www.restaurant-sapore.com - Reservations recommended 36

French Dining Etiquette By Sadie Nachtigal

In France, dinner is a highly-respected event. French meals follow traditions and observe rules that are quite different from other laissez-faire attitudes. Even those who consider themselves experts in dining etiquette may find themselves at a loss at a French dinner table. There are several marked differences in table manners and dining customs in France as opposed to the other countries. Since the French take both the gastronomic and social aspects of eating very seriously, it’s a good idea to brush up on French dining traditions and etiquette before accepting a dinner invitation in France. French Dining Attitudes The attitude of other countries dinner parties and gatherings, tend to be more informal - the emphasis is on individual choice - care for some olives? We’re passing a plate around. Like a drink? Help yourself at the bar. At French gatherings, however, more importance is placed on ritual and group participation. Even at informal gatherings, drinks are served to the entire group at once, and the French are fond of meals such as fondues, pirades, and raclettes, in which everyone “ participates” in eating together. What to Bring When Invited to Dinner in France It’s not necessary to bring a gift for the host when invited for an apéritif, but hostess gifts are appreciated and expected from dinner guests. Providing that the hosts drink, a bottle of wine or other alcohol is always suitable. Ask what the person is preparing to find out which wine is appropriate. If in doubt, just ask the host what he or she prefers. Chocolates are also a good choice - they are less difficult to pick out then wine and can be served during the dessert and coffee courses. The Apéritif The apéritif, sometimes shortened to l’apéro, consists of snacks and drinks served before the meal. The aperitif is often served not at the dining table but at the coffee table. The drinks being served can be anything from martinis to champagne to kir - a mixture of white wine and fruit liqueur - but is seldom red wine, which is almost always served with the meal. The food served ranges from elaborate finger foods to olives, crackers and chips. While others are accustomed to serving cheese and crackers as an appetizer before a meal, cheese is traditionally served after the main course in France, and is rarely part of the apéritif. After being served, wait until the toast before drinking. During French toasts, each person raises his or her glass and clinks it with every other person at the table while saying “ santé,” (to your health). When toasting, make sure to make eye contact with each person and to avoid crossing arms and glasses with others at the table. At the Table Depending upon the formality of the event, French meals can vary from elaborate, drawn-out affairs with many courses to a simple main dish followed by cheese or dessert. In most French families, however, even informal meals are long and social affairs - people tend to dine later and spend longer at the table.

Guests at a French dinner table will notice that the French keep both hands on the table while eating, the French consider it impolite to keep one’s hands below the table. This custom dates back to medieval times, when a hand under the table could be interpreted as a concealed weapon meant to assassinate the host. Although keeping both hands on the table may seem unnatural, it makes more sense considering that the French use theirs knives and forks equally when eating. While others tend to use their knives strictly for cutting, continental diners use their knives to guide food onto the fork. While in the United Kingdom or the United States bread or rolls are often sliced and then placed in a basket or cutting board, in France (with the exception of formal meals where each diner may have a separate bread plate) diners break off hunks of bread and place them directly on the tablecloth next to their plates. Bread is rarely served with butter or olive oil and is instead used for the cheese course or to soak up sauces and juices from the main dish. Watch how the other people at the table eat the bread and follow suit: at a French table, bread is almost like a third utensil - the French use it to wipe off their knives, to push pesky peas onto their forks, and to accompany remaining food on their plates. Cheese, Dessert, Coffee and Digestif The main course is usually followed by the cheese course. Cheeses are often presented on a large platter and each guest serves himself, cutting the cheese as if it were a pie. Cut off the crusty edges of the cheese if necessary. The cheese course is often followed by coffee and dessert. At the end of the meal, the French sometimes serve a digestif, a strong alcohol or liqueur meant to aid digestion. 37

ith its potent Cachaca kick laced with sweet sugar and a razor sharp lime edge, the Caipirinha is Brazilian party spirit in a glass (or plastic cup as the natives serve them) and a befitting national drink. The Portuguese word politely translates as ‘little man from the country’: or, less politely, ‘little country bumpkin’: Cachaca is a spirit akin to rum in that it is made from unrefined sugar, but the similarity stops there. Cachaca is a sharper, tart spirit that is tamed to seduction when muddled with lime and sugar. The Caipirinha is a down-to-earth, honest drink that requires no ostentation. However, the various mutations on the theme that have seen Cachaga replaced with, most frequently, vodka and other spirits have caused some to worry about the future of the Caipirinha soul. Save the Brazilian national drink and get yourself a refreshing original Caipirinha with Cachaca.

How to make a Caipirinha t into wedges ★★ 3 quarters of a lime cu ns of sugar ★★ Muddle with 2 teaspoo ★★ Add 50ml of cachaca ★★ Top with crushed ice ★★ Serve in a tall glass

he marvellous Mojito is one of the most well known and popular cocktails at the moment with bartenders in bars and restaurants across the Riviera muddling mint furiously to keep up with demand. But some people are sadly unaware of what it is not or at least what it ought not to be. A mojito should not be a green stew, fetid with ragged mint leaves that stick to your teeth like spinach. In Cuba where the origins lie, this delicate cocktail is nothing more than a dash of rum and a zip of lime, its sourness soothed away with a little sugar, added to soda water and stirred with a few leaves of mint to add a teasing fresh herbaceous flavour. Try to be restrained when making a mojito, you can pick the leaves off the stem and gently bruise them, or roll the sprig around a little and pop it in the glass with a stirrer.

How to make a Mojito ★★ Juice of half a lime ★★ 1 dash gomme (make with 2 parts sugar, 1 part water) and 2 parts golden rum ★★ Soda water to taste ★★ Lots of ice ★★ Serve in a tall glass

Recommends P

restige Magazine loves discovering magical places on the French Riviera. Every issue, we will share with you just some that we have uncovered along the way whilst out and about.

* Please note this feature is not paid for by the businesses and Prestige pay for all their purchases during their visits.

The Snug & Cellar Irish Bar

This Irish gastronomic pub may not be on the list of the most obvious places to visit whilst in Nice, but believe us if you leave without calling in for a drink and a bite to eat, then you will be missing out on a very special experience. The Snug & Cellar Bar is situated on the corner of rue Droite and rue Rossetti, Vieux Nice and is the gathering place for many locals and returning visitors. Headed up by John and his friendly staff, The Snug offers the very best of pub hospitality with food that’s second to none. Day or night the bar and its huge terrace allow you to soak up the old town atmosphere whilst relaxing and enjoying your drink and meal. The Snug has a selection of food that caters for both small and large appetites; those that would like a more substantial meal can choose from the A La Carte menu and will find starters such as soup of the day 5.50€, assiette of salmon 8€, beef carpaccio with potato, chicory and pancetta salad drizzled with garlic oil 9 € or for a more substantial dish, main courses like filet of beef, pancetta and red onion cake served with garlic and herb butter 19.50€, pan fried duck breast, mango and udon noodles with an oriental dressing 14.50€ or opt for the suggested fish of the day dish. If your appetite is not up for a hearty meal and you just fancy a little bit of something, The Snug has an Appetizer Menu which changes daily offering again, excellent quality at fantastic prices.

Catwalk

Nice’s new fashion hotspot for shopping is called Catwalk; it offers something different from the usual designs and labels that you see in most shops. Catwalk is the unique and also official selling point of Paris Hilton Handbags in France. Every handbag within the collection of this brand is more and more spectacular, trendy, wild and “must-have”. For those addicted to timepieces you will also find a fabulous selection of sophisticated, colourful and fashionable watches by Christian Audigier and Kaporal and delicate pieces of jewellery by the French brand Sous le Sable. If you need the right dress for the right occasion, and you are looking for something quirky and eye catching then the last dress collection of talented young designer Karen Poolak is available. Her label ‘Les robes de Karen’ is exclusively sold in the Catwalk boutique and are limited editions! 5, rue Alphonse Karr – Nice

On the afternoon that we visited The Snug, we lunched outside and had the pleasure of indulging in two delicious salads. The secret of the Snugs dishes is in their creative twists and surprising combinations. For example the char-grilled chicken salad was served with a tropical fruit salsa, fennel and shallots and the normal nicoise salad was given a contemporary makeover and served as a whole tuna steak, with sun dried tomatoes, tapenade and gnocchi. Both dishes were artistically presented and the tuna and chicken were seasoned and cooked to perfection. After relaxing in the sun for a while, we decided to share a desert and opted for the chocolate mousse with Baileys and Chantilly cream, which was pure heaven in a Guinness glass. We got talking to a lovely gentleman who said that the crème brulee that was changed daily was fantastic and that the chefs like to experiment and have a little bit of taste fun with this dessert. According to him what shouldn’t work in a dessert just simple does, well after our wonderful dining experience there, that somehow didn’t surprise us! • Set lunch menu served 12pm-3pm - 9.80€- soup of the day, a tapas dish of your choice and a drink (soft, half pint or a glass of wine) • Good choice of drinks: cocktails, Kilkenny, Guinness, blonde & light beer and good quality wines are served by the glass, pichet or bottle, • Happy Hour 8pm-10pm – All cocktails 4€ or 5€ and all pints are 4€ • Downstairs Cellar Bar - that can cater for private functions Corner of 22 rue Droite & 5 rue Rossetti, Vieux Nice Tel: +33 (0) 493 804 322

Chateau Eza-Eze Village

Situated 400 metres above the sea Château Eza offers a dining experience with unrivalled views over the Mediterranean. You are able to dine on one of the many terraces, intimate balconies or the indoor glass-edged Michelin-starred restaurant with retractable roof. The food is divine and it serves à la carte French and Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurant’s à la carte menu has a wonderful array of mouth watering dishes, such as starters like creamy soup of fennel with nuts of scallops 18€, wild salad flavoured with local black truffles 38€ or homemade toasted bread topped with local salad and Spanish ham 20€. For main courses you will find fish and meat dishes like pan-fried sea coast calamari’s served with vegetable and fruits 26€ and roasted saddle of lamb accompanied with vegetables 30€. To finish they offer delicious desserts and a cheese trolley. The restaurants two set menu’s present exceptional value, the “Menu du Château” is a 3 course menu at 39€ and the “Menu du Prince” offers 4 courses at 49€ For the real food lovers Chateau Eza proposes the “Menu Degustation” which is an 8-course menu allowing you to explore this restaurants exquisite cuisine. After your dining experience at the Chateau why not stroll through the winding paths of Eze village, browse in the many quaint shops selling hand made jewellery, glassware and clothes or visit the exotic gardens which have even more breathtakingly higher views of the Riviera coastline. • Restaurant: Open from 12.30pm to 2.30pm and from 7.30pm to 10pm. • Lighter lunches: Tapas service and à la carte salads are served from 12.30pm to 6pm. Rue de la Pis, Eze Village – Tel. 33 (0) 493 411 224

Sarao Restaurant & Bar

On a rare day off with my fiancée and whilst meandering down the Promenade des Anglais we decided to stop of for some lunch at a restaurant that had caught our eye sometime ago. The Sarao always looked very inviting with its sea view, spacious outdoor terrace and neatly dressed tables; hopefully we weren’t going to be disappointed. After being seated by a gentleman who was very friendly and spoke excellent English we were guided through the menu and the suggestions of the day, then after much deliberation because we were spoilt for choice we both opted for a 2-course meal. My partner chose a starter of goats cheese served with wafer thin sliced raw vegetables drizzled with herb infused oil, which was very light and refreshing and his main course was a generous filet steak served with dauphinoise and rich gravy, he was extremely pleased and left no sign that there had ever been any food on his plate. For my main course I had chosen penne arrabiata, my personal mission has been to find the perfect French version of this dish and had always struggled simply because the French don’t really cook spicy food, so it was to my great delight that when my dish arrived I could actually see fresh chillies in the sauce and the dish certainly did not disappoint me, it was simply cooked and spiced to perfection. After a glass of wine I decided to tackle my chocolate brownie that was served with crème anglaise delicious, just what my sweet tooth had ordered. The lunchtime menu is excellent value if you fancy dining a little more elegantly, you can choose from 1 dish at 8.95€, 2 courses 13.90€ or 3 courses at €17.50€. Specialising in Mediterranean cuisine the Sarao Restaurant really does have a fabulous varied menu and as expected with all Mediterranean restaurants there is a good choice of fresh fish and seafood on offer. No matter what time of day or night it is you are sure to find something to wet your apetite here, they cater for everything, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all day for bar snacks and Spanish Tapas which is their specialty!. So next time when you are out strolling along the Promenade and you can’t make up your mind where to go just head for Sarao, you won’t be disappointed! • Breakfast: 8am-11am, Bar: Monday-Sunday 8.00am-11pm, Lunch: MondaySunday 12.00pm-2.30pm, Dinner: Monday-Sunday 6.30pm-10.30pm • Breakfast: Continental 6.95€ and English 9.95€ • Saturdays Evenings – live music • Events and parties: The indoor restaurant area is ideal for large events or parties as it seats 150 people. • Paella: Served at the weekends 7 Promenade des Anglais, Nice – Tel: +33 (0) 492 005 090

Beluga

Situated down by the waters edge of Villefranche sur Mer is Beluga, a modern, stylish bar & restaurant, ideal for a relaxing drink and light lunch. Personally we think the best time to visit Beluga is when the sun is going down, you can enjoy the picture perfect views over the bay of Villefranche and ease into the evening while the stress of a hard days sunbathing melts away. After sunset Beluga becomes a trendy lounge bar all colourfully lit with ambient lighting and an eclectic mix of baroque and modern furniture. Sit back and enjoy the mellow music playing in the background or sing along to the sounds of live music. This is definitely the venue for a chilled evening with friends or a perfect place for a romantic evening sipping champagne or cocktails. 3 Quai Am Ponchardier, Villefranche sur Mer Tel: +33 (0) 493 802 834

Stars ’n’ Bars

If you weren’t lucky enough to experience the adrenaline rush live at this years Monaco Grand prix, then thank your lucky stars for Stars & Bars formula racing car stimulator experience. Stars ‘n’ Bars, Monaco’s celebrated American restaurant and celebrity sports bar, offers guests the excitement of the legendary Grand Prix--any time of the year. Guests can climb into their own supercharged racing cockpits and experience the heart-bursting thrill of ultra-realistic formula car driving--without the risk, expense or pollution. For lesser daredevils, there are cocktails to be sipped overlooking the stunning skyline and port of Monaco and dining amidst the best celebrity sports collection in the world. The Stars ‘n’ Bars Race Room hosts 6 professional race car simulators/trainers and replicates the “feel”, handling, sights and sounds of more than 500 real-world race cars competing on 45 real-world professional racing circuits. Surrounded by three high definition video screens, which give a breathtaking panoramic view from behind the wheel, racers can compete individually or in groups in real time at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour in the super car of their choice. Each simulator can function alone or in a network of all six on the same course. Plus, the “virtual” race can be viewed on all of the restaurant’s 2 dozen plasma TV screens and there’s even the possibility of placing company logos on each of the virtual cars on screen. Stars ‘N’ Bars has created this one-of-a kind racing experience for companies, groups, charities and organizations looking for unique entertainment, incentive, fund raising or team-building activities. • Ideal venue for: Private parties, press conferences, product launchings, concerts and fashion shows and fundraisers. • Can accommodate: Up to 1000 guests throughout the 2000 square meters of service area available, including two stunning terraces on the port. • Restaurant: serves American cuisine and has a state-of- the art sound system, scenic lighting, discotheque facility, giant video screen, plasma and TV, internet connection plus WIFI • Opening hours: Every day and night in the summer. Closed on Mondays October through to May. Non stop-food service begins at 11 a.m. and ends at midnight. Our bar service stays open later. 6 Quai Antoine 1er, Monaco – Tel: +377 97 97 95 95

Auberge de Tourrettes

LÂ´Auberge de Tourrettes - 11, route de Grasse - 06140 Tourrettes Sur Loup - France Tel: +33 (0)4 93 59 30 05 - Fax : +33 (0)4 93 59 28 66 - E-mail :info@aubergedetourrettes.fr

www.aubergedetourrettes.fr

Focus On…

Saint Jean Cap Ferrat By Catherine Boylan

Among those who have fallen in love with Cap Ferrat in the past are actors Gregory Peck, David Niven and Elizabeth Taylor, British wartime prime minister Winston Churchill and numerous painters, most notably Matisse. The historic and beautiful Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild dominates the Cap with its remarkable gardens overlooking the dazzling Mediterranean sea to the west and the east. Luxury hotels The Royal Riviera, Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat and Reserve de Beaulieu offer beautiful rooms, heated swimming pools, private beaches and the best in French cuisine. The service in each of these hotels is friendly but impeccably professional. The pretty marina is home to hundreds of yachts and the harbourside offers numerous relaxed restaurants where you can eat fresh fish 44

and other local Provencal dishes outside overlooking the water. A bottle of pale rosé wine made from local grapes is a great accompaniment to fish landed early in the morning and bread freshly baked a few steps away. Pretty Beaulieu-sur-Mer, which also has the feel of a village on the Cote d’ Azur, is right beside Cap Ferrat. With its long sandy beach, palm trees and ice-cream pink casino it complements Cap Ferrat well. There’s a stunning coastal path leading from the beach at Beaulieu, in the Baie des Fourmis, past the beach and marina at St Jean to the tip of the Cap where the Mediterranean laps the rocky shore. Cap Ferrat is a destination where you can find great luxury alongside the simplest pleasures life offers: five star hotels and a walk on the beach; fine champagne brandy and an open sea view; Michelinstarred food and a swim in the glittering Mediterranean. Getting there is easy. Take a taxi or train from Nice airport. Or arrive by private boat, which you can book in advance. The official tourist office of St Jean Cap Ferrat provides details of hotels, restaurants and transport.

Bottom 3 images: La Reserve

All year round, visitors enjoy luxurious vacation villas discreetly screened by luxuriant vegetation, luxury hotels with beautiful sea views, gourmet restaurants and fine sandy beaches. There’s very easy access to Monte Carlo and Nice for those who want to explore the coast.

Top 2 images: Royal Riviera

aint Jean Cap Ferrat is one of just a few tranquil spots on France’s glitzy Cote d’Azur. Ever popular with wealthy businessmen, European royalty, VIPs, actors and actresses it remains laid-back and elegant compared with larger riviera hotspots like Nice, Cannes and St Tropez. Cap Ferrat is the Riviera destination for you if you like peace and quiet, privacy and style.

Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

By Alex Barrie

orn on 14th September 1864, Beatrice de Rothschild was the daughter of Baron Alphonse de Rothschild, a famous Art collector and donator to the French museums. She grew up in sumptuous surroundings both in Ferrieres-enBrie (Seine-et-Marne) and in the family Parisian home in rue Saint-Florentin. Both homes were full of masterpieces of art and rare collectable objects.

t the age of 19 in June 1883, she married the Jewish millionaire, Maurice Ephrussi whose family came from Odessa. His wealth originated from exporting wheat and banking but the union was not a happy one and they separated soon afterwards. However, on the death of her father in 1905, she and her brother inherited a vast fortune estimated at some €700 million. Her huge wealth allowed her to express her passion for architecture as well as works of art and collecting rare objects. Between the years of 1905 and 1912 she built the magnificent Villa Ile-de-France (Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild) at St. Jean Cap Ferrat which juts out into the Mediterranean Sea between Nice and Monaco. This Italianate inspired building, designed by the architect, Aaron Messiah, was painted rose pink with white colonnades and the layout of the estate resembled a stately liner. Beatrice insisted that the gardeners wore blue Naval style berets so that when they were working in the gardens, they looked like sailors working on the decks of a ship. The gardens, although not vast, are full of different areas and types of planting.

There are areas designed in the Spanish and Florentine style as well as Japanese and French and there is interest in the garden as a whole throughout the different seasons. There are cacti and bamboos, olive, mandarin and lemon trees, rose gardens and hedges of lavender and teucrium. Stately agapanthus line pathways and the formally laid out gardens in front of the house include lawns, waterfalls into long canals and all of this to a backdrop of the Alpes Maritimes. When Beatrice died of tuberculosis on 7th April 1934 at the age of 69, she died without heirs. She left the Villa Ephrussi with all its important works of art, furniture and priceless porcelain to L’Institut de France. The Villa is now under the auspices of L’Academie des Beaux Arts de l’Institut de France and is open permanently to the public. A series of events are arranged throughout the year which includes a Rose Festival at the end of May and a day for painters in June. The musical fountains dance every 20 minutes in the formal gardens from April to December. Well worth a visit.

Photo credits: main photo - C. Recoura, portrait and garden photo - Culturespaces

How to get there: From Nice the No. 81 bus stops right outside the entrance to the Villa and the bus starts at the Gare Routiere. Or by car: Take the Base Corniche N98 which runs between Nice and Monaco. From Nice, take Bd Carnot (Base Corniche) and continue through Villefranche until you see the signs for St. Jean Cap Ferrat. The Villa can be found on the left hand side of the main road into St. Jean Cap Ferrat and it is clearly signposted. Times of opening are: Daily from March to October 10h-18h and in July & August until 19h. Daily from 1st November - end of February weekdays 14-18h and 10h-18h on weekends, Bank Holidays and school holidays. Price of the entrance: €10 per person but €7.50 for children between 7 and 17years, students and seniors. Children under 7 years old are free of charge. There are also group prices. Other facilities: There is a café leading out onto a terrace which serves light meals, ices, cakes, tea, coffee etc. and a lovely gift shop. No dogs allowed. For more information: www.villa-ephrussi.com

FamilyFun! excitement If you are looking for adventure and a look at to fill the family holidays then take t. some of our favourite places to visi

Marineland

Park also includes - Aqu asplash, The Far West & Adventure Golf. The perfect destination tha t will guarantee to put a smile on your little ones A huge leisure park that faces. offers action packed sho ws, adventure and plenty of Marineland is at the heart water. of a vast leisure park com plex in Antibes-Juan-les-Pi offering fantastic shows ns featuring, killer whales, sea ls and dolphins. Get up clos the sharks and exotic fish e to that swim around as you walk through a 30-metre tunnel. There is also a new glass feature where visitors are invited to discover the wor penguins behind a glass ld of panoramic nearly 30m long and 3m high. Admission: Marineland - Adult - 36 €, Child - 28 € 2 day pass for Marineland & Aquasplash - Adult - 49 €, Child 39 € 2 day pass for all 4 parks - Adults 59 €, Child 49 € Admission tickets can be purchased at the central ticket office in front of the entrance, or from ticket cen Park tres at FNAC and Carrefo ur stores in your city. It is also possible to buy its tick ets in advance on the Mar ineland Internet site, givi visitors direct access to the ng ir chosen park. Getting there by car: Lea ve the A8 motorway at the Antibes exit & follow the signs for Sophia-Antipolis. By train: Get off at Biot stat ion. By bus: From Nice – No’ 200 to Cannes, get off at Biot station. From Antibes bus number 10A and get , take off at Marineland. Address: RN 7, 06600 Ant ibes, Juan les Pins, France Tel: 04 93 33 49 49 – ww w.marineland.fr

rk du Loup Wolves heaPa Alpha Le Tempsyou story the r and to observe the wolves

allows A wonderful park that rn 70 years later one the country and their retu from ce aran ppe e disa of their untains of Martin Vésubi mo 2. Set in the Mercantour the ter oun November morning in 199 valley. You can enc tled in the striking Boréon will is the Alpha wolf park, nes Scenovisions, where you t eren diff e thre pass through ls sua iovi legendary predator and aud of es seri a through wolves return to France e som uncover the story of the for also is re The lls. panied by noises and sme and documentaries, accom e wolf packs. ortunities of the park’s thre opp g chin extensive wolf wat Children under 4 - free Children 4-12 years - 8 €, Admission: Adults - 10 €, € 6 n Adults - 8 €, Childre Admission for groups: n). n. 20 adults or 10 childre (mi ion rvat rese Obligatory es. tim & es dat g nin Please call to confirm ope al then take RN202 (Nation e exit 52 Nice, St Isidore ge villa Getting there by car: Tak the of out e com you n and go 18 km. Just as e. ubi Vés Road 202) to Digne directio la d 2265) Vallée de o RD2265 (Department Roa ed nam Plan du Var turn right ont ges villa Vésubie and through Les Gorges de la o Go 32 km. You have to go ue and Roquebillière ont tosq Lan , uet Suq le la Rivière, ight stra Cros d’Utelle, St Jean de Go . éon Bor Le ge villa ha is located in the small o Saint Martin Vésubie. Alp a junction, turn right ont miane. When you reach Col La – re whe eil on 2 km to Boréon ccu A d’ let h the Cha 8 km along the lake to reac RD89 to Le Boréon. Travel the Alpha story begins… 50 St Martin Vesubie Address: Le Boreon, 064 w.alpha-loup.com Tel: 04 93 02 33 69 – ww

naco Oceangraphic Museum -facinMo g the sea this museum

of a cliff and Perched dramatically on the edge Albert in all its splendour. Opened by Prince world r rwate unde erful shows the wond s, rays, turtle rses, seaho sh, starfi , crabs sh, jellyfi I in 1910 this museum is the home to 4,000 has an impressive aquarium with over sharks and much more. The basement es includ um muse The well as a Shark Lagoon. fish species and 200 invertebrates, as tons. skele and model ships a variety of sea related items, including old - 6.50 €, Children under 4 years old Admission: Adults -13.00 €, 4 - 18 years Day. Prix t Grand free admission. Open all year round excep st: 9:30am - 7:30pm May - June: 9:30am - 7:00pm, July - Augu m - November - December: 10:00am - 6:00p September: 9:30am - 7:00pm, October oute, reached easily by using the A8 autor Getting there by car: Monaco can be e (Bass Road t , then take the Low Coas or if you prefer the more scenic roads road – (Moyenne Corniche) or by the coast le midd the sea, the Corniche) along , La h whic takes you through Eze-Village Great Coast Road (Grande Corniche) . Turbie and Col d’Eze (Eze Pass) Nice Ville or Nice Riquier By train: From the central station - Gare ,Gare Routière By bus: Take bus No’ 100 from Nice 0, Monaco Address: Avenue Saint-Martin MC 9800 o.mc – www.oceano.mc ocean resa@ l: Emai – 00 36 15 93 377 Tel: 00

Parc Phoenix

Phoenix tination for them. Parc ure then this is the des rare very If your children love nat are ch whi of e som lters 2500 types of plants, is set in 7 hectares and she eptional exc This . ope Eur in es gest tropical greenhous and it has one of the big ch are themed, you can twenty gardens, all of whi ut abo of of park is made up ns, a very vast collection ates, a forest of tree bracke see discover six tropical clim can you rs love al anim etable wonders. For the rare plants, orchids and veg ll through treats behind glass. Stro tic exo er oth and fish specimens of insects, tic eral types of exo birds, the aviary sheltering sev the gardens to discover na. The lakes are home to roaming peacocks of Chi such as parrots and see the tortoises, as well as the the ducks alongside the the pelicans, the swans and With more than 600 000 le. ctac that offer a unique spe e d’Azur Mediterranean waterfalls ed tourist site on the Cot enix is the 2nd most visit visitors in 2008, Parc Pho for money. and is exceptional value am ry day. October - March: 9.30 ld (0-12) - Free. Open eve ing) Admission: Adult - 2 €, Chi clos re befo r hou ry, 1 : 9.30am - 7.30pm. (Last ent - 8pm, April - September ibes des Anglais towards Ant el along the Promenade Getting there by car: Trav le. ilab ava is king par opposite Nice Airport , and Parc Phoenix is situated from Gare Saint-Augustin tière or Bus No’ 9, 10, 23 Rou e Gar e, By bus: 52 from Nic Nice Airport), 06200 Nice, e des Anglais, (opposite Address: 405 Promenad e.fr -nic ville ail: parcphoenix@ Tel: 04 92 29 77 00 – Em

Canyon Forest

Pitchoun Forest - The new tree course for kids 3 yea rs and up (min. 1m) will see them grow in confidence , test their knowledge in a quiz and make new frien ds. Tree Courses - After a bike ride and walk along the rive r, you will be equ all the safety gear require ipped with d for your tree climbing adv enture. After a technical and safety briefing, you start the course with staff on hand to offer help and advice. Canyoning - Descendin g the canyons on a cord and manoeuvring your way through the rivers and dod ging natural waterfalls. 3 levels to choose from. Admission: Pitchoun Fore st - 14 € (Under 8 years). Groups of 5 children and 12 €. Canyon Forest Tree more: Course: 24 € pp: (8 years and up). Canyoning: Half day 45€, Full day - 60€ to 70€ . Discount of 5€ pp for gro ups of 6 people or more. Getting there by car: Tak e the A8 along the Prome nade des Anglais toward Nice Airport and get off s at Sortie (exit) 47, Villeneu ve Loubet. Follow the sign Grasse; the entrance is loca s to ted 2.5 km after the 3rd rou ndabout, By train: Get off at the stat ion of Cagnes sur Mer. Tak e the bus line No 500. By bus: No’ 500 Nice Gar e Routière - Villeneuve villa ge - Grasse Address: 26, Route de Gra sse – 06270 Villeneuve Lou bet Tel: 04 92 02 88 88 or 06 71 56 01 34 – See web site for opening times - ww w.azur-aventures.com

*Please check all bus numbers, as they may have changed after going to print.

RivieraEvents T

he French Riviera has many local festivals and international events happening all year round, there really is never a dull moment. The local Tourist Office’s shelves are full to the brim of event information; so do make sure you pop in for regular updates. In the meantime here are just a few of Prestige’s favourites.

22-24 may

The Flower Festival - Villa Ephrussi De Rothschild Just like Baroness Ephrussi de Rothschild, get inspired by roses in the breathtaking gardens around the Villa! Take part in a range of activities over the three-day festival. Meet artists, craftspeople and exhibitors who have gathered to demonstrate their love of flowers in all their forms – in gastronomy, botany and floral art.

29-30 may

Career & Lifestyle Exhibition Valbonne Pré des Arts centre The Art of Chic and Riviera Coaching have teamed up to create the 2nd Career & Lifestyle Exhibition, in support of local Valbonne humanitarian association, S.C.A.M.T (www.scamt.org). Pop along for a weekend of exciting workshops, lectures and exhibitors all there to help English speakers create a more fulfilling and exciting life and career for themselves on the Riviera. Sat:10am - 8pm – Sun:10am - 3pm For more information call Alison on 04 94 79 68 53

13 june

Painters’ Day - Villa Ephrussi De Rothschild The Villa opens its doors to amateur and professional painters, who would like to practise their art in an exceptional setting.

22 june

Bob Dylan In Concert Palais Nikaia de Nice Folk/rock songwriter and singer Bob Dylan will be bringing his tour to Nice for one night only. Singing hit songs from five decades, Bob will undoubtably bring the house down! Image: Paparazzo Presents

24-26 june

Monte-Carlo International Show Jumping The Global Champions Tour finds itself back in Monte- Carlo and celebrating it’s 15th aniversary. This three day event will see enthusiastic competitors test themselves against a challenging course down on Port Hercule.

27 june

6-10 june The Monte Carlo Television Festival Presided over H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, this TV festival celebrates its 50th anniversary and takes place at the Grimaldi Forum. Celebrities, writers and producers from all around the world will be attending. The general public can enjoy autograph-signing sessions, premiere screenings and watch the stars arrive at the opening and closing ceremonies.

11-19 june

Giraglia Rolex Cup 2010 - St.Tropez, France / San Remo, Italy For over fifty years the Yacht Club Italiano has continued to organize this event and the Giraglia has now developed into a Mediterranean classic, a thrilling race of rich appeal that manages to attract within a fabulous setting hundreds of the most beautiful and important boats in international sailing.

Ironman France - Nice Triathlon Make your way down to the Promenade des Anglais at 6.30 am to cheer the 2500 triathletes, male and female who have signed up for the challenge of the Ironman France! Athletes will be battling it out for one of the 50 qualifying slots available in the World Ironman Championship on October 9th 2010. Participants from 62 nations will have to swim 3.8km-cycle 180km and then run 42.195km.

30 june

Concert Organised by the Mairie de Monaco, enjoy a special evening listening to the delightful sounds of gypsy music. The concert takes place at Square Théodore Gastaud, starting at 7.30pm and finishing at 10.30 pm.

2-6 August

July

Antibes Music Festival (dates to be confirmed) Various concerts will be held at the stunning Villa Eilenroc on the Cap as part of the Antibes Music Festival. These concerts are inspired by French television’s landmark classical music programme, Musiques au Coeur. For full details of the programme, please contact the tourist office in Antibes.

5 July

Monaco Live 2010 Concert Let down your hair and rock out with ZZ Top and IGGY & THE STOOGES. Presented by RTL2 Côte d’Azur and Monaco Live Production the evening will be preceded by PPZ Rocket and Komä Concert starts at 8 pm at the Place du Palais.

14-25 July

Jazz à Juan 50th Anniversary Antibes Juan-les-Pins, jazz capital and jubilee time ! The longest running and most stylish European festival, “Jazz à Juan” has established itself over the decades as a legendary venue, where jazz memories are born but above all where jazz lives on!

17-25 July

Nice Jazz Festival Created in 1948 and still going strong after 60 years, the Nice Jazz Festival attracts people from all over the world for these open-air concerts. Les Parc des arenas des Cimiez will plays host again to a huge list of musical legends like Earth Wind & Fire, Herbie Hancock and Al Jarreau.

Sir Elton John & Ray Cooper - The Sporting Monte-Carlo Sir Elton John will perform five exceptional concerts for the public during the 2010 Monte-Carlo Sporting Summer Festival. A legend among the stars of the pop-rock galaxy, a singer-songwriter with a fabulous career, the British superstar has made his mark on the history of music during the last four decades with myriad albums and singles, countless awards and record-breaking sales. For further information & reservations contact: Groupe Monte-Carlo SBM Shows - Tel: +377 98 06 36 36

1,9,15 & 24 August

Antibes-Juan les Pins Firework Festival Antibes-Juan les Pins is never busier than during its Pyromelodic Festival, when 10,000 people turn up to watch fireworks set to music. The main displays take place at the bay at 10pm and the Plage du Fort-Carré at 10.30pm (24 August).

6-8 August

Jasmine Festival - Grasse This festival was first put on for the locals who lived in Grasse back in 1948. Today it still maintains its Provencal and traditional character but has evolved into now more than 150,000 flowers being used for the decoration of the floats and for the flower battle. The float trail is made up of 10 or so floats beautifully decorated with girls throwing different coloured flowers onto the streets. A wonderful atmosphere with folklore groups, bands, street artists and many other French and International artists taking part.

18,20 & 21 August

Nuit des DJs Four DJs with completely different styles will be showcasing their skills at this open air disco held along the front at Cros de Cagnes from 8.30pm until midnight.

21-22 August

Boules Carrees - World Championship The medieval village of Haut de Cagnes plays host to the annual championship established over 30 years ago. It is based on the rules of Petanque but has an unusual twist as the balls are square.

PalaisLascaris By Alex Barrie

The Hidden Palace – Rue Droite, Vieux Nice

The Palais Lascaris was built in 1648 for the Lascaris-Vintimille family as their Nice residence. This aristocratic family were the Seigneurs de Castellar et Comtes de Peille and lived in the Palais Lascaris from 1657 – 1712. One of the early family members, Fra. Jean-Paul Lascaris was born in Nice in 1560 and he was the Grand Maitre de l’Ordre de Malte (the Knights Templars) from 1636-1657.

The Palais was built in the Baroque-Genovese style around two small inner courtyards from which ran a magnificent arched staircase with black and white marbled tiled landings and black marble stairs. The ceilings are painted with frescoes and niches in the walls of the staircase hold statues or are decorated with stucco. The Noble floor on the second level houses the state rooms of the family with long windows overlooking the street from behind colonnaded small balconies. The ceilings are painted with frescoes on mythological themes and the walls are hung with a series of beautiful tapestries depicting scenes from the days of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony dating from the 16th & 17th Centuries. Also on this floor is a bed chamber separated from the main salon by a glass and ornately painted screen from behind which is a large four poster bed. There are several other salons on this floor as well as a private Chapel from where aristocratic weddings and baptisms were conducted. The Palais is very atmospheric and it is easy to imagine how life must have been conducted in these dimly lit but colourful surroundings. The Palais Lascaris was purchased by the city of Nice in 1942 and was designated as an historic site. It underwent considerable restoration and an old Apothecary’s shop which was founded in 1738 was located in one of the ground floor rooms. How to get there: Situated in the heart of Vieux Nice, you need to get the tramway to Cathedrale, Vieille Ville, find Place St. Francois (which is just off Bd Jean Jaures), walk across Place St. Francois, bear right into Rue Paroliere and then turn third left into Rue Droite. It is then on your right hand side. Price of Entrance: The Palais is open to the public free of charge. Every day between 10.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. except Tuesdays and some Bank Holidays.

And the winner, for the 5th year running, is…

France By Catherine Boylan

Here’s some unsurprising news: France has just been judged as the best country in the world in which to live, by website ‘International Living’

For the fifth year running, France topped the annual index of countries ranked by quality of life. The USA was ranked seventh. And poor old Britain, beleaguered by fear of terrorism, by crime, recession, binge drinking and ‘celebrities’, languishes down in 25th place. (Behind - them - Hungary, Uruguay, and Lithuania. And only slightly ahead of Slovenia, Argentina and Ecuador.) The International Living (IL) Index ranks 194 countries for overall quality of life, using wide-ranging financial, social and other criteria. Security, income, spending power, political freedom, climate, leisure, culture, environment, healthcare and infrastructure are all taken into account. The top ten countries for 2010 were: 1. France

2. Australia

3. Switzerland

4. Germany

5. New Zealand

6. Luxembourg

7. USA

8. Belgium

9. Canada

10. Italy

No wonder beautiful France was found to be the best country overall. The IL Index may measure objective criteria but there’s an awful lot about France that’s easy to feel but a bit harder to define. The beauty of Paris all year round; the tranquility of the countryside; the olive groves and vineyards; markets brimming with locally-grown fruit and vegetables; the freshly-baked baguettes and pain de campagne handed to you by your charming local baker; the glittering stone fountains heavy with moss in medieval village squares. And everywhere you feel the care, the tradition and the wisdom that’s put into daily life - raising a family, preparing a

lunch, pruning an olive tree or organizing a strawberry festival in a tiny place such as my nearest village, Velleron. The bureaucracy and taxes that make people groan in France are nothing really compared with the wonderful quality of life. Bureaucrats are often surprisingly helpful when you need advice. And the taxes fund the best national health care in the world. What the French have above all is a huge understanding of the art de vivre. They created it after all. They’re also thoughtful and intelligent caretakers of a fabulous country full of old stone houses shaded by beautiful platanes; ubiquitous canals and sparkling fountains that work in harmony with great rivers like the Rhone and Durance; pretty countryside tracks leading into forest and garrigue filled with mushrooms and herbs; outdoor markets providing olive oil, honey, almonds, goats cheese, wild boar sausages, figs, fennel, artichokes, purple garlic, endives, wine...

No wonder the French are, in the main, so cheerful and so charming

There are mountains, rolling countryside, forests, lakes, the wetlands of the Camargue, vineyards, olive groves, the long Atlantic coast, the glamour of the Cote d’Azur, medieval hilltop villages, and beautiful market towns.

For people thinking of moving to a new country, the IL Index provides a great snapshot of the quality of life you can expect to find around the world. If income is your thing and you don’t much care about political freedoms, you’ll find a place to suit you. (Try Bahrain or Saudi Arabia…) For political freedoms and hang the cost, try Tuvalu. But if you want to live in a country which has unrivalled natural beauty, a mostly wonderful built environment, a great philosophy based on democratic freedoms and the art de vivre, and the world’s best cuisine – it has to be France.

SpeakingFrench by Catherine Boylan

rench is a great language. Compare it with Dutch, say, or German. It sounds beautiful. Even compared with other languages around the Med, it lilts more, is more musical. It’s soft. But it’s hard to learn and to speak well. Speaking French gives you wrinkles all round your lips if you pronounce it clearly enough and speak it long enough. The grammar is complex. Enunciating subtle French sounds can be virtually impossible for the non-native speaker. And, for the anglo and the saxon, there are individual and structural oddities everywhere you look.

Possessive pronouns, for example, are a seriously missed trick in French. Surely every well-planned language understands the value and use of possessive pronouns? They indicate not just what belongs but to whom. So English has, for example, a nice rational system with his, her, their, my, your and so on ‘Tom was there with his wife and her mother’, you say. Clear enough. The wife was his. The mother was hers. You get into French and all of a sudden he was there with sa femme and sa mere. The wife must be Tom’s you think. But the mother is in question. She could belong to either one. And if you said he was there with sa mere et sa femme it’s possible that his mother has had a civil ceremony and Tom’s mother and stepmother are lesbians. You can’t be sure. You can’t just add ‘No not his mother, her mother’ to clear things up. That would only tell your listener ‘Non, pas sa mere, sa mere.’ Hopeless. It doesn’t work. To avoid confusion, you would need to say sa mere and add, in French, at her - ie. the mother at the wife not the mother at Tom. It would clearly make a lot more sense for the possessive pronoun to agree with the person possessing rather than the thing possessed but I’ve never met anyone French who agrees or even sees there is room for confusion. Yet people go round all day saying things like: ‘This couple want the house in son name.’ and the reponse has to be ‘His? Or hers? Which?’ Adjectives are a bit less frustrating but like pronouns they suffer from the on-off switch of gender, again agreeing with the sex of the thing they describe. Its hard really to know where to start when talking about French and its assignment of gender to things. You’d think that the linguistic concepts of male and female would bear some relationship to the common concepts of, well, male and 52

female.You might think for example that a female breast would be, well, female. Ditto a vagina. But they’re not of course, they’re both masculine. A penis, on the other hand (to use an inapproriate anatomical idiom) is, just as one would expect, masculine. So is a testicle. But so is a Tampax. There is no real logic to be found anywhere in the sexing of things in French. Your mobile phone is male. So is your laptop. But the bill for your calls is female and so is the toner for your printer. Glass fibres are female though glasses are male. Unless they’re reading glasses – then they’re female. And so it goes. It’s true there are rules about the endings of words and their ‘sex’ but frankly that’s illogical too. Convention has it that ‘ette’ endings are feminine. So what exactly? Can you see why an assiette (plate), a barquette (defined in my dictionary as a small boat-shaped tart) or a lavette (dishcloth &/or wimp) should be seen as exclusively feminine? They all seem pretty neutral and lacking in sexual characteristics of any sort. And why should crevettes – prawns and shrimps – all be female? Doesn’t it depend on the individual prawn or shrimp? I suppose that scientists studying them occasionally have to ask the lab assistant for a male as opposed to a female. What do they say? “Passe-moi une crevette masculine, s’il-te plait Antoine”? A bit like referring to a male princess or a male bitch. And notice too, just back there, that there is, inevitably, a female version of the word masculin (just as there is a male version of the word feminine.) Just add an e for those difficult female words that represent male things. How do they teach children these things? “The word crevette is feminine, Monsieur?” Oui. “But the actual prawn is male?” Oui.

“So we can say it’s masculin?” Oui. “But we add an e to make it feminine?” Oui. “Even though it’s masculine?” It’s difficult to picture the scene or imagine the conversations when the Académie française – the national language politbureau of France - meet to determine gender for new words. They’ve been meeting since 1635, with occasional turnover of members obviously, to produce dictionaries and award literary prizes, invent French words for new things like credit crunch (le credite crunch no doubt) and assign gender. There are 40 of them and what they find to do all day long when other languages manage themselves perfectly well without presiding officers is anyone’s guess. But when it comes to language gender, since masculine and feminine have almost nothing to do with conveying anything any of us would understand as masculine or feminine there doesn’t seem to be any real criteria for assigning either. I imagine the attendees must be becoming increasingly embarrassed as the years pass. ‘OK, on the agenda today we have new words credit crunch, iphone, blog and turkey twizzler. Who wants to start?’ Why exactly should a boui-boui (greasy spoon) or freluquet (whippersnapper) be designated as male? You’d think it would have been, and still would be, a cause for celebration whenever they got an obvious choice – the worthy and grave-faced academicians could breathe a sigh of relief and say “Well, breastpump – obviously…” and pass on to the next word on the list or go out for lunch. But no. Looking, for example, childbirth straight in the face (accouchement) they didn’t hesitate to make it male.

Aside from whole classes of word like pronouns and adjectives, and the interwoven theme of gender, which can all be frustrating, there are also hordes of individual words which trouble the new user. Toujours is one that could do with changing. You probably know toujours. Toujours means still. Unless it means always. So if you want to say Martha is still in the toilet, you are also in effect saying Martha is always in the toilet. In my experience, conveying whether your meaning is that she is temporarily still in there and will soon be coming out or whether she is in fact permanently in the toilet is a matter of trying out various emphases, twirling your hands around a bit and making a facial expression that indicates, you know, just still, not always. It’s true that you can use encore for still but encore is compromised several ways frankly because it also means ‘let’s have some more of this’ or ‘let’s do that again’, which is not the same as still, and it also has a role to play at the end of concerts. Someone should write to the Académie française and say: Can I suggest as a concerned user of the language that you (finally) come up with a way to distinguish between still and always? You don’t really want to be saying “Last night’s soup will always be good” when you mean “Last night’s soup is still good” (today). You could have toujours for ‘always’ and decree, or whatever it is you do up there at the Académie, that it always means ‘always’. Hard to see how anyone would lose out. Moving back to gender for a moment, lui could also be reviewed. I’d bet a weak pound to a strong euro that lui has direct common roots with Italian lui and Luigi and the French name Louis. Masculine, everyone would agree? And lui does indeed mean ‘he’, ‘him’ or ‘to him’. Unless it means ‘she’, ‘her’ or ‘to her’. There is a perfectly good word for ‘she’ and ‘her’ – elle – but as it is too difficult to say in amongst other words in contexts where you need to say ‘she’, ‘her’ or ‘to her’ it has to be dropped and replaced by ‘him’ or ‘to him’ and your listener has to figure out that him, in this case, means her. Can you think of a single word in English - leaving aside words used in deliberately annoying combinations to make tongue-twisters of the celeste-thinks-thistles-will-sell-at-sisley variety – that has to be dropped in favour of a less functional word simply because it’s too difficult to pronounce it in the sequence required? I can’t.

And the subject of pronunciation leads to dessus and dessous. Even thinking about these two words makes most learners frustrated. The function of words is to convey fairly precise meaning and differentiate one concept or object from another. If you say to young Peter ‘Catch the ball’ and he is up to speed with his English comprehension you can be pretty sure he’ll have a surprised look on his face if you throw a brick at him. Equally, if you serve your guests turnip at dinner and say ‘Isn’t the Beluga caviar delicious?’ you may as well expect sulky faces or at the least puzzled ones. The point is, humans invent words to convey meaning and convey it accurately. Dessus and dessous, as you may know, mean ‘on top of’ and ‘underneath’. However, conveniently, although having exactly opposite meanings, they both look and sound almost identical. I’ve used both many times and have never – never - succeeded in conveying my meaning without either resorting to stooping close to the ground, making a sweeping-underneath sort of motion with my hand or straining to stand up a bit taller than usual, lifting my arm above my head and pointing, you know, up there, on top. It’s frustrating. And the French clearly have a little bit of sensitivity about these two nonwords because they often latch au in front of them (yep, both of them) in an effort to clarify what they’re talking about. It doesn’t help of course because if you use, say, ‘ont’ for above and ‘ontt’ for underneath then it doesn’t help much to add ‘oop’ in front of them both. It doesn’t solve the essential ont(t)-ness of the problem to say ‘oop ont’ or ‘oop ontt’. The listener is still going to say pretty much: ‘Did you say ont? Or ontt?’

Plus is sneakier than dess(o)us. With plus, instead of two words that look almost the same but mean opposite things you have a single word with two diametrically opposed meanings. Which in my book makes plus that li-ttle bit more sophisticated than dess(o)us (but not as annoying). Some time around seven hunded years ago, give or take a hundred years I guess, the word ‘plus’ worked its way into English. We all know what it means. Two plus two equals four. Teenager plus credit card equals unmanageable debt. And so on. English assigned it a meaning and stuck with it. No equivocation, no room for confusion. In French it works differently. The French allow it individual expression, elasticity. Contradiction in fact. Plus can mean more or, with equal and shameless ease, it can mean no more. So if you speak of bread, as the French do often, and you say Plus de pain it means simply, as you would expect, ‘more bread’. But, if you ask whether there is more bread and get the answer Plus de pain it means, naturally to the French, ‘no, there’s no more bread’. Often you will simply get the answer ‘Plus’, (accompanied by a look of tremendous sympathy and helplessness.) And there it is – the word ‘more’ meaning exactly its opposite: no more. At which early elementary point I would guess many learners with native languages other than French are likely to give up and learn Chinese instead.

I wonder if anyone has ever done a study of French history to see how many significant events have turned on misunderstandings created by dess(o)us. (“No, I just blew up the bridge. You meant I should blow up the boat? I thought you said: Put the bomb on top of the bridge. You said under?”) I’ve been told by a Parisian friend that the difference in meaning is clear “if you send the word dessus up your nose”. I love French very much, but to my way of thinking, spoken language should be composed pretty much entirely of words that issue from the mouth. Otherwise they are not, technically, spoken. Words that come out of your nose are snorted. Or sneezed.

Lock yourself away in this awe inspiring building which has been transformed from a prison to a luxurious hotel with a difference. Whether you’re looking for a perfect city break or the best location for a business trip, there’ll be no jailbreaks from this hotel. You’re not going to want to leave.

Oxford, United Kingdom

3 Oxford Castle, Oxford. OX1 1AY – Tel: 01865 268400 Email: oxford@malmaison.com – www.malmaison.com

This one time prison is now a stunning boutique hotel, offering all the luxury you’d expect from Malmaison. Stylish rooms and suites of battleship proportions, fabulous original architecture, a divine brassiere, stylish bar, astounding wine, dangerously good cocktails and fully equipped gym all add together to make the ideal destination.

of sandstone Gothic arches, limestone floors and mullioned windows. Panelled walls of ebony-black are warmed by the giant chequered carpet in cream and red, and the soft wing-back chairs of crimson and royal purple. Portcullis-styled shelving creates a space for an arrangement of Oxford college caps and scarves, whilst elsewhere and throughout the hotel walls are hung with black and white prints of Oxford’s architecture.

All this, and a fantastically bohemian city out there to explore too. If you’re planning a luxury hotel break, you need Mal life in Oxford. Originally called Oxford Castle, this unique building was constructed by William the Conqueror in 1071, and later extended in the Victorian Gothic period. The five acre site sits behind sandstone walls next to a grassy mound, formed by the earth excavated centuries ago by Normans whilst digging the castle’s moat. On passing through castellated gates, visitors cross a restored courtyard to enter the imposing frontage of the hotel, complete with flag-adorned turrets and cruciform arrow-slits. Inside, the building’s second incarnation is revealed. In more recent decades, until it was decommissioned in 1995, Oxford Castle was better known as HM Prison Oxford. It was here that all the prison scenes in the Michael Caine film, The Italian Job, and the iconic comedy series Porridge, were filmed. Visitors to Malmaison Oxford enter a gently-lit reception and adjoining Lobby Lounge, which are carved out of a series 54

Upstairs the Visitors Room, with it’s Black Watch tartan carpet, is a vast cavern for stylish lounging. Here, beneath two hugely oversized pendant lampshades, stands a black-baize billiard table surrounded by deeply-inviting dark velvet sofas. High above the Cognac and Whisky bar, iron-barred windows filter the light from the outside courtyard below.

Dining & Drinking The Brassiere – the heart and soul of any Malmaison – occupies three adjoining rooms beneath the arching sandstone ceilings of the vaults. The neighbouring modern snug has a chic and relaxed air with its light oak panelling, organza curtains, flickering candles and chill-out tunes. Patio doors opening onto an outside terrace for drinking al fresco on the edge of a peaceful grassy quad (once the prison’s exercise yard). Spanning the space between dining and drinking is a zinc-topped bar, complete with built-in Champagne ice trough. A display wine cellar and Cruvinet wine cabinet – for fine wines by the glass – give a reminder of Mal’s dedication to the grape.

Accommodation The 94 bedrooms and suites are distributed throughout five stylistically separate areas of the hotel – A Wing, C Wing, the Governor’s House, New Road Wing, and the Houses of Correction. On entering, the first area encountered is the most memorable: A Wing is a vast, glass-roofed atrium, with galleried landings lining the walls above. Linked by iron staircases, the whitewashed walls of these floors are studded with tiny red doors – the original cell doors. In fact, three cells have been knocked together to form each guest room (2 cells for the bedroom and 1 cell for the en suite bathroom). Inside, the arched windows remind guests they are also in a castle – and the rest makes them feel like royalty! C Wing (the old hospital wing of the prison) and Governor’s House (home to the Prison Governor of the day, and from where administration was conducted) has accommodation fashioned from within the Victorian Gothic quarters, with stone framed windows and bare, red-brick walls. New Road Wing occupies part of the newly built site, and provides lighter living space of more modern dimensions; while the bedrooms in the prison’s old Houses of Correction – found across the grassy quad – offer a luxurious taste into solitary confinement. In all rooms the décor uses light hues in sand and stone offset by regal crimsons and purples. The warming velvet and wool of curtains, chairs, chaises, cushions and throws add to the touchability of the bedrooms. Throughout all rooms is Malmaison’s trademark attention to detail. There are wall-mounted plasma TV screens suspended above concealed DVD / CD players, moody lighting, serious wines and delectable nibbles. Slate-floored bathrooms provide a monochrome space for pampering, with their drench showers, plentiful towels, romantic candles, and yummy toiletries to take away. Luxurious Egyptian cotton duvets and plump pillows ensure a great night’s sleep.

Accommodation - Suites In C Wing are two of the three Junior Suites – numbers 207 and 215 – spectacular round rooms of curving bare red-brick walls. A central wall divides the circle into two half-moon shapes, to create a spacious bedroom and large bathroom with walk-in shower with giant side-by-side shower heads and raised freestanding tub. New Road Wing is now home to the two Duplex Suites with their raised sitting rooms and walk-in dressing rooms, and one with lovely mosaic shower. But the ultimate suite is found in Governor’s House. Called Thomas Lawton Robins after a former Governor of the prison, this has free-standing tub in the middle of the living room, enormous walk-in showers, and even its own cinema room.

Fitness Deep in the bowels of the building Gymtonic is a series of high tech rooms, furnished with state-of-the-art fitness equipment.

Oxford: Getting there By Air to: London Heathrow and Gatwick airports: the Oxford Bus Company (www.oxfordbus.co.uk) runs a regular 24 hour service from Heathrow Central Bus Station (journey time approx 100 minutes) and Terminal 5 (journey time approx 80 minutes) and an hourly service from Gatwick’s North & South Terminals (journey time approx 2 ½ hours). London Stansted airport is linked to Oxford by the National Express coach (www.nationalexpress.com). From London by train: frequent direct train services operate between Oxford and London Paddington (approximately every 30 minutes).

HawaiianHoliday O

ahu is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands, the volcanic chain situated just south of the Tropic of Cancer right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The state capital of Honolulu is the main destination for tourists, offering a huge range of hotels, shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. The island covers over 220 square kilometres and enjoys an average year round temperature of 84°F with annual rainfall of about 460mm, making it the ideal year round holiday destination. The major hotels and retail outlets in Honolulu can be found on Kalakaua, the road which runs through the city finally meeting up with the world famous Waikiki Beach. This area is known as Waikiki and it boasts many famous hotel chains and retail brands, from Hilton, Trump and Westin to Chanel, Gucci and Tiffany. Another major retail venue is the Ala Moana Shopping Center, the largest open air mall in the world. Both are a great place to spend an evening after a relaxing day on one of the islands many, many beaches. You can take a stroll in the warm night air and enjoy the laid back atmosphere while you shop, snack and people-watch. The Hawaiian Islands were formed by volcanic activity that forced liquid rock to the surface. As the tectonic plate moved slowly from east to west the land was formed and then slowly cooled to create each island in turn. Activity on Oahu ceased long ago, but Big Island is still active and many local companies offer trips to see the eruptions and lava flows. Trips to other islands in the chain can also be arranged. If you are visiting in the winter months it Duke Kahanamoku Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968) was a Hawaiian swimmer, actor, lawman, and businessman credited with spreading the sport of surfing. The Statue of Duke at Waikiki Beach

is well worth considering a visit to Maui to see the thousands of humpback whales who migrate to the relatively shallow and warm waters to breed and raise their calves. There is nothing quite like getting up close and personal with a humpback, especially when they breach, or leap, out of the water. If you are very lucky you may get to see humpbacks from the shore or boat in Oahu, but they are much more prolific in Maui. Surfing is almost akin to a religion in Hawaii. If you want to learn then there is probably nowhere better than Waikiki Beach. Serious surfers head to the North Shore, especially during the winter season when the giant swells in the North Pacific produce the most consistently spectacular waves in the world. The famous Banzai Pipeline is host to many professional surfing competitions. If you hire a car during your vacation then a hidden gem very close to the city is Tantalus Road. This ten mile long road winds its way up through the mountains and forest to a spectacular scenic lookout that offers fantastic views over a 25 mile swath of Oahu from the extinct volcanic crater of Diamond Head in the east to Pearl Harbor and beyond in the west.

Growing up on the outskirts of Waikiki (near the present site of the Hilton Hawaiian Village) it was at Waikiki Beach where he developed his surfing and swimming skills. In his youth, he preferred an old-school (traditional) surf board, which he called his ‘papa nui’, constructed after the fashion of ancient Hawaiian ‘olo’ boards. Made from the wood of a koa tree, it was sixteen feet (4.8 m) long and weighed 114 pounds (52 kg). On August 11, 1911, in an amateur swim meet in the salt water of Honolulu Harbor, Duke was timed at 55.4 seconds in the 100 yard freestyle, beating the existing world record by 4.6 seconds. He also broke the record

in the 220 yd (201 m) and equaled it in the 50 yd (46 m), but the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), in disbelief, would not recognize these feats until many years later. The AAU initially claimed that the judges must have been using alarm clocks rather than stopwatches, and later claimed that he was aided by ocean currents. He went on to win a gold medal in the 100 meter freestyle in the 1912 Olympics, and a silver with the relay team. During the 1920 Olympics, he won two gold medals. He finished the 100 meters with a silver medal during the 1924 Olympics in Paris. He also played for the U.S. water polo team at the 1932 Summer Olympics.

Once you get outside of Honolulu the atmosphere changes completely. You leave behind the bright lights of a modern city and find yourself immersed in a tropical paradise with awe inspiring scenery consisting of lush green, almost vertical, mountain slopes, gorgeous white sand beaches and beautiful blue-green ocean. If you enjoy snorkelling then don't miss Hanauma Bay Nature Reserve. This crescent shaped bay is partially protected from the open ocean and its reef is home to a multitude of fish of many different varieties. It costs a few dollars for parking and admission or you can take an organised trip from the city. If you make your own way, get there early before the crowds. You will see a lot more, maybe even a turtle or two. North of Hanamua, travelling up the east coast, is where you will find some of Oahu’s best beaches. A favourite is the 2.5 mile stretch of delicious sandy beach at Kailua Bay. There are four offshore islands and the kayaking here is especially good. Kailua itself is a classic beach town and, being only 30 minutes from Honolulu, it is the perfect place to find a bed and breakfast or a vacation rental if you fancy some time away from the big city. Just a little further up the coast is the Valley of the Temples. The greatest of them all is the Byodo-In, a grand replica of a 950 year-old Japanese Buddhist temple. Very serene and backed by the Ko’olau mountain range, it is just like taking a mini-trip to Japan. Close by you can also find the Ho’omaluhia Park Botanical Garden which you can drive through, stopping off at the many areas devoted to plants and flowers from different parts of the world. If you are feeling more active Oahu has a range of pursuits that will keep you happy and busy. As well as surfing, there is boogie boarding, kayaking, biking, deep sea fishing, snorkelling, scuba diving, hiking, horse riding, flying tours, whale & dolphin watching cruises and over three dozen golf courses.

Turtle Bay Resort, a secluded retreat boasting a five-star beach, is located on Oahu’s legendary North Shore, just 60 minutes from the Honolulu International Airport. The resort sits on a peninsula at the northern-most tip of the island – the last stop for the coast’s legendary big surf. The resort has 375 guest rooms, 26 suites and The Beach Cottages, 42 luxurious, beachfront cottages. Rooms are appointed in soft tones of blues and greens and feature mini refrigerators, coffee makers, iron and ironing board, and in-room safe. Each private lanai offers unobstructed panoramic views of the Pacific and provides the feeling of being on the ocean’s edge. The hotel’s beach cottages rim the resort’s ample beachfront. 57-091 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku, Hawaii – www.turtlebayresort.com

The Hilton Hawaiian Village® Beach Resort & Spa is located along 22 sprawling beachfront acres on Waikiki’s widest beach, creating an oasis-like setting amidst the excitement of Waikiki. The resort features everything someone would need right here on property – everything from a wide variety of restaurants, shops and continuous entertainment. There are more than a dozen restaurants, bars and lounges (including two Starbucks locations), more than 90 shops, a 24-hour business center, and even a post office. 2005 Kalia Road, Honolulu, Hawaii – www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com

Getting There International airlines fly from Paris to the west coast of the United States. The flight time to either Los Angeles or San Francisco is 10.5 hours. Local carriers such as American Airlines, United, Delta or Hawaiian operate flights to Oahu and the other islands with flight times of about 5 hours. To reduce jetlag break your journey with a stop over in Los Angles or San Francisco. Spend just a night or enjoy a few days exploring these fascinating American cities. On arrival at Honolulu Airport you can either choose to get a taxi to the city or rent a car. A sizeable number of visitors to Oahu don’t rent a car, but if you plan on exploring the island it is a good idea to do so for at least part of your stay.

Greenyourworld from the inside-out & upside-down

he Sky Planter allows you to look up and enjoy the beauty of plants from a unique perspective. No longer will your pot plants be relegated to a corner - with the Sky Planter they are elevated into stunning natural features.

Patrick Morris designed the Sky Planter while studying at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London. He won the Ceramic Industry Forum Award at the UK New Designers Exhibition, placing the Sky Planter at the forefront of ceramic design in the UK. The Sky Planter went on to win a silver medal at the Designers Institute of New Zealand BEST Awards, and has since received rave reviews from the design world in London, Paris, New York, Frankfurt, and in Patrick’s home country, New Zealand. It’s renowned within design circles as both a gardening innovation and a stunning interior design feature. It has been proven that plants have a positive effect on people’s mental and physical health and sense of well-being but if like me you are limited in your opportunities to have plants because of space constraints or certain furry little friends munch away for days on end until your beautiful orchid is no more, then the Sky Planter it is quite simply the perfect solution. The water resource is becoming an increasingly serious issue and any plant pot design should reduce water loss through evaporation and drainage, the Sky Planter’s watering system supports water conservation. An evolved reservoir system feeds water gradually to the plant’s roots and this conserves water and saves you time. A locking disc and mesh holds the plant and soil in place allowing you to use your Sky Planter indoors, leaving your surfaces mess-free. The Sky Planter Original offers a fresh solution for planting herbs and smaller plants in the home.

With its delicate profile and subtle detailing, the Sky Planter is already turning heads in the world of design and architecture.

The Sky Planter is just about to start springing up (or should that be hanging upside down?) on the French Riviera and you can obtain a list of your nearest stockist by contacting www.moaroom.com

Looking to build your investment portfolio on the French Riviera? • Riviera World can help you with buying, mortgages, renovations, re-sale, rentals and portfolio management. • Need to generate a secure rental income on your Riviera holiday home? • Riviera World has a constant growing list of clients who are looking to rent long term- all with excellent references!

RIVIERA WORLD PROPERTIES

We speak your language!

www.riviera-world.com

www.antolini.it

7, bis rue Antoine Gauthier 06300 Nice - Port - Tel/Fax : 04 920 48 920 - Email: contact@riviera-world.com

idealmarbre@orange.fr

Promenade

Rue Collet & Promenade photos by TMG-PHOTO Tel: 06 68 66 43 70 Email: tim.mcguffog@sfr.fr

Promenade, available to rent through www.rivierapebbles.com

Rue Collet

hether your purchase is a villa, apartment or studio, for personal use, investment or both, MB Design & Renovation offers a personal package taking all of the headache out of designing and renovating your property on the Cote dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Azur.

Rue Collet, available to rent through www.nicepebbles.com Rue Collet

MB Design & Renovation work closely with all their clients to guarantee the finished result fulfils all the requirements. From managing the project, budget and by liasing and using only their trusted local sub-contractors and suppliers they ensure that they can deliver your dream property on budget and on time. Office: 00 33 (0)4 93 54 38 04 Mobile: 00 33 (0)6 98 25 17 46 Email: mb.designrenovation@yahoo.fr

Connect with us! Prestige Virtual Magazine – Click on any email or website address that appears in our Prestige Virtual Magazine and we will connect you directly to that businesses email or website www.prestige-magazine.com 62

RIVIERA WORLD PROPERTIES We speak your language!

Villa Mont Boron

Sole agency for this villa of 100 m2 on Boulevard Mont Boron near all amenities. Quiet with huge potential for extension or extra build, panoramic view of the city on grounds of 760m2. Pool, lock-up garage. 650 000 €

Port of Nice

Sole agent good opportunity for this 2 bedroom flat of approx. 64m2 located in the port, in a niçois building, good for a family as well as a holiday home. Sold fully equipped. 220 000 €

Seasonal Rental

On the last floor of a niçois building, lovely one bedroom flat of 70m2, newly renovated fully equipped kitchen, panoramic view of the port of Nice from the living room. Seasonal rental from 800 € per week.

Villa Cap d'antibes

Cap d’Antibes, near la Garoupe, charming 1930s villa, tastefully renovated by architect, a haven of peace. Flat grounds, swimming pool, solarium with sea view and 5 minutes walk to La garoupe plage. Mature grounds 1,100m². Unique location. 1 870 000 €

Sales - Rentals - New Build - Management

www.riviera-world.com 7, bis rue Antoine Gauthier 06300 Nice - Port Tel/Fax : 04 920 48 920 Email: contact@riviera-world.com

About Prestige Prestige Magazine is one of the newest, local publications based on the French Riviera who are very passionate about what they produce. Our team have a lot of combined experience in lifestyle publications, brand building and delivering satisfaction to both the client and reader. Prestige Magazine is distributed on the French Riviera covering Monaco, Nice, Villefranche, Antibes, Cannes, St Tropez. Our varied outlets are carefully selected to reach the residential and visiting reader providing maximum exposure for advertisers to their target audience. At Prestige we understand that the placing of our magazine has to be just right so that regular readers can gain access to us easily and the visitor is highly exposed to us. The resident will find our magazine available in selected English speaking social venues and businesses as well as participating restaurants, wine bars, exclusive shops which include fashion, beauty, dĂŠcor, art and jewellers. The visitor can pick up Prestige in all the local tourist offices including Nice Airport Terminal 1, carefully selected car rental offices, top hotels, real estate offices, galleries, museums and other local tourist attractions. We drip-feed our magazine between our publishing dates therefore reaching the constantly changing numbers of second homeowners and visitors.

F R E N C H

R I V I E R A

L I F E S T Y L E

www.prestige-magazine.com Prestige is the first local publication to launch a virtual magazine online (we know others will follow us) where readers can log onto the website anywhere in the world and keep up to date with local happenings on the French Riviera. We have also created a direct link service to all of our advertisers websites and emails from their advert in our virtual magazine, making it easy for the reader to view the relevant and in-depth detail of that business. Prestige is also in the process of making more exciting developments to our website, so keep logging on to www.prestige-magazine.com

www.pres tige-mag azine.com Issue 2 - Fre e

Delivered to your door If you would like to subscribe to Prestige Magazine, then please email your details to rachael@prestige-magazine.com and we will happily send you further details regarding subscription prices.

Keep in touch! Please keep emailing us with your events, news and comments. editorial@prestige-magazine.com

Advertise in Prestige Let our French or English-speaking executives help you promote your business to the international English speaking resident and visitor. For advertising enquiries email: prestigepublicite@ymail.com

Rental Returns

for Property Owners

he French Riviera continues to beat gloomy recession forcasts. Property on the Côte d’Azur has been a thriving industry for Anglophones since the Promenade Des Anglais was laid in the 1820s. The mild winter climate and guaranteed summers combined with the breathtaking scenery and alluring local culture constantly attracting visitors from northern shores. What usually starts with a holiday can turn into owning a piece of French Riviera heaven.

You don’t need to have the capital to buy to be able to get the most out of the region. Rental properties are in high demand meaning prices are competitive, locations enviable and interiors practical and well maintained as well as stylish. Holidaymakers who do their research will find the ideal apartment for their individual needs. Many repeat vacationers or long term residents take the plunge and invest in buy to let, one such example is Tristan Rutherford and his wife Kathryn, both travel writers who have lived in the region for eight years. They rent and manage an apartment they also use as their home. Gaining additional income from letting others stay was a logical decision as the two are often away with work. In Tristan’s words: “We decided to rent our apartment without using a management company as availability would be dependent on our schedules. And, of course, we wanted to keep the personal touch as we’d still be living there.” Tristan and Kathryn did not struggle to set up the project and bring in the business they were looking for. “We advertise ourselves mostly on Holiday Rentals, and by word-of-mouth. It’s amazing how many people find out that you have a place in Nice! We had to clear some of our personal things away, but made it clear that our art, DVD collection, iPod playlist and library were for everybody to use.” American Elizabeth Lima (lima-properties.com) is another long term resident who took the plunge in property. In her opinion deciding to renovate and rent out property is a decision which takes a great deal of thought. For anyone thinking of following the same route choosing to go it alone or with the help of a management company is the first step.

“I decided to manage the properties myself as I wanted more control over the finished product” states Elizabeth, “It’s very important to me for the interiors to remain in keeping with the period of the building which is contrary to current French construction objectives.” Elizabeth is quick to point out that going it alone is certainly not for everyone; “Without an understanding of the minefield of French administration the process would have been beyond frustrating. In my opinion it is key to understand the complicated process and speak French to an extremely high standard. Without this - I recommend without hesitation using an experienced agent.” This is where companies such as Pebbles (nicepebbles.com & rivierapebbles.com) come into their own. Gayle and husband Matt Roberts formed Nice Pebbles in 2006. With high demand for their service from both holiday makers and owners alike they launched the sister company Riviera Pebbles in 2007. Between the two companies they have now welcomed over 7,000 guests to the Riviera and now proudly manage a portfolio of over 70 owners. It’s important to the Pebbles team to ensure that every owner and holiday maker is 100% happy and it seems the personal touch goes a long way. “We brainstormed what we would want from an ideal holiday apartment” says Gayle, “and the service we would expect and have made it our priority to deliver that to all our customers.” “The hard work is paying off,” she continues. “We’re delighted with our reviews on websites such as Tripadvisor and proud that many of our guests have stayed with us some 4 or 5 times. With the recent launch of loyalty points giving discounts to our guests and our increased packages available, we hope guests will continue to be

pleased they trusted us with their holiday. It always means a lot to us when guests return. It’s exciting that since the launch of our sales portfolio guests now ask us to find them an ideal rental apartment to buy and then rent through Pebbles.” Gayle continues to explain that she doesn’t think there has been any notable change in rental returns during the global recession and their owners have all seen an increase year on year, some as high as 20%. She thinks many guests who may have been budget conscious simply swapped a hotel for an apartment where they could save on the expense of eating and drinking out by spending an evening in. Her vision for the future of the company and holiday apartments in general is rosy. “Apartment rentals are becoming more standard as an alternative to hotels. Last year we were turning down five potential guests a day as we didn’t have the availability. This summer we have increased our portfolio by 20 properties but since we are already heavily booked for summer, we know we still need more. Our biggest challenge is to manage the increasing numbers of apartments on our portfolio whilst maintaining such high standards. We don’t want to be forced to turn down great properties which owners are asking us to manage. We also need to prevent being in the position we were last summer. New tools like our on-line booking system, accounts system, owner’s personal log-ins, our commitment to marketing and our website’s #1 Google ranking gives us the confidence that we can continue to grow successfully. Expanding our portfolio of properties is the focus for 2010, particularly in some of the other Riviera hotspots including Cannes and Antibes.” Holiday Rentals seems to be the main hub for Owners wanting to manage their holiday home themselves. Gayle admits that Pebbles also lists some of their properties on holiday rentals and other similar sites. She says “There is no denying the value of sites like holiday rentals which is why we continue to allocate some of our marketing budget to advertisement only sites. But with so many owners now offering well presented and reasonable apartments to rent, then we think owners may need to do more advertising than just Holiday Rentals if they want to achieve a high rental return.” As the glittering allure of the Côte d’Azur continues to attract more than 34 million pleasure seekers a year, the summer of 2010 is set to be a scorcher for property owners and guests alike.

All apartments shown are available to rent through Nice Pebbles and Riviera Pebbles Nice Pebbles and Riviera Pebbles 20 Rue de l’Hotel des Postes, 06000 Nice www.nicepebbles.com or www.rivierapebbles.com Tel: +33 (0)9 52 78 27 65 – Email: info@nicepebbles.com Lima Properties www.lima-properties.com Tel: +33 (0)6 82 74 90 – Email: elizabeth@lima-properties.com Tristan and Kathryn www.rueantoinegautier.com

Image: Graur Razvan- FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Using banks & banking in France (can be a hassle)

his account may just be personal experience but numbers of French and other friends recount similar experiences. When I moved to France some years ago I chose my bank because it was housed in the prettiest building in town. How pleasant to go there once or twice a month. I don’t suppose the other banks are much better in terms of service but they’re in unattractive modern buildings. The first thing I noticed is that when you ask the cash machine for a balance it prints out a ticket on which the most recent data is several days old. Not much use when you want to know if there are enough funds in the account to pay your mortgage and electricity bill tomorrow. If you go into the bank to speak to a cashier, here’s what happens. You do the usual thing of going through the two antibank raid doors, pressing the little buttons to get through each one. You stand in a long queue in front of a desk with three chairs for bank cashiers but only - ever - one cashier. Everyone in front of you pulls a huge dossier out of their bag when their turn comes to speak with the cashier and starts rifling through dozens of pages. You eye the clock and see it’s nearly midday. Eventually you get to speak to the cashier and she advises you that, for a balance, you have to go to the cash machine. In general, there doesn’t seem to be anyone in the branch who can tell you much about activity on your account. The other day I asked if Peugeot have cancelled the direct debit I was paying for a car lease. The cashier said the system doesn’t show 66

her that. So what should I do? They have to cancel it apparently, not me. “Oh” she said breezily “wait till next month, then if they take money for a car you don’t have any more, go and see them and ask them to cancel the debit.” Er, OK. It could be more organised than that though couldn’t it? Putting money in the account can be as frustrating as finding out what’s in there or finding out what’s going out. My local branch doesn’t have a cash ‘depot’ facility but a branch twelve kilometres away does. So I drive over there and pay cash in. You get fairly used to doing that and you get to trust the system. Wrongly. One Sunday evening I went to pay cash in to cover a direct debit on the Tuesday morning. The facility wasn’t available. Depot just wasn’t there as an option on the menu that day. The next day was Monday - the bank was closed, so the bill went unpaid and I got debited for the bank’s work of not paying. A few weeks later I resumed paying depots to the account as depot had reappeared on the menu. Again, I paid money in to cover the mortgage and a bill. A message appeared on the screen saying in French: “Following an incident we couldn’t count your money.” Occasionally when that happens, the notes pop out of the machine, but this time they stayed in it. Then the screen reverted to the other options ‘obtain a balance’ and so on. My euros had been swallowed up and I had no evidence I’d paid them in. I spoke to the surveillance camera for a moment. Waved my arms around a bit. Then went home. The next day I went to see the manager of my own branch who didn’t seem to know

by Catherine Boylan

customers could make a depot at the other branch. He was fascinated by my account of losing my money. I asked him what would happen now? “Oh” he said breezily “someone will count the money and realise there’s too much and we’ll sort it out.” Ahah. OK. Any idea who? Or when? He sucked in his breath. “Hard to say really.” Well, who collects the cash? How often? “Um, not bank staff. Some sub-contractors. About once a week,” he thought. What’s to stop them putting my euros in their pocket? He laughed. “No, they wouldn’t do that. No no.” He’d make enquiries and call me to let me know when the problem was rectified. Well he never did. Ten days later I went back to the branch, passed through the anti-bank raid doors, stood in a long queue, watched as each customer hauled a huge dossier out of their bag when they reached the cashier, looked at the clock as it got near to midday, and finally reached the cashier. I explained the history of the problem. I’d lost hundreds of euros; I’d spoken to the bank manager. (I had a medium-sized dossier myself now.) And she said breezily “Oh, you need to go to the cash machine for a balance.” “But can’t you look at the system and see what’s happening on the account?” Charming smile and a further calm encouragement to go to the cash machine. “Go and have a look” she said. “I expect it’ll be all right.” So I went to have a look and, this being France, it was.

Pebbles Sales Nice Pebbles doesn’t just have charming apartments and homes to rent – you can buy with us too. Let us guide you in choosing your perfect property for investment, pleasure or perhaps a bit of both. Old Town (€235,000)

Mont Boron (€390,000)

Bright stylish apartment of 43m2 with balcony situated on the edge of the vibrant Old Town. Living/dining area with equipped American kitchen, bedroom with access to the balcony, bathroom WC. Great buy to let investment. Exclusive to Nice Pebbles - Ref 00060/10 This superb apartment of 84m2 with panoramic views of the bay of Nice on Blvd. Mont Boron features an open plan living/dining room with high ceilings and parquet floors leading on to the balcony with its breathtaking views. American equipped kitchen. Two bedrooms en suite, 2 WC. Exclusive to Nice Pebbles - Ref 00040/10.

Rue Alberti (€399,000)

This upmarket 2 bedroom apartment of 81m2 is well situated between the Old Town and Jean Medecin. A large open plan double aspect living area with high ceilings is sure to impress as are the two spacious bedrooms, both with en suite. Exclusive to Nice Pebbles Ref 00059/10.

Contact Laura Poirier laura@nicepebbles.com 00 33 (0)6 11 88 13 97 Sales office: 00 33 (0)4 89 05 06 60

www.nicepebbles.com www.rivierapebbles.com

RIVIERA WORLD PROPERTIES St Tropez - Cannes - Cap dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Antibes - Nice - Cap Ferrat - Villefranche - Menton - Concierge Service

Sales

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Management

Concierge Service

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7, bis rue Antoine Gauthier 06300 Nice - Port - Tel/Fax : 04 920 48 920 - Email: contact@riviera-world.com