See What’s New in the South of France This Summer

The legend of the French Riviera was first born in Nice when British aristocrats, notably Queen Victoria, first began wintering there in the 19th century. Then the script flipped in the Roaring Twenties when wealthy Americans started the mode for summering on littoral the French call the Cote d’Azur, and the popularity of this stunningly beautiful stretch of coastline from Saint Tropez to Menton on the Italian border has never dimmed since then.

If the new 88-room Hotel du Couvent—a gorgeous newcomer in an ancient convent—is the talk of town in Nice, there are many other new addresses in a city that’s undergoing a generational changing of the guard. The sunny just-opened 102-room Pam Hôtel has sort of a Venice Beach vibe by interior designer Michael Malapert, who crafted the pastel-toned California-inspired décor to appeal to the young types who are checking-in for a week or a weekend of fun in the sun.

You’ll also spot these stylish types at Onice, the restaurant not to miss in Nice right now. It’s run by a charming young couple who met in the kitchen of Mauro Colagreco’s Michelin three-star Mirazur, and their modern Mediterranean cooking, including dishes like San Remo shrimp with tomatoes and cherries and a ragout of locally caught squid with zucchini and poutargue, is light, fresh, and delicious.

Aside from a dip in the Med, the best way to cool off in Nice this summer is to head for Frisson, the new ice cream shop cum coffee shop cum art gallery in Le Vieux Nice, which is run by two men who previously worked at the famous concept-store boutique Colette in Paris. For some really good coffee, head for La Claque, where owner Emmanuel Buschiazzo roasts his own beans and even has oat milk on hand for those who prefer it.

One of the best ways to spend a day in Nice is to sign up for a cooking class with delightful Canadian chef Rosa Jackson at her culinary school Les Petits Farcis. Jackson has lived in Nice for more than 20 years and learned to cook her adopted city’s delicious cuisine from her neighbors in Le Vieux Nice. Her just published cookbook Nicoise is a perfect house present this summer, too.

In Mougins, the pretty perched village just north of Cannes, Le Mas Candille, a long-running favorite with vacationing Parisians and celebrities who want to stay out of the constant spotlight in Cannes, has just had an edgy makeover by Franco-Mexican interior designer Hugo Toro, and it has a new low-key glamour that recalls the Fifties on the Riviera and in Los Angeles—think Mediterranean meets Mission, which creates a fun film noir atmosphere. Don’t miss a treatment at the new state-of-the-art Clarins spa here either.

Meanwhile, Cannes is abuzz over star chef Jean Imbert’s succulent new menu at La Palme d’Or restaurant at the Hotel Martinez. Locally caught seafood stars, so don’t miss the tuna belly with preserved lemon and mint-and-coriander tabouleh.

Further west, Marseille continues to come on strong as such a seriously good food town that it’s actually giving Paris a run for its money these days. Catch lunch at the excellent new seafood restaurant Coquille near Le Vieux Port in the heart of the city—don’t miss the fish soup and the grilled squid, and then discover one of the under-the-radar nearby port towns the Marseillais escape to on summer weekends.

Cassis is just a 20-minute train ride from the city and has a magnificent setting overlooking the sea in a half-moon shaped cove planted with vineyards which produce the delicious white wine that shares a name with the town. Check into the charming just renovated Hotel Liautaud overlooking the port and plan a day out exploring the Calanques, or coves, along this gorgeous coastline on a private boat.

Otherwise, hop aboard the local train that hugs the coast for the scenic 40-minute ride to Carry-le-Rouet, and check in at the just opened L’Hôtel Bleu, which has a sleek modern nautical décor of white and cobalt blue and overlooks the port. It also has an excellent seafood restaurant and a seawater spa. Both Cassis and Carry-le-Rouet are tres francais, and so are perfect for escaping the madding crowds of summer.