Luxury on the Riviera is not a hotel category
Guests who write to me for a luxury week on the French Riviera rarely ask for more stars. They ask for a house rather than a hotel, for days that belong to them, for doors that open without a queue, and for one person who knows the coast and answers the same day. That is what I do: a state-licensed private guide based in Nice, referred by the concierge desks of the Riviera's palaces, who composes the days himself and, with partners he trusts, opens what is usually closed. Everything below is private, for your party only, and priced per group.
The house: a villa by introduction
A week on the Riviera begins with where you sleep. For guests who prefer a villa, I introduce you to owners and agencies I trust, on Cap-Ferrat, above Villefranche, in the hills behind Nice or around Saint-Paul-de-Vence; the contract and the deposit are between you and them, and I compose the days around the house. Pickup at the villa, dinner booked for the first evening, a market basket in the kitchen on arrival if you wish: the small things that make a rented house feel chosen.
The guided days: Nice, Monaco, Èze, the villages
The spine of the week is two or three guided days with me, at my usual rates, 450 euros for a half day and 750 for a full day, per group. A classic rhythm: Nice and its market on the first morning, to arrive gently; Èze and Monaco on a full day, with the Prince's Palace quarter and the Casino square; Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Antibes with Picasso on another; the villas of Cap-Ferrat on a half day with the afternoon free. My 2.5-day journey, 1650 euros per group, bundles the three classic days at a lower rate; everything is adjusted to your pace.
The days at sea and on the corniches
Between the guided days, the Riviera is best seen from the water and from the Grande Corniche. A private yacht day with a captain I trust, Cap-Ferrat, Monaco, the Lérins islands or the Estérel, with or without me on board; a vintage or luxury car on the three corniches, with me as your guide. Both are quoted on request, subject to my partners' availability, and invoiced by the partner who delivers them: I act as an introducer, and my guiding time stays at my usual rates.
Evenings, tables and the season
I book the tables worth crossing the coast for, I time the days to avoid the crowds, and I keep the evenings free unless you want a festival night: the Monaco fireworks in July and August, Jazz à Juan, a gala at the Opera of Monte-Carlo. The best weeks for a private week are May, June, September and October; July and August are possible with more planning; the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix are quoted separately. Two lines are enough to start: your dates, your party, and what you dream of.
Live It With Me
These private experiences are the natural next step after this article. Prices are per group, never per person.
Frequently asked
How much does a luxury private week on the French Riviera cost?
My guided days are priced per group, 450 euros for a half day and 750 for a full day; the 2.5-day journey is 1650 euros per group. The villa, the yacht day and the vintage car are quoted on request by my partners and invoiced by them, so the total depends entirely on what you choose. I confirm every price in writing before you commit.
Do you rent villas yourself?
No. I introduce you to owners and agencies I trust, as an introducer; the contract and the deposit are between you and them. I then compose your days around the house.
How far ahead should we plan?
Four to eight weeks for a week in spring or autumn; three to six months for July and August, when villas and yachts book first; six months for the Cannes Film Festival or the Monaco Grand Prix.