It's spring! Birds are building their nest, flowers are opening up – hay fever is making a comeback — and our landscapes reveal their most vibrant colors. To celebrate this beautiful season, the first festival of the "Gardens of the Côte d'Azur" will take place from April 1st to May 1st in Nice, Grasse, Antibes, Cannes and Menton. On this occasion, CIA invites you to explore nature and landscape.
Who has never heard of “Jardins à la française”? Arranging plants and designing gardens is an art in France and each region does it in its own way. The region of Nice, bordered by the Mediterranean, draws a unique vegetation and sublime influences from this location. The prestige of French-style gardens blends with the warm harmony of Italian flowerbeds. All around Nice, there are magnificent parks open to the public: from the gardens of the Musée International de la Parfumerie in Grasse to the Monastery of Cimiez in Nice, and the botanical park of the city, there is something for everyone. Nature lovers will rejoice at the pine forest of Juan-les-pins or on the islands of Lérins which both offer breathtaking landscapes.
Throughout time, the Mediterranean garden has influenced many artists and artisans. Luxury perfumers have taken inspiration from the region’s scents of citrus, fig, cedar and jasmine: Hermès, Dolce Gabbana, Guerlain or Armani, to name a few. Over the last centuries, Nice and its neighboring towns have also attracted many artists, subdued by the beauty of these natural and urban landscapes. They include Monet, Chagall, Picasso, Dufy, Staël and Matisse. You can admire their tributes to the gardens and reliefs of the Cote d'Azur at the many museums of the region. "We must cultivate our garden" writes Voltaire in “Candide”, inviting readers to learn, to improve as humans and to develop their talents. Why not improve your French this spring and cultivate your inner garden while admiring those of our beautiful Cote d'Azur? Contact us for more information about our programs.
About the Centre International d'Antibes
