French resorts
France has typical resorts such as the Côte d'Azur facing the Mediterranean Sea and Haute-Savoie in the mountains and lakes. Among them, the coastal cities and villages of the Cote d'Azur are famous as resorts in the world, and I was surprised at their scale and level.
The Cote d'Azur is a 200km long coastline along the Mediterranean Sea with 26 resorts. From Marseille to the east, Toulon, Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Monte Carlo, and Sanremo and other Italian Riviera coasts are lined with world-famous beach resorts. There are gorgeous and sophisticated cities and nature.
The Cote d'Azur means "azure coast", and as the name suggests, the pure white outer wall, green thread cedar, and palm shine in the clear blue sky and the refreshing azure sea. The spectacle illuminated by the bright sun is very vivid color, and it is understandable that this place was loved by many painters.
There are many points that made me think about what a "resort" should be, including the gap with the current situation in Japan, by touching the cityscape and life in such a place. In addition to traditional resorts, there are also newly developed resorts, and I would like to report on old and new resorts.
Traditional resorts
The traditional resort of the Cote d'Azur is represented by Nice. Nice is a resort that was opened during the time of the British Empire. The British built a 3.5km-long "Promenade des Anglais " with a width of 100m in a cove named "Angel's Bay". And at the beach, they carried rolled gravel and laid it down to create an artificial beach.
On the other side of the beach across the Promenade des Anglais, there are large stone buildings and famous hotels such as Negresco and Meridian. The ruins of the Roman walls have also been redeveloped as buildings, and Italian-style buildings are lined up.
Facing the Promenade des Anglais, Place Massena is a beautiful green palm square with a large fountain and arched monuments. The scale is comparable to the large-scale buildings that surround it, and the vast green space where people can relax in their own way is an atmosphere suitable for a resort in the world.
However, the attractions of the Cote d'Azur are not limited to beaches, luxury hotels and casinos. First, there are many internationally renowned events throughout the year, such as the Cannes Film Festival and the Monte Carlo Rally. Culturally, there are also traces of Picasso, Mathis, Chagall, Van Gogh and countless other painters. At the Fondation Maeght Museum in Saint Paul de Vin near Cannes, I unexpectedly had the opportunity to see Joan Miró's special exhibition. It was amazing to be able to experience such a wonderful culture in this small town at a museum that uses Chagall's murals for its buildings. There are many museums in the main city, including famous museums such as Matisse and Chagall in Nice and Picasso in Antibes.
A gourmet menu with plenty of seafood such as Salad Nice Soise and bouillabaisse, and a local specialty rosé wine. It has established a culture in the world of food. In addition, there are various types of resort condominiums that can accommodate a variety of residents in European style, including Marina Les Jeanne in Antibes.
During the summer vacation, Nice has a population of 400,000 and is said to grow to 600,000. The attraction of the Cote d'Azur is not only the beach resort, but also the well-developed living and cultural infrastructure such as parks, museums, theaters, markets and resort apartments. Coupled with the refreshing Mediterranean climate, it gives dreams and happiness to all visitors.
New resort area
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| Paul Grimo / Cityscape and Yacht |
There is a resort-type new town called Paul Grimo in the south of Cannes. Development began in 1965 by local architect François Sporty, with 2,100 multi-story terrace houses lined up on a 70ha site. Currently, the third phase of sales is under development. The past two times were so popular that they are sold out at the design stage.
The reason for its popularity is that it has a canal in every house in New Town, a floating island style where the canal cannot be drawn, and a yacht mooring in the garden of every house. It is in an unthinkable location. Residents can cruise directly from their garden to the Mediterranean Sea. It is a truly "playful" town development that integrates daily life and resort life. In addition, the building area per unit is not so large, about 90 square meters, and the price is reasonable at about 20 million yen, which is probably the reason why it is popular as a resort area for the common people.
In terms of creating a cityscape, the resort's gorgeous atmosphere is enhanced by arranging abundant plants and flowers on the garden facing the canal and on the artificial ground of the floating island that was reclaimed. The building also has a block-stacked outer wall with different colors and an orange gently sloping roof, giving a strong impression of Southern Europe, and a design that makes use of local colors to harmonize with the surrounding environment.
Taking advantage of the location, yachts and cruisers were moored in each house (ships may be more expensive than buildings), and the sight of relaxing in the garden was like a different world, and it was an unbelievable reality. The cityscape seen from the top of the bell tower is as if the city is inside the yacht harbor. This resort development has a character that can be called a cluster-type resort development that focuses on yacht life, as opposed to the conventional integrated resort development.
In addition to this, there is a town where the mayor is enthusiastic to create a national park that collects mimosa flowers from all over the world, there is an island only for naturalists , and various resorts are appearing in various towns. The power to generate such new development ideas and put them into practice is the source of revitalizing this area as an attractive resort area.
Conclusion
Looking at the French resorts I visited this time, I feel that resorts for French people are looking for amenities throughout their lives. It seems that it is different from the way Japanese people think of it as a part of their lives, such as leisure time. In Japan, resorts require entertainment, while in Cote d'Azur, play (beach, casino, sports), public (squares, parks), culture (museums, theaters), life (markets, food, clothing, shelters) were required and they were perfect. And above all, the sea was very beautiful and clear.
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| Evian / Resort condominium |
I felt that the hardware and software of these resort areas as infrastructure would match the lifestyle of a five-week vacation. Even if I take a five-week vacation, I think I can't spend it well in Japan. I really want to stay the Cote d'Azur every year.
And, from the cityscape creation of such a resort area, one lesson can be learned that "refining" is the key to creating the charm of the city.
The Cote d'Azur should have been just nature at first. Today's figure is the result of refinement with a strong will and dream to create an attractive city there. However, having everything as a function of the city is not the only attraction of the city. Like Paul Grimo, by maximizing and refining the individuality of the city, the unique charm of the city can be enhanced. Creating a featureless cityscape may erase the charm of the city.
Also, I would like to make use of the "excitement" I felt at these resorts. Even if it is difficult to have a house with a yacht mooring right,I think it is necessary in Japan today to have a “playful sensation” that can impress people.
