The French Riviera in Pictures – Pt 2 The Arrière-Pays

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The French Riviera in Pictures - Pt 2 The Arrière-Pays

As my previous post about Cannes and Antibes illustrated, the French Riviera is where the rich and famous hang out, but for those who prefer a less flamboyant lifestyle, then the area just inland from the coast may be more appealing.

This hinterland is commonly referred to as the arrière-pays and consists of quiet, medieval hilltop villages, rolling hills, and a completely different atmosphere to the towns of the Côte d’Azur.

In this gallery, I’ll be showing you three of those villages – Biot, Gourdon, and Vence, but there are others that will probably whet your appetite just as much. All photographs were taken when we stayed in the fortified hilltop village of Biot near Antibes in 2005.

Historically speaking, Biot was settled by the Romans in 154 BC who stayed for 500 years, and in 1209 the Count of Provence donated the area to the Knights Templar. These days, it attracts tourists who come here to seek out its ceramics, glass, and the Fernand Leger cubist art museum, but the real pleasure comes from just wandering around its cobbled lanes.

About 15 miles (25 km) north-west of Biot is the village of Gourdon. Located in the Pre-Alps of Azur above the Vallée du Loup, the village is 2,493 ft (760 m) above sea level and a typical example of a village perché.

It’s not difficult to imagine this ‘Eagle’s Nest’, perched on its isolated rock, was once a feudal village used as a place of refuge and defence. Even today, it can only be accessed via a road that cuts through the castle ramparts on the north side of the village.

The castle is the most important historical building in the village and was built in several phases over several centuries, but its main attraction is undoubtedly the panoramic views across the Provence landscape.

Although it has a population of less than 400, its community of artisans of all descriptions also entice plenty of tourists to wander around its medieval streets, so is it any wonder that Gourdon is a member of ‘The Most Beautiful Villages of France Association’?

My third choice is really a small town, but at the heart of Vence is a medieval walled village and another delightful place to wander around.

At the heart of this old village is Place Clemenceau where the town hall is located. Also here is the Catholic Notre Dame Cathedral which, although it may not look like it from the square, is over a thousand years old, and its origins go back as far as Roman times when they had a presence here.

With its close proximity to the Cote d’Azure, it’s another place where artists like Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall have come to live and paint, so you can expect to find a plethora of art galleries and such like. Vence may be larger than Biot and Gourdon, but it doesn’t really feel like it.

After checking out the galleries please let me know what your favourite village is likely to be.

POSTED – MAY 2026

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15 thoughts on “The French Riviera in Pictures – Pt 2 The Arrière-Pays”

  2. shehannemoore

    Had to smile at the name Gourdon. There’s a Gourdon village near Stonehaven here. Obviously yours is far prettier so i am choosing it cos of that and the fact that as a kid, here was two days during the 7 day hol in Stonehaven when I was wee, the big treat was a dragging walk to Gourdon and back….. Great post and pics.

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    1. Easymalc Post author

      Thanks Shey. The Scottish Gourdon looks pleasant from some of the pictures I’ve seen

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  3. Toonsarah

    I’m not sure I have a favourite as all three villages look lovely (and much nicer to stay in than the glitzy places on the coats), but perhaps Biot and Vence appeal a little more than Gourdon – they seem from you photos to have more character and more to see 🙂

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    1. Easymalc Post author

      Firstly Sarah, can I say thank you for commenting. I’ve been struggling to put any blogs together at all at the moment, let alone commenting on other peoples, so apologies for not commenting on yours as much as I used to.
      As regards the villages in this post, we stayed in Biot and thought it was absolutely lovely, and the small hotel was a dream. Smaller than Vence but larger than Gourdon, I’m glad we stayed in Biot because it had that ‘Je ne sais quoi’ about it. To be fair though, they were all charming, and as you say, much nicer than most of the coastal resorts.
      I hope the Liverpool meeting went well by the way.

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      1. Toonsarah

        Yes Liverpool was great thanks 😃 Colin and Josie did an excellent job and it all ran smoothly. I also went to the post-meet in Hull which was fun too!

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      2. Suzanne

        No need to comment on others when you find it hard going. You put so much energy into yours. Hopefully, Malc you can keep enjoying doing so.

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  5. Eunice

    I can’t say I have a favourite village Malc, they each look lovely in their own way, but I do have some favourite photos. In no particular order, Vence town hall, the finished items in the glass workshop, the ceramics shop (looks like it should be a tiny cafe) and the colourful picture, although I melted when I saw the adorable cat. Love the music too, I’ve just been doing the samba round my study 😊

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    1. Easymalc Post author

      LOL If this post has put a smile on your face and a spring in your step Eunice then it’s done the job it was supposed to 😊

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