France - Cote d'Azur

Behind Cannes, the lovely village of Mougins – the very last home of Picasso and certainly the most authentic of all the villages perchés – has several very high-quality antique shops, several decent boutiques and a wide range of terrific restaurants – in fact, it's something of a mecca for people who simply want to eat out unpretentiously.

The sister villages of Valbonne – something of a favourite with the local English – and Opio are more inland. Then further west, is a string of medieval villages: Grasse with its perfume factories; Cabris and Spéracedes high up and almost in the clouds; Tourrettes with its odd château; the charming old village of Fayence known for its quality pottery and frequent quite social antique festivals.