Le Mas Candille

For the discerning traveler, Le Mas Candille is a welcome rest from the bustle of the Côte D'Azur. Though just seven kilometers from Cannes, the quiet hillside village of Mougins stands in stark contrast to the tourist mecca of the Riviera.

The hotel itself is a converted 18th-century Provençal farmhouse (or “mas”), but with utterly modern facilities — two heated pools and an ESPA spa. There is nothing particularly hip about Le Mas Candille, which can certainly be an asset, depending on one's perspective; this place is all about quality, stressing substance rather than flash, in an inversion of the prevailing Côte D'Azur priorities. The atmosphere is somewhere between that of a private villa and a tiny luxury hotel.

The guest rooms are, as is expected, all different, though all share the same general look, a restrained sort of opulence with a smattering of antique furnishings and all the modern conveniences. Restaurant Candille is a fine restaurant, though not exactly a replacement for the once-great Moulin Mougin, and there are casual options as well, at La Pergola and the Bar du Mas.

So it is, in a sense, the best of both worlds; a tranquil and pastoral home base, exclusive and private, with a beautiful and calming view of the surrounding hills, yet conveniently located, close to all the attractions of Cannes and beyond. With only 40 rooms there is little risk of crowding, and it's good to know that at the end of the day you will have someplace peaceful to lay your head.

How to get there: Le Mas Candille is 25 kilometres from Nice-Cote D'Azur International Airport, 7 kilometres from the Cannes railway station and 5 kilometers from Sophia Antipolis.