Travel Tips - Free in Grasse area, France

Take the time to visit the Gorges du Verdun, the largest gorge in Europe and second largest in the world after the Grand Canyon in the States. Its about 20kms long plunging 2,500metres from its highest point

It’s a spectacular drive along either side of the gorge with two lovely villages – Castellane and Moustiers Sainte Marie, that you should stop at. I would suggest Castellane for a coffee on the way and Moustiers for lunch

In the summer Moustiers does get busy especially at the weekend, but there are lots of small cafes and restaurants that you can eat at as well as the inevitable gift shops.

Lots of local white painted pottery but a lovely place to walk around close to the river.

Grasse has been a popular tourist town for several centuries, with the smell of flowers and clear air. The altitude of the town, from 300-400 m, and the hills behind give Grasse a fresher climate than the beach during the heat of the summer. Princess Pauline Bonaparte, the Emperor's sister, spent the winter of 1807-08 in Grasse, recuperating her mental and physical strength. Queen Victoria vacationed through several winters in Grasse, staying at the Rothschild's or at the Grand Hotel.

Napoléon himself passed through Grasse on 2 March 1815, but didn't have time for vacationing. He had just escaped from Elba!