november-2012

SUPERSTOCK; ILLUSTRATION: ÉSME @ ILLUSTRATIONROOM.COM
The old-school glamour
of the Côte d’Azur
on the road: nice to monaco
Andrew Birbeck drives the grande corniche in a beautiful vintage porsche
FLY TO nice twice daily. brusselsairlines.com
today we are
Cary Grant and
Grace Kelly in
Hitchcock’s 1955
Riviera classic
To Catch a Thief
F
or over a century the
French Riviera has been
synonymous with both
graceful motoring and fine living.
The Côte d’Azur has been
described as one gigantic film
set, and it’s not hard to see why.
Perhaps it’s the magnificent
backdrop of the Alpine foothills,
or the sand-coloured medieval
villages scattered across the
landscape like confetti, or the
shimmering bays that greet you
at each turn, or indeed the
combination of all of this.
Whatever it is, the Riviera oozes
glamour and speaks of a bygone
age when movie stars were gods
and goddesses. What better way
to dip your toe into the lost age of
celluloid dreams than behind the
wheel of an iconic classic car,
heading for Monte Carlo?
The day kicks off with a café
au lait on our private balcony
at La Pérouse in Nice, as we
contemplate the magnificent
sweep of the Baie des Anges.
Although the coffee is excellent
and our breakfast on the terrace
beneath shady lemon trees
faultless, my mind is already
racing along higher plains.
Mid-morning we are to take
delivery of a 1958 Porsche 356
Speedster which, I can assure
you, is no everyday occurrence.
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