november-2012

Nervously, impatiently, I pace the terrace. Finally, at the
appointed time, the Porsche roars to a halt outside our
hotel. With a speedy run through of the basics from the
charming Fabrice Le Roy, proprietor of Rent A Classic Car,
we are on our way with hearts pounding
and hands perspiring just a little.
Heads turn as we pass; today we are
Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in Hitchcock’s
1955 Riviera classic To Catch a Thief. But
Fabrice’s parting words are running
through my head:“Monsieur, you cannot
drive fast on the Riviera, but you can of
course drive in style.”
The Mediterranean breeze pummels our hair while the
particular Provençal scents of wild thyme and lavender
Monsieur, you
cannot drive fast
on the Riviera, but
you can of course
drive in style
mixed with a salty tang tease the senses. The engine growls
at every gear change and turn as the Grande Corniche
unwinds before us. This is perhaps the most romantic and
filmed drive on the planet and has featured in the James
Bond classics GoldenEye and Never Say
Never Again, amongst others. Suffice it
to say within minutes of setting out you
feel as if you are inhabiting a more
glamorous and infinitely preferable world.
This precipitous road rises to some
2,000 feet above sea level and is an
ideal way to test both your driving
prowess and your nerves. Happily, the Porsche is designed
for such terrain and gobbles up the hair-raising hairpin
bends with consummate ease.
eat, sleep, drive
■ Hotel La Pérouse
11 Quai Rauba
Capeu, Nice,
hotel-la-perouse.com
Chic and intimate,
Hotel La Pérouse has
57 rooms and suites
with panoramic sea
views and private
balconies. Situated
at the most southerly
point of the
Promenade des
Anglais, it’s perfect
for exploring the Old
Town. There’s also an
excellent restaurant,
Le Patio.
■ Classic car rental
from Fabrice Le Roy at
Rent A Classic Car,
rentaclassiccar.com,
+33 (0)9 54 00 29 33.
26 november 2012
FLY TO nice twice daily. brusselsairlines.com
ILLUSTRATION: ÉSME @ ILLUSTRATIONROOM.COM