My name is Jen and I love the Cote D'Azur!!

This time of year, I start to get a bit itchy, itchy for the South of France, the area best known as the Cote D'Azur. I always feel a bit embarrassed saying that I love this area, I can virtually feel hardened francophiles turning up their collective nose and looking firmly down it at me; content in their their own superiority. The Cote D'Azur you see, is seen as a bit brash, a bit trashy, a bit too glitzy and glamourous to be a part of the France that so many Brits dream of escaping to. It is expensive, full of bling bling, and shallow people and I can't deny it does have these elements, but those who dismiss it for these reasons are really missing the point and are missing one of the most fabulously diverse places they could ever possibly visit. I'm starting a series of articles on the area with the glamour-spots, the most well known - either love 'em or hate 'em destinations - and in later articles will surprise you with some hidden gems....I am proud to know and love this area and refuse to be embarrassed any more!!! Vive la Cote!! What does the Cote D'Azur conjur up in your mind? Glitz? Glamour? Mega Yachts? Beautiful People? Fast cars? Casinos? Glittering beaches? St Tropez? Brigitte Bardot? Probably at least one of these images springs to mind, maybe all. The thing is, the Cote D'Azur is synonymous with hedonism and glamour. It is where the beautiful people have been coming to see and be seen for decades. But what is it about this region that attracts so many of the rich and famous, and other mere mortals, in their droves? Perhaps those of us who don't fall into the rich and famous category are hoping a little of their glamour may rub off on us, maybe we can have a little taste of their lifestyle - well we can dream. But it would be a mistake to think that this is all the region is about. The Cote D'Azur has so much more to offer. This region is very busy pretty much all summer and in July and August, well, just grab a spot on the beach and forget about moving... but there is so much that this area has to offer that it would be a pity not to venture out at least once during your stay. St Tropez Of course, we have to start with the Grande old Dame of the Riviera. I wonder if there is anyone in the entire Universe who hasn't heard of St Trop? Originally a little fishing village it attained fame (or notoriety maybe?) when Brigitte Bardot, decided to make it her home. Instantly, St Trop became the place to be. This once sleepy fishing village had to re-invent itself into an A-Listers must visit location, which it did in spectacularly successful fashion. St Tropez still attracts the rich and famous, and if you don't catch them parading along the quay, they are likely to be found sunning themselves at their scarily expensive villas in the surrounding hills, or partying the days and nights away at one of the trendy beach bars at Pampelonne . I have to confess to having been a little disappointed when I first visited St Tropez in 1985. I think I was expecting a mini Las Vegas, all neon lights and flashy hotels lining a sandy beach, (I am now extremely glad that it didn't live up to those expectations!). I think I was expecting something bigger with a huge sandy beach, but where was the beach? Wasn't this the home of topless sunbathing? The beach, I later discovered was a few miles out of town. Pampelonne Beach is an eight mile stretch of pretty good sand, lined with trendy beach bars and restaurants which rock with loud music and partying socialites throughout the summer. The beach being so vast has various sections with varying atmospheres. Tahiti Plage is the place to be for the in-crowd. Helicopters bring a constant stream of party-goers to the beachside restaurants, speed boats whisk people from their private yachts to the shore for lunch. You could people-watch all day here and not get bored. If it is a peaceful, getaway from it all beach you are looking for though, give Tahiti a miss and head for one of the quieter parts instead. There are areas of Pampelonne like Cannebiers that are quieter and more family friendly and lots of other smaller coves and beaches to explore. Some beaches have private sections which might be nice for a treat at least once during the holiday. Back in town, head for the Place des Lices where you can find a reasonably priced meal at the Sporting Bar. Situated right on the roadside it is full of locals - always a good sign, the food isn't bad and not too expensive, if a little noisy with locals and traffic! On the opposite side of the Place is Le Cafe. Away from the traffic it's a good place for aperitifs whilst you watch the locals play boules in the Place. The Place is also home the the bustling twice weekly market (Tuesday and Saturday 8am - 1pm). Shopping in St Tropez is pretty much high-end, but explore the labyrinth of streets in this delightful town and you may be surprised at what you will find, but if people-watching is your thing, linger over an overpriced drink at the famous quay-side Le Senequier bar. There are probably more tourists than famous faces these days but you will still find the mega-wealthy here relaxing on their enourmous yachts on the quay, where they overshadow the low-rise buildings along the quay. Artists love the light here (and the ready tourist buck), where they set up shop painting and selling their wares. The quay is a bustling hive of activity especially during high season and if you intend to drive into town there is a large car park at the eastern end of town, a short walk through the less glamourous but more traditional part of St Tropez. Driving though can be something of a trial on the nerves being as busy as it is, and you may end up in traffic jams that wouldn't be out of place on the M25. If you are staying over in Port Grimaud, Marines de Cogolin or Ste Maxime you can catch a ferry to deliver you right to the quay . Ferries also leave from other towns along the coast and it is a great, relaxing way of getting to St Tropez, and less frazzling on the nerves. If you visit out of season, you will find a much different aspect. St Tropez retains all it's old world charm and is still a working fishing village with a fascinating maze of cobbled streets and high Provencal buildings covered in Bougainvilla. St Tropez will survive anything that is thrown at it as it has done since the first tourism invasion of the 60's. Enjoy!