Private Vintage Car Half-Day Tour of the French Riviera

A Private Classic Car Tour from Cannes

The car is the star of this tour: a 1950s French saloon from the model that pioneered front-wheel drive with a steel body on the European market, built from 1934 to 1957 and still loved for its long running boards and rounded wings. It seats you plus up to 3 other guests, so it suits couples, families with older children and small groups of friends who want something more memorable than a modern minivan.

Your driver-guide knows every back road between Cannes and the hills of Provence. Tell us in your booking notes what you would like to see, or simply ask for a suggested route; if you fall in love with a village and want to stay longer instead of moving on, that is the beauty of a private half-day. Mileage, parking and tolls are included, and morning or afternoon departures are available.

Grasse, the Perfume Capital

Grasse sits on the hills about 17 kilometres above Cannes and has been the heart of French perfume making since tanners began scenting leather gloves in the 16th century. The surrounding fields still grow jasmine, harvested from August to October, and the delicate May roses, and the know-how of the perfume trade in the Pays de Grasse is listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

Your tour includes a guided visit of a traditional perfume house, where you see how essences are distilled and extracted and how a perfumer composes a fragrance. Afterwards, the old town is worth a stroll: arcaded squares such as Place aux Aires, steep lanes and wide views towards the sea. A Grasse day trip from Cannes is one of the most popular outings on the Riviera, and in a private car it fits neatly into half a day.

Gourdon, the Eagle's Nest above the Loup Gorge

Gourdon clings to the edge of a limestone cliff some 760 metres above sea level, and it is officially ranked among the most beautiful villages of France. From its little square the view sweeps over the Loup valley to the coast, taking in the whole bay from the Esterel to Cap d'Antibes on a clear day. A 12th-century castle with terraced gardens crowns the village, and the cobbled lanes are lined with small shops selling lavender, honey, soaps and local crafts.

Getting to Gourdon is half the pleasure: the road climbs in tight bends through olive groves and pine forest, and in a vintage car with open windows it feels like a drive from another era. Allow 30 to 45 minutes to walk the village, then you can continue down the dramatic Gorges du Loup road, with its waterfalls and sheer rock walls.

Tourrettes-sur-Loup and the Confectionery Workshop

Tourrettes-sur-Loup is a fortified village whose outer houses form its ramparts, perched on a rocky spur above the Loup valley. Known as the city of violets, it has grown the flower for over a century and celebrates it each March with a village festival. Today its arched lanes are home to potters, weavers, jewellers and painters' studios.

Nearby, your route can include a guided visit of a traditional confectionery workshop, where local fruit and flowers such as violets and roses are candied, made into jams and boiled sweets the old-fashioned way. Children over 6 especially enjoy watching the copper pans at work, and it is a lovely place to pick up gifts. Combined with Gourdon and the Loup gorge, it makes one of the most scenic half-day routes behind Cannes.

Mougins and La Croisette

Only 8 kilometres from Cannes, Mougins is a small medieval village built in concentric circles around its hilltop, with flower-filled lanes, an old wash-house and many art galleries. It has long attracted artists and is famous for its fine restaurants, while its viewpoints look out over the hills towards Grasse and the sea.

A classic route starts on La Croisette in Cannes, the palm-lined promenade that runs along the bay past the Festival Palace and the grand seafront hotels, then heads up to Mougins, Grasse and Gourdon. In a vintage car, a slow drive along La Croisette turns heads, and your driver can stop for photos in front of the sea or at the Festival Palace steps before you leave the coast for the hills.

The Esterel Coast Road to Fréjus

If you prefer the sea to the hills, ask for the Corniche de l'Esterel, the coast road opened in 1903 that winds west from Cannes towards Fréjus. Here the Esterel massif plunges into the Mediterranean in cliffs of red volcanic rock, broken by tiny coves, turquoise water and viewpoints such as Cap Dramont and the bay of Agay.

It is one of the most beautiful drives in France, and in a classic car with plenty of photo stops it becomes a highlight of any Riviera holiday. The road ends at Fréjus, a town founded by the Romans in the 1st century BC, where you can see the remains of its amphitheatre and stroll by the harbour before your driver takes you back to Cannes.