The perched villages around Grasse

Just minutes from our guesthouse, the Grasse backcountry hides a constellation of perched villages — stone lanes, dizzying sea views, art galleries and fine tables. Here is our selection, from the nearest to the farthest, with our favourite addresses.

Cabris, the balcony of the Riviera

Perched on its rocky spur, Cabris is perhaps the most intimate of our neighbouring villages — and the closest. From the foot of its feudal castle ruins, the view opens onto a striking panorama: the Saint-Cassien lake, the Estérel massif and, on a clear day, the sea all the way to the Lérins islands.

Its peaceful atmosphere has long charmed painters and writers — the family of Saint-Exupéry stayed here, as did André Gide. Wander its flowered lanes, linger on the village square, and you will quickly understand why those in the know keep it as their best-kept secret.

Mougins, village of painters and chefs

Mougins winds its lanes in a spiral around a hilltop, a maze of stone restored with rare taste. Picasso spent the last years of his life here, and the village has never stopped drawing artists and gallerists: contemporary sculptures around every little square, workshops, open-air exhibitions.

But Mougins is also a capital of Riviera gastronomy, renowned for its tables and its culinary festival. People come here as much for the eyes as for the palate.

Valbonne, the village with arcades

Valbonne stands apart in the Provençal landscape: where the neighbouring villages coil in a spiral, this one was laid out in the 16th century on a chequerboard, almost Roman, plan. At its heart, the superb Place des Arcades, lined with 17th-century stone galleries, shelters terraces, markets and lively cafés.

Born around a former Chalaisian abbey, the village has kept a soul at once villagey and vibrant, a stone's throw from the Sophia Antipolis technology park. A delicious contrast between heritage and modernity.

Gourdon, an eagle's nest above the Loup

Listed among the Most Beautiful Villages of France, Gourdon clings to a rocky peak over 700 metres high, overlooking the dizzying Loup gorges. The panorama — one of the most spectacular in the region — sweeps across the entire coast, from the mouth of the Loup all the way to Nice.

Its lanes are lined with craft workshops, soap makers, glassblowers and shops of local produce — honey, lavender, confectionery. The Château de Gourdon and its gardens crown the whole. Bring good shoes: the climb is earned, but the reward is total.

Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the city of artists

The most famous of our perched villages, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, is well worth the detour. Enclosed within its Renaissance ramparts, the medieval town was a refuge for a galaxy of artists — Chagall, who rests here, but also Picasso, Matisse and Prévert, regulars of the legendary La Colombe d'Or inn.

To this day, its cobbled lanes hold a rare density of art galleries. On the village edge, the Fondation Maeght holds one of the finest collections of modern and contemporary art in Europe. A must-see, best visited outside peak hours.

Our tips to plan your day

All these villages make easy day trips from our guesthouse. A few pointers to make the most of them:

• Cabris and Mougins pair perfectly on a single half-day, as both are so close to Grasse.
• Valbonne and Gourdon form a lovely itinerary eastward, between plain and backcountry.
• Saint-Paul-de-Vence deserves a full day, ideally combined with the Fondation Maeght.
• Set off early in high season: the best-known villages fill up by mid-morning, and parking becomes scarce.