american public television presents the splendors of the world in the lifelike reality of high-definition television. this is a paradise with stunning scenery, glamor, sun-splashed days, and perfume-scented evenings. it also gave birth to the modern suntan and some of the greatest artwork of the 20th century. next up, the french riviera, on smart travels. smart travels is made possible in part by expedia.com-- a travel website that offers travelers a variety of ways to find the trip they're looking for, including flights, hotels, and vacation packages. expedia.com-- don't just travel. travel right. captioning made possible by u.s. department of education

smart travels is a grand tour of the old world-- the people, places, sights, and distinctly european flavors. our host is travel writer and columnist rudy maxa, public radio's original savvy traveler. now, tips, trips, and secret places on smart travels.

maxa: in the morning, it charms. in the afternoon, it sizzles. and at night, it seduces. there's nothing quite like this 80-mile stretch of coastline anywhere else in the world, and all the world knows it. they come on yachts, in cars, on the train. they come for the myth of the riviera, for the celebrities, the food, the wine. they come for the leisure and for the pure pleasure. and they come in droves in the summer months. crowded? you bet. but that's when the riviera dazzles. i've got tips for best beaches, chic spots, and hill town getaways, with lots of art and culture, too.

you don't have to be in the jet set or fabulously wealthy to experience the riviera scene. of course, it won't hurt that you're with me. from our base in nice, we'll explore the coast at st.-tropez, cannes, antibes, cap ferrat, and monaco. we'll also make forays into the hills to grasse, gourdon, and the perched village of eze. capital of the cote d'azur, nice is more than a resort town. it's a bustling city. set spectacularly on the mediterranean, nice offers a lovely coastline with a lively beach scene. pebbles, not sand, will greet your feet here. a couple of hundred years ago, the french riviera-- or the cote d'azur, as it's known in france-- was a collection of poor fishing villages.

then british and russian aristocracy arrived, longing to escape from the fog and cold of the north. the sun and sea instilled in them a new joie de vivre-- a joy for life. they built lavish palaces, fantasy sets for summer fun with wide staircases to show off the latest parisian gowns. the period around the turn of the century became known as the belle epoque. this was the first of many beautiful eras to follow on the cote d'azur. the most famous stretch of nice is the beachside promenade des anglais. an english minister pooled the british community for the funds to build it back in the 1820s. not far from the promenade is the old city of nice. the further you penetrate the old town, the darker and more maze-like the streets.

once part of the house of savoy-- a dynasty that ruled in italy for centuries-- old nice retains an italianate feel with its colored houses and small piazzas punctuated by baroque churches. [man shouting in french] every morning but monday, the marketplace-- cours saleya-- blossoms with the color and fragrances of local fruit, vegetables, and flowers. bonjour, monsieur. maxa, voice-over: equally colorful is the nice specialty-- candied fruit. [speaking french] i spoke with philippe about how it's made. first of all, you need to choose very nice fruit. you take the fresh fruit, you steam it to be very clean, and then you dip the fruit in a bowl of sugar 2 minutes a day for 45 days. and if you want to keep it juicy and soft, you keep it in the fridge close to the vegetable rack,

and it can stay very fresh and juicy for 8 to 10 months. it's like jam. maxa, voice-over: for a mid-morning snack, try socca, a crepe made from chickpea flour-- another legacy of nice's italian connection. woman: is very, very hot. in 1908, in an attempt to clean up its image for foreigners, the city banned the ubiquitous socca carts. the people of nice protested vehemently, and socca remains a popular street-side snack today. and this is a speciality of nice or the cote d'azur? nice. nice. [speaks french] only nice. maxa, voice-over: the light, the colors, the natural beauty of the riviera, has long attracted artists from all over the world. in 1917, a middle-aged painter from paris arrived

for both a health cure and for the light. his name was henri matisse. the matisse museum in nice houses paintings, drawings, and cutouts by this prolific and independent-minded artist. the museum's small but lovely collection demonstrates the artist's great diversity of material and style. from the bold color of the style called fauvism to his experiments with pointillism, matisse constantly reinvented his art. in his 80s, sick and virtually bedridden, he created a new art form. matisse turned to cutting colored paper and directing assistants who pasted the cutouts on canvases. near the end of his life, matisse said, "all this time, i have looked for the same things which i have perhaps realized by different means."

ok, ok. enough art and history. i want a littjoie de vivre right now-- the beach, a cool drink, a stroll along the coast. i'm headed for antibes. the town of antibes and the beach at juan-les-pins are an easy day trip from nice-- just 25 minutes away by the train that runs along the coast. when the roads are packed with cars, the train's the way to travel up and down the coast. aah! first stop: the beach at juan-les-pins on the west side of the cap d'antibes. both private and public beaches line the riviera coast. now, private doesn't mean you can't go in. it just means you'll pay a daily fee. i happen to think it's worth it. you'll get a beach chair, umbrella, drinks, a spot by the sea, and probably a restaurant

with a pretty good lunch. the belle epoque came to a crashing halt with world war i. after the war, the riviera came back to life with the freedom and live-for-today attitude that often follows war. young people flocked here. many were americans who brought a strange new music with them: jazz. literary celebrities f. scott fitzgerald and ernest hemingway vacationed on the cap d'antibes. the modern suntan was invented in juan-les-pins. people drank hard and talked fast. life was sweet again. for today's adventurers, all kinds of water sports beckon. walk along the beachside promenade and choose a beach club that suits your taste. while luxurious hidden estates occupy much of the riviera,

there are often pathways around the capes and shores. the path on the cap d'antibes winds through pines to the very tip of the peninsula. on the east side of the cap is the town of antibes proper. the old town streets invite wandering. the greeks founded a trading post here as early as the 4th century b.c. you'll find the tradition of trade alive and well in the old town's splendid provencal market. mmm. orange? [speaking french] [speaking french] perfect. thank you. enjoy. merci, monsieur. thank you very much. maxa, voice-over: fragrant cooking herbs, herbes de provence, and scented soaps make excellent gifts to take home. [speaking french]

when you've tasted and inhaled the delights of the market, a climb to a 12th-century castle uncovers the work of another artist who found joy here-- pablo picasso. the curator of a small museum in the grimaldi castle offered the empty upper floors to picasso. the curator had an ulterior motive: perhaps if picasso painted here, he might leave some of his work behind. the artist agreed and, in 1946, came to live and work here. before his paints and canvases arrived from paris, picasso set to work with wood, marine paint, and the housekeeper's paintbrushes. he painted his beloved pet goat esmeralda and his lover at the time, francoise gilot. picasso loved the studio and its view of the sparkling sea.

only francoise and his pet owl were allowed in. his most famous work from this period is joie de vivre. the central figure is francoise, and the themes are joy, the riviera, and a return to life after yet another devastating war--world war ii. another easy day trip from nice takes in beautiful gardens and stunning cape views at the villa ephrussi-de-rothschild on cap ferrat. the villa is one of the few places on the riviera where you can tour a grand belle epoque mansion. it was built for the baroness ephrussi rothschild

in the early 1900s. she supervised and directed its design. the villa overflows with works of art, tapestries, furniture, and statuary. the baroness ephrussi rothschild collected fanatically. in particular, she adored regal art from the 18th century. her eccentric whims included dressing as marie antoinette and throwing dinner parties in the style of her court at the time. an acquaintance said, "she almost always wore pink dresses and seemed eternally ready to go to an elegant ball." you can stop for a drink in the elegant tea room or wander through extensive gardens with spectacular views to the mediterranean.

a car can come in handy on the riviera for trips to the perched villages. renting a car before you leave home is a good idea. now, leasing is the least expensive alternative if you need a car for a couple of weeks or more. by leasing, you'll avoid that steep sales tax on rentals. several car rental companies, such as europe by car, offer attractive lease options. i picked up this brand-new car from peugeot's "open europe" car lease program in nice. i'm driving to the medieval village of eze, high above nice. by day, eze is jammed with tourists shopping at boutiques and knick-knack shops. i suggest visiting in the evening, when the day trippers have mostly gone. the dramatic view is not to be missed. one of the premier restaurants in the riviera happens to be in eze, right on the cliffs. i'm dining at the glorious chateau de la chevre d'or. if the sea views don't bowl you over, the cuisine certainly will.

chef jean-marc delacourt, who recently earned a second michelin star for the chevre d'or, prepares a lobster appetizer with great attention to presentation. the restaurant manager, claude hirt, joined me for this taste sensation. oh, that is beautiful. now, claude, tell me about this lobster. this lobster is a local lobster which has been bought this morning by the chef. you have, on the top, some summer truffle, which is right now, for the season... [speaks french] which are white, and then the right dressing with a truffle sauce. mmm? you like that? tres bon. mmm. maxa, voice-over: nighttime on the cote d'azur starts late and ends early-- early in the morning, that is. dinner at 9:00 or 10:00 is perfectly normal.

and even if you're not a night owl, sampling the nightlife is a great part of the experience. i'm off to monaco by way of the famous grande corniche. monaco and its capital city monte carlo are a quick hop from eze and about a half-hour's drive from nice. a train also runs along the coast to monaco. there are 3 coastal roads connecting nice and monaco. the grande corniche is the highest and most dangerous of the 3. the road was made famous in hitchcock's movie to catch a thief when cary grant and grace kelly raced wildly around the hairpin turns. ironically, it was while leaving this same road, years later, that princess grace kelly of monaco met her death. the tiny independent principality of monaco was once one of the poorest countries in europe. but in 1856, monaco's fortune changed when the prince, who was short of cash, decided to permit gambling rather than raise taxes.

the wealthy inhabitants of belle epoque mansions just down the coast couldn't wait to wager their money. it was a match made in heaven. in monaco, you can visit the prince's palace-- if the flag is flying, it means the prince is at home-- or shop in the narrow streets of the old town. but the most fun is yacht-spotting. of course, everyone still comes to play in the famous casino in the town square in monte carlo, even if it's just to put a few euros in a slot machine. unfortunately, cameras aren't allowed inside the casino, but i'll tell you all about it. even if you don't bet a single euro, you should see the inside of the casino. the higher the stakes in the room, the more extravagant the decor. you'll have to pay a little extra to see the more private rooms called the european salons. there, the doormen discourage anyone but the most serious of gamblers. of course, i bet red when i should have played black.

maybe it's time for a change of scenery. another easy day trip from nice, cannes was once a tiny port named for its marsh of reeds. in 1834, a british lord was forced to stop over here because of an outbreak of cholera in provence. he fell in love with the place, built a mansion, and brought his friends. cannes never looked back. i'm walking down the main promenade-- the boulevard de la croisette. celebrities, sandy beaches, and a lively nightlife characterize this "fishing village turned hollywood" on the mediterranean. cannes' great claim to fame is the film festival held every may. hotel rooms are virtually impossible to come by then, but traces of the star-studded event can be found all over town. all along the waterside promenade,

you'll find palatial hotels and their respective beaches. the waterfront teems with yachts, sailboats, and opportunities for thrilling rides. [piano playing] the art deco martinez hotel offers a luxurious way to pass the days on waterside cannes. after relaxing on the hotel's beach or pier, you can dine in the gourmet restaurant. then how about a suite on the top floor, with views that sweep across cannes and the azure sea? man: ♪ i like the way you smile ♪ ♪ it makes me feel so good maxa, voice-over: at day's end, you can stop in for a drink at the piano bar and search for stars. look, there's one. isn't that that guy maxa?

♪ your smile makes me glad maxa: to discover a more serene cote d'azur, i head for the hill towns just inland from the big cities. a delightful motor trip from cannes takes in the perfume capital of france--grasse-- and the dramatic perched village of gourdon. at the galimard studios in grasse, not only can you learn about how perfume is made, you can create your own scent. maxa: so, now, valerie, what's the very first thing i do to create my own perfume? the very first thing you have to do is to smell the samples you have in front of you. these 5 here? so now i'll let you decide. you smell them, you pick your 3, and then i come back to you in a few minutes. ok. hmm. not crazy about that. "accord muse." mmm. that could be a contender.

"bouquet boise." bouquet of the forest. unusual. maxa, voice-over: professional noses, or "nez" as they are called, are employed by perfumeries. a nez can reportedly identify more than 6,000 different scents with simply a whiff. galimard's nez has developed a foolproof method for creating your own scent. 127 different fragrances are divided into categories called notes. this classification ensures that your different choices will blend into a harmonious whole. [speaking french] now, valerie, here it is. i think i'm going to call it "savage." yes! and what is it in french, sauvage? sauvage. ooh, sauvage. congratulations. maxa, voice-over: galimard will put the record of your perfume on file, and you can re-order it from anywhere in the world.

not far from grasse, gourdon grows out of a rocky hillside, a fortified medieval village. from town, the views of the coast and the surrounding countryside are spectacular. now, gourdon is not altogether undiscovered. queen victoria painted watercolors here in the belle epoque. today tourists fill the main streets, but take any side alley, and you'll feel the centuries slip away. the weathered stone homes have been restored and now house boutiques and craft shops. the proprietors of la taverne provencale, at the top of town, will proudly tell you they've served the likes of roger moore and charles bronson on their beautiful terrace. i'm trying the tomato and mozzarella salad, followed by an herb-filled omelet. i wonder if that's what 007 would have ordered.

our last stop on the riviera is idyllic st.-tropez. in high season, consider taking the ferry from nice or cannes to avoid the often gridlocked traffic. fashionable, ultra-chic, and beautiful, st.-tropez is the quintessential riviera town. because of its geographic location, the town has managed to remain quite small and quaint. a voluptuous teenager named brigitte bardot owed up here in 1956 to shoot a movie called and god created woman. st.-tropez has never been the same. just off the waterfront, on the rue clemenceau, you can pick up a pair of tropeziennes, the famous st.-tropez sandals. dominique rondini invented them in 1927, and they're still made in the back of the shop

at atelier rondini sandales. artists recognized st.-tropez's charms long before brigitte bardot and the jet set. the post-impressionist paul signac happened upon these shores in 1892 and began to paint. so bewitched by the place, he urged his friends and colleagues, including matisse, to join him. a fine museum near the port houses a collection of works by artists who loved the riviera-- the museum of the annonciade. you hardly feel you've come indoors in this airy museum hung with colorful seascapes. signac and his followers used small dashes of colors that, when viewed from a distance, blend together and seem infused with light-- a style called pointillism. nowhere is the celebration

and tjoie de vivre of the riviera more delightfully captured than in this small museum dedicated to french art from 1890 to 1940. just southeast of st.-tropez, the plage, or beach, de pampelonne epitomizes the beach scene on the riviera. all along this curving coastline, beach clubs like the voile rouge, barfly beach, and club 55 cater to yachting millionaires and the like. you don't have to be rich and famous to partake. just make a reservation more than a week in advance for lunch. you'll pay more for your meal and a beach chair here, but pampelonne is by far the loveliest stretch of sand on the riviera. small public beaches adjoin the private clubs. it's my final destination, and i think i'll stay a while.

you know, it is really tough working in front of a camera here in st.-tropez. you're liable to be mobbed by paparazzi or starlets looking for a break. so i got to be really discreet here. thanks so much for joining me. i'm rudy maxa from st.-tropez. all videos and dvds of smart travelare 24.95 each, plus shipping. call 800-866-7425 for the 2-episode dvd or video on the french riviera, burgundy, and loire. details of all of our travel videos, dvds, and best guide books are on the web

at smarttravels.tv. please have a credit card ready and call 800-866-7425 or visit us on the web. captioning made possible by u.s. department of education captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- smart travels is made possible in part by expedia.com-- a travel website that offers travelers a variety of ways to find the trip they're looking for, including flights, hotels, and vacation packages. expedia.com-- don't just travel. travel right.