A ‘Cote d’Azur’ tour briefing session was held in Seoul to introduce jewel-like travel destinations in southern France.
The French Tourism Agency held a media luncheon at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul on the 2nd to introduce major attractions and new hotels in Côte d’Azur.
The event was attended by industry officials representing the region, including the Alpmaritim State Council, the Côte d’Azur Regional Tourism Authority, the Antibes Juang Leppin Tourism Information Office, and the Cannes Tourism Information Office.
Côte d’Azur is within the province of alfmaritim in southeastern France. △Nice △ Cannes △ Monaco △ Antibes João Leppin △ Saint Paul de Vance △ Eze, etc., are attracting attention in France as they are attractive tourist attractions such as ecstatic beaches and rock cliffs.
Corinne Fulkier, head of the French Tourism Agency’s Korean office, said, “About 830,000 Korean tourists visited France in 2024, and the Seoul-Marceille direct flight operated in the fall was so popular that it recorded an average boarding rate of 85.6%. Many Koreans visited Nice, Antibes and Cannes.”
12th place in the Korean market…The best travel destination in South France, where 11.5 million people visit a year
The number of tourists visiting Côte d’Azur annually is 11.5 million. As of 2024, Korea ranked 12th in the list of overseas tourist spending by Côte d’Azur. This is a 7% increase year-on-year.
Numerous artists, including Matisse, Chagall, and Picaso, longed for Côte d’Azur and stayed in the area to carry out various work activities.
The advantages of Côte d’Azur are its mild climate and variety of attractions. It has the charm of being able to see the mountains and seas at the same time, having a modern elegance unique to France, and a combination of simplicity.
“Cote d’Azur is a place where luxury and authenticity coexist,” Alexandra Borkio Fontang, head of the Cote d’Azur regional tourism agency, said in a welcome speech. “It provides an incomparable travel experience through cultural heritage, nature, modern infrastructure, gourmet and excellent accommodation.”
The excellent accessibility also contributed to Côte d’Azur’s establishment as France’s representative travel destination. Nice Airport is the second largest airport in France after Paris, accommodating 15 million tourists annually.
A total of 124 cities in 45 countries are operating direct flights to Nice Airport. Access to the city is also excellent. You can get to and from the city in less than 20 minutes by tram. The travel time will be reduced to seven minutes by helicopter.
“Côte d’Azur and other Alfmaritim states are developing into attractive travel destinations through sustainable tourism and innovation,” said Charles Ange Zinesh Alfmaritim, chairman of the state legislature. “We are actively developing tourism content that combines various fields such as marine parks, hiking trails, starlight reserves, and festivals that combine artificial intelligence and culture.”
Côte d’Azur is ready to move toward the next step, continuing to open new facilities after the end of the pandemic and conducting a major hotel renovation.
New art-related attractions recommended by the Côte d’Azur Regional Tourism Authority include △ La Malmaison △FAMM △ Mag Foundation Art Museum △ Nice Oriental Art Museum.
La Malmajon is a representative contemporary art center in Cannes, and has expanded its exhibition space more than three times as large-scale construction has been carried out.
The Armed Classical Art Museum was also reborn as a new concept space after completing construction last year. FAMM, which unravels art history centered on female artists, has become Europe’s first art museum for female artists.
The Mag Foundation Museum, located in Saint-Fold-Vanse, is considered a sacred place for contemporary art. In 2024, the exhibition space was expanded by 500 square meters to open two new exhibition rooms.
The Nice Oriental Art Museum was designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange and boasts minimal charm. The contents representing this place include the “Korean Collection” and the “Japanese Collection,” and Korean ceramics and Buddhist art works can be found in the Korean collection.
Natural attractions are also not easy. Mercantur National Park, called the Alps of the Mediterranean Sea, is an hour away from downtown Nice. You can enjoy hiking along the canyon while looking at the beautiful scenery.
“What Cote d’Azur aims for is an ‘exclusive luxury’ trip,” said Clair Behar, director of the Cote d’Azur Regional Tourism Authority. “The private yacht experience along the Mediterranean coast and a workshop to make my own perfume are representative.”
The charm of Khan and Antibes introduced by the local staff
One of the representative destinations of Côte d’Azur is Cannes. “Khan is a well-known city for film festivals, but behind them it is a place with a relaxed and simple charm,” said Charlotte Sejudo, head of overseas sales at the Cannes Tourism Information Center.
Another advantage of Cannes is that the entire city is comfortable enough to look around on foot. It has a good environment to enjoy a leisurely life and art culture in the south of France.
Although it is colorful on the outside, it still retains the atmosphere of a fishing village. The old town of Lucique, pedestrian alleyways, and traditional Provence marketplaces are simple and affectionate.
The Lerin Islands are located off the coast of Cannes. The island of Saint-Margrit is the largest, where you can see the historic architectural fortress of Ruial.
In addition, several projects are currently underway on the island of Saint-Margrit, including the Underwater Ecology Museum. Tourists will be welcomed with new content to preserve the undersea ecosystem, such as underwater statues.
The second largest island is Saint-Tono. It is named after an adult who built a monastery here around the 5th century, and there is an old vineyard around the monastery, where wine is still produced.
If you’re looking for a new destination other than Nice, Cannes, and Monaco, let’s keep an eye on Antibes. Antib is a coastal city located between Nice and Cannes, about 20 kilometers from Nice Airport.
Lucy Owad Antib, a publicist at the João Leppin Tourism Information Office, said, “In the center of the city, there is an old town created in 500 BC, and it boasts a small and antique atmosphere enough to look around on foot.”
Art attractions such as the Picasso Art Museum and the Fene Art Museum of Grimaldi Castle are famous and artisans’ streets are built, so you can appreciate ceramics and handicrafts and purchase them yourself.
Antib’s charm is also the Provence Market, where local specialties are accessible, and the Bobak Port, Europe’s largest yacht anchorage.
If you’re looking for a luxury hotel, you can go to the CAPTIVE area. The Posidonia Marine Center, where you can experience the lighthouse observation deck and the Mediterranean ecosystem, is also located here.
The white sand beach is beautiful in the João Leppin area. A world-class jazz festival will be held against the backdrop of the brilliantly shining sea.
Some places are attracting more attention with this year’s reopening. Built in the 1920s in the Art Deco style, Le Provençal is the representative architecture of the Antibes region.
The space, which was once used as a hotel, will be renovated into a private residence, restaurant, and boutique shop, and will be newly opened by turning it into a space that anyone can use.
France’s First Shopping Mall to Create Korean Restaurant ‘Korea Street Market’
Cap 3000 General Manager Frederic Lorca visited the venue with good news. He said, “Cap 3000 has a deep relationship with Korea. Soon, a restaurant specializing in Korean food will open under the name of ‘Korea Street Market,’ he said.
Cap 3000 is the first shopping mall in France to open in 1969. It is a five-minute drive from Nice Airport, so many travelers visit here to enjoy shopping for the last time before departure.
It has a total area of 135,000㎡, 300 stores, and 50 restaurants. Fifteen of the restaurants are especially responsive because they have a sea view.
In the premium luxury space called “Corso” in the shopping mall, you can meet French and global luxury brands in one place.
There is a 3,000-square-meter super-large pharmacy, so you can also purchase products from popular beauty and health brands in France.
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