h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Vence, in Provence, is just far enough away from the coast to be comfortable. It's perhaps an hour by car north of Antibes and Cannes, a little bit nearer to Nice.
The old town is surrounded by its ancient walls and there are gates through which to enter the more or less traffic free zone. It's a charming, olde worlde, quaint and very lively town with lots of small shops and many local traders. Lively, is the word for Vence.
To the north, the Col de Vence beckons. And a walk up there is a walk into what I imagine heaven must be like. As we strolled through the gorse and the butterflies I was assailed on all sides by the the scent of lovely flowers which grow there in abundance. After all, this is not so surprising since we are not far from the town of Grasse, the capital of the French perfume industry. Up there on those hills we were checked-out by 3 dogs on patrol, a warning notice told us to expect them; one was a Pyrenean mountain dog, the others a beagle and a terrier. They were friendly enough but when we approached they quickly ran off, barking to warn the farmer of our presence.
From our rooftop terrace in Vence we had a wonderful view of the coast, including the infamous sunny place for shady people, and when we visited there we drew the attention of a suspicious guard who rudely informed us that we were on private property although we were proceeding on the public road and had merely stopped to consult our map. Such is the fear and angst which follows the life of the ordinary Riviera billionaire.