The three corniches

In 1882, crews began pouring concrete along sections of the Lower Corniche to speed up troop movements, while the High Corniche still hugs the line of the Roman Via Julia Augusta laid out under Augustus around 13 BC. Stacked like terraces above the sea, three distinct roads span roughly 30 km from Nice to Menton, each with its own vantage: the Villefranche roadstead, the slender hook of Cap Ferrat, and on clear days the Authion ridge. Along the way: the 35‑meter Trophy of Augustus at La Turbie, lookouts above 500 m, and Èze clinging to its spur at 430 m.

Setting off from Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, your dedicated driver collects you at your hotel in a Mercedes and keeps the schedule flexible. While you sit back, we pause 45 minutes in Èze Village, continue to La Turbie’s viewpoint to trace the line of the Grande Corniche, then drift down the Moyenne toward Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Photo stops above Villefranche, a quick espresso or gelato if you like, and gentle pacing with 8–12 km hops between each halt. Four unrushed hours, the car waiting at every stop.