Playgrounds of the rich and famous - The French Riviera

Nothing says you’ve made it like a villa in the south of France. Just say the names out loud, Cannes, Nice, Saint Tropez, Cap D’Antibes, and your mind conjures up images of the rich at play on the endless private beaches along the coast. Many successful men choose to buy a property on the French Riviera. Sean “Diddy” Combs, David Beckham, Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, the list is endless.

Sean Combs in Monaco for the release of a new Sean John fragrance. The fragrance is now the number one best seller in the USA and the UK. Something to do with the French connection? Hard to say, but looking good on the Monaco Casino’s steps may have had something to do with it. Mr. Combs spends most of his time here in the slightly more fashionable St Tropez.

Brad Pitt is looking to buy here, but security issues have stopped the American movie star from finding that “perfect property” which will also keep the riff-raff out. This is a typical example of the sort of property successful men tend to buy on the Riviera.

This particular villa is on the market for $17 million at the moment. But why do so many celebrities choose the south of France for their second (or third or fourth) homes?

It’s expensive. And expensive means exclusive. There may be hordes of photographers waving four-feet-long lenses perched precariously on the prow of a boat in the bay, but that’s as close as they’re going to get. The French Riviera is famous for the quality and discretion of it’s security teams and, if you don’t want the attention, you are not going to get it. Assuming you are prepared to come up with the necessary cost of staying awhile on one of the private beaches and clubs along the coast. $6,000 for a bottle of champagne might not be the norm, but it’s certainly not unusual.

The nightlife. The VIP room and the Papagayo Club in St Tropez are two of the most famous and expensive nightclubs in the world and the guest list reads like a who’s who of the movie and music world. If you want to go celebrity watching, these are the places to go. Once again, the local security will make sure the watchers keep their distance.

The weather. The French Riviera has probably the best year-round weather in the world. A slight ocean breeze usually keeps the comfort level high and there is nothing like a stroll along the Cannes boulevard at night.

“Je ne sais qua” That certain indefinable something about being here means you have made it. The rich and wealthy have been coming here for generations, and there’s a good reason, you just can’t quite put your finger on it. Just ask Bono or David Beckham why they chose to come here and they’ll probably just shrug and say “It’s the place to be.”

The Ocean. The Mediterranean is arguably the most beautiful sea in the world. And if you own a villa in St Tropez, you really MUST have a boat to go with it. It’s not called the Cote D’Azur for nothing. The sea is a beautiful azure color. And if you are going to have a boat here, it’s got to be big. Typical boats range from 60 meters to 120 and you don’t know the meaning of the word expensive until you have run one of these babies. Crews of up to 60, on-board permanent chefs, massage therapists, maitre d’s, you name in, they have it. This is the yacht “Octopussy” often seen parked in the Nice harbor. And yes, this is a private boat, reputed to cost nearly $30 million a year to maintain.

Eight 2400 hp Mercedes Benz engines, twin helicopters, 7 ancillary boats, a 10-man submarine and a permanent crew of 60 staff make this one of the biggest, most expensive yachts in the world. Soon to be eclipsed by the rumored, yet-to-be built boat for a Russian automobile manufacturer means the owner, Paul Allen, will probably have to go shopping for a new one soon. But what’s the point of having money if you don’t spend a little?

If you are successful and have money to spend, the south of France is the place to do it. Being seen in some of the most exclusive nightclubs, bars and restaurants adds a certain cache to your lifestyle. One thing here in the south of France is class. Class is another difficult-to-quantify something, and as Justice Potter Stewart once said, “I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it.” He was talking about pornography, but the same thing applies to the class and style of the south of France. P. Diddy knows it when he sees it, and he apparently sees a lot of it here.