How It All Began — My Great Love for the Côte d’Azur

My First Trip to the Côte d’Azur – Un coup de foudre

It was February 1997. I was 24 years old, and in that month, the love of my life began.

To understand why I made “Villa Pinson Olive” in Tourrettes-sur-Loup my hideaway, let me take you on a journey that started back then.

After the years of my education, I had some time before my first “real” working life began. Together with friends, we planned a trip to the Côte d’Azur — an unknown piece of earth for us at the time. As a passionate driver, I took the wheel — through Switzerland, the Gotthard Tunnel, Milan, Genoa, and along the Riviera to the South of France.

The last 150 kilometers on Italy’s “Autostrada dei Fiori” were marked by rising excitement and spring-like temperatures.

Arriving in Nice, we put on the then-obligatory Ray-Ban sunglasses and inhaled the scent of the sea and blooming mimosas, which in February transform the landscape into a sea of yellow blossoms. A café au lait at the “Marché aux Fleurs,” a stroll along the “Promenade des Anglais” — we instantly felt “southern French.”

Our First Hotel

However, our euphoria took a hit when we checked into our hotel — or rather, a shabby dive. Working with a very tight budget and without the benefit of a Google hotel search (which only appeared in 1998), we landed at “Hotel La Bastide,” a very old and rundown building. The tiny 10m² three-bed room featured a colorful, high-pile, probably „Living“ carpet. Sleep came only after a few glasses of vin rouge. But the look at the “Liste des Prix” dispelled our doubts: 225 French Francs per night and room (about €35) — leaving more vacation money for our “savoir vivre” at the Côte d’Azur’s bars.

I returned to “Hotel La Bastide” several times after that February until it was replaced by a chic villa in the early 2000s.

Côte d’Azur Adventures 1997

In those days, we ticked off a real tourist power program to satisfy our hunger for the many Côte d’Azur attractions: Menton, Monaco, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Eze, Nice, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Tourrettes-sur-Loup, Antibes, Cannes, and Saint-Tropez were conquered at breathtaking speed. My enthusiasm grew with each stop, but my heart belonged to the medieval villages in the hinterland.

Over the years, I kept returning. It became a place where I could recharge, find peace, and seek inspiration. Had someone told me back then that one day I’d own a home here — I would have called them crazy.

What began as a trip became a love affair, and what was once a holiday spot became a home for moments in between. If you’d like to learn more about Tourrettes-sur-Loup, the surroundings, and “Villa Pinson Olive,” you are warmly invited to read on.

Have fun planning your holidays!

Best, Steffen