Back to an age of elegance

The southern coast of France, also known as the ‘French Rivièra’ and ‘Côte d’Azur’, is a very popular tourist destination for Europeans and Americans. There, the beautiful French country landscape meets the blue Mediterranean, and the large beaches give you that inviting look we all know from the Caribbean. In the '50s the area established itself as one of the most elegant places on earth and since then it has always been like a second home for many of the world's rich and famous. For various Bond films, the EON crew traveled to this part of the world to shoot some memorable scenes, the most important filming location undoubtedly being Monaco.

As one of the world’s smallest states, Monaco has long been a famous resort.  Although it maintains its independence, it is closely tied to France. With its beaches, well-known gambling casino, and luxurious hotels, it offered a nice setting for James Bond’s 1995 comeback, Goldeneye. Entering from the surrounding mountains, you should take the Grand Corniche to find the exact spot where Bond brought his Aston Martin to a sudden halt after racing Xenia. Since the actual race scenes were filmed about one and a half hour away from Monaco, we will talk more on that later in this story..

From the Route de la Turbie you will have an excellent view of Monaco. Its port is always filled with the most luxurious yachts, and it's here where EON filmed the scenes featuring the m.s. Manticore and the stealing of the Tiger helicopter. You will really be overwhelmed by the extravaganza and richness once walking through the streets of La Condamine, as this area is called..  

On the opposite side of the port you can find other GoldenEye related film locations, such as Teatre de Fort Antoine, an open air theatre through which we can see Bond walk while observing Xenia. At the view point the actual observation takes place, and we can see Xenia leave by motorboat.

The state of Monaco consists of three towns, Monte Carlo being the most important. This really is the tourist center of the state. Ian Fleming wrote an essay about it for the Sunday Times, and included this in his Thrilling Cities book.  In Monte Carlo you can find the famous Casino de Monte Carlo, that not only featured in Goldeneye, but also in Never Say Never Again, Kevin McClory’s  1983 remake of Thunderball. It was in the Casino de Monte Carlo where Bond tricks the guard by giving him his cigarette case instead of the exploding device he said it was. Inside, he met his enemy Maximilian Largo in an exciting game of ‘World Domination’. When you enter the Casino without the intention to gamble, don't fear to be disappointed. The entrance hall after the lobby is easily accessible for non-gamblers throughout the day. You might recognise the black and white tiles on the floor from the marvellous tango James Bond danced with Domino, in NSNA. Unfortunately, photgraphing is not allowed, so you should enjoy and remember this remarkable hall during your visit to the Casino. More recently, in Goldeneye, we can see Pierce Brosnan enter the Casino for some gambling with Xenia Onatopp. The interior shots were in fact all filmed in the studios, back in England.

From Monaco, it's only a few kilometers to the Italian part of the Rivièra, but the main reason we take you there is the small but attractive town of Menton, the last stop before the border. As the famous French artist Jean Cocteau described the town: "The houses are like eminent small fortresses in pastel shades, their asymetric facades resembling the human face." Menton prominently featured in NSNA's car vs. motorbike chase that took place after Bond caught villainess Fatima Blush killing around in his appartment.

One of Menton's highlights, is the Église St.Michel, a 17th century church. The church is situated on a hill in the old part of town, and therefore cannot be missed (you can also follow the signs). Around this church, the first part of the chase took place, when 007 took a short cut, trying to capture Fatima in her Renault 5 Turbo. He ends up on the square in front of the church, after riding multiple stairs. The mosaic tiles on the ground are considered of great value, and it makes one wonder how on earth the filmmakers ever got permission to film these scenes there..  After crossing St.Michel's square, Bond drives his motorcycle down a maze of stairways, also dating back to the 17th century. He then spots Fatima's Renault and jumps the last stairway in effort to catch up with her. He finally reaches what we now discovered to be the Promenade de la Mer.

The chase continues along this promenade, that eventually leads to the Italian border. Past the town's centre, they take a sharp left, where Bond is trapped inside a tunnel, being forced to drive his motorcycly into the back of an awaiting truck. We are now at the tunnel underneath Menton, leading from Square Victoria to the old town. This underground passage enables the old town to keep her appealing character and leads all  the traffic away from serenity. Above the tunnel is Menton's old cemetary, which is another place worth visiting, because of its marvellous tombs and burial chambers.

Driving back from Menton towards Monaco, you should take the lower roads, closest to the sea. These roads are a joy to drive and lead you through a chain of small but very attractive towns that all featured in different parts of Never Say Never Again. 

Between Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Villefranche-sur-Mer you will find road signs leading to Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. Situated on a peninsula called Cap-Ferrat lies this architectural marvel, built for the baroness of Rothschild, from 1905 to 1912, surrounded by 7 different theme gardens. The Villa now serves as a museum, displaying the late  baroness' impressive art collection. The entrance hall was used in NSNA for the interior shots of Largo's Palmyra hideout, notably the scene in which Largo unmasks Domino's love for Bond after capturing the latter and bringing him to this hideout.