Tiny village in France way cheaper than its more popular neighbour

The tiny village can be found nestled among the Alpes-Maritimes and is home to one of the best views of the Mediterranean and hotels up to 14 times cheaper than its more popular neighbour, Èze. 

Cabris is a commune in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in Southeastern France, just a few miles east of Grasse, famed for its perfume production, and 13 miles from the world famous Cannes.

It received its name from the latin word for goat – capra and allows for you to step back in time to witnesses olden-day French village life.

It is what is called a village perché – a village perched at the top of a relief – renowned in this region of southern France and the Riviera.

It makes it naturally difficult to access, affording it the luxury of peace and slower-moving life which rarely exists along the coast.

As of 2020, its population was only 1,386. It is part of the Préalpes d’Azur Regional Natural Park, committed to combining environmental protection with human activities. 

The village is home to narrow streets and stairways, lined with old grey stone houses, lavender bushes and cypress trees. The old city hall and the Clock Tower are also worth a visit. 

Its church dates back to 1630, however much of the village was devastated by war, including during the 15th-century under Queen Jeanne as well as during the Revolution. All that remains of the medieval castle that overlooked the village are a few ruins and sections of the defensive wall.

What does remain, however, is the extraordinary view of the Mediterranean, the Gulf of La Napoule, the Lerins islands, the foothills of Tanneron and Saint-Cassien lake. The Cabris lookout – or the point de vue – is one of the most remarkable on the Côte d’Azur.

Cabris is about a 40-minute car ride to Cannes, famed for its international film festival, sandy beaches, upmarket boutiques and palatial hotels. It is also about 45 minutes from Antibes and Nice Côte d’Azur Airport.

Its hotels, including L’Auberge du Vieux Château and Domaine du Bois d’Amount usually go for around £100 a night. This is far cheaper than the seaside commune of Èze, about 2.7 miles west of Monaco, whose prices run from about £200 to £1,400 a night, 14 times the price of a room in Cabris with arguably less breathtaking views.

There are also plenty of restaurants and cafes to choose from, including Le Mini-Grill and the more up-market restaurant in L’Auberge du Vieux Château, with food that one Tripadvisor reviewer described as “elegenatly presented and cooked perfectly”.

The Grotte De La Baume Obscure are just a 17-minute drive from Cabris, an underground network at a maximum depth of 86 metres and about 1,200 metres long, 500 of which has been fitted out with stairs and walkways to allows visits to the most breathtaking areas with their stalagmites and stalactites. 

The village itself is home to landscape gardeners and artisans working with olive tree wood and creators of stained glass windows and Provencal santon-makers – small, hand-painted figures used for building nativity scenes. 

Le Grand Pré – Cabris’ “great meadow” or common is the site of many events throughout the year, including pétanque competitions and flea markets, as well as hosting the Arlette Gruss circus every summer. 

Cabris has been visited by many famous thinkers and artists, including Nobel-prize winning authors Roger Martin du Guard and Albert Camus. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – French writer, poet, journalist and aviator – also regularly stayed in Cabris and his mother Marie moved there in 1938 until her death in 1972.