Situated just over 4 km from Grasse, 21 km from Cannes and bordering the small hamlets of Plascassier and Opio, Châteauneuf-de-Grasse is a pretty commune. Within easy reach of Nice airport located only 34 km away, it is in close proximity to Sophia-Antipolis - the large sprawling techno park. Like Opio, Valbonne and Le Rouret it has drawn a large Anglophile contingent to the area and, consequently, house prices have risen slightly over the years. 

This is a dynamic commune, stretching across 895 hectares, with a population of just over 3,000 inhabitants and divided into two districts; Pré-du-Lac where most of the commercial sector is found and Le Vignal located at the bottom of Châteauneuf-de-Grasse and more often than not called "The Little Siberia" as temperatures in winter have been known to drop as low as 14°C. Nigel and I live in the vicinity of Le Vignal and love the open fields and hilltops views afforded us. A tributary of the River Brague flows alongside our garden and brings a welcomed breath of freshness at the height of summer. This area is still remarkably unspoilt, considered as it is as agricultural land where once roses and jasmine grew to supply the perfumeries of Grasse.

Though most of growers have long since departed the fields still remain and continue to be classified as agricultural land; thus keeping part of Châteauneuf-de-Grasse unspoilt, beautiful and peaceful.

Although I had visited the Towh Hall on a number of occasions, I had never actually explored Châteauneuf-de-Grasse itself. As preparations to my original website advanced, I felt it was about time to investigate and explore my own village. So it was that in November 2003 just three months prior to the launch of AMB Cote d'Azur, I went off with map in hand to investigate (and photograph) the medieval village and Pré-du-Lac too.

Driving up the steep hill to the village, I passed numerous 100 year old olive trees growing along the slopes. These trees are still in production and locals will collect the olives and take them to one of several olive mills still working in the region. The nearest one, Moulin de la Brague, is located in the commune of Opio which borders onto Chateauneuf-de-Grasse and has been in operation since 1848.  

I decided to park the car in the Parc de stationnement des Cerisiers (100 places) just off the Place des Pins. This is a stone’s throw from the Campanile Hotel and a useful parking overflow on market day which is held every Monday and offers wonderful locally grown produce of excellent quality. From there it’s a short walk to the main high street. There are shops all around the Place de Pins and it’s here too that you’ll find the Tourist Board. Popping in I was delighted to see a fascinating display of 19th century artisanal artifacts which were kindly explained to me by the attendents.

Apart from the normal selection of shops, you’ll also find an internet café, a couple of banks; Crédit Lyonnais and Crédit Agricole Provence/Côte d’Azur (which has two ATMs outside), a supermarket (Intermarché), twelve estate agents, a well stocked chemist, post office, and several restaurants. The recent addition of Jade d’Asie offers further culinery delights to the wayfarer. From the main high street I took the Route du Village and headed off towards the Town Hall located in the medieval village. This part of Châteauneuf-de-Grasse is perched at an altitude of 417 m above sea level and has panoramic views across the countryside from the Italian Alps, the Bay de Cannes to the Estérel.

Unlike other medieval villages I'd visited, this village is not touristic; there are no souvenir shops, art galleries or bijou restaurants. What you will find, however, is a haven of peace and tranquility as you walk along narrow pedestrian streets. I must admit that I congratulated myself that I decided to start my walk at the top of the village as opposed to the other way round as I could see myself quickly getting out of breath with the steep hills.

After a very enjoyeable walk I found myself at rue de la Seleye and then Porte Basse which led out onto Chemin du Noyer. It was then just a little matter of walking back towards the car park - taking time to stop and look at the incredible backdrop of hills in the distance.

Leisure activities have all been sited in “Le Vignal" as the area here is flat and open. You find golf (18-hole), tennis, riding and a number of pleasant walks all within easy reach. The town’s historic legacy means there are a number of worthwhile sites to visit too: Church St-Martin, Notre-Dame du Brusc, the old cemetery and the Saint-Sebastian chapel to name but a few.

The village is also the home of an exceptional 18-hole golf course called Golf de la Grande Bastide and considered to be one of the Riviera’s leading golf courses. The course is open all year round and comprises of 7 lakes, open fairways and  large bunkers. Cabel Robinson (who once collaborated with Robert Trent Jones Senior) has succeeded in setting the golf course within magnificent gently undulating grounds. You'll also find an excellent restaurant that over looks the golf course as well as two function rooms for that extra special event.

In addition, Châteauneuf-de-Grasse is the chosen site for Cooking with Friends in France run by Kathie Alex from the private homes originally owned by Julia Child and Simone Beck. Writer and artist Michael Feeney Callan found Châteauneuf-de-Grasse a source of inspiration for his paintings during the 1980s.

Coluche, the famous French actor and comedian rented a villa here in 1986 when his work brought him down to the Midi. Unfortunately, after leaving his villa to visit friends in Cannes, his motorbike crashed into a lorry on the D3 Châteauneuf/Opio road. He was killed instantly.