Midway between Nice (28km) and Cannes (26km) is the leafy commune of Le Rouret. Against the backdrop of the Gorges du Loup, it extends over 280 acres, of which 50 is forest land and borders the villages of Châteauneuf-de-Grasse, Bar-sur-Loup, Roquefort-les-Pins and Opio.

It is an area steeped in history as far back as the Bronze Age; as evidence of a Dolmen at Clamarquier and a Menhir (standing stone) at Castellaras has shown. There are also links to a Roman past with the remains of a small Roman bridge and, further away, a Roman camp situated on a site going back to the Iron Age. All that remains of the camp today are two walls shaped in a circle with the west side preserved the better of the two.

With a population of just over 3400 inhabitants (called Rourétans or Rourétois), Le Rouret is a wonderful example of a typical provençal village that has kept strong ties with its agricultural past while favouring the advent of modern times.

Discovering Le Rouret also means a detour around “Le Vieux Rouret”. The story goes that in February 1834, its inhabitants presented a petition to merge with Bar-sur-Loup but got turned down. Disappointed, people started to move away and today you’ll find only a few provençal houses, the remains of its church Saint-Pierre and splendid views of the Gorges du Loup.

But it is the centre of Le Rouret that has become a vibrant community. You’ll find a beautiful 18th century church dedicated to Saint Pons, while in front of the Town Hall, there's a shady town square often used as a pétanque piste, salles de fêtes or market place. You’ll also find three pretty water features (there are a number of others in the commune) and a pretty lavoir.

Due to its proximity to Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, Le Rouret cultivates jasmin, roses, orange trees and violets, destined for Grasse's distilleries. It also has a strong agricultural presence and a recent innovation has been a small co-operative made up of about twenty producers, both local and from Grasse, who sell their produce through their outlet Le Marché de nos Collines. The shop is filled with seasonal vegetables, fruit, olive oil, poultry, cheeses, cristallized violets, aromatic wines and liquers, and soaps.

These past few years have seen a steady increase of expatriates coming to live here. Fortunately, house prices are still reasonable and it's possible to find some lovely properties. Le Rouret was one of the places we looked at when we were house-hunting and thought then how pleasant the ommune was. We especially liked the quiet country lanes, with their tall Aleppo Pine, Phoenix canariensis, old chunky olive trees and, of course, the pretty pink, deep red and white flowers of the Nerium Oleander shrubs so typical of this region. There are nine estate agents, but only Franco Hollandaise Immobilier and L'Adresse have websites.

Apart from a small market held every Wednesday in front of the Town Hall and the local co-operative outlet, you can also shop at Casino located on the Route de Nice. Although smaller than other Casino supermarkets we've come across in the region, it nonetheless carries a good selection of food and drinks - plus some English and Chinese specialities. It too is open on Sunday mornings (until mid-day) and slightly less crowded than Champion in Opio during the summer holiday season.

You also have the choice between two rather nice restaurants: La Table de Mon Moulin and Le Clos Saint Pierre (both with outside seating) and a charming Chambres d'Hôtes called Villa Rose de Mai.

Wine buffs will find Le Sentier des Vins located route de Nice (RD 2085) much to their liking. A few doors further down the street is Atelier du Rouret with its tempting provençal pottery, cloth and gifts. You can even visit their workshop on Wednesday and Thursday between 08h00 and 18h00. Other days are by appointment only.

Le Rouret is a dynamic and commercial village with numerous sporting, cultural and social associations. It also holds several fêtes and markets throughout the year. In January 2004 it inaugurated its first Fête de la Truffe, and this has since become a popular festival too. 

But perhaps what makes Le Rouret so remarkable is its little known treasure: the Caves of Beaume-Robert. Located some hundred metres North-East of Le Rouret, it took over thirty years of dedicated exploration before its full beauty was uncovered by the Loubens pot-holing club. Through it flows one of the longest underground rivers in the Alpes-Maritimes. With the permission and under the guidance of Mr. Verducci of the Société d'Exploration de la Grotte de Beaume-Robert it is still possible to visit these incredible caves.

So, when you’re next visiting the Côte d’Azur try and spend a day visiting these little known villages just off the normal touristic track. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.