Millionaires' playground

A Ferrari slowly glides around the square, as if on Horse Guards Parade, but no-one bats an eyelid. Attention is not even turned towards the driver of a Lotus who guns his engine in an arrogant fashion. For this is the view from the Caf de Paris in the Place du Casino in Monte Carlo, a little corner of the world where the super wealthy come to wager their fortune on black or red, hearts and diamonds. Quite what my fiance (a fellow journalist) and I are doing here is beyond us.

When the waiter drops the bill on our table, which at first is obscured by the shadow cast from millionaires' high rises that dominate the Monaco skyline, we feel even more like trespassers.

Eleven euros for a coffee and a Coke? Your turn to pay darling. Still, she was paying for the view, the ambience, the scenery and the chance to people-watch in one of the most famous principalities in the world. Plus, after our day walking around the glorious harbour where yachts the size of football stadiums are proudly moored, and after I had the chance to race past the Hotel Metropole pretending to be Jenson Button, it's the least we can give back to this hillside mecca. And we could afford it too, as we remind ourselves when we climb back into our hired Peugeot and negotiate our way out of Monaco through its myriad of tunnels, and back onto the A8. Because a little over an hour later we are back at our base, a three-bedroomed mobile home on a Eurocamp parc outside St Aygulf, called L'Etoile d'Argens.

Tucked away from the bustle of La Rochelle and Frejus, it is private enough to offer a quiet, relaxing holiday, but situated perfectly to allow you to explore the beautiful French Riviera. As well as Monaco, the highlight of any trip, there is the cosmopolitan Nice to visit, with its boutiques and fish markets, and a golden beach stretching the length of its front.

Cannes continues the rich and elegant theme with the biggest names in fashion having shops across the road from private beaches that are the exclusive paradise

of the big hotels. Behind the hotels the streets are full of high street names and picturesque restaurants.

Each of these famous destinations has a harbour that takes the breath away, with majestic yachts worth millions of euros having found their way to shore from the clear blue Mediterranean. If quaint is what you are after, then heading west from St Aygulf takes you to the Gulf of St Tropez. First stop is St Maxime, a town torn between commercialism and tourism.

Directly opposite is St Tropez itself, another of those famous names that lives up to its reputation.

People-watching here from the bars and fish restaurants, almost matches the view from Monaco's Place du Casino, as yacht owners eat lunch on deck, trying to ignore the rueful glances in their direction from dry land.

In between is a hidden gem, and if you're not too tired of staring at boats, then Port Grimaud is well worth a visit.

Servicing all these destinations are three roads, the pick of which is the lower corniche, which runs along the coast from Nice all the way towards Marseille.

If a more rural route is the preferred option, then the upper corniche weaves its way through the hills and mountains overlooking these picture-book idylls. If speed is the aim then head for the A8, but watch out for the tolls. St Aygulf to Monaco costs 16 euros return.

At night, the villages and citadelles retain their charm, although places like St Raphael appear stuck in the 1960s when they were hip destinations, the neon lights particularly being an ugly mark on the coastline and not representative of the modern era. The Port of Frejus however, is an eye-catching man-made marina, that bustles with restaurants and ice cream parlours. With so much to see, the opportunities to relax are gratefully accepted.

The L'Etoile d'Argens parc offers tranquility and entertainment in equal measure, whether it be sitting outside your mobile home eating breads and cheeses from the parc supermarket, or sunbathing by the large pool complex which offers plenty of children's activities as well as a pool for the adults to enjoy.

There is also a football pitch and four tennis courts to keep you entertained, and a children's disco and games room. The Eurocamp tent has all you need to know about the surrounding area, as well plenty of indoor activities to keep you occupied when those pesky black clouds hove into view.

At night, the parc's restaurant comes alive, serving homemade pizzas and the Cote d'Azur speciality of a large pot of moulles (mussels) and fries, which is served up and down the coastline and is a must for any visitor who likes seafood. By day, there is an abundance of beaches to choose from. St Aygulf has a large expanse, stretching all the way down towards the L'Etoile d'Argens parc.

From the parc, during the season, a riverboat runs from the edge of the site all the way down to the beach a couple of kilometres away. A carefree drive along the lower corniche though is the best way to discover beaches, either for the large expanses of sand with children's entertainment and restaurants, or for the little coves hidden from view, and accessible only by those with eyes peeled.

The Cote d'Azur region certainly offers everything, and in large proportions, from the stunning yachts moored in picturesque surroundings to the piles of mussels in pots and the stunning beaches.

Hiring a car is a must to see as much as you can from an ideal base, such as a three-bedroomed mobile home at one of the many Eurocamp sites on the French Riviera.

Getting there

Jet2.com provides a direct service from Leeds Bradford Airport to Nice, France four days a week. Flights from 29.99 one way, including all taxes. www.jet2.com

A seven night break at Eurocamp's L'Etoile d'Argens parc, in St Aygulf, on the French Riviera, during May half-term, arriving May 29, staying in a two bedroom 'Comfort' mobile home (sleeps a maximum of seven), costs 489 for the whole family.

Car hire is through Europcar, with collection and return at Nice Cote d'Azur airport.