Aerial view, marina, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

The French Riviera's backcountry is as spectacular as its coastline. Many winding roads in the mountainous backcountry are enticing for car lovers, perhaps to put the pedal-to-the-metal. These scenic roads are often the shooting locations of choice for car manufacturers to showcase their new models. Cians Gorge in Rigaud, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

Discovering the French Riviera's spectacular backcountry in a combi Volkswagen. This backcountry offers plenty of opportunities for exploring the wilderness away from the nearby, overcrowded Riviera. The Cians is a tributary of the Var River, its distinctive red color is due to the iron oxyde present in the pelite (a sedimentary rock composed of clay). Beuil, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

The Cians Gorge is one of the most picturesque gorges in the French Alps. The river is only 25km-long but picturesque along its entire length, from its headwaters on the mineral landscape of Mount Mounier (2818m) to the impressive white limestone gorge near its confluence (330m) with the Var River. Rigaud, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

The Golden Corniche is a scenic road that follows the jagged coastline of the Estérel Massif between the cities of Saint-Raphaël and Cannes. It was completed in 1903 to facilitate the access for tourists and locals. This road in a polychromatic landscape is a favorite for weekenders, whether on a bicycle, a motorcycle or with a dream car. Le Trayas, Saint-Raphaël, Var, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

Winding road between the town of Guillaumes and the remote alpine village of Châteauneuf-d'Entraunes. The French Riviera has a scenic rural hinterland with deep narrow valleys. Switchbacks are very common in the backcountry and being sparsely populated, the area is an irresistible playground for rallying. Guillaumes. Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

Road leading to Col de Tende, a mountain pass at an elevation of 1871 meters separating France from Italy. The road is no longer the main road to Italy since the opening of a tunnel in 1882 by Italy. In 1947 the upper Roya Valley, where the switchbacks are located became French after the Treaty of Paris was signed. Tende, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

Savines bridge is a 924-meter-long bridge crossing Lake Serre-Ponçon. The bridge was completed in 1960, the same year the Serre-Ponçon Dam began to dam the waters of the Durance River. Savines-le-Lac, Hautes-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

With a span of only 18 meters, the Châtelet Bridge maybe unassuming but its attraction are the natural beauty of the surrounding area and its dizzying height above the Ubaye River, 108 meters below. This masonry bridge was built in 1882 to access the isolated hamlet of Fouillouse previously accessible only by a mule track. Saint-Paul-sur-Ubaye, Alpes de Haute-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

Spanning the Cavalon River, Pont Julien is a Roman bridge dating from the year 3 BCE. It is located on the Via Domitia, a road built for the movement of Roman troops towards Hispania. Constructed without mortar, it is made of limestone quarried from the nearby Luberon Massif. This historic bridge has been used for over two millennia, since 2005, it is accessible only by pedestrians and cyclists. Bonnieux, Vaucluse, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

Spanning the Bévéra River, the Old Toll Bridge of Sospel was first mentioned in the 13th Century. It was a passageway on the historic Salt Road linking Nice and Torino. Destroyed in 1944 during the retreat of German troops, it was rebuilt identically the following years, reusing the same stones. Sospel, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

The curved Anthéor Viaduct was built between 1860 and 1862. It was a rapid consequence of the incorporation of the County of Nice to France in 1860. The railroad line was built in the topographically difficult Esterel Massif and completed in 1863, The rail link to Nice was achieved in 1864 as a metal bridge had to be built over the Var River. Saint-Raphaël, Var, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

This historic steam train, known as Train des Pignes, takes sightseers on a slow journey in the upper Var Valley where it will pass through picturesque landscapes and medieval villages where time stands still. Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

Train des Pignes on the Viaduct of the Donne crossing the Coulomp River at a height of 42 meters. The railroad viaduct was built in 1908. Annot, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

The abandoned hilltop village of Châteauneuf-Villevieille with the Mercantour Massif in the distance. At a lower elevation, to the left, the village of Coaraze can be seen, it is labeled one of the most beautiful villages of France. Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

Mausoleum. Colomars, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Palais Bulles (Bubble Palace) was built between 1975 and 1989 by the architect Antti Lovag for an automotive industrialist who passed away in 1991. The Palace was then bought by renowned fashion designer, Pierre Cardin. Next to the 1200 m² home, there is an open-air amphitheater with a capacity of 500 seats. The estate can be privatized for all types of events. Théoule-sur-Mer, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

Gardens of the Villa Cypris overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The villa, built in 1904, boasts a beautiful covered colonnade above the rugged coastline from which the wealthy widow of the estate could admire her daughter’s yacht, a renowned sailor. In 1990, the villa and its gardens were registered as a historical monument. Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

The Million Dollar View from the Maybourne Riviera (formerly the Vista Palace Hotel). The 5-star hotel is located on a clifftop at an elevation of 305 meters above the azure Mediterranean. From its suites, France, Italy, and the Principality of Monaco can be seen. On a clear day, the island of Corsica, approximately 200 kilometers away, can also be seen. Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon overlooking Lake Sainte-Croix. Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

The village of Le Sauze du Lac overlooking Lake Serre-Ponçon. Hautes-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.

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