Musee de la Castre is a small museum but well worth a visit, located on the hills of old Cannes, in the ruins of a medieval castle and classed as an historic monument. It is home to an extensive collection of antiquities, mainly from the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Musee de la Castre is a must for art lovers and ethnographers alike.

Even though many of us long for the sun, it can get too hot here in Nice. Palais Lascaris is a perfect escape from the heat. This baroque-style aristocratic residence now houses a museum dedicated to the art and music of the 17th and 18th centuries. The palace, built for the Lascaris Vintimille family in the mid-17th century, features a monumental staircase, frescoes, and luxuriously decorated salons. Visitors can explore the reception apartments, which boast frescoes depicting mythological themes, stucco work from the late 17th century, and a permanent collection of paintings, sculptures, furniture, objets d'art, and tapestries. The palace also houses a remarkable collection of antique musical instruments, including a prestigious deposit from the Institut de France.

Franschhoek is a rather small but nonetheless impressive province to the east of Cape Town and, as part of the community of Stellenbosch, also portrayed with idyllic wine farms and lovely landscapes within a great natural reserve. As to its meaning of 'French Corner', this is where the Huguenots came to in the 17th centuries, and both culture and architecture show off a rich history of cultural and (wine)industrial happenings.