Village de Cabris and the Lac de Saint-Cassien Loop
Just 6 km west of Grasse, the hilltop village of Cabris is so small and so perfectly preserved that it barely registers on tourist itineraries — which is precisely why you should go. Pair it with a loop down to the turquoise Lac de Saint-Cassien for a half-day that feels nothing like the Côte d'Azur and everything like the real Provence.
Cabris village itself
Park at the entrance and walk the single main street past honey-coloured stone houses, a 12th-century ruined château with vertiginous views over the Siagne valley, and the Auberge du Vieux Château where the terrace serves a simple plat du jour for €14 that usually involves daube de boeuf or stuffed courgette flowers.
Albert Camus and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry both stayed in Cabris during the 1940s — the village has a quiet, writers'-retreat quality that you feel immediately. There are no souvenir shops and only one café; this is not an accident.
The Lac de Saint-Cassien detour
Drive or cycle the 8 km descent from Cabris to Lac de Saint-Cassien, a reservoir created in 1966 that has matured into a genuinely beautiful lake ringed by cork oaks and wild lavender. The Plage de Fondurane on the northern shore has calm, clear water ideal for swimming and is far less crowded than any beach on the Riviera.
Kayak and paddleboard rental is available at the lake from April to October from a small operator called Canoë Kayak Club de Saint-Cassien; a two-hour kayak hire costs around €18 and lets you explore the quieter eastern coves where herons fish undisturbed.
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