PRIVATE ESCAPE 8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS
Basking in the Mediterranean sun
The French Riviera is not just a lovely postcard for travelers in search of sunlight. This land is exceptional and is the pride and joy of French wines and gastronomy, exploding with flavours and smells, from the plate to the glass.
Nicknamed his “playground” by Mauro Colagreco, it is the region he has chosen to express himself and share his passion for Mediterranean cuisine.
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The triple Michelin-starred Chef revealed all his favourites spots: farmers markets, craftsmen, herbs, oils, fruits, gardens, citrus fruit gardens...
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His cuisine reflects the joy, sunshine, colours and aromatic smells of the region, influenced often by Italian gastronomy. “Cooking is about sharing and blending cultures”. Citrus fruits mix with freshly-caught fish, red and yellow peppers with garlic and olive oil.
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The exceptional sun and hot, yet breezy, summers produce strong and radiant wines. In the Var region, the rosés and their fresh and fruity taste are the crown jewel of the Côtes de Provence designation.
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Inbetween the Rivieras, Mauro Colagreco shares with us his universe and eclectic cooking, to the delight of travellers longing for sunlight and balmy weather. ​
“Menton is a pretty little town, a little unreal like all these places, but where you can nevertheless find some natural corners. Everything is ruled by the sun.”
Katherine Mansfield
Mauro Colagreco’s
French Riviera
The triple Michelin-starred Chef invites you on a visit of his chosen region, the French Riviera, or Côte d’Azur as the French call it. Because he loves his land and knows every hilltop village, vineyard and producer, he exclusively shared for Hiddenist that endlessly inspire him.
Make your own
perfume
An exclusive perfume workshop in a charming hilltop village where centifolia rose, jasmine and tuberose have been cultivated for generations. Away from the hustle and bustle of Grasse, this eco-friendly perfumer will impress all your senses.
Open air Art gallery
Art meets nature in the wonderful Domaine du Muy. This 2-kilometre route through a magnificent pine wood is like no other: while walking you will be able to admire the giant sculptures of Niki de Saint-Phalle, Claude Lalanne and Carsten Höller.
Hartung-Bergman Foundation
​On the hillside above Antibes, in a typically Mediterranean pine forest, the former villa and workshop of artists Hans Hartung and Anna-Eva Bergman opened in 2022. A unique occasion to discover the work of two major figures in modern art.
Bike ride to Pipo’s
Pipo is a staple of Nice. For a hundred years, the speciality has been the socca, pancakes made with chickpea flour. For an authentic experience of Nissa la bella, ride your e-bike to the old port, passing by the stunning viewpoint of Rauba Capeu to finally reach the temple of socca.
His Majesty the Lemon
“Everything is good in a lemon.” Laurent and Adrien, citrus farmers of Menton, share with an open heart their passion for this lemon’s PGI-protected sharp taste, non-bitter peel and vigorous aroma. An inspiring stroll through the terrace of their farm, exploring the 500 year old history of the “king of Menton”.
Mirazur’s sanctuary
There is no better way to enter the world of Mauro Colagreco than to visit his vegetable garden. This green paradise he calls his “sanctuary” is at the centre of the recent culinary innovations he has made in his nature-inspired menus. “Until then, the garden was supplying the restaurant. Now, the restaurant is a part of the garden.” From quaint vegetable patch to exceptional dishes.
Wines of the white country
A few kilometres west of Menton, in the Italian mountains, Filippo cultivates the rossese di Doleacqua – the crown jewel of Ligurian grapevines – along with pigato and vermentino. Enjoy a private tasting session of these ruby wines with hints of cherry and wild rose, exalted by the sun and the altitude.
Wine tasting
in an abbey
A remarkable vintage deserves a remarkable setting. No concessions can be made to accommodate your tasting of Côtes de Provence wines! A fascinating glance into the history of the Domaine and visit of the cloister of the Fréjus bishops.
The ceramist of Vallauris
Meet a ceramist in her gallery, built in a mid-19th century pottery workshop where the original wood-fired oven, that she renovated herself, still remains. Art and design can be found in every corner, from the tables to the walls. Her creations have appealed to the greatest Michelin-starred chefs, including Mauro Colagreco, who gave her free reins to conceive the tableware of his restaurant, Ceto. An exceptional work of soft lines and refinement.
​Cooking class
The petits farcis or “Lu Farcit Nissart » are a product of Nice art-de-vivre. Reducing food waste and using locally-sourced products, this dish is a delicious ray of sunshine that you will learn to cook during this petits farcis workshop.
​The Bellet’s nectar
Between sea and mountains, a few miles from Nice city centre, a small and discreet family vineyard cultivates biodynamic white and red wines. Nectar of the Côte d’Azur, Bellet is a well-kept secret for amateurs of wines with surprising salinity and acidity. Discover them during a private tasting.
Hilltop villages
and their cheese
Hiddenist invites you on a visit of the lovely medieval villages in the Nice hinterland: Saint Agnès, Gorbio, Èze… A surprise from the Chef’s cheesemaker awaits you on this escape in the hills.
Imagining flavours
Enter the four dimensions of the Chef’s cooking in this exclusive oil-tasting experience at one of his suppliers: Leaves (Nepeta), Flowers (Geranium), Fruits (Pink Peppercorn) and Roots (Ginger and Menton lemon).
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The Mirazur
experience
A dinner at Mirazur is an experience encompassing all the senses. The menu itself is mysterious: will we marvel at a Roots, Fruits, Flowers or Leaves menu? Only the Chef’s vegetable garden knows! The cosmos itself inspires Mauro Colagreco and every day the dishes are reinvented according to the lunar calendar. A poetic parenthesis followed by a delicate announcement of the dishes. Then comes the time for tasting with surprising combinations. It’s not just a gastronomic dinner, it’s a once in a lifetime experience!
DAY 1: NICE - MOUGINS
. In Antibes, visit the newly opened Hartung-Bergman foundation
. Head to Vallauris to meet the ceramicist who imagined the tableware of the Ceto
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DAY 2: PROVENCE
. Private visit of the Domaine du Muy, where giant sculptures stand among the pinewood
. In a superb listed historical 13th century cloister, private wine tasting of Côtes de Provence wines
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DAY 3: LE "PAY" DE GRASSE
. In a quaint village next to Grasse, private perfume workshop
. Detours through the villages of Cabris, Spéracèdes, Tourrettes-sur-Loup before arriving in Saint-Paul-de-Vence
. Visit the Maeght Foundation with a private tour guide.
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DAY 4: GOURMET NICE
. Cooking class to master the art of petits farcis, a specialty of Nice, followed by a delightful lunch featuring your creations
. Private wine tasting in a small family farm in Bellet
. Electric bike ride in the late afternoon. Reach the Rauba Capeu outlook and finish in the Old Port where a dinner awaits you at Pipo (to be paid locally)
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DAY 5: MENTON
. Time at leisure in Nice. A tour guide can be provided for you as an extra
. At Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, visit of the Cap Moderne villa
. Dinner at the Michelin-starred Ceto restaurant at the Maybourne Riviera Hotel, one of Chef Colagreco's restaurants on the Côte d'Azur (payable on site)
DAY 6: HILLTOP VILLAGES
. In Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, visit La Villa Santo Sospir and then Rothschild’s Villa Ephrussi
. Special picnic in the Ephrussi garden
. Explore the vegetable gardens of Mirazur with the chef-gardener Mauro Colagreco.
. Meet one the Mirazur’s cheesemaker and enjoy a tasting session in the small hilltop village
. Dinner at Mirazur of Mauro Colagreco (drinks to be paid locally).
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DAY 7: BETWEEN FRANCE AND ITALY
. Private visit at the farm of the chef’s citrus fruits suppliers.
. Exclusive lemon ravioli workshop followed by lunch
. In a hundred-year-old plant oil factory, taste aromatic oils elaborated with Mauro Colagreco
. Head to Italy for a private tasting session in a tenuta (vineyard) of rossese di Doleacqua
. On your way back, Mauro Colagreco recommends to dine at the restaurant of his former sous-chef. (to be paid locally)
DAY 8: MENTON - NICE
. Day at leisure. Hiddenist recommends different options to suit every taste (with supplement): a private morning cruise to discover the Cannes coastline,the Lérins Islands and the Bay of Nice; a reservation at the private beach of Maybourne-la-Plage at the Maybourne Riviera Hotel ; a day in Monaco with an excursion in Cap d’Ail and a waterfront lunch in A'trego the chic "cabane" designed by Philippe Starck.
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Please drink responsibly