For many a year the Côte d'Azur was the most popular winter residence for Europe's aristocracy. The lifestyle is still exclusive and mysterious but today's jet set is no longer set apart. Nice's Promenade des Anglais recalls the memory of the English who founded the colony over 200 years ago. After escaping from their homeland's grey winters they discovered beautiful headlands, sleepy bays and a sky-blue ocean in front of snow covered alps. In 1851 Alexandre Dumas announced Nice an English town where one sometimes passes by a local. Did Nice become an early victim of mass-tourism? Sure enough the British pioneers of summer holiday set the pace. Everyone who came here immediately wanted a piece: the Russian  Revolution’s aristocratic refugees in the 20s, intellectuals escaping from the Nazis in the 30s, movie stars searching for cameras in the 50s and 60s and lately even the ordinary tourist.  Shiny yacht harbours, gorgeous mansions and outrageously expensive restaurants give a little glimpse of the bold and beautiful who faithfully kept coming back to Côte d'Azur. More commonplace though is watching family holiday-makers and globetrotters, living in cheap hotels close to the harbours and waiting to be hired as a member of a yacht crew. Indeed the coast has become everyone's destination to be. And that is truly fantastic.