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Biot
and the local area Côte d'Azur, South of France
Biot
is built on a headland that is typical of this type of hill
top village (Mougins, St Paul de Vence, Cagnes old town etc)
and overlooks the sea. It is one of the art centres of the south
of France.It is famous for its decorative pottery and glasswork.
Apart
from its beautiful location, a major reason to visit Biot is
for the potteries and glassworks (Verreries) and the Fernand Léger Museum (Musée Fernand Léger). The artist Fernand
Léger made the village his home and both it and its people had
a profound effect on his work.
Unlike some of the neighbouring hill top villages, Biot has not been spoilt
by too many art shops, estate agents and expensive restaurants.
It still retains much of its cobbled streets.It is located in
the département of Alpes-Maritimes (06) and the région of Provence-Alpes-Côte
d'Azur.
If
you want to drive to the village there is plenty of car parking
in the village, although this gets very full in July and August.
Click
Here for more photos of Biot
In
the summer a Shuttle bus (Navette) is available and visitors
from outside the area are encouraged to use the car parks outside
the village and take the Shuttle in and out.
You can walk to the village in
approximately 6 minutes from one of the two Navette car parks.
There
are many excellent restaurants cafes and bars there, each with
their own character. La Restaurant Hotel Galerie des Arcades,
La Pierre a Four
Restaurant le Migranier,
Le Café de la Poste, Chez Odile,
Café Brun and Creperie du Vieux are amongst the selection.
Biot
is approximately 5 km to the sea.
Nice airport is 15km away,
Cannes 10km, Antibes
& Juan les Pins
(very nice beaches here and restaurants
on the beach) 8/12 km and Nice
is 25km away (Lovely old town area here)(CLICK
HERE FOR Fact File Nice)
Apart
from the museums and other historical attractions, by the sea
close to Biot SNCF station is Le
Parc de la Mer - Marineland Europe’s
largest Marine theme park is approximately 4 km away (althouch
technically in Antibes). It was founded in 1970 by Roland de
la Poype.
It is currently owned by a Spanish group Parques Reunidos.
Going inland towns like Grasse are
well worth a visit
2006
The Verrerie de Biot celebrates 50 years of business
History
of Glassmaking in Biot - 1956 - 2006: It is an entire family
history: the creation of the Glassmaking in Biot and glass bubbles
by Eloi Monod in 1956. In 1973 the Lechaczynski family started
to promote the traditional means of manufacturer using the hand
made manufacture process of glass with bubbles in and to promote
their product.
There
has been fifty years of creative passion in the style of the
glass and to promote the products made in the Verrerie de Biot
on the edge of the hilltop village of Biot throughout the world.
In addition to sixty retail outlets
swelling their products in France, The Verrerie de Biot exports
its creations ton Austria, Belgium, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Norway,
Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States.
This
is a very successful commercial venture with the specialized
market of glass manufacture with bubbles in it and has become
a major tourist attraction on the Côte d'Azur attracting over
700,000 visitors a year to the Verrerie and they have a turnover
of four million euros.
Since
2000 Jean and Danièle Lechaczynski have passed on the running
of the business to their children who continue with the successful
management of this family enterprise and as Anne Lechaczynski
says "they are manufacturing the traditional products with the
style of the day but also adding an innovation and a permanent
modernism"
To
celebrate its fifty years, the Glassmaking of Biot launches
a selection of glass products called The Riviera, in a contemporary
design.The Verrerie de Biot has developed their own Internet
site to sell the products on line
The
Verrerie de Biot is located at Chemin des Combes - 06410 BIOT.
It is very well signposted with distinctive purple signs.
Opening
Hours: Summer: Every day : de 9 H 30 à
20 H Sundays and Bank Holidays : 10 H - 13 H & 14 H 30 -
19 H 30 Winter: Every day: 9 H
30 - 18 H Sundays and Bank Holidays: 10 H 30 - 13 H & 14
H 30 - 18 H
30
Web
Site in English - La
Verrerie de Biot
In
addition there are several other Verreries in Biot
Villefranche
sur Mer (pictured below), Monaco,
Menton and Italy only a short
drive or train journey away.
Across
the border in Italy
every Friday there is a large street
market at Ventimiglia and
a smaller one at the next
town along the coast Bordighera on
a Thursday.
Both are set against the glorious back
ground of the Mediterranean Sea. Bordighera has some excellent
value restaurants on the sea front.
If
you are visiting Italy you will also see a lot of Liquor stores
in the border town of Latte (below). The duty is much lower
on alcohol in Italy than in France and you might want to stock
up
.
SanRemo
is only a few minutes drive from
Ventimiglia and for more
information CLICK on
the picture below
Views
of Biot
 
All
photos ©PJMSuter/jml Property Srvices
SEE
ALSO:
Nostalgia
in France - Photos of the 1960's and 1970's in France
- Click
Here
Photos of Nice Monaco Menton Antibes &
other areas in the South of France in the 1920s and 1960s
- Click here
South
of France Fact File Click
Here
Back
to More Articles about the South of France
jml
Property Services are members of the Southern Private Landlords
Association, National Landlords Association in the UK and British
Chamber of Commerce Côte d'Azur - France
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