Celebrity haven that's just a short flight from Liverpool Airport

If you're looking for a spring or early summer getaway, heading to Nice to explore the French Riviera is a great option.

Blessed with a warm and sunny climate, stunning landscapes and a beautiful coastline, the Riviera - known in France as the Cote d'Azur - has something for everyone.

The only difficulty you'll have is trying to squeeze all the bucket-list items into one trip.

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You can fly to Nice direct from Liverpool John Lennon Airport (details below). If you're not keen on flying, you can take the train all the way to the south of France from Liverpool. From Lime Street, take the train to London Euston, then travel from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord on the Eurostar. From Paris Gare de Lyon, you can take a direct train to Nice, which takes around five and a half hours.

What are the best attractions on the French Riviera?

For great food, quaint shops and decent nightlife, look no further than Nice. The best way to get to know the city is with a stroll down the Promenade des Anglais - aka the Walkway of the English, named after the English tourists who came here in the 19th century. This will give you a wonderful view of the turquoise Med and the 'Bay of Angels', which stretches from Nice westwards to Antibes.

On the promenade, you'll see majestic seaside mansions and walk past the Negresco Hotel, where the dancer Isadora Duncan famously met her end after her scarf got caught in the wheel of the car she was driving.

After your walk down the promenade, you could wander around Nice's Old Town, where you can pick up some souvenirs - think brightly coloured tablecloths, olive oil and lavender scented soap.

Around Nice, there are some fantastic places for day trips. If you're into perfume, I'd recommend a visit to the town of Grasse, which is considered to be the world's perfume capital. In Grasse, you can go to the Fragonard Perfume Factory and learn about how perfume is produced, as well as immersing yourself in the wonderful fragrances of the region.

Another good day trip option is Saint Paul de Vence, a beautiful medieval town perched between the coast and the mountains, with breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

No trip to the Riviera would be complete without a bit of celeb spotting. Cannes, home to the famous film festival, is an hour's drive from Nice. Cannes has a lovely sandy beach and attracts A-listers all year round, but particularly during the festival in May. The town's promenade, La Croisette, is a good place to go star-spotting, or you could saunter past known celeb hangouts like the Hotel Majestic Barriere or The Carlton Hotel.

Further west from Cannes is another celebrity mecca: Saint Tropez. The former fishing village became the favoured hangout of the international jet set in the 1960s, and it's a nice (if expensive) place to spend an afternoon if you want a glimpse of how the other half live.

Heading east from Nice towards the Italian border lies the principality of Monaco, home of the Monaco Grand Prix. On your way to Monaco, stop off at the beautiful coastal village of Eze, where U2's Bono has a home and admire the stunning views of the Med.

The rich and famous have long been attracted to Monaco, partly for the lifestyle, and partly, it's fair to say, for the tax breaks. Lewis Hamilton, Ringo Starr and Novak Djokovic all own homes there. It's worth spending an hour or two wandering around Monte Carlo, where you can see the famous casino and follow the Formula One circuit.

If the glitz and glamour starts to lose its sheen, you can always try simpler pleasures. Head to a street market in Nice, or go to a nice bistro, where you can try the local specialities. Provencal cuisine is one of the healthiest in the world. People in the south of France tend to follow a typical Mediterranean diet, with lots of fish, fresh fruit and veggies. Local dishes include ratatouille, salade nicoise and pissaladiere - flatbread topped with anchovies, olives and caramelised onions. And of course the wine is great, too.

What is the flight time from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to Nice?

The flight time to Nice from Liverpool John Lennon Airport is around 2 hours and 15 minutes. Travellers can fly direct from Liverpool with Easyjet.

In May, June, July and August, flights to Nice from Liverpool depart every day of the week. In May, prices start from £35 (one-way), whereas in June, they start from £44. If you're planning to travel in July, you can still snap up a £30 one-way flight if you travel early in the month, but prices surge as the school holidays begin. In the autumn, the flight schedule is reduced, and flights depart on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

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