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Food & travel blog

of the French and Italian Riviera

The "Little Lakes" of Lecchiore: Perfect for Summer 2021

Writer's picture: Riviera RouteRiviera Route
Apr 30, 20212 min read

On the Italian Riviera, just east from Sanremo, lies San Lorenzo al Mare, a perfect seaside resort town. Its a well-known destination for Italians and other Europeans looking for that ideal Ligurian beach experience. (You can see Riviera Route's video introduction to San Lorenzo here).


But just a few kilometres inland from San Lorenzo lies the little-known treasure of Lecchiore village and its "little lakes" ("laghetti" in Italian). More accurately, these should be translated in this case as "rock pools". The spring mountain waters from the Ligurian Alps cascade down the valley, creating several dozen little pools of crystal-clear mineral water. The pools can be reached on foot from Lecchiore village by following the clearly-marked pathway. Surrounded by a dense oak and chestnut forest, the 20-minute gentle hike is a pleasure in itself.

The "Laghetti" of Lecchiore, one of the Riviera's best kept secrets

The stunning foorpath leading to the "Laghetti" of Lecchiore

The pools are the perfect spot for those looking to relax outdoors this summer, away from the sometimes crowded beaches of the coast. The spring water is cool, as you might expect, but on a hot summer's day, alternating between a cool dip and sunbathing on a warm sunny rock is the perfect way to stay refreshed.


The "Laghetti di Lecchiore's" crystal-clear Alpine water... perfect for a refreshing dip away from the crowds

Avoiding crowds and socialising safely outdoors has become a priority for many of us over the last year. Lecchiore's natural garden is perfect for this. Pack a picnic, a pair of good hiking boots, some drinks to chill in the natural pools, and get ready to discover one of the Italian Riviera's best-kept secrets.


The "Laghetti" of Lecchiore

Note: Italy began relaxing travel restrictions between regions on 26 April 2021, and international borders are expected to open to visitors in the early summer.


Thinking of your next retreat? Choose the Riviera as your next destination.

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Virtual office? Think of your team's retreat

Writer's picture: Riviera RouteRiviera Route
Sep 7, 20202 min read

Updated: Apr 30, 2021

The pandemic lockdowns around the world have forced millions to work from home, and many companies have discovered the unexpected benefits of running their offices remotely, relying on email and Zoom meetings to get work done. 


Teams in virtual offices can benefit from retreats on the beautiful Riviera

Companies have found that, on average, productivity goes up when employees switch to home working. In 2019, a large-scale survey in the US found that home working increased productivity by 1.4 days per worker per month, or 16.8 days per year. In addition, home working saves companies the high costs of maintaining large offices in expensive city centres.


A survey in August 2020 for the BBC found that almost half of large companies in the UK have no plans to bring staff back to central offices yet.  Many corporations are considering a hub-and-spoke model for their offices, with a small physical presence in an office, and the majority of their staff spending most of their time working remotely.


Riviera Route has partnered with boutique hotels in secluded locations, including Poggio di Marò in Badalucco

But the benefits of some physical connection with colleagues is undeniable. Some meetings need to be face-to-face. Colleagues need to build up trust and a sense of camaraderie, and doing so through a computer screen can only be partially effective. Even if it is only for a couple of days each year, effective teams need to bond together, share meals, build rapport and regenerate their sense of a shared purpose.


When a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, Riviera Route will be working with companies from across Europe to plan safe company retreats, for those firms seeking to re-connect their staff with each other after long months of home working. 


We also offer luxury spa experiences for your team, such as l'Adagio in Badalucco

Virtual offices will be a fact of life for many people in the coming years. It won't suit every kind of business, of course, but many workers will be able to take advantage of the savings, productivity and lifestyle improvements of working remotely. Virtual offices are entirely feasible, but they will require a change in mindset. Corporate retreats will be seen as an intelligent, cost-effective investment to keep staff connected and keep team spirits high, as we move to this new model.


Find out more at www.rivieraroute.com/choose





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The colours of the Riviera

Writer's picture: Riviera RouteRiviera Route
Aug 7, 20202 min read

Updated: Apr 30, 2021

Polychromatic architecture is one of the distinctive features of the Riviera. On these shores, every town with a history of Genoese influence will have historic buildings painted with a striking array of yellows, reds, pinks, ochres and greens. The colours are broadly the same all along the coast, be it in large cities like Nice, Genoa and Monaco or in small towns like Villefranche and Portofino. So what’s the story behind this signature palette? 

Legend has it that seafarers used to paint their houses in brilliant, recognisable colours so that they could easily spot their homes from the sea (and keep an eye on domestic goings-on). But the truth is that the colours only became this bright relatively recently. Historians examining the pigmentation of medieval buildings on the Cinque Terre uncovered an original palette of no more than 8 baseline colours, all shades of beige and ochre that were obtained using natural pigments found in local stone and soil. As 19th century technology improved the quality and range of paint colours available, new hues were added, notably red and olive green. Today, experts are able to count up to 16 colour categories.

Menton, on the French Riviera, boasts the classic palette of Riviera building colours

A recent planning survey of the city of Albenga showed that 43% of building façades are yellow, 29% are pink, 7% are red, 4% are orange and 3% are beige. Other colours include brown and green, although these must by law be in the minority. In fact, the planning rules governing building façades are very strict. In Italy, they have regulated since at least 1987 and in 2003 the regional government went even further, declaring façade colours “a fundamental value” of the Ligurian people. In Nice and Monaco, every shade of colour (of façades, features and shutters) must come from a pre-approved colour chart guide known as the local nuancier. 

Colour samples on a wall in Nice, France

Façades do not have to have a single tone; in fact, the play on colours is just as important a feature of local architecture. Churches, in particular, are painted with several colours, often red, yellow and green. Buildings features like ledges and balustrades are often painted in lighter shades or plain white, so that they stand out. Those buildings that have plain façades with no features can still benefit from a splash of multicolour with the use of the clever trompe l’œiltechnique. Meaning “trick of the eye” in French, this technique is used to add symmetry to simply to create the illusion of intricate relief. There are stunning examples of trompe l’œil all along the Riviera, and especially in places near Genoa. 

The trompe l'œil effect: how many windows are there on the building, really?

Riviera Route can help organise your corporate or wellness retreat on the Riviera. Visit www.rivieraroute.com/choose for more information.


Sources:


Research on Cinque Terre building colours:

Nice's colour chart (nuancier)

Monaco's colour chart (nuancier)



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