Despite our slight apprehension about wild camping we both sleep like logs until we are woken by a noisy helicopter making numerous passes over the headland.

It's another beautiful day and there are 6 vans who stayed overnight. As we eat breakfast we watch cars and cyclists make their way along the winding road.

We join them at 10:35 and head to Le Cannet for fuel before joining the Riviera through Cannes. For miles on our right side there are white beaches and perfect blue and aquamarine seas. The 'beautiful people are out in force, either sunbathing or pounding the strip between beaches and road, jogging, cycling and roller-blading. To our left are palms, and elegant buildings, including the Carlton, the hotel in Cannes with its carved facade and twin domes. We would love to stop for a look, but although there is free parking [yes, free parking] all along the sea front the signs say 'camping cars interdit' AKA no motorhomes, but the frequent pedestrian crossings and heavy traffic mean it's easy to take it all in [if not let the driver look too hard for the inevitable topless beauty].

We continue along similar scenery through Antibes and on to Nice. Across the bay are yachts, and sailing boats, cruise ships and a sailing ship we think is the Russian sail training ship Cedov. As we pass Nice airport there are rows of executive jets lined up waiting for their financially untroubled owners to call. The main hazards are cyclists and motor scooters who ride with absolutely no recognition of other road users.

We find a lovely spot for lunch on a hill overlooking the old harbour of Villefrache-sur-Mer. We came here on a cruise in 2002 and have always wanted to see it again. Today there are 2 cruise ships at anchor. Unfortunately the parking is too far out to make a visit practical so we drive through the town and through Beaulieu-sur-Mer [where Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was filmed] and onto the windy road, now with grey rocks and tunnels until we reach Monte Carlo and Monaco. The race last Sunday was won by Nico Rosberg driving a Mercedes, but today as workmen are dismantling the stands and barriers, another Nico in another Mercedes slipstreams a minibus through St.Devote and up the hill to Casino square. [reality check crawled behind in heavy traffic - dream on]. But in the last 10 miles we've seen more Ferarris and Lamborghinis than a year of Top Gear repeats.

After we clear Monaco's gridlock it's a few more miles of grey rock face until Menton, a typical Riviera town famous for its annual lemon festival.

Immediately after we leave Menton we are at the old border checkpoint, now an aire. We drive around the end, briefly entering Italy before returning to the French end to park in the prime spot with views back over Menton.

Ali and Grete walk to Italy [50yds] and buy some drink; Gordons 40% @ €12.70 and Valpolicella €3.80. During their shopping trip they contrive a visit to Italy tomorrow.

After dinner the traffic gets quieter and we watch the sea throw white spray over the breakwater in the setting sun. By bedtime the whole town is lit up and twinkles across the bay.