Provence has long been associated with art. Cézanne, Renoir, Chagall, Picasso and Matisse are among the many painters who have been drawn to the bright Mediterranean colours, the light and the agreeable climate of the South of France (photographers, I can attest, also appreciate these qualities…). But does a homegrown arts scene thrive on the French Riviera today, or does it depend on the legacy of its former glory? A writer from German magazine, Stern, came recently to investigate the current art scene in Nice for a travel feature, and I, photographer, was happy to join in his two day art immersion.

Think of Monaco and you’re more likely to think of Formula One and champagne than murder mysteries. However, in May this year, the richest woman in Monaco, Hélène Pastor, was gunned down in nearby Nice. The prime suspect in arranging her murder is her son-in-law and the suspected motive was a potent mix of money and social rejection. Eyes across the world briefly turned to Monaco, including those of German news magazine Der Spiegel. I joined two reporters to put together a feature about Monaco’s social culture, the ‘breeding ground’ for this crime.

Wolves were once hunted to extinction in France. However, over the last ten years, a French wolf population has been firmly re-established, initially in Le Parc du Mercantour – the national park that straddles the mountainous border between France and Italy. Today, firmly protected in law, wolves are threatening the existence of another rare breed in France: traditional sheep herders. 20,000 sheep have been killed by wolves in France in the last 5 years.

I photographed 3 museums, 3 restaurants, the royal palace and a cactus wonderland. I traipsed down countless steps into the bowels of the earth to admire stalactites. I hiked in the summer heat along a coastal footpath. I got tangled in a throng of cameras at the cathedral, photographing tourists who were photographing wedding guests who were photographing the just-married couple who were being photographed by their photographer. All this and more for the New York Times 36 Hours in Monaco travel guide….

As I write, the Cannes Film Festival is under way. But this is not the only event that brings people flocking to Cannes every year. Le Palais des Festivals hosts a number of international trade fairs. A dazzling array of acronyms beginning with ‘M’ give titles to these business events. MIDEM is for the music industry, MIPCOM , MIPDOC & MIPTV the TV business and MAPIC for retail property, among others. MIPIM is the one of the biggest events, and it is devoted to large-scale real estate.

Alain Ducasse is known as the Godfather of French cuisine. A fortnight ago, he did his reputation proud. Michelin-starred chefs flew to the South of France from all over the world to help Ducasse celebrate his 25th anniversary at Monaco’s Louis XV restaurant. They ate, drank, cooked and made merry, all 240 of them. And a certain photographer managed to squeeze in one or two tastings between frames…

For a travel guide to short breaks in cities across the world, the New York Times sent me on assignment to Marseille recently. I was to photograph a selection of places that would give a good idea of what France’s second largest city is all about.

I followed in the footsteps of the journalist, Seth. He had come to the South of France a few weeks before and written what was effectively the ‘to do list’ for the photographer. Driving down from Nice one morning, I had 24 hours to photograph two beaches and a swimming pool, three restaurants, two bars, a hotel, two shopping districts, a spa and a boat cruise.