High above the Riviera, these are the towns the French like to keep secret

Swoon. If there's just one place to strike during a medieval hilltop village crusade, it's tiny Eze, perched precipitously above the coast (one of the best places to savour sunset).

Just 20 minutes from Nice along the historic Grande Corniche created by Napoleon and driven through by a white-gloved Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief - the first sight of the rocky eyrie is indeed cinematic.

The problem is you're not the only one who thinks so. Tourists are the most recent admirers after 2000 years of Greeks, Phoenicians, Moors and Romans. The trick to enjoying Eze is to sleep here when day trippers leave and the village does a dramatic decrescendo.

Push the boat out and stay in the former Prince of Sweden's library at the 400-year-old Chateau Eza inside the medieval walls. Or simply enjoy a balcony drink here after exploring the succulent-studded Jardin Exotique d'Eze, a phenomenal drawcard on its own.

"The road is a bit small. And quite terrifying," muses Kate, Eze's Chateau Eza concierge. Say no more, I'm in. A nearby gelato scooper deals the final smack down, offering: "And when you arrive, there's nothing there," with a sniff and Gallic shrug. Sold, who doesn't love an underdog?

Despite being Europe's highest coastal village perched at 800 metres, Sainte-Agnes is overlooked thanks to nearby, candy-colourful seafront Menton and Roquebrune, boasting serious historical chops with a 10th-century castle.

But this is no ugly stepsister, designated a Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) in 1997.

The D22 "balcony road" does deliver excitement via blind hairpins but the panoramic view to Italy's San Remo, hiking start points and pedestrian medieval stone village pathways makes this a winning wild card.

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," declared Shakespeare. He was clearly no nose (the word for a professional perfumer) and any Grassois - a Grasse local - would agree.

This former medieval tannery became the epicentre of fragrance thanks to the Rose de Mai (Chanel No. 5 only uses Grasse roses and jasmine), its hyper fragrancy created by Grasse's unique microclimate wedged between coast and mountains.

Scent-making workshops at boutique perfumery Fragonard and the world's first Musee International de la Parfumerie (MIP) containing Marie Antoinette's travelling vanity case (she was partial to tuberose scent) are top notes. But scent isn't the sole sensory pleaser.

Head to the Jardin du MIP, the museum's wild labyrinth of forgotten scents and reading nooks. Or simply stroll quaint Grasse itself, featuring palm trees and gelato-hued buildings.

"Scram, you scraggy Saracens!" That's the possible polite version 9th-century counts roared while defending Chateau de Gourdon from pesky (and persistent) invaders.

Built on a rocky spur at 760 metres, Gourdon dominates the Vallee du Loup, with views stretching from Theoule-sur-Mer to Nice and the Lerins islands.

The thimble-sized village is formatted in feudal fashion around the (now privately owned) castle, and the current major threat is charm overload. Shops in perfectly preserved medieval-era houses keep local crafts like pottery alive, often made in on-site ateliers.

Views, architectural heritage, shady arcades and flower-filled squares make this a summer hotspot, so arrive early. Just keep an eye peeled for cyclists (including professionals) who use the hill climb for regular training.

Tourrettes-sur-Loup's rarity of free 30-minute village square parking is enough reason to pull over and explore, if fleet on foot. But inevitably you'll stay for lunch, succumbing to the seductions of nose-twitching cooking scents wafting from doorways, cats sunbathing in stone alleyways and not a plumb line in sight.

While Tourrettes-sur-Loup exists as a part player with potential, Saint-Paul-de-Vence scores full billing thanks to the famous people who flock here to dine at the 1920s La Colombe d'Or hotel.

When guests, including artists drawn by the climate and light, couldn't pay their bills, the owner accepted payment by art. Hence, pieces by village residents Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse will be your wall-welded lunch companions.

Art is the town's anchor, from galleries bursting with colourful canvases and avant-garde sculptures to the Fondation Maeght, a modern art magnet with a magnificent open-air exhibition garden.

Top tips: eschew the main Place de la Grande Fontaine for the quieter 16th-century La Placette square. Stroll the ramparts (watch the sheer drop) and on approach, the Routes des Serres, lined with olive groves and Mediterranean trees, give all the southern-France feels.