Many in this pretty village in the middle of the 150-kilometre golden stretch of Cote d'Azur real estate — from Menton to St Tropez — would agree. Already struggling to cope with the summer's influx of rich Russians (60% of all tourists, by local reckoning), Villefranche's 6000 people are still dizzied by the news that a mystery Russian tycoon has bought the most expensive house in the world, La Villa Leopolda, for 500 million euros ($A850 million) just outside the town.
With local businesses enjoying a boom, the benefits are being felt all the way up the coast. So why the Gallic shrugs?
"Economically, there's no doubt the Russians are helping us out of a tough spot," says waitress Martine. "But not many people have a good word to say about them." The day before, she explains, a Russian woman ordered an enormous lunch including 10 lamb cutlets. She gathered them on one plate and gave them to her dogs. More...
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