Take advantage of the insanely favorable exchange rates right now and get to France for a summer on the Med. Check out the jazz greats who'll be playing the Nice Jazz Festival from July 17-24, 2010. When the festival was first launched in 1948 on the French Riviera, Louis Armstrong and his All Stars stole the show. Over the years, stars like Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, and Ella Fitzgerald have also taken the stage. (They also played at Jazz à Juan in Antibes Juan-les-Pins, the renowned festival celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.) The place to stay while in Nice is the Le Palais de la Méditerranée, situated directly on the Promenade des Anglais in a picture-perfect setting overlooking the Baie des Anges. Just a short distance from the snow-capped French Alps, the hotel sits directly at the heart of the famed Cote d'Azur. Behind the Art Deco facade, a gorgeous indoor/outdoor pool-- the pride of the hotel-- awaits. At Cedric Biron's signature restaurant, Le Padouk, you can dine on the terrace amidst the mandarin trees while savoring the panoramas of the Baie des Anges. Most of the 188 guest rooms have balconies with views over the sea and the surrounding city. There's also a casino, fitness center, sauna, and Turkish bath.