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The Côte d’Azur – the stunning French Riviera coastline stretching along the southern border of France overlooking the Mediterranean. I spent a week and half on the riviera – exploring towns, enjoying beach clubs, and eating a lot of really great food. This is my complete guide to visiting the Côte d’Azur!
Public transportation along the Riviera is fantastic! Towns are also quite close together, so day trips are one the best ways to explore the area! I recommend basing yourself in Nice or Cannes, as they are the largest towns on the Riviera and have the most accommodation options. I chose a base in Nice, just as it is more central!
The largest town on the Côte d’Azur, Nice is one of my favorite places in France. There’s just so much to do here! I based myself here for a full week so I could explore Nice and the surrounding towns on the riviera.
Visit a Beach Club: There’s so many to choose from! I visited Ruhl Plage, but Castel Plage and Opera Plage were also so cute! You’re not able to make reservations for beds, so I recommend arriving before 10am to secure a spot! Two sunbeds and an umbrella was 55€.
Explore Old Nice: Walk through the pastel buildings and historic facades! Visit the Cours Saleya market while you’re here.
Promenade de Anglais: The oceanfront walk along the coast! You’ll find gorgeous views, plenty of beach clubs, and some shops and cafés across the street.
Maison Albar: A luxurious beachfront stay with beautiful rooms, a spa + wellness facilities, an indoor pool, and an outdoor pool and sun terrace.
Hotel Le Negresco: A classic hotel right on the Promenade de Anglais. There is a private beach club (at an extra cost).
Nice Pam: The cutest hotel for a girls trip! Absolute Barbie vibes.
Albert 1er: A classic hotel in a great location right on Promenade de Anglais.
Le Plongeior: One of the most famous restaurants on the riviera! An iconic spot. I found the food disappointing, but the cocktails were great so I’d recommend going for a pre-dinner or sunset drink!
Bocca Mar: A beach club and restaraunt on the Promenade de Anglais! Such a gorgeous spot, and fantastic food. The seafood pasta is a must!
Bocca Nissa: A tapas rooftop in Old Town Nice! The food was incredible here.
Once you’ve spent a day or two settling into Nice, start venturing out on day trips! I visited eight other towns along the riviera. You can do this at any pace you’d like – spending a full day in each place or coupling two towns up in one day! It just depends on how much time you have. For the majority of locations, you’ll use the SNCF app to purchase a train ticket from Nice-Ville to your destination. I recommend using the app rather than purchasing tickets at the station directly as queues can get quite long!
Let’s start with my favorite town along the riviera: Villefranche Sur Mer! The rich sunrise hues of the town truly make it one of the most beautiful places to walk through. I spent an entire day in Villefranche Sur Mer, although you could easily pair it into a day trip with Saint Jean Cap Ferrat! The train here from Nice-Ville is only 7 minutes.
Explore the Town: Walk through the pastel buildings and take a million photos. There’s more shopping and restaurants closer to the water!
See St Michele’s Church: You can see the iconic 18th century yellow bell tower from all over town! The actual church is just a few steps up from the waterfront.
Visit the Beach: Head to the (sandy) beach and grab sunbeds and an umbrella at Mariniéres or throw a towel down on the public beach!
Alma: An adorable spot right next to the water with amazing service and good food!
Mariniéres Beach Club: A great option for lunch on the beach! The cocktails were fantastic. I didn’t try the food but heard from several other customers that it was amazing!
Mayassa: A gorgeous rooftop restaurant overlooking the water. You’ll find delicious and creative seafood dishes here!
The next day, I visited two towns: Antibes and Cannes. The towns are less than 10 minutes apart by train! However, there’s so much to do in both towns, you could easily split these up into separate days. I actually ended up going back to Cannes on the last day of my trip! Cannes is about 30 min by train from Nice, and Antibes is a bit closer (about 20-25 minutes).
Safranier Community: A free commune with absolutely beautiful streets. It can be hard to find, so here’s the location on google maps.
Visit a Beach Club: Antibes is on a peninsula, so there’s beach clubs all around! The cutest is at Cap d’Antibes hotel, with pink umbrellas and chairs.
Walk Through Old Town: Visit the shops and cafés, and check out the Marche Provencal market!
Picasso Museum: Walk through the chateau where Picasso lived and worked in the 1940s!
Go Shopping: There’s so many designers here in Cannes! Stroll along Boulevard Croisette and let your credit card lead the way.
Beach Clubs: Visit a beach club on La Croisette (La Môme Plage, Lucia, or Hyde are popular picks) or get a 3pm reservation at La Guerite and take a skipper boat to the private island! We had the best time at La Guerite – the food is ok but the DJ and vibes are great!
Walk through Old Town: Explore the winding narrow streets and visit the Marché Forville market!
Carlton Hotel: A gorgeous five-star hotel with stunning rooms, a private beach, several restaurants and bars, and luxurious amenities.
Hôtel and Spa Belle Plage: A luxurious seafront hotel with a beautiful spa and wellness amenities, a rooftop with views of the sea, and stunning rooms.
Mondrian Cannes: A contemporary hotel on La Crosiette with stylish rooms and a private beach club!
Carlton Beach Club: Sunbeds are reserved for hotel guests during peak season, but you can get a table for lunch! This was the best meal we had on the riviera, so this is a must. The watermelon salad, pesto pasta, and ahi tuna were all incredible.
Hyde Beach: A beach club and restaurant with great drinks, great food, and great vibes! There was a saxophone player while we were there and it was just amazing.
Papilla Maître: Artisan gelato shop renowned in Cannes!
For our next day trip, we are venturing out to Menton! The colors of Menton are absolutely unbelievable. Such a gorgeous town! This is the furthest destination on this itinerary from Nice – they’re about 40 minutes apart via train.
Old Town: Old Town is about a 15 min walk from the Menton train station. Once you arrive, get lost in the lemon-colored streets! Make sure to try a lemon dessert or check out a lemon-themed shop (lemons are kind of a big deal in Menton).
Rampe Saint Michele: The famous steps of Menton! They date back to the 1700s and have such an interesting design and bright color.
Plage de Sablettes: Hit the beach and enjoy a beautiful view both ways – the water on one side and the colorful town on the other!
On my next day in the riviera, I visited Monaco. While technically not a part of the “French” riviera (as it is its own country), it’s only about a 25 minute train and easily visited during your time in the riviera. I found Monaco to be the most disappointing place out of everywhere I visited – it wasn’t as pretty as anywhere else on this itinerary and I really didn’t find much to do there, but if you’ve got plenty of time and want to check another country off, it’s worth giving it a visit. I would also like to note that while the train is quick, it is packed full in peak season. (I’m talking standing room only, squished like sardines).
Visit the Casino: You can visit the lobby and do the slot machines for free, but if you want to go further into the casino to gamble you do have to pay for entry. You will need your passport!
Go Shopping: There’s (of course) plenty of luxury shopping all over Monaco.
See the F1 Hairpin Loop: Apparently this is a big deal if you’re into Formula 1, but I know absolutely nothing about it. I saw it though!
Princes Palace: The 13th century palace of the Prince of Monaco! There’s great views of Monaco around this area as well.
Giacomo: Adorable Italian restaurant right on the beach in Monaco! The beach in Monaco isn’t exactly the prettiest beach, but the restaurant is cute and the pizza and pasta are great!
Beefbar: The original location of the international chain! I am usually not a fan of chain restaurants, but I make an exception for Beefbar.
The next day trip was to the hilltop village of Éze. The village is quite small so this can easily be done in a half-day! In fact, I actually recommend it as a half day as the village gets quite busy by late morning/early afternoon. The earlier you arrive the better!
An important thing to note: there is no train that goes to the village. The train with a stop marked “Éze” stops at the beach far below the village. Some people chose to hike up the Nicezsche Path up to the village, but it’s quite steep and takes about an hour and a half. If you’d rather skip the hike, take the #82 bus from Nice to Éze village.
Walk Through the Village: Such a beautiful and peaceful village! Check out the shops and art galleries, or grab a cup of coffee in one of the quaint cafés. The village is quite small, so it doesn’t take long to explore.
Jardin Exotique d’Éze: The main thing to do in Éze! This garden is full of exotic plants and flowers, with gorgeous views out over the sea. Tickets are only 9€. Get here early as it gets very busy!
My time in Nice has come to an end, but my time on the riviera has not! Let’s visit the last stop on this itinerary: Saint Paul de Vence. Saint Paul de Vence can absolutely be done as a day trip from Nice, but I chose to spend two nights there instead in one of the most gorgeous Airbnbs I’ve ever been in – more on that later though!
If you’re interested in visiting as a day trip, I would recommend dedicating an entire day to it, just because its a bit more difficult to get to. If using public transportation, you’ll take the train from Nice-Ville to Cagnes-sur-Mer, and then board the #655 bus to Saint Paul de Vence. This journey will take roughly 45 minutes. Your other option is of course to call a taxi or Uber, the ride taking about 30 minutes.
Viewpoint: Walk a few minutes out of town to see an incredible viewpoint of the town!
Explore the Village: Wander around and check out all the shops, art galleries, and cafés.
Walk the Ramparts: Walk along the medieval ramparts and enjoy the beautiful views!
The Famous Poet’s House: See the 12th century home of Jacques Prevert! (We actually stayed here).
Les Remparts: A gorgeous restaraunt with an amazing view and incredible food. The spinach ravioli is a must!
La Colombe d’Or: A famous spot among celebrities. The food is mediocre but the restaraunt is stunning with artwork everywhere.
Café Timothé: An adorable little café serving great coffee and organic bites!
As I mentioned above, we spent two nights in the historic 12th century home of Jacques Prevert, a famous French poet. If you’ve looked up Saint Paul de Vence on Instagram or Pinterest, chances are you’ve seen photos of this home!
The ivy covered facade is absolutely gorgeous, and the home’s interior is equally stunning. It truly feels like you’ve stepped back in time and are living out your life as a French poet! If it fits in your itinerary, I absolutely recommend staying here.
Next up on the itinerary: Saint Tropez! While it can be done as a day trip via boat through Trans Côte d’Azur, I really recommend dedicating several days to exploring. The boat takes 2.5 hours each way, so half of your day is spent traveling if you attempt it as a day trip! I spent three nights in Saint-Tropez, and it honestly still didn’t feel like enough – I could spend weeks on end here!
I wrote a full blog post on my time in St Tropez! How to get there, the best things to do, where to stay, and more!