A fabled playground of Jazz Age giants like F. Scott Fitzgerald, the French Riviera is an iconic honeymoon destination, celebrity hangout, coastal getaway, and place to “see and be seen”, wrapping its way down a breathtaking coastline and, cheesily enough, into our hearts.
As Fitzgerald said himself in a letter to Ernest Hemingway:
“With our being back in a nice villa on my beloved Riviera… I’m happier than I’ve been for years. It’s one of those strange, precious, and all too transitory moments when everything in one’s life seems to be going well.”
“With our being back in a nice villa on my beloved Riviera… I’m happier than I’ve been for years. It’s one of those strange, precious, and all too transitory moments when everything in one’s life seems to be going well.”
Indeed, the Côte d’Azur instantly cemented itself as a “must-visit” place for us. Honestly, it happens pretty rarely that both of us feel so strongly about a place that we upgrade it to being somewhere everyone should go before they die, but the Côte d’Azur is firmly there.
While places like Cannes and Monaco are well-known for cinephiles, F1 fans, or celebrity-chasers, we fell head-over-heels in love with the smaller, quieter towns like Èze, Cap-Ferrat, and Antibes.
Whether strolling the winding streets, swimming in crystalline waters, or relaxing with an Aperol Spritz under a big umbrella (or a croissant, fresh from the oven… whatever floats your boat!) it’s impossible to have anything other than a fabulous time here.
For a bit of background, after some flight cancellation woes left us with easyJet credits, we were scouring Google Flights for a place to have a little summertime honeymoon.
Nice was by far the best option for us timing-wise, but we hesitated to visit during peak season. If you know us, you know we have made shoulder season travel a key focus of this blog, and we usually stick to that for a reason.
Heat, crowds, pricing, lodging availability… all signs pointed to July in the South of France being a risky choice for our preferred style of travel.
Relatedly, we have to confess that we were pretty concerned that the French Riviera would be overrated. While we’d be lying if we didn’t say that some places are not ones we would go back to (hot take: we didn’t love Cannes), we can’t overstate how much we adored the Côte d’Azur as a whole.
It’s absolutely, jaw-droppingly, breathtakingly gorgeous, for starters. If we hadn’t been there ourselves, we would have thought it was a green-screen for a movie set.
It’s effortlessly relaxing, despite soaring temperatures.
Locals are kind and friendly, everyone greets you with a “bonjour” on the street, and the food is so fresh you expect it to walk right off your plate.
All in all, even during peak season in July, we had the time of our lives and we dream of going back.
We urge you to plan a trip to the Riviera at some point– it’s one of our favorite places that we’ve visited together, and one that we can’t wait to go back to.
We’ve put together a 5-day itinerary for you below, including some general tips, a “power-ranking” of towns, and some of our best photo spots.
The main airport on the French Riviera is Nice-Côte d’Azur International Airport, servicing a surprisingly large swath of Europe and Africa daily. The airport is bigger than you may expect, and so is Nice– it’s actually the 5th-biggest city in France.
That brings us to our first tip: Keep in mind that the relaxing Riviera vibes don’t necessarily begin right when you land.
Nice is a big city, with a big city pace and lifestyle. While the Vielle Ville is charming, if relaxation is what you’re after you may not want to spend too much time in Nice, instead prioritizing the next towns on our list.
However, that said, Nice is a fantastic jumping-off point for the region, with loads of bus and train connections to the rest of the Riviera (similar to the city of Como in Lake Como.) We stayed by the Nice-Riquier SNCF station, which was a total godsend for regional travel.
Right upon exiting the airport, there is a red tram called the T2 that you can take to the city center. It takes about half an hour and drops you off right in the center of Nice, at an underground stop called Jean-Medecin.
- If you’re staying in Nice, you can go up the stairs and transfer at the street level to trams to other parts of town.
- If you’re immediately headed elsewhere, it’s a short walk to Nice-Ville, the closest SNCF station. Here, you can buy tickets anywhere serviced by the SNCF.
Broadly, one of our favorite things about the whole Côte d’Azur is the super well-developed and interconnected transit system.
- All local buses and trams cost 1.50€ per ride, and it’s easy to buy a ticket at each stop. Just remember to validate it when you enter.
- The SNCF is similarly easy– just enter your starting and ending stations at the kiosk and the date, and it prints out tickets for you. If you have data, you can download their app instead, called SNCF Connect.
This leads us to our second tip: you absolutely do not need a car here.
There was only one place that we had planned to visit that wasn’t immediately available via train or bus, a little town called Saint-Paul-de-Vence. In the end we decided to forgo visiting, because to us, nothing makes a trip less relaxing than having to rent a car! Especially given the quality, frequency, and ease of the train system, it just didn’t seem necessary.
Note, however, that if you have your heart set on seeing Saint-Tropez, a car may be necessary.
As an added bonus, the trains were clean, spacious, and, most importantly… air-conditioned. Sometimes we wanted to get on simply to cool down a bit!
One last tip: if you know where you’re going the next day, consider buying your ticket in advance at the kiosk.
In the morning, the lines for the kiosks were often super long, not helped by the fact that the machines would often overheat in the sun and stop working (relatable, right?) Some trains only come every half-hour, and we don’t have to tell you that it’s the worst feeling to watch your train leave while you wait in line for a ticket.
5 Days in Côte d’Azur | Itinerary
If you take a peek at a map, you may be surprised to see how close together everything is. Whether your home base is in Nice, Antibes, or Cannes, everything else is fairly close by.
This means that a fair amount of mixing-and-matching is possible, and feel free to do so with this itinerary! We paired things this way because of proximity and the amount of time you’ll likely want to spend in each place, but one of the best things about the Côte d’Azur is how easy it is to be flexible.
That said, here’s what we recommend:
Day 1: Monaco and Menton
Day 2: Antibes and Juan-les-Pins
Day 3: Èze and Èze-sur-Mer
Day 4: Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Cap-Ferrat, and Nice
Day 5: Grasse and Cannes
Note that if you’re staying in Nice, we recommend slotting it in anytime you have a free few hours, or visiting a different part each evening when the temperatures go down or you’re out seeking a bite to eat. For us, that was on Day 4.
Alternatively, if you’d rather start with a list of towns and go from there, check out our post on 11 Top Towns on the French Riviera to visit. It’s more skimmable than this one, with highlights of each place along with our power-ranking– our personal favorites and tips.
Day 1: Monaco and Menton
Monaco has long been a hotspot for “the high life”, with gambling, car-racing, fashion, and related activities galore.
- Despite being totally surrounded by France, it’s a sovereign entity, ruled by the same family (the house of Grimaldi) since 1297.
- Perhaps its most notable ruling member, Prince Rainier III, married American actress Grace Kelly in 1956, a swoony, real-life fairytale that ended in tragedy when she died in a car accident in 1982.
- Their son, Albert, is on the throne today.
You will likely only need a half-day here, as there aren’t a ton of things to see, unless you’d like to do some gambling. Monaco is the most densely-populated place in the world– something you will no doubt notice as you walk around, and it’s super compact and walkable.
It’s only about 20 minutes from Nice to Monaco Monte-Carlo by train, and the stop is located right downtown. As you explore, don’t miss the sweeping vistas of the Monaco Yacht Club and the water from various points around town.
From here, you can check out the following things by foot:
- Monte Carlo Casino: Dating back to 1865, the Beaux-Arts building is beautiful inside and out. While you can only enter the main hall area free of charge, it’s well worth a peek inside the most iconic casino in the world. The entry hall is very impressive (and air-conditioned!) and the vistas of the surrounding ocean as you walk up the hill to the casino are beautiful. Don’t miss the luxury cars parked in front. If you want to gamble, the minimum to enter is 17€.
- Opera de Monte Carlo: Located in the same building as the casino and designed by Charles Garnier (yes, the same Garnier that did the Paris Opera House!), this ornate and stately building is also worth a quick peek.
- Monaco Grand Prix: While most of the year this is just a normal road, it’s also where the Monaco Grand Prix race has taken place since 1929. It feels so surreal to walk on it!
- Monaco City/Old Town: Located at the top of a fairly steep hill, the Old Town is a great place to just wander for a bit, perhaps stopping for a bite to eat.
- Palais Princier: The official residence of the prince, Albert II, it’s easy to see that it was originally built as a fortress in the 1200s from its exterior. Try to time your visit with the changing of the guard (daily at 11:55 AM), and tours of the interior are available as well if you want to see inside. Pro tip: on the left-hand side facing the palace is a great place to refill your water bottle and have a bit of shade.
- Monaco Cathedral (Saint Nicholas Cathedral): The official cathedral of Monaco, deceased members of the royal family (including Grace Kelly) are buried here.
- Oceanographic Museum: If you’re interested in Mediterranean sea life and marine conservation efforts, check out this museum!
Once you’ve had your fill of Monaco, head a bit further north for an afternoon in Menton. Menton is so close to Italy you can practically throw a rock to the border. In fact, it’s the last rail stop in France.
As major Italophiles, it felt weird to be so close and not visit, but if you want to tack on a visit to Ventimiglia or San Remo, you totally can.
Menton is a quaint little city known for lemon production. It’s a good introduction to the region in that it’s your first taste of the typical pace and architectural trends you’ll see. You likely can see all the sights in a few hours, and like anywhere on the Riviera, it’s gorgeous.
Here are our recommendations:
- Vieille Ville is charming, with bright, jewel-tone houses and meandering streets. There are a few places to stop and refill your water bottle, and the winding little streets reminded us of our favorite town on Lake Como, Moltrasio. The Italian vibe in Menton is strong!
- Don’t miss the Palais de Carnolès, a previous summer residence of the Grimaldi family. It’s now home to the Musée des Beaux Arts, Menton’s art museum.
- If you’d like to visit another museum, check out the Musée Jean Cocteau, dedicated to native son Jean Cocteau (author of Les Enfants Terribles.) The nearby Bastion was redecorated by him with mosaics, and he also redesigned the nearby Wedding Chapel, a government building.
- Lastly, Basilica Saint Michel is a Baroque-era church worth a quick peek.
- If you’re keen to do some swimming, Plage Les Sablettes is a great place to take a dip that’s right in the center of town. It offers a gorgeous view of the city if you swim out a bit.
- Climbing up the hill from the Vieille Ville to the Old Château Cemetery offers sweeping vistas of the water and town below, and is not as popular with tourists as other places in town. It’s a beautiful and reflective space– you feel like you could almost touch the sky there.
Note: We didn’t visit Menton’s botanical gardens (we chose to focus on Èze’s instead), but there are 2 that are very highly-recommended. If you’re a fan, check out Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden and Jardin de la Serre de la Madone for an explosion of rare and exotic plants.
Day 2: Antibes and Juan-les-Pins
Antibes has a more laid-back, relaxed vibe than the ritzier Riviera towns, and was Tegan’s favorite place on the Riviera. A bit “hipster,” the buildings are definitely shabby-chic. The color palette ventured more towards soft pastels than Menton’s jewel-tones, and the pace was more down-to-earth than places like Cannes or Nice.
F. Scott Fitzgerald fans, this is your moment– the author and his family adored Antibes, and were said to have spent the happiest times of their lives there. Juan-Les-Pins in particular is a great place to follow in their footsteps:
- Visit the villa the Fitzgeralds lived in, then called Villa Saint-Louis. After they moved away in the late 1920s, it became the Hotel Belles Rives, which it remains today. The Art Deco building is beautiful– check out the lobby’s frescoes and period furnishings, along with large portraits of the Fitzgeralds.
- Nearby, peek into the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc (called Hotel des Étrangers in Tender is the Night.) Sara and Gerald Murphy, who inspired main characters Dick and Nicole Diver, frequently entertained here in real life as well as in the novel. Don’t miss the really neat swimming pool carved into the rocks.
Elsewhere in Antibes, check out the following:
- Old Town: 16th-century ramparts enclose the Vieille Ville, packed with beachy buildings in an array of soft colors. Star-shaped Fort Carré also dates back to the 16th century, and sits on the outskirts of town.
- In the town center, the covered Marché Provençal is one of the best examples of Provençal-style markets in the South of France. All sorts of things are sold here, from dried lavender to pungent local cheese and fresh-squeezed juice.
- Built atop the ancient Greek town of Antipolis, the building that now houses the Musée Picasso was formerly the Château Grimaldi, where Picasso himself lived and worked in the 1940s. The museum is definitely worth visiting, and don’t miss the views from the terrace!
- Antibes has several beaches worth a visit, stroll, or swim:
- Plage de la Gravette
- Plage Juan-les-Pins
- Plage de la Garoupe
- Plage du Ponteil
- Plage de la Salis
- Journeying down to the tip of the Cap d’Antibes peninsula, there’s a fabulous 5-kilometer walking path called Le Sentier du Littoral, with jaw-dropping views of the peninsula. A bit of a “hideaway for the rich and famous” seeking to get away from less-private Cannes, it’s much quieter here and a great place for hiking and exploring.
Day 3: Èze and Èze-sur-Mer
Next up, it’s time for Alex’s favorite spot on the French Riviera– Èze.
Èze is an unbelievable example of the fortified medieval towns dotting the Provence area. There are 16 in total, forming the Route des Villages Perchés, or the Perched Village Route.
Our most critical piece of advice here is to get on the first available bus to Èze in the morning. We hopped on the first bus (#82) from the depot in Nice at 8 AM, and we are so glad we did.
By the time we left a few hours later, there was an absolute mob scene of tourists, and the town is frankly way too small for so many people. Truly, your enjoyment will be severely limited if there are a lot of people there when you visit.
- Èze has been inhabited since around 2000 BCE, alternatively by Romans, Phoenicians, and Moors.
- In the late 1300s it became part of the House of Savoy. This is when it started to look largely like it does today.
- It’s sometimes called an “eagle’s nest” due to its height, which was critical for protecting nearby towns like Nice through history.
- After a lot of fighting back and forth, the inhabitants of the town (called Ezasques) decided to fully join France in 1860.
- Today, Èze is often referred to as a “village-musée” (museum village), because few people actually live there full-time.
- While there is a local dialect similar to that of nearby Monaco, it’s also pretty much extinct.
While you’re here, there is nothing better than exploring the town by foot. The narrow stone passageways, awnings bursting with beautiful greenery, and serene stone buildings are absolutely charming. Definitely take your time meandering around and stopping into any little shops or cafés that call your attention.
Don’t miss:
- The Chapelle de la Sainte Croix, which dates back to 1306
- Jardin Exotique d’Eze botanical garden: An absolute must see! While anyone who has visited the American Southwest or a similar place won’t find the cactuses particularly exotic, they are super beautiful and lovingly maintained, and exploring the winding path around the gardens was one of the highlights of our day. Better yet, you can reach the tippy-top of the town here, with unbelievable views of the surrounding water, Cap-Ferrat, and the coastline. Keep an eye out for Fort de la Revère and Mont Bastide in the distance.
- Église Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption: Beautiful inside and out, and big enough that it’s one of the only parts of town that you can see from other areas
- La Chevre d’Or hotel: While everything in Èze is beautiful, this hotel is worth mentioning by name because it’s super fancy and picturesque, with fresh flowers and beautiful stone passageways. It really feels like traveling back in time.
- Note that there is a Fragonard perfume location in Èze that is worth stopping in only if you don’t have plans to go to Grasse (see day #5 below!) If you are planning to visit Grasse, that’s where Fragonard’s headquarters (and the super-interesting free tour!) are.
- Needless to say, we super recommend visiting Grasse, but if you don’t have time, we noticed that a lot of tourists made a beeline for the Fragonard store immediately after stepping off the bus in Èze, so consider doing that after exploring the town if you want to beat the crowds into the town proper.–
After you’ve finished exploring, you can trek downhill for about an hour on the Chemin Frederic Nietzsche towards the beach part of town, called Èze-sur-Mer. It’s really easy to see the beginning of the trail from the entrance to the fortified town.
To be honest, we weren’t prepared for hiking and just had walking sneakers on, so note that the trail can be a bit steep and slippery at times if you’re not wearing proper footwear.
The trail is so, so beautiful– we really urge you to do it if that’s the kind of thing you enjoy. The sweeping vistas of the turquoise water and the jagged mountain peaks were one of the highlights of our trip, even though it was brutally hot and dusty. Definitely layer on the sunscreen prior to getting started, because it’s quite exposed.
Every step of the trail was breathtakingly beautiful, and once you get to the bottom, you’re rewarded with a pristine beach (right on the other side of the SNCF station, just go through the tunnel!) It was the most wonderful feeling in the world to jump in the water after all that sweaty downhill trekking!
Note: you can also do the trail in reverse (upward from Èze-sur-Mer to the town of Èze) if you’re up for about 1.5 hours of steep uphill hiking. It was way too hot for us to even contemplate doing this while we were there, but we’d love to do it next time we visit. Keep in mind that you should wear sneakers for this– we saw a lot of people struggling in flip-flops.
Èze-sur-Mer was by far our favorite beach on the Riviera. Not only was it much quieter than other beaches, but the curve of the coastline with the mountains rising above it was just surreal.
The water was the perfect temperature, cool and inviting with gentle waves, and we found that we definitely didn’t mind the lack of sand. If anything, it was nice not to track it back into the hotel.
Keep in mind that the pebble beaches can be a bit tough on your feet, though, we wished we had some water shoes.
Bonus stop: Villefranche-sur-Mer
Bonus stop:
If you’re heading back towards Nice from Èze-sur-Mer and are in the mood for another beach outing, you can stop at Villefranche-Sur-Mer, the stop before Nice on the SNCF.
Definitely one of the most popular beaches on the Riviera, it’s one of the few beaches with sand (rather than rocks.)
You may recognize its beautiful skyline– it’s been the scene of many, many movies set on the Riviera in the last decades.
The downside to Villefranche is that it can get overwhelmingly busy. Sometimes the water even seems too crowded to swim in, and spots to lay your towel are few and far between. For that reason, we preferred the quieter beaches, but it’s a fun vibe if you don’t mind being a bit squished.
Day 4: Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Cap-Ferrat, and Nice
Another contender for our favorite day on the trip was a day spent in Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Cap-Ferrat. Located super close to Nice, we took this day as an opportunity to relax a bit, and did most of our touristing around Nice that afternoon when we got back.
Beaulieu-sur-Mer is heart-stoppingly beautiful. From the pristine white umbrellas dotting the beach to the imposing façade of Villa Kérylos jutting out to the sea, the best way to explore the area is via the Promenade Maurice Rouvier.
Starting at Plage-Port des Fourmis, you can walk the 1.5 kilometers between Beaulieu and Cap-Ferrat along a breathtaking elevated waterfront path. Largely flat and super-navigable, this was another highlight of our trip– you can’t miss it.
Meandering along the path, your next stop is the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
Truly, this is a historic house worth the entrance fee splurge. You will see shortly after entering that Béatrice de Rothschild was a gal ahead of her times. She owned stables, raced horses, gambled in Monaco (as women weren’t allowed to gamble in France yet), and largely did whatever struck her fancy. #Goals!
After her divorce from a wealthy Russian financier, Béatrice had prominent architect Aaron Messiah design this majestic, frothy pink confection overlooking the Mediterranean.
Furnished with Old Masters paintings and a jaw-dropping amount of furniture from the court of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, even if you’re not big on period furniture, many of the pieces are the sole survivors of that time period– as their contemporaries were all destroyed during the French Revolution.
After you finish the audio-guide about the house, go outside to check out the themed gardens. There are a whopping 9 of them, but they’re all connected via a nice path with the following themes: French, Spanish, Florentine, stone, Japanese, exotic, Provençal, and roses.
When you finish exploring the villa, you can finish the Promenade Maurice Rouvier and explore the town of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. While there isn’t a whole lot to see here, it’s refreshingly quiet and absolutely gorgeous.
We found that after our morning in Beaulieu and Cap-Ferrat, we had an ideal expanse of time in the afternoon to explore Nice.
While Nice’s airport is for sure where you’ll land, it’s oddly easy to forget to spend time there in favor of jet-setting to all the various smaller towns and attractions along the SNCF train lines.
While Nice wasn’t our favorite place we visited, you should definitely spend some time exploring around, even if it’s just in the evenings prior to getting a bite to eat, or setting aside an afternoon like we did.
Again, Nice is a big city– the 5th-largest in France. We were a bit taken aback by the pace there, as it was way less relaxed than other places, but it’s to be expected for a city of that size.
Check out these things:
- If nothing else, a stroll along a portion of the 7-kilometer Promenade des Anglais is arguably the most essential thing to do in Nice. As its name suggests, it was built by the English, who started coming to Nice as a winter holiday destination in the 18th century. Colloquially, you can call it La Prom.
- Nearby and overlooking the bay is the Castle of Nice, once a military fortification and now a beautiful public park. Consider walking up Castle Hill (Colline du Château)– depending on the time of day, the sun highlights different panoramic viewpoints, leading to the area sometimes being called the “cradle of the sun.”
- Do a spot of shopping at the outdoor covered market Cours Saleya as you explore Nice’s Old Town, particularly famous for flowers. Start in the Place Masséna, and don’t miss the famous Fountain of the Sun (featuring a beautiful statue of Apollo) and neat black-and-white paving. The Old Town itself can be a bit disorienting, with narrow, jam-packed streets that are vaguely reminiscent of Moroccan souks– it’s wise to pick a central point like quaint Place Rossetti. Similar to other old towns in the area, it’s nice to just walk around and explore here.
- Nice’s Old Port is also a lovely area to walk around, checking out the various boats docked there and maybe grabbing a bite to eat.
- Museum lovers, rejoice– Nice is home to the Marc Chagall National Museum as well as the Musée Matisse. The former home of Renoir is also open for tours, called Musée Renoir. If Baroque palaces are more your scene, check out Musée du Palais Lascaris instead. Lastly, for contemporary art fans, check out Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain.
- The oldest square in Nice, Place Garibaldi is a good meeting place and transportation hub.
- Jean-Medecin is a good shopping street and connection to the airport and other places.
Day 5: Grasse and Cannes
Located in the hills above Cannes, Grasse is another cute-as-a-button town perfect for a day trip. Considered the capitale mondiale des parfums (perfume capital of the world), iconic French parfumeur Fragonard is headquartered here, as well as others such as Molinard and Galimard.
Fun fact: the city is responsible for producing two-thirds of France’s “scents,” whether for perfumes or for food flavoring.
Naturally, dotted around the town you’ll see a lot of perfume-related stuff, as well as the usual assortment of charming architecture and cute cafés.
Grasse has been given the honor of Ville d’Art et d’Histoire (City of Art and History) by the French government, and similarly to the other destinations in this guide, you should absolutely spend some time wandering around and exploring the quaint streets, peeking at the various buildings and the Grasse Cathedral.
You’ll find that Grasse is quite different from the other Riviera towns. It’s quite a bit further from Nice– about 2 hours away, and is actually the terminus of the SNCF line in that direction.
Since it’s tucked up in the hills, the flora and fauna are also a bit different, and overall it feels much less like a beach town. In fact, one of the main reasons it became so famous for perfume was because it’s far enough inland to not be affected by sea breezes, but still retains a warm and muggy climate ideal for flowers.
Note that it’s about a 15-minute (uphill) walk from the SNCF train station to the city center, but the path is largely pedestrian-only and very well-marked.
In addition to exploring the town, you can’t visit Grasse without touring at least one perfume factory.
Fragonard offers a free tour of their factory that is actually super fascinating and informative. Yes, we were skeptical… but we both really enjoyed it and recommend it wholeheartedly.
They teach you all about the history of perfume and the history of Grasse, as well as show you how their perfumes are made. It’s amazing how small-scale and personalized their production is, even today. You will definitely learn something new! It’s available both in French and in English.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you, but the free tour ends, unsurprisingly, in a large shop with all sorts of goodies, from perfumes to colognes, candles, soaps, and more. They sell tiny bottles of their signature perfumes that make great souvenirs and gifts, but they are definitely on the pricey side.
Additionally, there are a few free museums to check out while you’re here: an art museum dedicated to the works of native son Jean-Honoré Fragonard (the perfume company is named after his father!) and a local Museum of Art and History.
Cannes
If you’re feeling up to it on your way back from Grasse, consider stopping in Cannes. Cannes is arguably the most famous of the Riviera towns, known for its yearly film festival and popularity with celebrities.
We’ll be frank– we didn’t love Cannes. While that may be an unpopular opinion (or just our personal opinion!) we encourage you to stop and explore a bit to make your own opinion.
Compared to the other towns we visited, Cannes just felt so stressful. It was just as sweltering outside as it had been the days prior, but the crush of tourists made it feel even hotter.
Specifically, La Croisette, one of the most iconic beaches in the world, was so covered in private beach clubs that you couldn’t even see the water.
While you should definitely be aware that private beach clubs are very common on the Riviera, there is usually at least a portion of the beach that’s public… or at least not so clogged with umbrellas and pounding techno music that that’s all you can see.
That said, it’s certainly worth spending some time walking around, doing some shopping, or even stocking up on groceries, as it’s a bigger town with more amenities.
A few things to check out while you’re there:
- The world-famous Boulevard de la Croisette, a 2-kilometer waterfront promenade with beautiful palm trees. Don’t miss the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, where the Cannes Film Festival is held. There are tours of the Grand Auditorium available, and of course you can take a photo on the iconic steps! About two blocks behind la Croisette there is also a cute shopping area, but it mainly has chain stores like Zara, etc. Worth a stroll on the Rue d’Antibes in particular.
- If you start climbing the hills west of the harbor, you’ll see Le Suquet, the site of the original settlement that is now Cannes. Rue Sainte-Antoine is known for its quaint fisherman’s houses and variety of restaurants leading to Place de la Castre. Don’t miss the beautiful Notre-Dame d’Espérance church and views of la Croisette below. Fort de la Castre is one of the only medieval buildings in Cannes, built way up high as a fortification back in the 11th century. You can still climb the 100 or so steps to the top.
- If you didn’t make it to the Marché Provençal in Antibes, check out the Marché Forville, which is also a provençal-style market.
Bonus: Îles de Lérins
There are also a few islands (called the Lérins Islands) that are a short and beautiful ferry ride from Cannes, and the highlight of our time there.
Île Sainte-Marguerite and Île Saint-Honorat are the biggest. If you visit Saint-Honorat, don’t miss the Lérins Abbey, a beautiful Cistercian monastery– it’s apparently been a pilgrimage site for centuries.
We chose to visit Île Sainte-Marguerite, and we loved it. Only about 15 minutes from the Cannes ferry terminal, ferries run quite frequently and drop you off at a small harbor. From there, you can explore the island!
Don’t miss checking out Fort Royal (where the Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned) as well as taking a stroll along the pine and eucalyptus forests. There are various viewpoints around the island for stunning views of the sea and Cannes in the distance.
We hope you enjoyed this 5-day itinerary to the French Riviera!
Ending with another Fitzgerald quote…
“Once in the middle twenties, I was driving along the High Corniche Road through the twilight with the whole French Riviera twinkling on the sea below. As far ahead as I could see was Monte Carlo…when life was literally a dream.”
“Once in the middle twenties, I was driving along the High Corniche Road through the twilight with the whole French Riviera twinkling on the sea below. As far ahead as I could see was Monte Carlo…when life was literally a dream.”
Amen to that!
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If you’d like a more bite-sized guide, don’t miss our guide to our 11 top towns on the French Riviera to visit! For more sunny fun, check out our guide to dreamy Corsica.
