The French Riviera, also known as Côte d’Azur, fringes the Mediterranean sea on the south coast of France. It is where I spent four days on a trip to France in 2024. It also where I was captivated by the beauty of this glamorous coastline and it’s ravishingly beautiful towns. Although, four days in this region wasn’t near enough, I experienced a good overview of the best of the French Riviera.
If I mention the life of the rich and famous and the French Riviera in one sentence, then this certainly conjures up an image that you need to be “well heeled” to visit this region of France. However, I was to discover that as a tourist on a budget it was a lot more affordable than I thought.
Although, not strictly on the French Riviera, the port city of Marseille is well worth visiting. It is the third largest city in France and also the oldest, founded by the Greeks circa 600 B.C.
I visited this picturesque city on my return from four days in Nice. I was entranced by the beauty of the old port with thousands of boats moored in the harbour and the surrounding restaurants and shops. I spent my time strolling around this area taking in all the wonderful sights.
Places worth visting in Marseille include:
* Notre-Dame de la Garde – the imposing basilica on la Garde hill with panoramic views over Marseille
* The Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée and Fort Saint-Jean – at the port
* The Cathedral of Sainte-Marie-Majeure – near the port
* The Abbey of Saint-Victor
* The Panier quarter or the Old Town
* Palais Longchamp – located in a city park just outside the city centre
* The Unité d’Habitation – residence of architect, Le Corbusier
Although only a small town, Saint-Tropez is a very chic and upmarket resort on the French Riviera. Several famous French movies have been shot here on location, such as: And God Created Woman and The Troops of St. Tropez.
Saint-Tropez boasts many boutiques selling the most luxurious brands in the world as well as ultra-expensive hotels and restaurants. There is also a famous beach here called Pampelonne featuring the most famous beach clubs in the world – Club 55.
It is definitely worth a day visit to take in the life of the rich and famous and pretend that you belong in one of the exclusive 5-star hotels in the town. Or maybe hang out at the harbour to see if you can spot a celebrity on their yacht as Saint-Tropez is a very popular luxury yacht destination.
The location of the International Cannes Film Festival in May each year, Cannes is another very fashionable resort town. The two-kilometre long Promenade de la Croisette (Boulevard de la Croisette), and the sandy beach with it’s iconic blue chairs is worth a stroll along. As is the old port with colourful fishing boats and super yachts.
If you want to feel like a movie star, make sure you visit the Palais des Festivals, where the film festival is held each year. Also, the small Old Town (le Suquet), is located on a hill overlooking the entire town with loads of charm, and is worth a look.
Lying between Nice and Cannes, Antibes is one of the oldest towns on the French Riviera. It features beautiful sandy beaches, a yacht harbour for the billionaires and the Maritime Alps in the hinterland that are snow-capped during the winter months.
Once upon a time, Picasso lived in the town with his studio housed in Chateau Grimaldi. You can visit the Picasso Museum here and see some of the artist’s paintings.
There are also some excellent hiking trails that can be found on the Cap d’Antibes Peninsula. I would recommend this highly for the stunning coastal scenery, the private little beaches, exquisite gardens and villas. At the highest point of the peninsula there is a lighthouse and chapel – the Chapel of Notre-Dame-des-Amoureux. The views from the top of the lighthouse are breathtaking.
Nice as the name denotes is a very nice place to visit. Nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the Alps, it is a popular holiday destination. I arrived here after a nine day train trip from Paris to Nice. My first thought was that I wanted to see the Mediterrannean Sea so on the first morning I set off to explore.
I discovered it was extremely easy to get around Nice on foot or by light rail. There is a light rail tram that traverses the city that you can jump on and off at your leisure. I was fortunate in that the light rail was right outside my hotel.
Must sees in Nice include:
* Stroll along the Promenade des Anglais along the beachfront.
* Take in some vitamin “sea” at one of the many beach clubs on rocky shores.
* Admire the 19th-century Belle Epoque villa and the grandness of the Negresco Hotel located on the esplanade.
* Wander into the Old Town, brimming with upmarket shops, restaurants and cafes.
* Browse the Flea Market or La Puces de Nice in the Old Town.
* Scale to the top of Castle Hill to the Chateau Colline for magical views over Nice and the Cote d’Azur.
* Check out the super yachts at Nice Port.
* Buy fresh produce and beautiful fresh flowers at the Cours Saleya Market.
* Wander around Place Messena and spot the seven statues and the the Greek god Apollo in the fountain.
* Eat, drink and be merry at Gare du Sud, a former 19th century railway station converted into a food court.
The medieval hilltop village of Eze, dating back as far as 2,000BC is a mere 12 kilometres from Nice. The drive here affords the most magnificent coastal scenery and will have you gasping. Otherwise, there is a train that takes you from Nice to Eze.
To access the historical village there is an initial hike up the hill with amazing views along the way. Once you reach the village under an ancient archway the are a maze of cobbletsoned laneways adorned with vibrant flowers awaiting exploration. The centuries-old stonework on the buildings, clad with vines and colourfully painted doors is remarkable. Everywhere there are tiny boutique shops, restaurants and bars that are nestled in amongst the walkways or down in dingy basements.
Also worthwhile, is a tour of the nearby French perfume factory called Parfumerie Fragonard. The factory tour includes a commentary on how the perfumes are made and where the flowers are collected from all around the world. Afterwards, I got the opportunity to sample the scents and purchase if I wished.
The Principality of Monaco, located on the Cote d’Azur is surrounded on three sides by France, is only 20 kilometres driving distance from Nice. It’s claim to fame is based on the fact that it is a tax haven for the wealthy, but also on it’s natural beauty.
The very exclusive Monaco Harbour is one of the most expensive places to moor a yacht in the world and is frequently full of extravagant yachts. The street surrounding the harbour is flush with upmarket restaurants and designer label shops.
Monaco Palace, the official residence of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, is located on a hilltop with commanding views. The area surrounding the palace comprises of a maze of narrow streets in the old township and exquisite scuplted gardens.
It is also famous for the Monaco Grand Prix, held annualy through the streets of Monaco, and the Monte Carlo Casino, where James Bond has stepped out of his Aston Martin on plenty of occasions. There are a line of fancy “James Bond-like” sports cars parked in the courtyard in front of the entrance to the casino.
My choice of transport on my journey to the French Riviera was by train. I travelled by train from Paris via Beaune in Burgundy, Aix-en-Provence, Marseille and then Nice. However, the most direct route is via Lyon. The fast trains are the most efficient and comfortable way to travel.
Driving from Paris to Nice is also highly recommended however is a long journey of 970 kilometres, so would need to be broken up into portions. The autoroutes (freeways) are excellent and the French countryside very picturesque along the way.
Some cruise ships focus on the French Riviera and dock at ports in Nice, Monaco, Cannes and Saint-Tropez. Alternatively, if you are travelling in Italy the French Riviera is very accessible being only 30 kilometres from the Italian border to Nice.
Jo Castro
April 4, 2025Informative post Kathy! Somewhere we are keen to discover.
Kathy
April 5, 2025Thank you Jo. I really enjoyed my 5 days here. The lives of the rich and famous is very much on show in the French Riviera, but I managed to make it budget friendly.