French Riviera Guide
My guide to the French Riviera for first-timers, covering artsy spots, villas, hikes, charming villages, and more.
I’ve just returned to Paris feeling wonderfully refreshed after a week in the Burgundy countryside. Last week brought yet another heat wave in France, the fourth or fifth of the summer, I’ve lost count, and when you’re in a third-floor 40m2 apartment with no AC, there comes a point where you’re just done fighting the heat. So we last-minute rented a car from Orly airport and headed south to Burgundy for the week. La Canicule followed us south, but we’d planned ahead and booked hotels with AC, hallelujah!
My Burgundy recap will be out next month, in time for those of you planning a fall trip to France’s culinary heartland.
But enough about the heat, on my walk to the grocery store yesterday, nearly every shop had signs posted saying closed until September 1st. Les Vacances have officially begun, and it felt like the perfect time to share my guide to the French Riviera.
This is a guide compiled from four separate trips to the Côte d’Azur. It’s not really a hidden gems guide, it’s more for first or second timers looking to see the main sights and wondering exactly what they should do. I’ve included all of the artsy things, like the Matisse Chapel and Jean Cocteau Chapel, along with hikes, villas, gardens, hotel options, and plenty of dreamy beaches.
The guide is dense, I’ve tried to break it up so it’s easy to follow. There’s also a map with everything tagged. So without further ado, here is my guide to the French Riviera.
Note: Marseille is not included in this guide.
Nice
I’ve been to Nice a few times, and I want to love it, but I’ve never fallen in love with it. I like the idea of it as a city, it’s right on the coast in one of the most gorgeous locations in France, not too far from the Alps, close to hilltop villages and colorful seaside towns, but it’s never been a place I want to return to again and again.
Since this is a first-timer’s guide, I do think it’s worth a day or two for the markets, the old town, the beach, and the art museums. It’s also in a great location if you’d like to stay in a bigger city while exploring the Riviera, with easy train or bus access to most of the places in this guide.
What to do in Nice
Walk the Promenade des Anglais at dusk
Marché aux Fleurs – flower market, closed Mondays
Cours Saleya market – next to the flower market, it’s an antiques market on Mondays and a food and flower market the rest of the week
Explore Vieux Nice – the old town is lovely! Also on my list: Musée du Palais Lascaris
Walk up to Colline du Château (Castle Hill) for the best views overlooking the city, then down the other side to the Quartier du Port. The walk along the main road near the water toward the old port is also lovely.
Spend a day at a beach club. The beaches along the waterfront are lined with them. The beach itself is rocky and not great for laying out on a towel. A few clubs I’ve heard good things about: Castel Plage (reserve a bed online), Ruhl Plage, Hotel Amour Plage (reserve a bed online).
Artsy things to do in Nice
Food tip: Try socca, a chickpea flatbread topped with olive oil, and pissaladière, a flatbread topped with onions and other toppings. Chez Pipo and Chez Thérésa are two popular spots for these typical Nissarde dishes. Also, if you like Mexican food, my mom had tacos from BONITO (the family who runs it is from Mexico) and said they were worth going back for. I’ve heard great things about Chez Davia.
Hotels in Nice
Hotel du Couvent: Direct / Booking.com
Hotel Amour: Direct / Booking.com
Hôtel Petit Palais: Direct / Booking.com
Casa Musa: Direct
Hôtel Le Soleia: Direct / Booking.com
The Booking.com links are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission on every purchase made at no extra cost to you. I always include direct links if the hotel offers direct booking on their site.
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
I spent two nights in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and wow, it is heaven, and not just because of the luxury villas (its nickname is the Billionaires’ Peninsula). It’s quiet and secluded, has amazing beaches, and feels like its own little paradise. I’d only recommend staying here if you have a car – there’s no direct train access, so you have to catch a bus from town to the nearest station.
What to do in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Walk the Sentier du Littoral – a coastal path that winds nearly all the way around the peninsula, ~6km, and takes just over 2 hours. Bring water, sunscreen, and a swimsuit – there are plenty of spots to hop in and cool off. Start early if visiting in summer; we headed out at 8:00 am and it was already hot.
Walk around the Marina – the main commercial area of Cap-Ferrat, with restaurants, a bakery, boutiques, and the Saint-Jean Baptiste church.
Beach hop:
Plage Paloma – one of the most spectacular beaches on the Riviera. Gets very busy midday – go early morning or a couple of hours before sunset to have it mostly to yourself. Watch out for jellyfish.
Plage de la Fosse – a long, crescent-shaped pebbly cove, a short walk from Paloma. Feels more secluded. Bring water shoes.
Plage des Fossettes – small and quiet pebbly beach. There’s a coffee shop (La Pointue du Cap) right above with tables and an amazing view.
Plage de Passable – on the western side with views toward Villefranche-sur-Mer. Beach club is pricey (~€50/chair), but there’s a small free public as well.
Artsy Things to do
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild – a gorgeous villa built by heiress Béatrice de Rothschild. The nine themed gardens (rose, Japanese, Provençal, and more) have stunning views of Villefranche-sur-Mer. Parking fills up fast – there’s a paid lot a few hundred meters away, or take bus #15 and get off at Passable / Rothschild.
Villa Kérylos – technically in neighboring Beaulieu-sur-Mer, this is a stunning recreation of an ancient Greek villa built in the early 1900s, with intricate frescoes, carved woodwork, and detailed mosaics.
Hotels in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Hotel Brise Marine – Direct / Booking.com - spent a blissful two nights here. The blue carpets could use an upgrade but the location and balcony views are stellar, and it’s a 2-minute walk from Plage Paloma.
Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat – Direct / Booking.com - the splurge option.
La Maison Basse – an Airbnb I want to book next time. Available as a room or a studio apartment.
Getting there from Nice
By car: ~30 min from Nice airport. Paid parking along the main roads – arrive early for beach spots.
By train/bus: Train from Nice-Ville to Beaulieu-sur-Mer (~10 min), then bus #15 to Cap-Ferrat.
By e-bike: Lime e-bikes are a popular way to get here – there’s a station near Plage Paloma.
