Looking for a place to relax and soak up some sun? Look no further than the French Riviera! This beautiful stretch of coastline is home to some of the world’s most iconic and stylish resorts, as well as some of the most popular tourist destinations. Whether you’re a fan of classic luxury or are keen to try something new, there’s a destination on the French Riviera that will suit your needs. In this article, we list five of the top destinations on the Riviera. Ready to get started?
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The French Riviera, also known as the Coat de Azure, is one of the most highly sought-after destinations in Europe. Located in southern France on the Mediterranean Sea, the French Riviera is home to some of Europe’s best scenery from the medieval hilltop town of Ez to the scenic Colon Acacia, the French Riviera is waiting to be experienced.
1. Menton:
Now located right next to the Italian border. It’s strikingly beautiful with its colorful buildings complemented by a backdrop of the Maritime Alps. We stayed several days here and I really enjoyed just walking around the city. Mentone was a part of Italy until 1860 when it and the rest of Niece County were added to France. There’s a great boardwalk that walks along the coast, and the lighthouse pier to get panoramic views of Menton.
2. Eze:
Now looking on a hilltop tower, looking over the French Riviera. This was easily the coolest medieval place in southern France. It was only a short 30 minutes drive from Mentone. Now, as was founded during the Middle Ages around the 14th century and today is known worldwide for its medieval vibe and views of the French Riviera. When we were there, we parked in a parking lot at the base of Eze and then walked up the winding stairs and cobblestone paths through the village.
You really feel like you’re walking back in time. Everything is so old. It’s perfectly preserved in the village. It’s just full of like these tunnel walkways and trees that were just built around. Truly is such a cool place. Now, one of the main features of the village is the exotic garden. It’s a beautiful place that sits on top of the village. It not only has beautiful plants and cactuses, but it offers one of the best views of the French Riviera. It’s definitely worth the hike and six euro entry feet.
3. Monaco:
Now located right in between Eze and Mentone, Monaco is the second smallest country after the Vatican. The whole country is only 499 acres. Monaco has been known as a billionaire’s playground, and over one-third of Monaco’s citizens are millionaires. Now, one reason why Monaco draws the rich is that it’s a tax haven. There are no income taxes, and other tax rates are extremely low.
Now, one of the most famous places in Monaco is the Monte Carlo Casino. It was opened in 1863 and has been featured in the James Bond films. Now, we just drove through Monaco because we just had to check it out. We didn’t do much, but it was just cool to see and just wild to think of all the money that’s in this tiny country.
4. Commune of La Turbie.
It’s famous for its Roman monument called the Trophy of Augustus, which was built in the 6th century BC to celebrate Augustus victory over 45 tribes that populated the Romans sure were ambitious back then.
5. Nice:
Now, as the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department of France, nice is the second-largest city on the French Riviera after Marsail. Now, if you’re flying to the French Riviera, this is probably the best airport to come to. So if you’re in the French Riviera, you definitely can give Nice a visit.
6. Cannes.
t’s located about a 40-minute drive from Nice. Like many places along the French Riviera, Cannes is associated with the rich and famous and hosts the annual Cannes Film Festival. Now, just outside of Cannes are some of the most beautiful coastlines on the French Riviera. It’s called the Esterel, and it’s these red rock cliffs that dive into the sea. The coastline is part of the Esterel Massive and it stretches from Cannes to San Rafael. Now full of hidden coves, red rock islands, and secluded beaches.
7. Cap Du Dramont.
This little island with a medieval-looking watchtower on it. It was constructed in the 20th century, and it’s believed to be the inspiration behind the black island and the adventures of Tintin. It just looks so scenic coupled with the red coastline. And there’s a really nice beach there, and the water is perfect for freediving such an enjoyable place.
8. Saint Tropez:
Saint Tropez is located about an hour and a half drive from Nice. Now, Saint Tropez grew as a fishing village and military stronghold until the 20th century, and it was the first town to be liberated on the French Riviera during World War II. In the 1960s Santrope started gaining popularity amongst jetsetters, and today it’s renowned for its beaches, nightlife, and yachts.
Now, the main part of Saint Tropez is pretty small, but walking around its streets and alleyways. There was this path that walks along the coast, and it was just really nice to explore. Now, overlooking Santa Bay is the Citadel, which is built in the 1620s to protect against Spanish forces. Today, it’s a naval museum you can visit. All in all, Saint Tropez is a really beautiful town.
9. Porquerolles.
It’s part of the archipelago of the Hyères islands, and the village on the island was founded back in 1820. To date, most of the island remains undeveloped as it’s protected, and it’s a perfect nature getaway with some of France’s best beaches. Now, you can reach the island by taking a 15 minutes shuttle boat from Guinea’s Peninsula, where you can also reach it from Tulum. Now, while you’re there, you can bike or hike around the island to its Caribbean-like beaches such as Cortate Beach, or you can trek around to its more rugged parts of the island. It’s definitely an island worth visiting.
10. Cassis:
It’s a seaside town with that classic French cheek charm.
Now, Cassis is overlooked by Captain Eye, which is home to the highest eclipse in all of France, with a height of 394 meters. Now, there’s a great beach in Cassis overlooked by a Cap Canaille. You can also walk to the lighthouse at the end of the harbor to just relax and enjoy the sound of the sea.
11. Calanques:
Now, they are these incredible sea coves surrounded by dining cliffs and crystal clear waters. The one who should definitely go to is Calanque d’En Vau. Now, there are several ways to get here. You can either take a boat, kayak or hike. Now, on our first day there, we rented a little boat from the harbor and Cassis and headed out to the Calanques.
Now, the views on the way were just absolutely incredible. The one downside about the boat is we couldn’t land on the beach. You can only drive, like, halfway through, and then it’s roped off. But if you do rent a kayak or a paddle board, you can take it to the beach, which I definitely recommend if you can handle the long paddle.
Now, we went as far as we could in the Calanques and then turned around after we just kept exploring the coastline heading west as we relaxed in this other colony with some just really unique cliffs and rock formations. It was such a phenomenal area. The hike was about 7 km long and it had this one steep descent to get to the beach. Nothing you can’t handle.
Once you reach the beach, it was really an amazing sight. The steep white cliffs coupled with the greens of the pines and blues of the water were just amazing. Now the beach was a decent size with a lot of smooth pebbles. We went for a swim and the water was just so freaking clear.
