Last spring we enjoyed several days on France’s stunning Riviera. It was a truly lovely time; we hadn’t been there for 24 years and couldn’t think why we had left it so for long. Many people are drawn to the French Riviera for its reputation of glitz and glamour but I have to say outside of this – many of the towns, cities and villages are normal working areas with normal people just going about their daily lives.
We based ourselves in the lovely city of Nice, and made short travels to Cannes, Antibes, Eze, Monaco, Menton and Ventimiglia (Italy). The French Riviera boasts some wonderful cities and towns along the coastline (as listed above), and these are just some of the fabulous places to add to your itinerary if you decide to visit this part of France.
A Brief History of the French Riviera
The French Riviera on the Cote d’Azur began its journey as a winter resort for the upper classes of Britain during the 18th century. By the time Queen Victoria visited, it had become a playground for the wealthy of the world. It’s a big yachting area and hosts a majority of the world’s superyachts. Many festivals are held in this region of France, such as the internationally-renowned Cannes Film Festival, Menton’s Lemon festival (literally a celebration of the area’s lemons, held at the end of winter), the Carnival in Nice and the Rose Festival in Grasse just to name a few.
Where to Stay in Nice
If you really want to experience the French Riviera, it’s best to base yourself somewhere central. The airport that serves the majority of the area is Nice airport, so basing yourself in the city of Nice is the best thing to do in my opinion.
From right outside the airport, you can hop on to a tram that will bring you straight into the city centre. You can either purchase a travel pass that will bring you to and from the airport for 10 euros, or you can hop on the tram, getting off the stop after the airport and purchase a ticket into the centre from there, saving yourself a couple of euros.
We stayed at the Holiday Inn on Boulevard Victor Hugo, positioned in an ideal location as the tram from the airport stopped more or less outside, and it’s located only a short walk from many of the major sights. A 5-minute walk down the road and you’ll find yourself on one of the main shopping streets, Avenue Jean Medicin. Old Nice and Promenade des Anglais are not far away either, and a stroll along the latter is a must.
What is the Best Way to Travel Along the French Riviera?
Nice has two major train stations, but we just used Gare de Nice-Ville. From there, you can travel just about all along the Cote d’Azur, and beyond. For 20 euros, you can buy a one-day pass that will allow you to take as many trains as you like to all the major towns and cities along the French Riviera, with only an additional 5 euros per person for extra tickets if travelling with more people. Simply put, the first person pays 20 euros and for each person thereafter, it’s an additional 5 euros – a bargain, in my humble opinion, especially considering just how much there is to see.
But one piece of friendly advice: beware that the trains can get super busy, and if you’re lucky enough to get on a train you may not get a seat (despite the fact the trains are double-decker). Try to travel outside of peak hours, and avoid rush hour such as when schoolkids are travelling to and from school and workers are going to and from the office.
What Not to Miss in the French Riviera?
Nice
Nice is a wonderful city, full of colourful buildings often against a perfect azure sky. From Promenade des Anglais to Place Massena, you could spend your entire holiday here. There is an abundance of bars and restaurants, an array of shops and markets. A must-visit is to Glacier Fenocchio who sell a vast – very vast – array of ice cream, and of all the ones we tried, they were all delicious! It’ll be one of the first places we’ll head to when we return. Nice is also very well placed so you can travel along the coast very easily, whether by train or bus. You can read a more extensive guide to the city here.
Antibes
What can I say about Antibes? This is a city which feels more like a town, a place I would live if I was lucky enough to move to the French Riviera. It has the most wonderful Old Town, busy daily market, a scenic coastal walk, lots of bars, restaurants and cafes, a couple of sandy beaches and a beautiful marina. It came as a welcome change from Nice as it’s more laidback and slower paced. There’s a newer part of town where a lot of the locals now live and where you’ll probably find the more useful shops, like supermarches. The Old Town, charming in its rustic beauty, has been largely left for the tourists to ramble around in. You can read more about this beautiful city here.
Cannes
I absolutely love Cannes with its glamorous hotels and shops along the Croisette, sandy beaches and, of course, it’s home to the Cannes Film Festival. Away from the seafront, you have a proper working city which boasts the bustling Rue d’Antibes, a very commercial street where you can probably find almost everything you might be after, a wonderful myriad of shops.
Grasse
The perfume capital of the world. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to visit this wonderful city but it’s definitely on our itinerary for our next visit. Grasse boasts an array of restaurants and cafes, as well as natural wonders such as mountains, lakes and forests. You can buy a selection of eau de toilettes, powders, soaps, etc, where all the fragrances come via the flowers of the countryside surrounding the city.
Eze
We tried to get up to Instagram’s favourite mountain village. Taking a bus from Nice to Eze, you can get off and catch your next bus from just outside Gare Eze. You have the option of hiking up the mountain to the famous deserted village, but when faced with the sheer size of it, it’s not for the faint of heart, especially on a rainy day as it was for us. I could understand why many people had recommended catching the bus up instead, and hiking down.
We waited for about an hour with an ever-growing crowd of other tourists who had had the same idea – but the bus never came. When we finally abandoned the idea, we later learned that the bus only came every FOUR hours and was a small, local bus that in all likelihood wouldn’t have been able to hold all the people waiting at the stop with us. And so we sadly never got to see this charming little village. The best advice I can give is to either hire a car if you can or take a taxi up and hike down, especially if it is peak-season (we were there in April, which is considered off-season).
Monaco
Well I suppose everyone knows about Monaco. With its glitzy casino, designer shops, top-rated hotels, the Grand Prix, I can understand why the principality is a draw for some. We took the train down to Monte-Carlo and walked down the hill to the casino. Truth is, I didn’t much care for Monaco. I’m glad I went and saw it but unlike most of the cities along the Riviera, I have no real desire to return. If planning a visit, beware that it is quite hilly and not the easiest to explore on foot, especially with the traffic buzzing around you with only fairly small pavements to walk on. It may be easier to travel around Monaco by bus.
Menton
We didn’t spend much time here as the weather was awful but it’s on our list to return to when we go back.
Ventimiglia
Last but not least, we took the same coastal train to Italy to the town of Ventimiglia in the north of the country. Again, the weather wasn’t great that day, but before the Heavens opened up, we strolled around. Ventimiglia boasts a big indoor market (mostly of food) and a smaller outdoor one too, selling little bits and bobs including jewellery. There are remains of a Roman theatre and caves to explore, botanical gardens as well as a library that boasts the second largest collection of 17th century books and manuscripts. Ventimiglia is a must-visit, especially if you are blessed with sunny weather. Just beware that you will need to carry your passport with you as when travelling back to France, the train was temporarily paused at the border while they checked everyone’s passports on board.
Other areas to add to your itinerary
Villefranche-sur-Mer, Saint Tropez, Saint Paul de Vence, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferret, to name a few.
How Many Days Do You Need for the French Riviera?
Seven days would probably be enough for you to see and enjoy much of what this beautiful region has to offer. We stayed for about five days and definitely could have done with a few extra days to visit more places, as well as having a chance to rest more. Personally, I’d say if you can spend even two weeks in the area to do it – you’ll have an even greater chance at enjoying all the region has to offer.
Is it Expensive in the French Riviera?
I was relatively surprised by how affordable the French Riviera was. From the hotel and restaurant bills, it’s far cheaper than you may expect for somewhere that has such a glamorous reputation. When looking for somewhere to eat, follow the locals if possible – not only will the food probably be better, it will also have prices that cater for the locals, not tourists. The only place you should expect higher prices is Monaco, so if you’re looking to keep things low-cost, wait until you return to Nice (or wherever you may be staying) or eat before you go.
All in all, I suppose it’s no surprise that I’d say a trip to the French Riviera is very much worth it. There’s so much to see and do, and by the end of the day you’ll be exhausted (believe me), but it’s all worthwhile.
Leave a Reply