The French Riviera
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The French Riviera - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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21. Tahiti Beach
The oldest and most famous of St-Trop's private beaches (Bardot filmed along this stretch) has fine sand, rentable loungers close to the shoreline, restaurants, and toilets. The crowd is definitely north of 35, but, as they don't act their age, there is a lot to see in terms of hardly-there swimwear. Amenities: showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming; walking.
Quartier du Pinet, Ramatuelle, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 83350, France04–94–97–18–02 -
22. The Corniche de l'Estérel
Stay on the D559 to the D1098, and you'll find yourself careening along a stunning coastal drive, the Corniche de l'Estérel, which whips past tiny calanques and sheer rock faces that plunge down to the sea. At the dramatic Pointe de Cap Roux, an overlook allows you to pull off the narrow two-lane highway (where high-season sightseers can cause bumper-to-bumper traffic) and contemplate the spectacular view up and down the coast. Train travelers have the good fortune to snake along this cliff side for constant panoramas. It's also a hiker's haven. Some nine trails, ranging from an hour to 4½ hours, strike out from designated parking sites along the way, leading up into the jagged rock peaks for extraordinary sea views. (Don't leave valuables in the car, as the sites are littered with glass from break-ins.) You can download trail maps from the St-Raphaël tourism website or drop by the tourist office across from the train station. There is also a coastal path leaving from St-Raphaël port; you'll see a mix of wild, rocky criques (coves and finger bays) and glamorous villas.
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23. Villa Eilenroc
Le Sentier du Littoral passes along the beach at the Villa Eilenroc (designed by Charles Garnier, who created the Paris Opéra), which commands the tip of the peninsula from a grand garden. The site has a café and an eco-museum, as well as a scented garden at the entrance to La Rosaerie (Rose Garden). You can also catch glimpses of the distant Château de la Cröe, another legendary villa. On Wednesdays, September through June, you can wander through the villa's reception salons. Highlights include the Winter Salon's 1,001 Nights ceiling mural painted by famed Art Deco designer Jean Dunand, display cases filled with memorabilia donated by Caroline Groult-Flaubert (Antibes resident and goddaughter of the great author), and a boudoir with boiseries (decorative wooden features) from the Marquis de Sévigné's Paris mansion. Note that the villa is sometimes closed for private events; check the Antibes tourist office's website before you visit.
460 av. L.D. Beaumont, Antibes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06160, France04–93–67–74–33Sight Details
Rate Includes: €2 -
24. Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
Between the port and the mainland, the floridly beautiful Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild bears witness to the wealth and worldly flair of the baroness who had it built. Constructed in 1905 in neo-Venetian style (its flamingo-pink facade was thought not to be in the best of taste by the local gentry), the house was baptized "Île-de-France" in homage to the Baroness Béatrice de Rothschild's favorite ocean liner. In keeping with that theme, her staff wore sailing costumes, and her ship travel kit is on display in her bedroom. Precious artworks, tapestries, and furniture adorn the salons—in typical Rothschildian fashion, each is given over to a different 18th-century "époque." Upstairs are the private apartments of Madame la Baronne, which can only be seen on a guided tour offered around noon. The grounds are landscaped with no fewer than seven gardens and topped off with a Temple of Diana. Be sure to allow yourself time to wander here, as this is one of the few places on the coast where you'll be allowed to experience the lavish pleasures characteristic of the Belle Époque Côte d'Azur. Tea and light lunches, served in a glassed-in porch overlooking the grounds and spectacular coastline, encourage you to linger.
Av. Ephrussi, St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06230, France04–93–01–33–09Sight Details
Rate Includes: €16 -
25. Villa Kerylos
One manifestation of Beaulieu's Belle Époque excess is the eye-popping Villa Kerylos, a 1902 mansion built in the style of classical Greece (to be exact, of the villas that existed on the island of Delos in the 2nd century BC). It was the dream house of amateur archaeologist Théodore Reinach, who hailed from a wealthy German family, helped the French in their excavations at Delphi, and became an authority on ancient Greek music. He commissioned an Italian architect from Nice, Emmanuel Pontremoli, to surround him with Grecian delights: cool Carrara marble, rare fruitwoods, and a dining salon where guests reclined to eat à la grecque. It's one of the most unusual houses in the south of France.
Impasse Gustave-Eiffel, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06310, France04–93–01–01–44Sight Details
Rate Includes: €11.50 -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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26. Allée de la Liberté Markets
Shaded by plane trees and sheltering a sandy pétanque field, this is a little piece of Provence in a big, glitzy resort town. Every morning except Monday, a flower market paints the square in vivid colors, and, during the weekend arts-and-crafts market (10–6), you can find paintings of flowers. The antiques market shares the space on Saturday and the first Sunday of every month.
Allée de la Liberté, Cannes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06400, France -
27. Arènes
The Arènes (often called the Amphithéâtre) can seat up to 5,000 and is still used for concerts and bullfights. Back down on the coast, a big French naval base occupies the spot where ancient Roman galleys once set out to defeat Cleopatra and Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium.
Rue Henri Vadon, Fréjus, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 83600, France04–94–51–83–83Sight Details
Rate Includes: €3, Closed Mon. yr-round and Sun. Oct.–Mar. -
28. Basilique St-Michel
This majestic basilica dominates the skyline of Menton. Beyond the beautifully proportioned facade—a 19th-century addition—the richly frescoed nave and chapels contain several works by Genovese artists plus a splendid 17th-century organ. Volunteers man the doors here, so you may have to wait for the church to open (usually from 3 pm to 5 pm) before visiting. The parvis is the site of concerts during the August Menton music festival.
Parvis St-Michel, 22 rue St-Michel, Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, FranceSight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues., Thurs., and weekends -
29. Café de la Place
On your way from the overpriced parking garages, you'll pass a Provençal scene played out with cinematic flair yet still authentic: the perpetual game of pétanque outside the Café de la Place. A sun-weathered pack of men (and it is overwhelmingly men) in caps, cardigans, and workers' blues—occasionally joined by a passing professional with tie and rolled-up sleeves—gathers under the massive plane trees and stands serene, silent, and intent to toss metal balls across the dusty square. Until his death, Yves Montand made regular appearances here, participating in this ultimate southern scenario. Note that although the café is the perfect place to people-watch, don't expect much in terms of food and service. Want to give pétanque a go? The tourist office rents balls for €5 per person, and you can play for as long as you want. Pay €8.50 extra, and you'll get your own private English-speaking instructor.
Pl. de Gaulle, St-Paul-de-Vence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06570, France04–93–32–80–03 -
30. Casino Barrière
The famous Casino Barrière on La Croisette—open 10 am to 3 am (until 4 am on weekends and until 5 am during summer)—is said to draw more crowds to its slot machines than any other casino in France.
1 La Croisette, Cannes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06400, France04–92–98–78–00 -
31. Casino Barrière
At this modern downtown recreation complex, the sea views through huge bay windows may distract you from the slot machines. The casino is open daily from 11 am to 2 am (4 am Friday and Saturday).
2 av. Félix-Faure, Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, France04–93–10–16–16 -
32. Casino Barrière de Saint-Raphaël
Looking out over the waterfront, catering to the city's many conventioneers, this casino has 150 slot and 30 video poker machines that operate daily 9 am–3 am (4 am on Saturday). The other games—English roulette, blackjack, and stud poker—however, don't open for play until 9 pm, and you'll need to show your passport.
Sq. de Grand, St-Raphaël, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 83700, France04–98–11–17–77 -
33. Casino du Palais de la Méditerranée
PromenadeIn the 1920s and '30s, the swanky Palais de la Méditerranée drew performers like Charlie Chaplin and Edith Piaf. The establishment, however, lost its glory and, in 1990, everything but its swanky facades was demolished to accommodate new construction that included hotel rooms and restaurants as well the casino. Choose from 170 slot machines, 38 electric roulette tables, three blackjack tables, two English roulette tables, and an Ultimate Poker and Texas Hold'em table.
15 promenade des Anglais, Nice, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06300, France04–92–14–68–00 -
34. Casino Juan-Les-Pins
This glassed-in complex houses 75 slot machines, English roulette, and blackjack, which are played every night: the casino is open until 3 am (4 am on Saturday). There's also a panoramic beach restaurant.
3 av. Guy de Maupassant, Juan-les-Pins, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06160, France04–92–93–71–71 -
35. Castel Plage
At the east end of the promenade, near Hotel Suisse, there is both a large public beach and a private one, where the water is calm and clear (you can rent a lounger at the latter for about €25, with umbrella). The public beach is composed of large stones, which are more comfortable to walk on than pebbles. Jellyfish are also less of a problem in this corner due to the currents. Amenities: lifeguards (private beach, seasonal); showers. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; sunset; swimming.
8 quai des États-Unis, Nice, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06300, France -
36. Cathédrale de la Nativité de la Vierge
In the center of the Old Town, the Cathédrale de la Nativité de la Vierge was built in the 11th and 12th centuries on the site of a Roman military drilling field and is a hybrid of Romanesque and Baroque styles. The smallest cathedral in France, it has been expanded and altered many times over the centuries. Note the rostrum added in 1499—its choir stalls are carved with particularly vibrant and amusing scenes of daily life in the Middle Ages. In the baptistery is a ceramic mosaic of Moses in the bulrushes by Chagall.
Pl. Godeau, Vence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06140, FranceSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
37. Cathédrale Notre-Dame-du-Puy
On a cliff top overlook at the Old Town's edge, this Romanesque cathedral contains no fewer than three paintings by Rubens, a triptych by the famed 15th-century Provençal painter Louis Bréa, and Lavement des Pieds (The Washing of the Feet) by the young Fragonard.
Pl. du Petit Puy, Grasse, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06130, FranceSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
38. Cathédrale Orthodoxe Russe St-Nicolas
This magnificent Russian Orthodox cathedral was built in 1896 to accommodate the sizable population of Russian aristocrats who had adopted Nice as their winter home. This Byzantine fantasy is the largest of its kind outside the motherland, with six gold-leaf onion domes, rich ceramic mosaics on its facade, and extraordinary icons framed in silver and jewels. The benefactor was Nicholas II himself, whose family attended the inauguration in 1912. For six years the church was challenged over ownership, but in 2013 the French courts rejected a final appeal by ACOR, a niçois religious association that managed the property for 80 years. The Russian Archpriest rejoiced: "This ruling shows that it is history that has triumphed."
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39. Cathédrale Ste-Réparate
Old TownAn ensemble of columns, cupolas, and symmetrical ornaments dominates the Vieille Ville, flanked by an 18th-century bell tower and glossy ceramic-tile dome. The cathedral's interior, completely restored to a bright palette of ocher, golds, and rusts, has elaborate plasterwork and decorative frescoes on every surface.
3 pl. Rossetti, Nice, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06300, France -
40. Centre de la Photographie de Mougins
This municipal museum officially opened July 2023 in a former presbytery in the heart of the village. The €1.9 million project replaces the former photography museum and looks "to support artistic creation through exhibitions, publications, and artist residencies." François Cheval, the curator and co-founder of the Lianzhou Museum of Photography in China, was named artistic director. There's a bookshop on the main floor and two stories for temporary exhibitions.
43 rue d'Église, Mougins, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06250, France04–22–21–52–12Sight Details
Rate Includes: €6, Closed Tues. Closed Mon. Oct.–Mar.
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