145 Best Sights in The French Riviera, France

Inaugurated in 1913, the Carlton was the first of the grand hotels to stake a claim on a superb stretch of beach and greenery along La Croisette, and, thus, is the best positioned, which explains its fashionable see-and-be-seen terrace and Bar 58. The film festival's grand banquets have returned to this iconic hot spot, which reopened as Regent hotel in 2023 after a multiyear restoration.

On the outskirts of "new" Vence, toward St-Jeannet, is the Chapelle du Rosaire, better known as the Matisse Chapel. The artist decorated it with beguiling simplicity and clarity between 1947 and 1951 as his gift to nuns who had nursed him through illness. It reflects the reductive art style of the era: walls, floor, and ceiling are gleaming white, and the small stained-glass windows are cool greens and blues. "Despite its imperfections I think it is my masterpiece . . . the result of a lifetime devoted to the search for truth," wrote Matisse, who designed and dedicated the chapel when he was in his 80s and nearly blind.

A few blocks south of the Château Grimaldi, aka the Picasso Museum, is the Commune Libre du Safranier, a magical little neighborhood with a character (and mayor) all its own since 1966 (it's not technically a part of Antibes). The commune even holds its own festivals throughout the year, celebrating a variety of things like chestnuts, grape harvests, and the Christmas Yule log. Not far off the seaside promenade, Rue de la Touraque is the main street to get here, and you can amble around Place du Safranier, where tiny houses hang heavy with flowers and vines, and neighbors carry on conversations from window to window across the stone-stepped Rue du Bas-Castelet.

This long pedestrian thoroughfare—half street, half square—is the nerve center of Old Nice, the heart of the Vieille Ville, and the stage for the city's marketplace and café life. Shoppers come to smell the roses (and mimosas and orange blossoms) before browsing at stalls selling local produce, spices, olives, and little gift soaps in the single row set-up, the overflow of which sprawls into leafy Place Pierre Gautier. Market days are Tuesday through Saturday, 6 am to 5:30 pm and Sunday 6 am to 1:30 pm. Arrive early, especially in summer, to avoid being at the mercy of the crowd (and a target for the rampant pickpockets).

On Monday morning, antiques and brocantes (collectibles) draw avid vintage hounds, and, from June to September, there's also an artisanal craft market selling jewelry, pottery, purses, and paintings. At Place Charles Félix on the east end of Cours Saleya is the imposing yellow stone building where Matisse lived on the third and then fourth floor from 1921 to 1938. Today, there’s no plaque that bears his name, only a broken shutter of his workshop to serve as a commemoration. Its future remains uncertain, but for many Niçois, this building is a part of Nice’s heritage.

Many people come to St-Paul-de-Vence just to visit France’s most important private art foundation, founded in 1964 by art dealer Aimé Maeght. High above the medieval town, the small modern art museum attracts 200,000 visitors a year. It's an extraordinary marriage of the arc-and-plane architecture of Josep Sert; the looming sculptures of Miró, Moore, and Giacometti; the mural mosaics of Chagall; and the humbling hilltop setting, complete with pines, vines, and flowing planes of water.

On display is an intriguing and ever-varying parade of important works by modern masters, including Chagall's wise and funny late-life masterpiece La Vie (Life). Two extensions in 2023 built toward the forest, due to be completed to mark the 60th anniversary of the Foundation's inauguration in 2024, provide additional exhibition, performance, and conference space, as well as panoramic windows opening to the extensive grounds. The impressive vistas help to beguile even those who aren't into modern art. Café F, should you need time to reflect, is open year-round. Contact the tourist office for a private guided visit in English (€9 plus discounted admission rate of €11).

You are here for one reason only: to explore the extraordinary Gorges du Verdon, also known as—with only slight exaggeration over another, more famous version—the Grand Canyon. Through the aeons, the jewel-green torrent of the Verdon River has chiseled away the limestone plateau and gouged a spectacular gorge lined with steep white cliffs and sloping rock falls carpeted with green forest. The jagged bluffs, roaring water, and dense wild boxwood create a savage world of genuinely awe-inspiring beauty, whether viewed from dozens of cliff-top overlooks or explored from the wilderness below.

If you're driving from La Palud, follow the dramatic Route des Crêtes circuit (D23), a white-knuckle cliff-hanger not for the faint of heart. When you approach and leave La Palud, you'll do it via D952 between Castellane and Moustiers, with several breathtaking overlooks. The best of these is the Point Sublime, at the east end. Leave your car by the hotel-restaurant and walk to the edge, holding tight to dogs and children—that's a 2,834-foot drop to the bottom. You can also access the famous drive along D71, called the Route de la Corniche Sublime, from Moustiers. Top lookout points here are the Horserider's Cliff, the Balcon de la Mescla, and the Pont de l'Artuby bridge.

Several trails converge in this prime hiking territory. The most spectacular is the branch of the GR4 that follows the bed of the canyon itself, along the Sentier Martel. This dramatic trek, beginning at the Chalet de la Maline and ending at the Point Sublime, was created in the 1930s by the Touring-Club de France and named for one of the gorge's first explorers. Easier circuits leave from the Point Sublime on sentiers de découverte (trails with commentary) into the gorge known as Couloir Samson.

From the drop-off point on Île Ste-Marguerite, walk left for 10 minutes to see the Fort Royal. Built by Richelieu and improved by Vauban, the fort offers views over the ramparts to the rocky island coast and the open sea. On the southern side of the island, you'll have to get wet to see the underwater eco-museum: its six statues are submerged 92 to 144 yards from the shore at a depth of 10 to 16 feet. The island's two restaurants—L'Escale and La Guérite—are both closed from mid-October to spring. They're also rather pricey, and the service is not as good as the fish; you are paying for food with a view. Public toilets are accessible. 

Set 1,310 feet above sea level, this is one of the Riviera's most visited sites. Full of rare succulents and Jean-Philippe Richard sculptures, the botanical garden is also blessed with superlative views: from this crest-top locale you can pan all the way from Italy to St-Tropez—on a clear day, you can even see Corsica. Just a few feet from the entrance, take a timeout lunch at the Nid d'Aigle, an inexpensive eatery that features focaccias and salads and is quaintly set on stone levels rising up around a tall tree.

Head to this famous waterfront promenade—which runs for 1½ km (1 mile) from its western terminus by the Palais des Festivals—and stroll beside the palm trees and flowers and amid the crowds of poseurs (fur coats in tropical weather, mobile phones on Rollerblades, and sunglasses at night). Continue east past the broad expanse of private beaches, glamorous shops, and luxurious hotels—but make sure you are not walking in the bike path or a construction site. “La Croisette Reinvents its Legend” is the city’s slogan for a project to renovate this iconic seaside strip by 2025. The €160 million face-lift will include red pavement—an homage to the red carpet of the Palais des Festivals—as well as new facilities and amenities.

Bordering over-the-top hotels and estates, this spectacular footpath is nicknamed the Sentier Tire-poil, as the wind along it "ruffles the hair." It stretches about 5 km (3 miles) along the outermost tip of the peninsula, coming full circle around the gardens at Villa Eilenroc over to l'Anse de l'Argent Faux.

Book a guided nature walk through the tourist office, or tackle the route on your own via Plage de la Garoupe, where Cole Porter and Gerald Murphy once hung out and where paved promenade affords dazzling views over the Baie de la Garoupe and the distant Alps. At the far end of the cape, however, the pavement gives way to a boulder-studded path along 50-foot cliffs, dizzying switchbacks, and thundering breakers. Continue along the path's newer portion to the cove l'Anse de l'Argent Faux, where you can catch your breath before heading up to the entrance of Villa Eilenroc. Then follow Avenue Beaumont to the cape's main road, RD2559.

The walk takes about two hours, and they might be two of the most memorable of your trip, particularly if you tackle it at sunset. Except for fellow walkers on sunny days and, perhaps, a yacht out on the water, civilization disappears along most stretches. Note that signs reading Attention Mort (Beware: Death) are reminders that this path can be very dangerous, especially in stormy weather. Indeed, when storm warnings are issued, locked gates might block the route. From the station in town take Bus 2 to the Fontaine stop. To return, follow Plage de la Garoupe to Boulevard de la Garoupe, and make a left to reconnect with the bus.

This hidden gem "highlights the dialogue between the old and the new" with Roman, Greek, and Egyptian art rubbing shoulders with pieces by Picasso, Matisse, Cézanne, Warhol, and Dalí. Expect to come across a sarcophagus alongside a Cocteau or a Hirst sculpture next to an ancient bust. Spread over four floors, the museum also houses antique jewelry and the world's largest private armory collection.

On the waterfront opposite the market, a squat medieval bastion crowned with four tiny watchtowers houses this extraordinary museum, France's memorial to the eponymous artist-poet-filmmaker (1889–1963). Cocteau spotted the fortress, built in 1636 to defend the port, as the perfect site for a group of his works. The museum has nearly 1,800 oeuvres graphiques, and about 990 are original Cocteaus, a donation from the late California businessman and Holocaust survivor Severin Wunderman's personal collection. This is a must-see.

In the 1960s, the city of Nice bought this lovely, light-bathed, 17th-century villa, surrounded by the ruins of Roman civilization, and restored it to house a large collection of Henri Matisse's works. The Fauvist artist settled along Nice's waterfront in 1917, seeking a sun cure after a bout with pneumonia, and remained here until his death in 1954. During his years on the French Riviera, Matisse maintained intense friendships and artistic liaisons with Renoir, who lived in Cagnes, and with Picasso, who lived in Mougins and Antibes. He eventually moved up to the rarefied isolation of Cimiez and took an apartment in the Hôtel Regina (now an apartment building, just across from the museum), where he lived out the rest of his life. He walked often in the parklands around the Roman remains and was buried in an olive grove outside the Cimiez cemetery.

The museum's collection includes several pieces the artist donated to the city before his death; the rest were donated by his family. In every medium and context—paintings, gouache cutouts, engravings, and book illustrations—the collection represents the evolution of his art, from Cézanne-like still lifes to exuberant dancing paper dolls. Even the furniture and accessories speak of Matisse, from the Chinese vases to the bold-printed fabrics with which he surrounded himself. A series of telling black-and-white photographs captures the artist at work.  You can't enter the museum with a backpack or travel bag, so have a €1 coin handy for a locker.

Rising high over the water, this museum is set in the stunning medieval Château Grimaldi. As rulers of Monaco, the Grimaldi family lived here until the revolution; this fine old castle, however, was little more than a monument until its curator offered use of its chambers to Picasso in 1946, when that extraordinary genius was enjoying a period of intense creative energy. The result was a bounty of exhilarating paintings, ceramics, and lithographs inspired by the sea and by Greek mythology—all very Mediterranean. The château, which became the museum in 1966, houses some 245 works by the artist (but not all are on display), as well as pieces by Miró, Calder, and Léger. The first floor displays more than 100 paintings by Russian-born artist Nicolas de Staël. Download the Picasso Antibes app before your visit.

This is the second public beach in the city center, located between Veillat beach and the port of Santa Lucia. It's divided into two areas, the sandy Handiplage and a large stone pebble beach, and there is a beautiful promenade, shaded by a park with a playground and mini golf. There are showers and toilets, but you can't rent a lounger here. Amenities: lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

The entirely public Plage de la Buse, also known as Cabbé Beach, is a wonderfully small, fine-pebble strand, with zero star-chasers and strutting high heels. It's protected from the elements by the curved south-facing wall of a huge villa (whose gardens add a lovely tropical feel), making it ideal for novice swimmers. Access is down 50 steps from the Cap-Martin train station (where there are a few parking places) or Le Corbusier trail, but it’s completely BYO: towel, umbrella, and water/drinks. There's no bathroom, but the tiny and wonderful Le Cabanon restaurant serves lunch and dinner. Amenities: showers. Best for: solitude; swimming.

This large, public sand beach, just east of the port and capitainerie (harbor master), is close to a restaurant where you can rent a lounger. Arrive early in the summer to claim your spot close to the sea. Note: you'll readily be able to discern the tourists from the locals, who tend to be attired in bottoms-only beach wear. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; swimming.

This lovely, shade-dappled stretch of sand is at the bottom of a steep hill only five minutes away on foot from the glamorous village of Saint-Jean. It's also at the heart of a battle for survival as the French government begins to enforce a new law that all beach structures must be dismountable. In 1973, Saint-Jean, with its shallow bay, soft sand, and some of the Riviera's clearest waters, was given a special “natural and remarkable site” status, including the construction of its jetty, which currently can't be dismounted. If the mayor tears it down, nothing can be rebuilt in its place. The public beach remains open, and for now so is the private Paloma Beach (€50/day for a lounger plus another €8 for an umbrella). Amenities: lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; swimming.

To the east of the port is the biggest beach you’ll find in Villefranche, but it’s only about 1 km (½ mile) long. Popular because the shoreline is protected from winds, this beach has coarse sand and lifeguards in the summer. Note that the SNCF train line runs parallel, so the noise factor is a consideration. There are no loungers, but there are jellyfish nets (though they aren't 100% foolproof). Amenities: lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; swimming.

Covered with fine white sand, this small public beach next to Cap d'Antibes Beach Hotel boasts shallows that slope very gently, making it ideal for kids. It's a protected bay, so there are no waves, just plenty of shallow water that's bathwater-warm in high summer. There are few English tourists, so it offers a real plage à la Française experience. Amenities: parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; solitude.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.