Where to stay in Cote D'Azur with kids
 

Our group of three families (6 adults and 7 children ages 3-12) is interested in staying somewhere in the Cote D'Azur in August 2007. Can anyone suggest a town in the French Riviera to base ourselves out of. I also would love any suggestions about whether you would rent a villa or a group of rooms in a small hotel. We are OK with renting cars and would like to explore the area, but being close to a sandy beach or having a pool in the villa or hotel would be nice. Thank you so much for your help.

Heather

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Heather,

Somebody on this site recently recommended Holiday-Rentals.co-UK, and in checking it out, I think it offers very good rates and information. With a group as large as yours, a villa/apartment in the area might be ideal.

However, if you decide to go the hotel route, I'd definitely opt for Nice and environs. There are lot of decent hotels in Nice that won't break your budget, many beach clubs along the Promenade des ANglais, and excellent transportation from Nice by train or bus for easy day trips.

If you post your interest and budgets, you're likely to get a wealth of information from other posters here.

Good luck!

Sorry- that villa website should read: Holiday-Rentals.Co-UK

Hi Heather,
We toured southern France last year and while it isnt the Cote D'Azur as such, the loveliest place we stayed in was Avignon. Beautiful little town, lots to do and see.My children's favorite place in France. Nice(Very touristy) not our cup-of-tea but I guess it is what you are seeking. Most places on the French Riviera had their own attractions but for us,Avignon was it. We stayed at the Hotel D'Horloge on the square. Because there is a tribe of you it would be more sensible to rent a unit. We were wrong time of the year to need beaches of pools so cant help you there. But dont miss Avignon. Cheers Pawsha

I have no experience with renting villas, so I'll leave those recommendations to others. If you want a sandy beach close by, Antibes would be your best choice. The beach at Nice is pebbly. Not a problem if you wear waterproof sandals, but definitely not sandy.

You might also check out Juans-les-Pins. It's very close to Cannes, and I think it has a long sandy beach.

As does Antibes; there's an especially nice beach at the edge of t on the coastal road to Nice.

Hi
You will definitely save money in a villa and there are so many great ones with a pool...try www.abritel.fr www.homelidays.com and www.papvacances.com and you will come up with many options. I would suggest staying anywhere just west of Cannes and to as far west as Cassis (near Marseille) in the Var. Towns to consider: St Raphael, Ste maxime, Hyeres, Bandol, St Cyr all nice towns that offer much for families including sandy beaches. Cannes and East to the Italian border is beautiful with much to see and do but can be a hectic madhouse in August and would not make for a peaceful family vacation unless you already know the area and what you want to see and do. If you stay in the area I recommend you have all of the Provence hinterland (including Avignon) to explore as well as the entire Riviera/Cote D'Azur.

Ste-Maxime is a favorite vacation spot for French and other European vacationers and is great for families. You can find hotels right on the beach if you wish, and there are many holiday rentals--but choose yours soon.

Underhill, do you know the name of that beach? Is it in Antibes?

Thanks.

Marianna, I'm not Underhill but the beach near Ste. Maxime is just that. It's near St. Tropez. Antibes is in a different area and is closer to Cannes. Both have white sandy beaches as does Juan les Pins mentioned above.

I think villa vs. hotel depends on the obvious things like do you intend to cook, do you want daily maid service etc.

bookmarking... i'm ready to go now!

With so many adults and seven children included, I'd recommend you stay in a larger town than Antibes. It's a beautiful little place, but I'd consider it a day-trip. If you stay in Nice, you will have the amenities of a small city, plus be located where there are many, many good day trips possible. Lots to do in Nice itself, too. Historical Nice is charming. And there's a large pedestrian zone that's also very pleasant. The beachfront promenade is pretty during the day, and the palm trees are lit up at night.
We stayed in Nice three nights last May. We liked the Hotel le Grimaldi very much, but it doesn't have a pool.
We took a city bus one day to Villa Ephrussi-Rothschild, then walked the short distance down to St. Jean Cap Ferrat. The next day we took a 45 minute train ride to Antibes, which made a great day away. There's a beautiful seawall there which you can walk.
In Nice there are plenty of restaurants, museums, shops, and markets to keep you happy, too.
My trip report is
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2
Have fun planning!
:)>-

Nice is great--but the beaches there aren't sandy: large pebbles instead.

Underhill is correct. Personally, I don't mind small pebbles, especially with kids, because pebbles don't creep into every crevice of your clothing like sand does! They are small enough to walk on barefoot without discomfort, as I recall. Still a pretty stretch of beach, pebbles or not.
:)>-

Go to www.slowtravel.com for detailed information about renting villas -- as well as reviews of rental companies and individual rentals. Here is one that was recommended: www.miradou.co.uk/index.html

I do think a villa would be best with all the children. And most villas have pools. Sandy beaches are harder to find.

Choose your location by choosing a villa. It's nice to be within walking distance of a small town.

We think that Cagnes / St laurent du Var is very good for a family beach holiday, although not sandy. Many of the properties in this area do come with fantastic shared pools. There is a holiday Inn at St Laurent du Var which is quite reasonable if you are on a budget whilst still being to a good standard.
Failing that do consider Antibes for children as there are a lot of kiddie attractions around this area such as marineland and the waterpark. You can explore what to do with children on the families page of www.nicepebbles.com or at www.allaboutnice.com.
If you really want a sandy beach and a budget is not your prime concern then consider Villefranche.
Hoep this helps. You will have a fantastic time here.

Cote D'Azur in August? Whew! You and lots of French, Swedes and Germans.
I'd book now.
I used Homelidays for our rental.

darn...fast "posting" finger!

We wanted to be in St. Tropez in October.

I liked St. Maxime though. It seemed quite family oriented...even at that time of the year.