12 Best Bars in The French Riviera, France

You'll want to dress up a bit before heading to this iconic bar, where you'll be surrounded by walnut paneling and gold-tone velour settees. Drinks are pricey (€17 for a glass of local red wine or €6 for Perrier), but it's worth the investment just to get a peek at the washrooms. There is live music every evening except Tuesday. On summer nights, enjoy a cocktail under the palm trees on Le Versailles terrace.

Take a trip back to the days of Hemingway, and taste some absinthe to find out what that talk of hallucinating is all about; you might just get a hat to commemorate the occasion. This underground establishment is open Tuesday to Sunday and has a piano bar on Friday and Saturday night.

Don't forget your camera when heading up to this panoramic, seventh-floor bar. The views of old Nice and the Promenade du Paillon across to the airport are spectacular, and drink prices are more than reasonable. There's live music Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening, and, in the summer, the action moves to the rooftop Moon Bar, where there's a pool (for guests) and a 360-degree view. Note that there are 23 steps from the hotel lobby to the bar’s elevator.

With a sea view balcony and terrace opposite La Promenade des Anglais, this is the perfect spot for a sunset aperitif. Enjoy mixologist cocktails, natural wines, and sharing plates. Local fish and vegetable dishes are also available. 

The biggest player on the Cannes nightlife scene, Le Bâoli attracts the likes of the Kardashians, Channing Tatum, Jude Law, and oh, some 3,000 other revelers who pass the door-selection process. It's usually packed until dawn even outside of festival time. If staying up past 10 doesn't interest you, head to Cloud Nine, the 360-degree-panorama rooftop bar that's open June–September for sunset cocktails.

A welcome antidote to the town's glitzy clubs, this unpretentious hotel bar is where the real locals and sailors gather. With a small balcony that offers panoramic views of the port, here, it's all about sunset aperitifs, tapas, and casual charm.

Frequented by both French locals and foreigners (and their kids and dogs), this pub is a great place to collect your thoughts over a drink or to hear some live music. The Blue Lady has daytime appeal, too. Beginning at 7:30 am, you can grab a latte, a smoothie, or even an English breakfast (there are newspapers on hand, too). The kitchen is open till 3 pm, so you can stick around for a lunch of burgers, potpies, or fresh salads.

The city's most colorful LGBTQ+ club is known for its drag shows and DJs who compel you to dance to the best mixes around. It welcomes all clubbers in the know, with only one requirement: be you. It's open from 11 pm to 4 am Friday to Sunday, with a happy hour (11 pm–midnight) that includes two free drinks with the €12 entry.

Philippe Shangti, a model-turned-contemporary-photographer, is the artistic manager of this club and restaurant in the port. The service is friendly; the cocktails and appetizers are creative; and the cabaret-style performances are live, lively, and sometimes provocative.

Incredibly expensive yet always packed, this kitschy disco in the Byblos Hotel is the place to see and be seen. When you hear the theme from Star Wars, take comfort while you sip your nearly €30 glass of water that someone other than yourself has just spent €25,000 on a Methuselah of Champagne. There's a horrific door policy during high season—don't worry, it's really not you.

The VIP Room is notorious for drawing flashy, gilded youths with deep pockets.

Open six days a week until 1 am, Zoa is a sushi eatery that also happens to be the place to drink chic cocktails. Be sure to book a table in advance.