60 Best Sights in The French Riviera, France

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.

Stay on the D559 to the D1098, and you'll find yourself careening along this stunning coastal drive. 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.) There's 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.

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 setup, 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.

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 eons, 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.

Head to this famous waterfront promenade—which runs for 2 km 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. The multimillion-euro face-lift (due for completion in 2027) will include red pavement—an homage to the red carpet of the Palais des Festivals—as well as new facilities and amenities.

This public city center beach, located between Plage du Veillat and the port of Santa Lucia, is divided into two areas: the sandy Handiplage and a large-pebble stretch. There's a beautiful promenade, as well as park with a playground and minigolf. You can't rent a lounger here, though. Amenities: lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

The entirely public Plage de la Buse 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 drinks or snacks. There's no bathroom, but the tiny and wonderful Le Cabanon restaurant serves lunch and dinner. Amenities: showers. Best for: solitude; swimming. 

Stretching from the Antibes Sailing Club to Cap d’Antibes, this public beach has soft white sand and, like it's neighbor, Plage du Ponteil, lovely views. Popular in summer for volleyball, music, and picnics, it also offers facilities for those with mobility challenges. Busy yet charming, it's a favorite with locals and visitors year-round. In winter, kids find it fun to make huts and tipis out of the driftwood that, along with seaweed, washes ashore. Amenities: lifeguards (in summer); toilets; showers; parking (fee); food and drink; water sports. Best for: swimming; walking; sunrise. 

Antibes locals love this beach for its soft sand, beautiful views back onto the Old Town and the Alps, and lively atmosphere. Although it's mostly public, it's also home to the Royal Beach club (open late April–September). Summer brings crowds, so arrive early to claim a spot. Accessible for all, it provides ramps, a water mat for wheelchair users, showers, and toilets. Shaded benches along the promenade make it a perfect year-round spot for seaside walks and people-watching. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (in summer); showers; toilets; parking (fee); water sports. Best for: swimming; walking.

Also known as Plage des Pêcheurs, this small strip of fine white sand is located between the ports of La Gallice and Le Crouton, sheltered by stone jetties on either side. The public stretch next to Cap d'Antibes Beach Hotel boasts shallows that slope very gently, making it ideal for kids. It's on a protected bay, so there are no waves, just plenty of shallow water that's bathwater-warm in high summer. Few foreign visitors come here, so it offers a real plage à la française experience. Amenities: parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; solitude.

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 eco-minded may appreciate the sustainable makeover given to this relaxed beach club, which swapped its former concrete frame for natural materials like wood and plant mesh and embraced solar energy. Both it and its restaurant are down a bamboo-lined path and hidden behind lush vegetation. Sun beds cost €50, cabanas are €120, and beach towels are €10. At €28, even the kids menu staple of chicken nuggets gets the St. Trop pricing treatment here. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

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.

Looming over the sea at Pointe des Pendus (Hanged Man's Point), the Château de la Napoule is a spectacularly bizarre hybrid of Romanesque, Gothic, Moroccan, and Hollywood styles cooked up by the eccentric American sculptor Henry Clews (1876–1937). Working with his architect wife, Clews transformed the 14th-century bastion into something that suited his personal tastes and then filled the place with his own fantastical sculptures. The couple reside in their tombs in the tower crypt, its windows left slightly ajar to permit their souls to escape and allow them to "return at eventide as sprites and dance upon the windowsill." Today, the château's foundation hosts visiting writers and artists, who set to work surrounded by Clews's gargoyle-ish sculptures.

Crowning Haut-de-Cagnes is the squat, crenellated Château-Museé—an imposing fortress with banners flying from its square watchtower—that was built in 1310 by the Grimaldis (Prince Albert of Monaco's family) and reinforced over the centuries. You are welcomed inside by a grand balustraded stairway and triangular Renaissance courtyard with a triple row of classical arcades infinitely more graceful than the exterior. Beyond lie vaulted medieval chambers, a vast Renaissance fireplace, and a splendid 17th-century trompe-l'oeil fresco of the fall of Phaëthon from his sun chariot.

The château also contains three highly specialized museums: the Musée de l'Olivier (Olive Tree Museum), which highlights the history and cultivation of this Provençal mainstay; the obscure and eccentric Collection Suzy-Solidor, a group of portraits of the cabaret chanteuse painted by her artist friends, including Cocteau and Dufy; and the Musée d'Art Moderne Méditerranéen (Mediterranean Museum of Modern Art), which contains paintings by some of the 20th-century devotees of the Côte d'Azur, including Chagall, Cocteau, and Dufy. If you've climbed this far, continue to the tower and look over the coastline, just as the guards once did while on the lookout for Saracens.

While Cap Ferrat's villas are, for the most part, sequestered in the depths of tropical gardens, you can nonetheless walk its entire coastline promenade if you strike out from the port. From the restaurant Capitaine Cook, cut right up Avenue des Fossés, turn right on Avenue Vignon, and follow Chemin de la Carrière. The 11-km (7-mile) walk passes through lush flora and, on the west side, follows white cliffs buffeted by waves.

When you've traced the full outline of the peninsula, veer up Chemin du Roy past the fabulous gardens of the Villa des Cèdres, owned by King Leopold II of Belgium at the turn of the last century. Indeed, the king owned several opulent estates along the French Riviera, undoubtedly paid for by his enslavement of the Belgian Congo. Past the gardens, you can access the Plage de Passable, from which you cut back across the peninsula's wrist.

A shorter 4-km (2.5-mile) loop takes you from town, around the peninsula out to the Pointe de St-Hospice. Other than the occasional yacht, all traces of civilization disappear, and the water is a dizzying blue. From the port, climb Avenue Jean Mermoz to Plage de Paloma (a celebrity hotspot offering the region's best swimming), and then follow the pedestrian path closest to the waterfront. Around halfway, take the path up toward Chapelle Sainte Hospice, an 11th-century chapel with an imposing bronze statue of The Virgin. Head back down to the coastal path to trek around a wooded area, toward Plage des Fossettes, and back into town. You'll stumble on reasonably priced cafés, pizzerias, and ice-cream parlors along the port promenade. A supermarket and public toilets are handily located there, too.

The Promenade Maurice Rouvier, which runs along the eastern edge of the peninsula, is a lovely paved walk and will take you all the way to Beaulieu-sur-mer in 25 minutes.

Although nothing remains of the once-massive medieval stronghold but a few ruins left after its 1706 dismantling, the name château still applies to this high plateau-like park, from which you can take in extraordinary views of the Baie des Anges, the length of Promenade des Anglais, and the red-ocher roofs of the Old Town. Children can blow off energy at the playground, while you enjoy a picnic with panoramic views and a bit of shade. You can also partake in the Communist party's annual Fête du Chateau in June or try yoga or one of the exercise bootcamps available throughout the year. It's 213 steps to the top or you can use the free elevator next to the Hotel Suisse; alternatively, ascend the hill slower from the port side, near Place Garibaldi, which is a more gentle climb.

To visit old Antibes, stroll the Cours Masséna, where every day from 6 am to 1 pm (except Monday September–May) a sheltered Provençal market tempts you with lemons, olives, and hand-stuffed sausages. Here both vendors and shoppers take breaks in the shoebox cafés flanking one side. Painters, sculptors, and other artists take over at 3 pm every day (except Monday mid-June–September and Friday, Saturday, and Sunday October–mid-June). From Port Vauban, you'll find the cours by passing through an arched gateway beneath the ramparts and following Rue Aubernon to the old Portail de l'Orme, built of quarried Roman stone and enlarged in the Middle Ages.

Next to the Museum of Archeology in the vieille ville, this 12th-century church (also known as Église St-Pierre-des-Templiers) is a miniature-scale Romanesque church. It was recently discovered that its foundations lie on top of two other churches dating from the Carolingian era (AD 800–888). Climb up the 129 steps of the 13th-century bell tower, the Tour San Rafeu, for 360-degree panoramic views, and snap away.

A 1-km stretch of golden sand that links Fréjus and St-Raphaël along Boulevards d'Alger and de la Libération actually consists of several private and public beaches, namely Plages de Sablettes, République, and Capitole. Arrive early in the summer to claim your spot close to the sea. Rent a sunbed and umbrella at one of the beach restaurants. Try a wing-foil lesson or rent kayaks or paddleboards at the Base Nautique Marc Modena. Head west to cross the marina footbridge. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunrise; swimming.

Tucked away on Plage de l’Épi, this lush, luxurious, family-friendly retreat is accessible via a sandy path flanked by dense Mediterranean greenery. Seated on cane chairs at alfresco tables dressed with vintage floral linens, you can select from Italian coastal dishes such as zucchini-flower fritters, grilled fish, and fresh pasta. While you sip a Bellini at the bar, the little ones can have the time of their lives at Gigi Circus kids’ club. Gigi also offers private dining nooks, a pétanque court, hammocks, and a pool shaded by towering pine trees. A spa nestled within the grounds completes the idyllic setting. Amenities: food and drink; valet parking; showers; toilets. Best for: families; swimming.

Directly in front of the tourist office, the broad tropical Jardins Biovès stretches 2,600 feet across the breadth of the center, sandwiched between two avenues. Its symmetrical flower beds, exotic trees, sculptures, and fountains representing the spiritual heart of town are free to visit, except during the Fête du Citron, when they display giant sculptures constructed out of 15 tons of citrus fruit, and also at Christmas, when it has a more festive feel.

A block west of Rue Clémenceau, in a pretty house at the end of a typically Tropezien lane, the Butterfly Museum is an original place to spend an afternoon. The 35,000 specimens, displayed on scenery backdrops were a passion of late collector and painter Dany Lartigue, the son of the famous photographer Jacques-Henri.

On the edge of town, follow the pink signs to La Verrerie de Biot, which has developed into something of a cult industry since its founding in the 1950s. Here you can observe the glassblowers at work; visit the extensive galleries of museum-quality glass art (which is of much better quality than the kitsch you find in the village shop windows); and start a collection of bubbled-glass goblets, cruets, or pitchers, just as Jackie Kennedy did when the rage first caught hold (she liked cobalt blue). Despite the extreme commercialism—there is a souvenir shop, an eco-museum, a boutique of home items, audio tours of the glassworks, a bar, and a restaurant—it's a one-of-a-kind artisanal industry, and the product is made before your eyes.

Climb up Rue St-Antoine into the picturesque Vieille Ville neighborhood known as Le Suquet, on the site of the original Roman castrum. Shops here proffer Provençal goods, and the atmospheric cafés provide a place to catch your breath. The pretty pastel shutters, Gothic stonework, and narrow passageways (not to mention the views) are lovely distractions. In July, you can hear young musicians perform free open-air concerts in the Place de la Castre during the Jeunes Talents festival.

Between the lively pedestrian Rue St-Michel and the waterfront, the marvelous Marché Couvert (Les Halles) is considered one of the best (but pricey) food markets in France. Its Belle Époque facade is decorated in jewel-tone ceramics, and it's equally colorful and appealing inside, where, each day, some 30 merchants sell homemade bread (one gluten-free) and mountains of cheese, oils, fruit, and Italian delicacies daily (be sure to try the local dish, barbbajuans, a fritter stuffed with Swiss chard and ricotta). On Saturday, there is a clothing market outside at Place Fornari. Across from the market, the Italian Café Sini sells to-die-for apricot croissants and mouthwatering pizzas.

Just a couple of blocks east of the train station along Rue Jean Jaurès, you can pick up fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as clothes, shoes, belts, and bags at this covered market. While in the neighborhood, visit the nearby Asian and kosher shops, or stop in for one of the creamiest cappuccinos this side of Italy at Volupté ( 32 rue Hoche Closed Sun.).

If Sir Elton John chose it as the place for his summer residence, you know the views from Mont Boron must be sensational. From the port, take Bus 30 to the Miramar stop or Bus 15 to Château de L’Anglais. Along Boulevard du Mont Boron, enjoy the gorgeous panorama over the Port de Nice, and then head up to the Route Forestière; there will be red and yellow hiking symbols along the way. Near La Petite Batterie, you’ll arrive at a spectacular viewpoint across Villefranche Bay. Continue on foot along the forest path for another 2 km (1.2 miles) to reach the 16th-century Fort du Mont-Alban. Alternatively, from town you can take Bus 33, which drops you closer to the historic site.

Next to the Musée Matisse, this museum has a large collection of objects extracted from digs around the Roman city of Cemenelum, which flourished from the 1st to the 5th centuries. Among the fascinating ruins are an amphitheater, frigidarium, gymnasium, baths, and sewage trenches, some dating from the 3rd century.  It's best to avoid midday visits on warm days.

On the same quiet square as Église San Rafeu, this intimate museum has a fascinating collection of ancient amphorae gleaned from the shoals offshore, where centuries' worth of shipwrecks have accumulated. By studying this chronological progression of jars and the accompanying sketches, you can visualize the coast as it was in its heyday as a Greek and Roman shipping center. Take advantage of the temporary exhibitions held throughout the year (€4).