The Côte d’Azur stretches from the Italian border to Cassis, with Nice as the easiest base. Come for sea light, hill villages inland, and a slower pace than Paris — especially outside July and August.
Things to Do in French Riviera
Beaches, hill villages, Matisse and Picasso, markets, and Corniche drives.
Best Time to Visit French Riviera
When the water is swimmable, when hotels spike, and when the coast is actually quiet.
Places to Visit in French Riviera
Nice, Cannes, Monaco, Saint-Tropez, Èze, Antibes, and hill villages.
French Riviera Itineraries
3- and 5-day coastal routes from a Nice base.
French Riviera Travel Tips
Where to stay, how to move, and when a car actually helps.
Nice, Cannes, Antibes and Monaco
Walk the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, then visit the Matisse and Chagall museums. Antibes has one of the world’s largest yacht harbours. Grasse, the perfume capital, is about 30 minutes inland. If budget allows, Monaco’s Casino de Monte-Carlo and the Prince’s Palace are half-day highlights from Nice by train.
Getting around
Regional TER trains link Nice, Cannes, Antibes, and Monaco. For the Esterel’s red-rock coastline and quieter coves, a car for a day is useful. Beachfront hotels in Nice usually offer better value than Cannes or Monaco.
See France itineraries that include the Riviera →
French Riviera Travel FAQs
Three nights in Nice covers the Promenade, one museum, and a train hop to Antibes or Monaco. Five nights adds Cannes, Grasse, and a slower coastal day. Two nights works if you stay put in Nice.
May–June and September are the most comfortable: swimmable water without August prices. July and August are peak glamour and peak crowds. Winter is quieter and milder than Paris, with some hotels on a reduced schedule.
Yes. TER trains link Nice to Cannes, Antibes, and Monaco, and beachfront hotels are usually better value than Cannes or Monaco.
Not for Nice–Cannes–Monaco. Rent one day if you want the Esterel’s red-rock coves or inland villages beyond Grasse.
Yes, as a half-day by train from Nice: the Prince’s Palace, Casino de Monte-Carlo, and harbour. It is expensive to stay; most visitors sleep in Nice.