Looking for the best places to visit in the French Riviera? In this post, I will guide you through the top, most popular places to visit in Cote D’Azur! These are the most visited for a reason, and you will learn what to expect from each place, as well as the top things to do.

Côte d’Azur, also known as the French Riviera, is the coastal area of France that goes from the popular Saint-Tropez on the west to Menton on the east, right by the border with Italy. The area also includes another country, the Principality of Monaco. This area is mostly popular for its beautiful beaches and coastal views, as well as for being a glamorous, wealthy area where celebrities enjoy their luxurious vacations on 5-star hotels, big villas and private yachts. Not only that, Côte d’Azur hosts two extremely popular events every year in May: Cannes Film Festival and Grand Pix.

Whether your budget allows you to have a luxurious holiday or simply a backpacker’s experience, French Riviera will always have something for you.

If you prefer to watch a video instead of reading this list of top places to visit in Côte d’Azur, you can watch my YouTube video below.

Nice is a lively town and the main place to visit when you come to the French Riviera. It’s the number one choice for accommodation for many people and that happens for a reason – the town is beautiful, has great accessibility to other locations and has everything you need: good restaurants, malls, shops, cafes, and plenty to visit.

Some of the top things to do include taking a sunbath at a private or public pebble beach, go for a walk along the popular and long Promenade des Anglais (a promenade that goes from Nice’s Airport and extends for 7km along the coast), admiring the views from Castle Hill (Parc de la Colline du Château), walking through the colourful streets of Nice’s Old Town and the popular Place Masséna, admiring the architecture of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral (Cathédrale Orthodoxe Saint-Nicolas de Nice) and visiting museums such as Marc Chagall Museum and Modern and Contemporary Art Museum (MAMAC). You can find a comprehensive list of things to see in Nice on the blog.

Nice is a perfect place for people watching: very family-friendly, you will find lots of children playing in public gardens or at the beach, and gatherings of young people too. You will also find many active people at the promenade: walking, cycling, skating, roller skating, riding a manual or electric scooter, and even the odd guy on a skateboard, paddling the floor with a broomstick – yep, I saw that with my own eyes!

Monaco had to be second on this list of top places to visit in Côte d’Azur because it is such a unique place in Europe: it is the second smallest country in the world (Vatican being the first), extremely well designed to fit its population within such a small area, it has one of the world’s lowest unemployment rate (2%), 0% poverty, a high percentage of millionaires (over 30%) and even public elevators that take you from one street to the other.

Be ready to be astonished by all of the luxurious cars you will see, as well as the views you can have from every corner of the city. Top places to visit in this country include the Prince’s Palace, Car Collection Museum, Monte Carlo Casino and Opera House, Oceanographic Museum and the Exotic Gardens.

The road from Nice to Monaco is stunning, so if you’re on a bus, try to stay on the right side to appreciate the views. During Summer time the buses can be extremely crowded so you might want to get there a bit earlier to find a seat, and if you’re lucky, one on the right. Alternatively, you can also take the train from Nice to Monaco.

Èze is a hill-top medieval village overlooking the Mediterranean Coast and surrounding towns, popular for its narrow cobblestone streets (full of colourful flowers), stunning views, and perfumes. The village is fairly small, and top things to do include the Exotic Gardens, roaming through its narrow streets, and visiting the small local shops (art galleries, perfumeries, gift shops, lavender products, etc.).

I still can’t believe that many pages with Top Places to Visit in Côte d’Azur do not include Menton, or have it at the very bottom of the list, and that many visitors end up missing this town when, in my opinion, it is hands down one of the best places to visit in Cote d’Azur.

Just picture this: a very colourful town, with an Italian touch and houses aligned along a hill, with a palm tree promenade, a free beach, a busy harbour facing the colourful houses, and plenty of ice cream shops. Doesn’t sound like a paradise? It does to me! (I was sold at “colourful town”, “free beach” and “plenty of ice cream shops”).

Menton is located on the French border with Italy, and apart from all of the wonderful things I mentioned above, it is also famous for its annual Lemon Festival and its collection of museums and galleries around Jean Cocteau.

Antibes is another popular destination in Cote d’Azur, that attracts tourists due to its charming old centre full of narrow streets and a prominent fort (Fort Carré), overlooking the busy Port Vauban, as well as its nice beaches (Plage de la Salis being quite popular). Antibes also has lots of art and culture, so if you’re into museums, the Picasso, Peynet and Archeological museums might be of your interest.

Not far from Antibes you will find Cannes, which had to come next on the list. Cannes is mostly known for its Film Festival happening every May, so a visit to the Palais des Festivals and its red carpet is mandatory. But there is more to Cannes than just celebrities and awards: enjoy a walk along the beautiful Croisette promenade and the old town (Le Suquet), experience the local culture at the indoor market Marché Forville and visit the Musée de la Castre located in a medieval fortress.

When we visited, we enjoyed a lovely ride on the Ferris Wheel (Grande Roue). I’ve read a few negative reviews saying they were disappointed as it felt too fast, but we personally enjoyed it.

Something to keep in mind when visiting Cannes is that many beaches are private and exclusive (most of the time to luxurious hotels). That being said, there are also free beaches, and you will be able to distinguish them (for example, in la Croisette most of them will be private, but you will also find a public beach).

Saint-Tropez is a quite popular location in Côte d’Azur. With a beautiful harbour and a charming old town, this small town does not have a lot to do, but it attracts many tourists due to its popularity. Things to do include walking and getting lost in its narrow streets, as well as visiting the Citadel and enjoying a nice afternoon at one of its beaches.

I hope this list of top places to visit in Côte d’Azur can be helpful when planning your trip to the French Riviera, and do make sure to check the post on less visited areas of the French Riviera to find some beautiful hidden gems!

📍 Did you like this post? Pin it for later