One week in the French Riviera - the complete travel guide
I’ve been dreaming of visiting France for over two years. Last month I spent a week in the south of France with my travel buddy Judy (@charmingadventurer), in the French Riviera exactly. We had a great time travelling and taking pictures together. Since I remember I was inspired by France, amazed by its beauty, wonderful places, and French language of course. On top of that, I graduated from French Studies two years ago and I lived in France for almost a year, where I did my student exchange. That’s why France is always a good idea to me!
Why you should visit the French Riviera?
This part of France is extremely beautiful, known for its incredible sea views, turquoise and clear water, picturesque towns, and delicious cuisine. It has a great vibe and it’s quite easy when it comes to getting around. There are so many interesting things to do and to see, what makes this region so special. In the morning you can grab a fresh croissant in one of the cafes, then spend a day on the beach, and in the afternoon you can stroll around old towns, have a delicious dinner there while watching magical sunsets on the beach. I hope that I convinced you so far to visit the French Riviera, whether you live in Poland or in California!
How to get to the French Riviera and where to stay?
I flew into Nice from a direct 2-hour flight from Cracow, Poland. I bought the tickets on wizzair.com, which is a low-cost, Hungarian airline in Europe if you didn’t know about it. The round trip with check-in luggage cost me around 750 PLN ($190). From the airport in Nice, I took a tram to the old town where our hotel was located. It was quite fast, comfy and the ticket was only for EUR 1,50(you can purchase in the machine on the platform). I got off in the old town and headed to the hotel.
The best location to stay in Nice is in the old town area or somewhere near the Promenade des Anglais, on the first sealine, but all the hotels there might be extremely expensive. If you are travelling on a budget, the old town or the area near the train station will be definitely cheaper. We stayed in an average, 2-star hotel located in the old town, the room was nice and modern, but we had some issues with one of our beds. It broke down and hasn’t been replaced, so I wouldn’t recommend you this place for any further trips. For our room we paid around 1500 PLN ($400) for 4 nights, it wasn’t so bad like for a high season in August. Nonetheless, if you are searching for a nice, cozy and modern hotel, you should check the Arome Hotel Nice or the Deck Hotel. They are great options which I truly recommend.
After spending 4 nights in Nice, we headed to Cannes for 3 nights, it was our base while exploring the other part of the French Riviera. We stayed in a small, family hotel with a great view of the old town of Cannes, the hotel was called Bellevue, I booked it through booking.com.
When is the best time to visit the French Riviera?
The best time to visit the French Riviera is in May, June, July or September. August is usually so crowded, due to the fact that many people in France take their vacation at that time. Visiting in the shoulder season might be also a good option, hotels are cheaper and the temperatures are getting milder. Nevertheless, you gonna love this part of France, it’s sunny and charming all year round!
Getting around in the French Riviera
You don’t need a car to travel between cities in French Riviera, almost every town is easily accessible by train or bus. The public transport is very affordable, the price of the bus ticket for any town is EUR 1,5, trains are a bit more expensive but more comfortable and faster. If you plan to visit some wild, secret beaches in Massif L’Estranel, the town of Eze or Tete de Chien viewpoints, you would definitely need a car.
Planning a trip to the French Riviera
When it comes to planning the trip of your dreams, it can be stressful and time-consuming, especially when you need to create a list of things and pack on your own. I started planning my trip to French Riviera a few weeks before the departure and packing a couple of days before. Thankfully, I found an application called MyLuggage which helped me a lot to prepare my journey. It gave me peace of mind before and throughout my entire trip to the French Riviera. Let me show you, how it works.
First, you have to choose a destination and add your travel dates. All it takes is answering a few questions about your trip - the application leads you easily through the process. After a while, MyLuggage creates a list of items to pack & things to do before, which is based on the analysis of many factors regarding your trip. The app also gives you important information about safety, weather, visa, baggage allowance and many more. This is all you need for a stress-free vacay.
MyLuggage app can be downloaded here, it works on both, iPhone and Android. You can also learn more about packing techniques and learn how to fold clothes, here. I highly recommend you getting this app before your next journey, for sure you gonna love it!
What you should see on the French Riviera?
Nice
Nice is the main city of the French Riviera and the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department. It’s known for the long beach with turquoise water, old, picturesque streets of the old town, and great architecture. From this city, you can easily move around the French Riviera. You should spend at least 2-3 days in Nice to feel its great vibe. Don’t forget to take a pair of water shoes (the beach in Nice is extremely stony) and visit one of the beach bars after the sunset.
Nice highlights :
The afternoon in Port Lympia surrounded by Venetian-colored buildings
Watching sunset from Cadran Solaire spot (in the end of Promenade des Anglais)
Dinner and an aperol-spritz at La Vela, a beautiful beach bar
Beach day in Nice
Hike to the castle hill & admiring the beautiful view over the city
Lunch at the beach in Le Galet
Delicious dinner at Le Frog in Old Nice
Strolling in the famous Promenade des Anglais
Place Massena
The view from the Castle Hill
The beach in Nice
The beach, photo was taken at Le Galet
The view of the harbor from the Castle Hill
Port Lympia
Sunset near Cadran Solaire
Aperol-spritz in La Vela
Delicious dinner at Le Frog
Villefranche-Sur-Mer
This small, picturesque town full of narrow streets and pastel buildings, is a place definitely worth your visit. It’s quite easy to access from Nice, I highly recommend you taking a train. You will get off right next to the sandy beach, one of my favorites in the French Riviera. I really like the panorama of Villefranche-Sur-Mer, with all these picturesque houses rising up behind the crystal clear the Mediterranean Sea.
Villefranche highlights :
Pulling over for a view on the road Boulevard Napoleon III, just outside of the town
Beach day with a great view of the town
Wandering the streets
The view of Villefranche-Sur-Mer
Menton
Menton is my favorite city of the French Riviera, located right next to the Italian border. It’s easily accessible from Nice, like all the other towns - you can come by train or by bus. The lemon is a symbol of Menton, because of The Lemon Festival, which takes place every year in winter. You can find lemons in all the shapes in every store, I recommend you purchasing soap-lemons which are so cute. The unique view over the turquoise sea and pastel buildings is definitely the main highlight of this town.
Menton highlights :
The view from the pier next to the beach
Wandering the streets in the old town
The view the hill from the Cementary of the Old Chateau
Buying lemon soaps at the local market
Delicious lunch at Les Enfants Terribles
The view from the pier in Menton
Nice view from the pier
Lunch at Les Enfants Terribles
Delicious strawberry tiramisu in the same restaurant
Tête de Chien, Monaco
Tête de Chien which means Dog’s Head is a 550-meter-high rock with a spectacular view, located near the small town La Turbie. Sunset there was one of our highlights during the French Riviera trip, it blew me away. You can get to this place by car and leave it in the free parking. This dramatic viewpoint is only a short walk apart. From one side of the hill, you can admire boundless landscapes of the coast and the mountains, from another charming country and city of Monaco. Looking at the western side you can spot Cap d’Ail, Cap Ferrat, and Villefranche-Sur-Mer. You should definitely visit Tête de Chien for a sunrise or a sunset, it was my favorite photo spot on the French Riviera trip.
Many thanks to my polish friend Tom, who lives in Nice and who was our travel guide during our stay in southern France. You can check his website here, the Instagram is @lazurowewybrzeze
Monaco
Before this trip, I visited Monaco twice in the past. This time we only popped in for a dinner, after watching the sunset at Tête de Chien. We walked around the marina and went to the cute restaurant nearby, Chez Edgar. Our pizzas were so delicious and the staff was really friendly, I totally recommend you this place. Here are some photos of my latest & previous trip.
Monaco Highlights :
Walking around the harbor & admiring the yachts
Dinner at Chez Edgar
Wandering in the old town, Monaco-Ville & the Princes Palace
Casino Monte-Carlo
The viewpoint at Saint-Martin Gardens, near the Palace of Justice
Cannes
While Cannes is mostly well-know for the Cannes Film Festival, which takes place every year, it has plenty of beautiful spots to see and things to do. The charming old town located on the hill, long, sandy beaches and the harbor and the best things to visit in Cannes. I also recommend you going to Massif Esterel and exploring this wonderful, wild area. It’s full of hiking trails and hidden beaches.
Cannes Highlights :
Exploring the streets of the Old Town
Sunset saw from the Pier at the beach
Dinner and aperol spritz at the cute beach bar Le Bénitier
Taking a one-day cruise to Saint Tropez (we booked it with this company)
Visiting Massif Esterel & Le Trayas covered with volcanic red-brick rocks
Massif Esterel - Le Trayas
Hidden gem found in Le Trayas, Massif Esterel
Saint-Tropez
This little, coastal town on the French Riviera was a military base and a fishing village in the past. Now, Saint Tropez is a great destination with beautiful beaches, charming old town with good restaurants with traditional tropezien food. The town became famous thanks to Brigitte Bardot and comedies with Louis de Funes from the movie “Le Gendarme de Saint Tropez”. Saint Tropez is perfect for a day tripfrom Cannes, or even longer stay if you would like to spend some time on its idyllic beaches.
Saint Tropez Highlights :
Walking the streets of Old Town
Trying traditional fish soup with cheese, croutons and sauce
Watching the view from the top of the hill, right next to the Citadel ; sometimes you can spot beautiful peacocks
Having lunch on the cute street at Le Schpountz
Exploring the Old Port
Restaurant Le Schpountz
Wandering in the streets of Saint Tropez
Eating my delicious fish shoup at Le Schpountz
The view from the parc on the hill
What you should know before going to the French Riviera & travel tips
don’t forget to pack sunscreen, hat & water shoes
download a stress-free travel app My Luggage (here) and use it while packing
be aware of pickpockets and always check your receipt after the purchase (French people make a lot of “mistakes”, especially when you are tourist)
relax and enjoy the magical ambiance of the French Riviera ; people here are so chilled!
