Are you living on the French Riviera or dreaming of visiting it someday? Then you have a good reason to read this ultimate guide of how to get the best out of the Côte d’Azur. Keep reading to get inspired for your next trip in the different cities of the French Riviera. If you are looking for a holiday villa in the South of France or a permanent one, here is a list of the stunning properties for sale in the South of France!
Nice
A trip to Côte d’Azur will start with a stop in Nice as it contains the main airport of the French Riviera! As you land you are immediately greated by its cyrstal blue water. A trip to Nice should start with a long walk on the Promenade des Anglais, which is a beautiful promenade situated right 7 kilometers along the main beach. At the end the walk you’ll see Castle Hill, La Colline du Château ,which is a beautiful park on top of a hill that previously held the castle of Nice which was unfortunately destroyed by a cannonball in the 1700’s. If you are looking for the perfect apartment in Nice or within its surrounding areas, whether it be within the streets of Old Town or facing the Promenade des Anglais, Wretman Estate has many.
The Old Town
Known as Nice’s cultural hub, Old Town’s narrow streets are filled with authentic restaurants, shops and galleries. The perfect place to enjoy a dinner or un verre de vin in its many restaurants, bars or cafes! You can always find restaurants with delicious food all over Nice, of which offer cuisines from all over the globe! You can find many local shops selling Niçois goods, of which include wine, pastries, and fresh cut meat and cheese. At Place Rossetti, you have the Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate, which draws many tourist due to its stunning colors and murals. Infront there is Nice’s famous gelato shop Fenocchio, which is always full during the summer months for its delicious gelato. Old Town is Nice’s cultural hub.
The Port
Port Lympia is where many locals go to »prendre l’apero», meaning to have a drink before having dinner. Ma Nolan’s is a well known Irish Pub where you can enjoy a welcoming atmosphere with a great selection of beer and delicious food! The bars and restaurants are wrapped around the bright blue waters of Nice. This is home to the many boats and yatchts of the French Riviera. If you are interested in a tour of the French Riviera waters at port you can find Nice Boat Tour. Not to far after the port, you can find Le Plongeoir , a stunning restaurant and bar built right above the ocean. It is a hidden gem on the French Riviera and the oerfect place to watch the sun set.
Cimiez
Cimiez, a high class quarter set atp a hill, is home to the Cimiez Monastery built by Fransiscan moks in the 900’s. The Monastarys garden offers a remarkable view of Nice from above. For those of you that love history, right alongside the Monastery is Les Arènes de Cimiez , where the remains of a Roman ampitheatre once stood. Parc des Arènes, where many families go to spend time together during the weekend or those looking for solitude within the parks trees. Cimiez is known for its elegant homes and apartments. It was the hot spot for man Kings and Queens in the French Riviera during the Belle Epoque.
Cannes
Cannes Film Festival
This Film Festival is most French Riviera’s most popular event and what the city is most known for! For 12 days every year, hundreds of celebrities and film professionals gather to celebrate the prize-winning movies of the year. Every house, apartment and hotel are filled with people there looking to enjoy the festival. The festival’s in May and people from all over the globe come to in hopes of meeting a celebrity! If you are a film enthusiast planning on traveling here at this time, book your stay way in advance. Try to stay in areas close to Palais des Festivals and Promenade de la Croissette!
Promenade de la Croisette
Similar to Nice’s Promenade des Angles, La Croisette is a 3 kilometer long promenade along where on one side you have the beach and on the other you have casinos, hotels, luxury boutiques and much more. If you are someone who enjoys luxury, This is the street for you! Take a look at the properties for sale in Cannes.
Le Suquet
This is the more historic side of the city. With cobblestone walkways and intertwining roads, Le Suquet will stun you with its enchanting charm! Here you can find Musée de la Castre located at the top of Le Suquet and holds the prestigious art that belong to the city. The museum was previously a castle in the middle ages and turned into a museum in 1991. The local market, Marché Forville, can also be found here and here is where you can find your produce, spices, flowers and more! Just infront of Le Suquet, you can see Les îles de Lérins, which are two small islands called Sainte-Marguerite et Saint-Honorat where both tourist and locals visit during the summer months to escape the heat.
Menton
Menton is between the borders of Italy and Monaco and is known for its locally grown lemons. If you have been there you will know that lemons are the symbol of the city! The town paints lemons on their benches, walls and light posts all around the town. According to an old story, it’s said that it was Eve that planted the first lemon tree in Menton. When Adam and Eve were thrown out from the Garden of Eden, Eve took a lemon with her. Adam begged her to get rid of it. She ended up keeping it until she found the perfect place to plant it, which was Menton!
Lemon Festival
Menton celebrates their famous lemons with an annual festival, La Fête du Citron, which takes place around February and lasts for a whole week. People from all over the French Riviera gather in Menton to celebrate and drink Lemoncello – the famous lemon liquor. Art sculptures created entirely out of citrus fruits are paraded around the town for everyone to see.
Musée des Beaux-Arts
Mentons classical art museum is considered one of the best in France and is located right along the shores of the town and was previously home of the Grimaldi family of Monaco. Inside you will find a large beautiful art collection of Italian origin from the 12th century to the 18th century. You can also find classical and beautiful sculptures within the museums garden!
Plage des Sablettes
This stunning beach is perfect during the hot summer months! There is a walkway that stretches straight ahead along the water and is the perfect place to sunbathe if you dont favor the sand. Even in the winter months, its a breath-taking place to go to relax and enjoy the view. The beach is packed during summer, so it is best to get there early to make sure you find the perfect spot!
Grasse
Grasse is known as the perfume capital of the world and has had a perfume industry since the end of the 18th century and now produces over two-thirds of France’s natural aromas. The International Perfume Museum is the first museums decicated to the promotion of the world’s smells, aromas and perfumes. Grasse is located further away from the coast and closer to the mountains. However, it’s still easy to take a train directly from Nice.
The International Perfume Museum
The International Perfume Museum is considered an architectural beauty, and was designed by Frédéric Jung a well renowed French architect. The museum first opened its doors in 1989 to celebrate the 4,000 year old perfume industry throughout the globe. Here you are shown the step-by-step process of how perfumes are created.
La Domaine de Manon
La Domaine de Manon is a garden owned by a family that specializes in cultivating the famous fragrance flowers used in the perfumes of Grasse. It has been around since the 1930’s and focuses on rose, jasmine and tuberose flowers. La Domaine de Manon have tours available throughout May and from August to October, depending on the blooming seasons. If you are interested in the history of the French Riviera, this is a place you must visit!
Fête du Jasmin
The Jasmin Festival is thrown by the town of Grasse every August to celebrate the Jasmine flower, which is what brought Grasse’s perfume industry to fame. The festival includes live music, animations and local town traditions and is popular among tourists vising the French Riviera!
Saint-Tropez
A town named after Christian martyr Saint Torpes, can be characterized by exclusive shopping, luxurious yachts and living like a celebrity characterizes Saint-Tropez! You will also find contrast by taking a nice walk in the Old Town discovering authentic restaurants, art and the cultural heritage. You get the best of both worlds in this town!
Beach Clubs
Saint-Tropez is most famous more their beach clubs, the most popular ones being Nikki Beach and Pearl Beach. Spending a weekend in these luxurious beach clubs in Saint-Tropez during the summer is a must for both locals and tourist who come to the French Riviera looking for a fun time! The famous private beaches, pools and live music of the French Riviera guarantees satisfaction. It’s an experience you must have if you ever come to the South of France!
Place des Lices
Place des Lices is the main square and where you can find the shops, restaurants, markets and more at Saint-Tropez! If the world of luxury fashion interests you, Place des Lices is home to the famous Dior Cafe, which is flooded with people during the summer month who come to enjoy the dishes that are heavily inspired by the famed French designer, Christian Dior. Le Café is a provencal bistrot loved by locals that has been around since 1789. It’s known as the heart of Place des Lices! This is where many people come to relax under its large trees that stretch along the main road.
Musee d l’Annonciade
This is a museum that is home to pieces of art starting from the 2oth century. Musee d l’Annonciade is located alongside the Saint-Tropez port and was previously a chapel before it was turned into a museum in 1955. This is the perfect place for anyone to visit if they want appreciated post-impressionism and modern art! Art pieces here are inspired by the colorful town and its Tropizienne artists.
We hope this has inspired to you visit or move to the South of France. It is a region that has much to offer no matter what you are looking for. With its blue skies and blue waters, being here feels like a dream!
