I visited the French Riviera for the first time determined to embrace all that was luxury, glitz, and glamour. I had my heart set on witnessing all the heavy hitters. After some meticulous planning, and lots of indecision, I eventually settled on three of the most popular destinations along the South of France: Nice, Monaco, and Cannes.
There are many ways to discover the French Riviera. I personally opted for train travel, but highly, highly suggest renting a car if possible. I also suggest prolonging your time along the Cote D’Azur for as long as possible — a week or longer would suffice.
Unfortunately, I was on a tight budget during my trip {like tighter than spanks} and this happens to be one of the most expensive areas in the world. If you happen to find yourself in a position similar to my own, here is a quick itinerary for spending four days along the French Riviera:
Day 1: Nice
I began my French Riviera adventure in Nice, France. This is the largest town along the French Riviera and provides a great base if you plan to visit surrounding coastal villages. The beaches aren’t the most practical, but impressive nonetheless. Nice is equipped with a charming old town and a wide range of restaurants.
Highlight: Promenade des Anglais
Day 2: Nice + Monaco
I woke up the second morning in Nice to a fabulous breakfast at Maizon. Half of the afternoon was spent exploring the streets of Nice, while the evening was set aside for Monte Carlo, Monaco. An easy 15 minute ride on the train, you can find yourself in an entirely different country should you choose to see Monaco. The entire country just screams wealthy. Monte Carlo is home to the infamous Monte Carlo casino, made famous by James Bond. I stepped foot inside the grand casino and tested my luck.
Highlight: Monte Carlo Casino
Day 3-4: Cannes
I spent the last two days of my trip in Cannes, France. The first afternoon was spent wandering the {weirdly deserted} old town and scoping out a public beach fit for sun bathing. That evening my travel partner and I cooked homemade carbonara in our Air Bnb and it was honestly one of the best meals I’ve ever tasted. We found local ingredients from a local market and paired it with some wine for a perfect night in.
On my last day along the French Riviera I treated myself to a day of relaxation and pampering on the beach. White wine, sushi, and no need to leave the lounge chair? Could you ask for anything more?
Highlight: Beaches — take full advantage!
When to Visit
Like many popular tourist destinations, you can expect thousands of people to flock to the South of France in the summer months. I visited the French Riviera in mid-September and found it to be absolutely perfect. It was warm enough to sun bathe every afternoon, but not unbearably hot. The lack of tourists was a nice change of pace after traveling during peak time in Italy.
It would have been absolutely lovely to visit more of the coastal towns along the Cote D’Azur. However, we were dependent on train travel and it was quite pricey to stay along the South of France as it was. Next time I visit, I want to make it a point to venture beyond the more popular tourist destinations. That being said…
Heading to the French Riviera in a couple of weeks! Me and my sister are staying three nights in an Airbnb in Nice, and hoping to make day trips to Monaco as well as the Cap D’Ail and Eze. Do you have any recommendations for the latter two?
Unfortunately I didn’t make it to either of those places! It was such a short trip unfortunately. I hope you have a fabulous time though!!