French Riviera

The Riviera is really a string of towns along one coastline, each with a distinct character — which is why “where to base yourself” matters more here than almost anywhere else in France.

Getting There and Along the Coast

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE) is France’s second-busiest and the natural gateway, roughly 20–30 minutes from central Nice depending on traffic. A regional train line runs along the coast connecting Nice, Antibes, Cannes and Menton, with Monaco in between — useful for a day trip, though most clients traveling with us move by private car, especially with evening plans that don’t fit a train timetable.

Towns and Villages Worth Knowing

Nice has the widest range of hotels and restaurants and the most walkable old town (Vieux Nice). Cannes is quieter outside festival weeks and has a genuine yacht harbor alongside the film-festival reputation. Antibes and its Cap d’Antibes peninsula lean more residential and low-key, popular with clients who want the coast without the see-and-be-seen pace. Inland and up, Èze is a medieval village built into a cliff face with sweeping sea views — best visited early or late in the day, when tour buses have cleared out. Saint-Paul-de-Vence, further inland, is known for the Fondation Maeght modern art museum and a concentration of galleries in a walled hilltop village.

Practical Notes

July and August are the busiest and most expensive months, with restaurant bookings tightening noticeably; late May, June and September keep the same warm weather with far more availability. Parking in the old towns is limited and often not worth the effort — this is one destination where hiring a driver pays for itself in avoided frustration alone.