5 DAY ITINERARY FOR THE FRENCH RIVIERA
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This post gives you a wonderful 5 day itinerary for the French Riveria, the coastal towns to visit and things to do
The south of France is a truly beautiful part of the world. It’s the land of charming destinations, scenic road trips, lavender fields, vineyards, gorgeous coastal cities and some of the worlds best food.
There are so many world famous events that happen on the French Riviera including the Monaco Grand Prix, Tour de France and the Cannes Film Festival. Depending on your interests you could time your trip to coincide with one of these events.
It is the land of luxury where the rich and famous go to holiday. There are huge yachts in all the ports along the shore and fancy hotels in every city. There’s so many things that make the French Riviera a dream destination for many.
If you look at a map of the French Riviera you will see it stretches from the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea. It spans from Tulon or Saint Tropez on the West to Menton on the French-Italian border to the East. It also includes the Principality of Monaco.
The French Riviera (also called Côte d’Azur), is not an actual territory or a historical region, the name was created by the French writer Stephen Liegeard in 1887, when he mentioned the region and called it Côte d’Azur.
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HOW MANY DAYS SHOULD I SPEND ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA?
There’s so much to see and do on the French Riviera and you could spend much longer than 5 days here but for this itinerary I’m going to share how you can make the most out of almost a week in the Cote d’Azur.
It is recommended that you spend at least five days on the French Riviera, as this will give you enough time to explore the area and get a good feel of it. If you don’t have that time, that would be ok but you will need to cut back on the places you choose to visit or you could book one of these tours from Nice to save time.
WHEN SHOULD I GO TO THE FRENCH RIVIERA?
The weather in the French Riviera has a mediterrean climate with the warmest weather between April and October. It gets extremely busy in the height of the summer which is July and August so if you’re not a fan of the crowds (or hiked up hotel prices) it’s best to avoid these months.
The Cannes Film Festival is mid to late May and the Monaco Grand Prix is late May so if either of those events interest you May would be a great month to visit. There are quite a few famous events on the French Riviera which are worth knowing about incase you’d like to attend them or possibly avoid them!
Some of the most famous events on the French Riviera
Fete du Citron in Menton (February)
Nice Carnaval (February)
Cannes Film Festival (May)
Monaco Grand Prix (May)
Monte Carlo Fashion Week (May)
Nice Jazz Festival (July)
Cannes Firework Festival (July - August)
Cannes Yachting Festival (September)
Monte Carlo Jazz Festival (November)
There are two different ways I’d recommend seeing the wonderful places the French Riviera has to offer. The first is to make Nice your base. Book your hotel there and take day trips to the beautiful beaches and charming towns and villages. Or the second option would be to change hotels and move along the coast staying at different places as you go.
There are benefits and pitfalls to both approaches.
With the first option, you have a base and don’t need to keep packing up your stuff to change hotels every morning but there will be more travelling time as you will have to get to each location and back to Nice each night where your hotel is. To be honest the travel is not exactly a huge issue as it’s beautiful scenery and all the places are well connected with public transport.
With the second option you will have more time in each location as you won’t need to be travelling back and forth to Nice constantly but on the other hand you will have to pack up your bags constantly. Only you will know which option suits you best.
Nice is the largest city in the area and boasts a lovely sea front, pebbley beaches, a beautiful Old Town and a vibrant nightlife so it makes sense that if you are choosing a base you choose Nice. It is home to the airport on the French Riviera and more than likely how you will be arriving in to the area. Nice Cote d’Azur International Airport is Frances busiest airport after the ones in Paris. I’d recommend searching for the best flights to Nice on Skyscanner.
WHERE TO STAY IN NICE
Here are some suggestions on where to stay in Nice
Some great luxury hotels for your stay in Nice are:
Hotel Boscolo Nice, Hotel Le Negresco, and Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Méditerranée which are pretty fancy and famous for their elegant rooms and impeccable service.
If you’d like a mid range hotel you could check out these:
Hotel de France, Arome Hotel, and Hôtel Nice Azur Riviera which are great options for the mid range budget in great locations at a reasonable prices.
If you are more of a budget traveller these hotels in Nice could be great for your purse:
Residence Pearl, La Maïon Guesthouse, Esatitude Hotel are all good accommodation options at affordable rates.
HOW TO GET AROUND THE FRENCH RIVIERA
The French Riviera is pretty well connected by public transport with all of the towns and villages on this itinerary are connected by bus and/or train. It only takes 30 minutes to get from Nice to Monaco to the east on the bus and in the other direction it’s 30 minutes from Nice to Cannes by train.
Due to the great public transport links you don’t need to hire a car but if you fancy exploring the region in your own car it definitely gives you a little more freedom and road trips around the French Riviera are incredible with beautiful views as you drive through the hilltop villages and medieval towns.
When we were in the French Riviera we chose to hire a car and we loved the road trips. Parking in Nice can be a little tricky and to get free parking you’re going to have to park a little outside the city centre. You can hire your car from Rentalcars.com
DAY 1 EXPLORE NICE - THE HUB OF THE FRENCH RIVIERA
A great thing to do when you first arrive is to stroll along the Promenade des Anglais which streches along the whole of the Nice coast. As you’re wandering along you will come across Vieux Nice or Nice Old Town. This is an area you should definetly explore. In Cours Saleya square you will find a bustling market full of locals selling flowers, artisan foods, teas and so much more. It’s a joy to wander around and take in the atmosphere.
Old Town itself is full of colourful orange houses and narrow cobble stoned streets that are lined with cafes, restaurants and shops. After you’ve taken in Old Town and if you’re feeling energetic you should head up Castle Hill for stunning views of the city and the sea. Nice’s Old Port is an enjoyable place to wander around in the early evening.
If you want to know more about how to spend your time in Nice you can check out 10 wonderful things to do in Nice.
End your day with a stroll back down Promanade des Anglais, taking in the huge square of Place Massena with it’s fountains and trams running through it and then find a restaurant to enjoy some fantastic French cusine.
If you’d like to know more about Nice’s long history and it’s amazing culture you can join a walking tour that will take you to the main attractions. Here’s a great 2.5 hour walking tour you can join or you could grab a 1 hour Segway tour if you fancy something a little more fast paced.
Here are some more interesting things you can do in and around Nice
DAY 2 MONACO & EZE VILLAGE - FRENCH RIVIERA’S MEDIEVAL TOWN
Time to head east towards Italy to the small principality of Monaco. If you’re in to your Formula One racing you can walk around one of the most famous race tracks in the world or if you have hired a car you could drive around it.
Monaco is known for it’s wealth and luxurious yachts are a big part of that. You can head to the harbour, wander around taking in all the magnificent yachts on show. Head over to the iconic Monte Carlo Casino where you can head inside the atrium for free and admire the opulent architecture.
From there make your way up the hill to the Prince’s Palace to watch the chaning of the guard ceremony that happens every day at 11:50am.
On your way out of Monaco, if you have time or indeed the transport options, as you would really need a car for this option, you can head to Tete de Chien for the best views over the whole of Monaco.
Now make your way to Eze village - a beautiful hilltop village with winding cobblestone streets and breathtaking views over the Mediterrean Sea. My recommendation here is simply to wander around. It’s such a quaint medieval village that is wonderful to wander around. Stop at one of the many restaurants for some dinner before taking the train back to Nice.
If you don’t want to have to worry about using public transport between Nice, Monaco and Eze you could hire a car or join a tour that will organise all your transportation and activities. Here is a half day tour from Nice to Monaco and Eze which takes in the main attractions or you can join this full day tour to give you more time to explore.
DAY 3 MENTON - A TASTE OF (ALMOST) ITALY
This beautiful town is right on the border with Italy and the mix of French and Italian culture can be spotted all around. You can get to Menton from Nice via bus or train. If you fancy the feeling of a French Riviera road trip but don’t want to hire a car another option is to join a guided tour like this Full Day Tour from Nice to Menton and La Turbie.
Start your day by exploring the colourful buildings and interesting sights of the Old Town. There are local markets where you can pick up fresh fruits or other snacks befrore heading over to some of Menton’s famous gardens. The perfect way to end your time in Menton is by heading to a Sablette beach with a picnic and enjoy some sunbathing or swimming.
DAY 4 ANTIBES & CANNES - A MUST SEE
To fit both Antibes and Cannes in to one day is a pretty busy day so make sure you’re well rested and ready to go for the day. You could pick just one of them or if you have longer separate this day into 2 days: the choice is yours. If you have a whole day in Antibes here’s my recommendations on how to spend it.
If you do want the no stress version of the day you can always book this tour from Nice to Cannes and Antibes where you can relax and be driven between the three French towns.
Head to Antibes in the morning which is a charming town on the Bay of Angels. It is home to Port Vauban, the largest yachting harbor in Europe. There are so many luxury yachts on the French Riviera you just kind of get used to seeing them everywhere. It’s a little like the Ferraris in Monaco.
You can wander around the Old Town in Antibes, walk the city walls and admire the beautiful architecture. They have some delicious local food specialities like Socca - an oven baked chickpea pancake that is served everywhere.
When you’ve finished in Antibes head over to Cannes, made famous of the Cannes Film Festival that happens each year in May. Cannes is only a 7 minute train ride from Antibes. It’s known for it’s private beach clubs and luxury shopping.
The iconic boulevard is La Croisette which you can wander along. There is a mini Cannes Walk of Fame outside the Palais de Festivals where stars of stage and screen have recreated the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.
There are many unique experiences you can have in Cannes. Check them out!
DAY 5 VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER - INCREDIBLE SEASIDE VILLAGE
Are you worn out from al these day trips now? It’s been a busy few days hasn’t is? Today it’s time to relax a little today and stay local to Nice. Villefranche-sur-mer is about an hours walk from Nice and it’s a beautiful coastal walk if you’re up for it. If you’re not they are connected by both bus (line 15) and train.
Villefranche-sur-mer is yet another beautiful, picturesque port town with cobblestone streets and colourful buildings. The warm mediterrean waters are perfect for swimming or snorkelling and there are many coves around the bay to explore. The beaches in Villefranche-sur-mer, along with most of the French Riviera are pebbley so be sure to bring some water showes so you can make the most of the beaches without hurting your feet.
If you want to try out something a little different you could try this 2.5 hour Electric Bike Tour from Nice to Villefranche-sur-mer.
End your day at one of Villefranche-sur-mers amazing restaurants such as Jasmin Grill & Lounge or Mayssa Beach.
GOT MORE DAYS TO SPEND ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA?
5 days is not a lot to explore such a beautiful region and if you have more time to explore that’s fantastic because it means you can also visit some other amazing places along the coast like Saint-Tropez, Sainte-Maxime and San Remo or even go a little further to Marseille.
If you’re not up for exploring different places, more days just means you could stay longer in some of the places we’ve covered on this 5 day French Riviera itinerary.
MORE FROM THE FRENCH RIVIERA
YOUR PERFECT 5 DAYS IN THE FRENCH RIVIERA
You have on your hands an itinerary for five perfect days of exploring the French Riviera. From Menton to Cannes and everything in between, you will experience some of the best this region has to offer with beautiful coastal towns, world famous cuisine, stunning architecture unforgettable views.
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