Playground to the stars and resort area par excellence to anyone in search of a posh and exotic destination, the French Riviera has it all. Perhaps the most famous vacation spot in the world, the C?te d’Azur is party central, exclusive VIP escape and quiet retreat in one fabulous package.
If you want to plan that first trip to the Riviera and need a place to start, or want to return and elude the crowds this time around, look no further than our handy guide. With a brief description of the 26 towns that dot the Riviera coast from east to west, the first installment of our guide kicks off on the border of Italy.
Technically a commune – a quirk of French municipal administration – and not a town, Menton’s nickname is The Pearl of France. Smack on the border with Italy, with a quaint port area and historic old quarter, legions of tourists flock to Menton’s famous gardens, baroque basilica and Jean Cocteau museum.
Another commune, to the west of Menton and a virtual suburb of Monaco, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin is a collection of several tidy villages. Under the control of the Grimaldi family of Monaco for over five hundred years until the mid-18th-century, the area offers picturesque, quiet towns and swish resorts in one package.
The wealthy center of Monaco long known for celebrity denizens, yachts, casinos and the iconic Formula 1 race held every summer is not quite a state capital, but rather one of several administrative areas. Home to swank hotels and beautiful people, one day here may be more than necessary for some.
Believe it or not, the tiny principality of Monaco has life outside of Monte Carlo. The sovereign nation on the border of the Mediterranean is technically a cumulation of wards. Several of these neighborhoods make for scenic strolls and feature some of the most photogenic architecture on the Riviera.
On the border of the La Colle district in the city-state of Monaco, Cap-d’Ail – whose literal translation is the Garlic Cape – was once a sleepy village. Today however, the area has undergone a transformation to vibrant resort town, where a surfeit of residents work in Monte Carlo.
Another commune on the Riviera whose history dates back thousands of years in terms of human settlement, ?ze is a popular tourist spot. Photographers prize the position on the peak of the Grand Corniche, perhaps the best view on the Mediterranean coast. Bono and The Edge of U2 own villas here.
A former settlement of ancient Greece and Rome, Beaulieu-sur-Mer is a dream to students of history. Yacht lovers as well for that matter, as the seaport boasts one of the best marinas on the Riviera. The Belle Epoque architecture is not too shabby either.
A gorgeous peninsula location on the Mediterranean ensures Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat a steady stream of jetset power players and Euro aristocrats. The guest list here over the past century includes Winston Churchill, King Leopold II of Belgium, Jean Cocteau and Somerset Maugham.
Once a critical naval base and now a popular port of call for cruise lines, as well as a vacation home for the wealthy, Villefranche-sur-Mer is another picturesque town on the Riviera coast. The unique attraction here is the Old Town, with pristine citadels and cathedrals that line the narrow streets and date as far back as the 14th century.
With a metropolitan population that exceeds 1 million, Nice is the only major city on the Riviera. A principal reason why tourism is so vital to the economy of France, Nice is a cosmopolitan destination with a lot to offer tourists of every budget. With a surfeit of large squares, wonderful restaurants, museums and shops, the city draws scores of visitors in the warm months.
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Saint-Paul de Vence became famous several decades ago as a retreat for some of France’s most popular actors, writers and performers. Even today the commune lures a fair share of big names to a beautiful shoreline and littany of hillside villas. The world famous Fondation Maeght museum, a haven of contemporary art, is nearby.
Sophia Antipolis is a technology park that has undergone a recent explosion in population. With a proliferance of international corporations as tenants, the expat community here is impressive. Of more interest to visitors however, is the nearby commune of Valbonne, which boasts a history over a thousand years old and tidy grid streets with wonderful architecture.
A suburb of Nice, Cagnes-sur-Mer has a soul distinct from the big city. The famous final home of the painter Renoir, whose estate warrants a visit, Cagnes-sur-Mer is a pretty town set within lush olive groves and a 4 km long pebble beach.
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Photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
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