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In addition to Nice, there are a lot of Southern towns in France that are worth visiting. The Côte d’Azur is a magical region with many beautiful small towns that you can visit in 4-5 days. Of course, the towns are the part of famous French Riviera but they are unique with their settings, ambiance, people, food and attractions. If you are still wondering about where to visit in Southern France, keep reading! Here are 8 must visit towns in French Riviera close by Nice! Bon voyage!
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Itineraries
In order to create a clear itinerary, here is the designated route for you. You will see that on the east part of the Nice, there are three towns to visit: Èze, Monaco, and Menton. Luckily, these towns are very close to each other. You can plan a road-trip for these and drive to each city -which would take around 45 minutes from one to another.
For the other part of the trip, you should create another plan which would include the towns located on the west side of Nice. There are five towns: Cagnes-sure-Mer, Saint-Paul de Vence, Antibes, Cannes, and Saint Tropez. Except for Saint Tropez, you can visit the other towns in the same way.So, if you are ready, let’s start discovering these enchanting towns of the amazing French Riviera from the west part of the itinerary!
1. Saint Tropez
Saint Tropez used to be an important military fortress and a small fishing village on the Cote d’Azur in the past. Nowadays, Saint Tropez is a luxurious holiday paradise that is loved by many people including celebrities from all over the world. You will notice that especially during the summer, there are several expensive mega-yachts parked in the port of Saint Tropez. And of course, there are many high-end boutiques, haute-couture brands and well-loved shops around town like Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior or La Maison Ladurée. During the summer, the town is very lively and crowded but it is also the best time to spend time here. If you’re coming here from Nice, it is recommended to spend at least a day to see the town properly.
Transportation from Nice to Saint-Tropez :
Possible transportation options are:
- Train + bus: 12.8 euros; 1 hour to Saint-Raphël, 12.8€ + 1.20-hour ride with Bus 7601 from Saint-Raphël
- Train + speedboat:1 hour to Saint-Raphël, 12.8€ + Interchange to the speedboat, 26€
- Car: 1.5 hours, without any stops
- Boat: 2.5 hours, 65 € round ticket
- Helicopter: 20 minutes, 320 € per person
2. Cannes
You’ve probably heard the name of this town before. Perhaps, you’ve even seen it on TV a few times. Cannes is the famous town known for the International Cannes Film Festival that is held every May. That’s when the magic happens and you’re able to see a lot of international celebrities and movie stars walking on the red carpet! However, Cannes is so much more than this famous event. This whimsical seaside city is a like movie itself with all the scenery and the atmosphere around! There are two small islands of Cannes located on the bay: Ile Sainte-Marguerite and Ile Saint-Honorat – also called Iles de Lérins together. If you’ll have some spare time, you might want to visit the islands as well. Book your half-day catamaran cruise with lunch here!
Transportation from Nice to Cannes
Possible transportation options are:
- Train: 30 minutes, 3.9€ – to the main train station
- Bus: 45 minutes, Bus 200 – to the main train station
- Car: 30 minutes, 33km – to the center of the town
3. Antibes
Antibes is located right in the middle of Nice and Cannes, a nice old town on the shore of French Riviera. For ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, Antibes was an important trade area and military fortress in Europe. The beautiful old city is usually colored in a unique yellow hue with the style of Roman architecture. Old Town of the Antibes is where people get together during the summer. There are many local shops in this area where you can buy good quality foie-gras as well! Another thing you should see is the famous Picasso Museum where Pablo Picasso once lived for six months in 40’s. The museum now exhibits the work that he produced here during that time. It’s certainly a must-visit for art-lovers, but others can also enjoy the historical part of the museum, the castle and the breathtaking view of Antibes from here.
Transportation from Nice to Antibes
Possible transportation options are as followed:
- Train: 26 minutes, 7.2€ – to the main train station
- Bus: 30 minutes, Bus 200 – to the center at Rue Direct
- Car: 25 minutes, 22km from Nice
4. Saint-Paul de Vence
Saint-Paul de Vence is one of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera. The town has such a different ambiance with all these ancient buildings around. It’s as if you’re back in the medieval times while walking around. The town has also played host to many actors and famous artists over the years including Chagall, Picasso, and Miro. Therefore, you can see their reproductions in many small shops hidden in the cobbled narrow streets of the town.Saint-Paul de Vence is a town that stays off the tourist track in the Riviera. Maybe that’s why it has been able to protect its beauty over the years and has never changed. The town is not on the seaside but from here, you have the pleasure seeing the wonderful panorama of the coast.
For those who love modern art, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to visit the Maeght Foundation near the Old Town of Saint Paul. The museum of the foundation is located on the hills where you’ll pass by the mountain roads. On your way up to the museum, you can have an amazing view of the Old Town of Saint-Paul de Vence. Admission is 16€ for adults, 11€ for 10-18 year-olds and free for children under 10 years old.
Transportation from Nice to Saint Paul de Vence
Possible transportation options are:
- Bus: 50 minutes, Bus 400, €1.50 – to the center of the town
- Car: 30 minutes, 19km from Nice
5. Cagnes-sur-Mer
Cagnes-sur-Mer is a charming Mediterranean fishing village with a more relaxed pace than other coastal towns around. This small town is well-known for its pebbled beaches. Aside from those, there is also the ancient medieval castle on its hills called Haut-de-Cagnes. To get there, you either have to walk up from the town or take a bus (bus 44) from the center of the town. The narrow streets, stone houses covered in colorful flowers, and the mesmerizing views of the Mediterranean from the top of the castle is worth spending your time to go up!
Cagnes-sur-Mer was also the former residence of renowned painter Renoir. Later on, his former residence in Cagnes-sur-Mer became a museum and now exhibits his works of art. The museum is closed on Tuesdays. The admission fee is 6€ for adults and free for under 26 year-olds.
Transportation from Nice to Cagnes-sur-Mer
Possible transportation options are as followed:
- Train: 2.7 Euro; 12 minutes
- Bus: 30-40 minutes, Buss 200 or 94
- Car: 30 minutes, 15km from Nice
6. Èze
One of the most beautiful towns in Southern France – Èze is located between Nice and Monaco. The history of Èze starts with the Romans in 2000 B.C.. Èze offers you a richness from the combined cultures of Roman, Italian, Greek, French, and many others. In order to reach the highest level of the town, you have to pass by many narrow pebbled streets. This route is the best one to get to know and discover the city. At a certain point, you’ll find yourself surrounded by statues in a botanical garden.
There are some other attractions scattered around the town. One of the most well-known ones is the Church of Notre-Dame de L’Assomption where you can see the statue of the Egyptian goddess Isis. Another one is the famous castle of the city, Chateau de la Chevre d’Or which got its name from the story of the goat who saved the village from the treasure thieves in the old days.
Transportation from Nice to Èze
Possible transportation options are:
- Bus: 40 minutes, Bus 82,83 or 112
- Train: 10 minutes, 2.30€, from Nice-Riquier to Eze main train station
- Car: 20 minutes, 12km from Nice
7. Monaco
You might not have known this but Monaco is actually the second smallest country in the whole world. You can mistake it for a town but it’s actually a country in the Riviera, surrounded by France. Monaco is governed by the same family since the 13th century. Even though the area was invaded and came under the rule of different sovereignties, today it holds its own.
How Monaco became so popular didn’t exactly come from its capital city Monaco-Ville, but rather from Monte Carlo, famous for its casino and resorts. Especially during the summer, there are large crowds that head to the casino and of course, for the beach and the sun. You can visit the castle of Monaco while you are there and stop by one of the luxurious places near the seaside to cool down with cocktail on a hot day!
Transportation from Nice to Monaco
Possible transportation options are:
- Train: 20 minutes, 4.1 € -to the main train station
- Bus: 50 minutes, Bus 100
- Car: 35 minutes, 20 km from Nice
8. Menton
The town of Menton is known as “perle de la France” which means the pearl of France. Menton is located on the east of Nice, close to the Italian border of France on the Mediterranean. The town is famous for its beautiful gardens, summer villas, and picturesque architecture. Villa Fontana Rosa is one of the most well-known villas here, where you can visit the Garden of Novels.
The area of Menton has a special microclimate. Winter is warmer than other cities on the Côte d’Azur. Because of this, the area is perfect for growing oranges and lemons. It’s not very surprising to say that Menton is famous for its citrus. In fact, there is a Menton Lemon Festival every February!
Transportation from Nice to Menton
Possible transportation options are:
- Train: 36 minutes, 2.70€ – to the main train station
- Bus: 1.2 hours, Bus 100, 2€ – to the center
- Car: 35 minutes, 29km from Nice
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