About

About ULTIMATE French Riviera City Guide

ULTIMATE French Riviera City Guide is an independent guide for visitors to the French Riviera, France. We publish 20 curated lists: restaurants, cafés, bars, hotels, sights, art & culture, beaches & gardens, walks, shopping, health & spas, property, developments, driving, getting around, beach clubs & marinas, casinos, vineyards, film & cinema, mountains & ski and diving & water sports. We cover Nice, Cannes, Antibes with Juan-les-Pins and Cap d’Antibes, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat with Villefranche and Beaulieu, Èze, Menton, Saint-Tropez with Ramatuelle, and Cassis with the Calanques, with day trips to Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Grasse, Arles, the Alps and the islands. Monaco has its own ULTIMATE guide.

Our editor

Jai Michael is Editor-in-Chief of the ULTIMATE City Guides. With more than 25 years in the media industry, he founded ABSOLUTE brighton and London TV, and has worked with leading luxury brands around the world.

How we choose

Every place in our lists has been checked against its own website or an official source such as the tourist offices of Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Saint-Tropez and Cassis, the regional tourism board, Atout France, the CNC, the national parks, the national museums, UNESCO, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, the Région Sud’s Zou! network, service-public.gouv.fr, notaires.fr or The MICHELIN Guide. MICHELIN stars are quoted only from the 2026 guide. We use no ratings, and we leave out anything we can’t confirm.

Before you go

Opening hours, seasons and timetables change often, and many hotels and beach clubs close in winter. Please check directly with each place before you travel. Prices are in euros (€).

For venues

Run a venue in the French Riviera and spotted something to update? We review our lists regularly and welcome corrections.

Photo credits

• Yachts in Port Vauban below the old town of Antibes, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Roman amphitheatre of Arles, by Oakenchips, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red Genoese villa of the Musée Matisse in Cimiez, by ermell, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red Genoese villa of the Musée Matisse in Cimiez, by ermell, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Èze on its rock and Cap Ferrat beyond, from the Grande Corniche, by Tobi 87, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The statue of Brigitte Bardot on Place Blanqui, Saint-Tropez, by Céréales Killer, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The domed central salon of Le Negresco, by Cayambe, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Yachts in Port Vauban below the old town of Antibes, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Ochre façades on the Cours Saleya in Vieux Nice, by Zairon, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The cliffs of Cap Canaille above Cassis, by Pierre Goiffon, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Palms and the promenade on La Croisette, Cannes, by Alexander Migl, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The galleria of Cap 3000, by Lulucmy, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Rocks and clear water on the coastal path of Cap d’Antibes, by fr.zil, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The marina of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, by Matti Blume, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A sailing boat in the deep blue bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer, by Rundvald, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The white façade and twin domes of the Carlton on La Croisette, by Gilbert Bochenek, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Èze on its rock and Cap Ferrat beyond, from the Grande Corniche, by Tobi 87, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Palms and the promenade on La Croisette, Cannes, by Alexander Migl, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The harbour of Cassis, by René Hourdry, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The turquoise inlet and white cliffs of the Calanque d’En-Vau, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Parasols on the terrace of the Château de la Chèvre d’Or, high above the sea, by Myosotismail, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The monastery garden at Cimiez, with the hills behind Nice, by Zairon, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The citadel of Saint-Tropez, by Gzen92, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Bastion, home of the Musée Jean Cocteau, on the seafront at Menton, by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris, France, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Palms and the promenade on La Croisette, Cannes, by Alexander Migl, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The ramparts and bell tower of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, by Berthold Werner, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The water mirror of the Promenade du Paillon, Nice, by Alexander Migl, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The harbour of Port-Cros island, by VT98Fan, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Eden-Roc pavilion and pool on the rocks, with the Hôtel du Cap behind, by avu-edm, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The turquoise inlet and white cliffs of the Calanque d’En-Vau, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The pink Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild above its French garden, by Berthold Werner, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The gardens and pools of the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, by Velvet, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Èze on its rock and Cap Ferrat beyond, from the Grande Corniche, by Tobi 87, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Èze on its rock and Cap Ferrat beyond, from the Grande Corniche, by Tobi 87, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Stone lanes of Èze village, by Miniwark, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The statue of Brigitte Bardot on Place Blanqui, Saint-Tropez, by Céréales Killer, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Fort Carré above the sea at Antibes, by Plyd, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Fragonard perfume factory in Grasse, by Dennis G. Jarvis, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Inside the Musée de la Gendarmerie et du Cinéma, Saint-Tropez, by FR, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The cathedral, the keep and the rooftops of old Grasse, by Copyleft, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The marina of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, by Matti Blume, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Baie des Anges and the old town of Nice from above, by Tobi 87, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Nice and the port seen from the Colline du Château, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The curve of the Baie des Anges and the Promenade des Anglais, Nice, by Cayambe, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The abbey of Lérins among vines and pines on Île Saint-Honorat, by Alberto Fernandez Fernandez, licensed CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The pale stone nave of the abbey church on Île Saint-Honorat, by Tangopaso, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The pink dome of Le Negresco lit up at night on the Promenade des Anglais, by This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but please, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The pink dome of Le Negresco lit up at night on the Promenade des Anglais, by This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but please, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Isola 2000 under snow in February, by Jpchevreau, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Villa Kérylos on the water at Beaulieu-sur-Mer, by Berthold Werner, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The mosaic façade of the Musée national Fernand Léger, Biot, by Bengt Oberger, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Pines and white rocks on the shore of Île Sainte-Marguerite, by Christophe.Finot, licensed CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Eden-Roc pavilion and pool on the rocks, with the Hôtel du Cap behind, by avu-edm, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Pools and terraces at the Serre de la Madone garden, Menton, by Daderot, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Parasols at La Plage du Martinez on La Croisette, by Grand Hyatt Cannes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red Genoese villa of the Musée Matisse in Cimiez, by ermell, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The old town of Menton and its basilica above the harbour, by Claire2595, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The coloured houses of Menton by the sea, by Piexv, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The old town of Menton and its basilica above the harbour, by Claire2595, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Lac d’Allos in the Mercantour, by Marion130106, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The pink dome of Le Negresco lit up at night on the Promenade des Anglais, by This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but please, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The domed central salon of Le Negresco, by Cayambe, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Alhambra in Granada in the evening light, by Jebulon, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Acropolis of Athens by day, seen from Philopappos Hill, by A.Savin, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Goat Cay and the turquoise shallows of the Exumas, by DrGvago, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open sea, by Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Grand Palace reflected at dawn, by Nawit science, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. James, by Barry haynes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sagrada Família lit up at night, by Maksim Sokolov, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunset, photo: © ULTIMATE International Media.
• The Romanian Athenaeum in its garden, by Jorge Franganillo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the Danube, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coast, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro, by Gzzz, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hour, by Robert Bock, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The beach at Rosemary Beach on the Gulf of Mexico, by Miamireader, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Aerial view of the white sand spit of Ses Illetes and Llevant, the salt pans and, across the strait, Ibiza and Es Vedrà, by Beni Marull, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Baie des Anges, Nice, by Tobi 87, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini caldera, by Norbert Nagel, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Helsinki Cathedral above the South Harbour, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral above the harbour of Ibiza Town, in late sun, by Charles from Port Chester, New York, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Golden Horn and the mosques of the old city, Istanbul, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Las Vegas Strip at dusk, by Dietmar Rabich, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Triple Bridge over the Ljubljanica, by Fred Romero from Paris, France, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower, by Domob, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Griffith Observatory with downtown Los Angeles beyond, by The Fun Chronicles, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la Mar, by Enric, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the Maldives, by Luka Peternel, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Yachts in Puerto Banús, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Turquoise water below the pine-topped cliffs at Cala Macarella, Menorca, by Markus Trienke, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, by Robbschultz69, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountains, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbour, by iMahesh, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Sunset at the Naples Pier, by pmarkham, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The New York City skyline from Top of the Rock, by Dillan Payne, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Millennium Bridge over the Morača, by Desemeus, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery Spencer, by Christoph Strässler, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sebilj fountain and the square of Baščaršija, by Yukof, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu River, by King of Hearts, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Matterhorn in winter above Zermatt, by JoachimKohler-HB, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Stone Bridge over the Vardar, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The gilded domes of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, by Plamen Agov (user:MrPanyGoff), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, Kandy, by Daniel Liabeuf, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed Pitons, by xiquinhosilva, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Skanderbeg Square with the Et’hem Bey Mosque, by Andrew Milligan sumo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’Orcia, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The tiled roof of St Mark’s Church in Zagreb’s Upper Town, by Bernard Gagnon, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The curve of the Baie des Anges and the Promenade des Anglais, Nice, by Cayambe, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The water mirror of the Promenade du Paillon, Nice, by Alexander Migl, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The gardens and pools of the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, by Velvet, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Inside the glasshouse of Parc Phœnix, Nice, by Cette photo a été prise par André ALLIOT., licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Château Grimaldi, home of the Musée Picasso, on the ramparts of Antibes, by Greymouser, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The pale sand and clear water of Notre-Dame beach, Porquerolles, by Cecile Petit, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The harbour of Port-Cros island, by VT98Fan, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Boats in Port Lympia, Nice, by Myrabella, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The marina of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, by Matti Blume, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The marina of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, by Matti Blume, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Renoir’s house at Les Collettes among the olive trees, Cagnes-sur-Mer, by Raimond Spekking, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Parasols on the terrace of the Château de la Chèvre d’Or, high above the sea, by Myosotismail, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The galleria of Cap 3000, by Lulucmy, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Isola 2000 under snow in February, by Jpchevreau, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The ramparts and bell tower of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, by Berthold Werner, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Yachts and the pastel quayside of the port of Saint-Tropez, by Kev22, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Yachts and the pastel quayside of the port of Saint-Tropez, by Kev22, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Cannes, the Vieux-Port and La Croisette from the Suquet tower, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The old town of Le Suquet above the harbour, Cannes, by Jorge Láscar from Australia, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A TER train on the coast line above the harbour at Théoule-sur-Mer, by Florian Pépellin, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A regional TER train at Beaulieu-sur-Mer station, by Smiley.toerist, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A Nice tram on Place Garibaldi, by Myrabella, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A TER train on the coast line above the harbour at Théoule-sur-Mer, by Florian Pépellin, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Valberg and its snowy larches in winter, by Ameilland, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Tropical planting in the Val Rahmeh botanical garden, Menton, by Daderot, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The garden of the Espace Van Gogh, the former Hôtel-Dieu in Arles, by Isiwal, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Yachts in Port Vauban below the old town of Antibes, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The green river deep in the Gorges du Verdon, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Ochre façades on the Cours Saleya in Vieux Nice, by Zairon, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A sailing boat in the deep blue bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer, by Rundvald, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Rocks and clear water on the coastal path of Cap d’Antibes, by fr.zil, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The cliffs of Cap Canaille above Cassis, by Pierre Goiffon, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.