Before you go · French Riviera
French Riviera essentials
The practical things worth knowing before you arrive, checked against official French and EU sources on 22 October 2026. Entry rules change: always check before you travel.
Updated October 2026
Entry rules (checked 22 October 2026)
France is part of the Schengen area. The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), which records non-EU travellers’ entries and exits biometrically at the border, has applied in phases since 12 October 2025 and in full since 10 April 2026; there is nothing to do in advance. ETIAS, an online travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, is due in the last quarter of 2026, with the start date still to be announced (diplomatie.gouv.fr). Check the official EU and French sites before you travel.
When to go
May, June and September are warm and less crowded. July and August are hot and busy, with the highest prices and heavy traffic on the coast roads. Many of the most famous hotels and beach clubs close from autumn to spring: the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc’s next season is 18 April to 17 October 2027, and Cheval Blanc St-Tropez opens on 6 May 2027. Nice, Cannes and Menton stay lively all winter, with the Carnival and the Fête du Citron in February.
Trains, trams and boats
The coastal railway links Cassis, Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Villefranche, Beaulieu, Èze-sur-Mer, Monaco and Menton. From Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, tram line 2 reaches the city centre in under 30 minutes, and coaches go to Monaco and Menton (80), Cannes (81) and Antibes (82) (nice.aeroport.fr). Boats run from Cannes to the Îles de Lérins and across the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
Summer rules in the Calanques
On high fire-risk days in summer the Calanques massifs can close to walkers, and the Sugiton calanque needs a free online reservation on summer days. Check calanques-parcnational.fr the evening before, and leave the car at Les Gorguettes when you visit Cassis.
Monaco next door
Monaco is a separate principality between Èze and Menton, on the same railway. We cover it in our sister guide, the ULTIMATE Monaco City Guide.
Health and emergencies
Call 112 from any phone, 15 for the SAMU medical service, 17 for the police and 18 for the fire service (service-public.gouv.fr). See our health page for hospitals and private clinics. Carry travel insurance that covers medical costs.
Questions and answers
Do I need to do anything for the EES?
No. It registers your entry at the border; it has applied in full since 10 April 2026.
When does ETIAS start?
It is due in the last quarter of 2026; the date has not been announced. Check the official EU site before you travel.
When is the best time to visit the Riviera?
May, June and September: warm, with fewer crowds than July and August.
What is the emergency number?
112, from any phone.
Entry rules change, sometimes at short notice. Check the official EU and French government sites before you travel.