Property · Our pick on the Riviera
Buying on the Riviera: the back story
The back story
About Buying on the Riviera: the back story
Buying on the Riviera means choosing a way of life first. Nice offers city apartments within walking distance of the sea and the tram; Cannes has its apartments along La Croisette and villas in Californie and the hills; the capes (Antibes, Ferrat) are a world of gated villas; and the hill villages, from Mougins to Saint-Paul-de-Vence, offer stone houses with views.
How a purchase works
In France, a notaire, a public official, draws up and registers the sale. There is usually a preliminary contract (compromis or promesse de vente), followed by a cooling-off period for the buyer, then the final deed (notaires.fr; service-public.gouv.fr).
Where people buy
Our property guide compares Nice, Cannes, Antibes and its cape, Cap Ferrat and Beaulieu, Saint-Tropez and the hill villages. We never publish prices.
Every sale in France goes through a notaire: meet yours early.
Our advice: spend a winter week as well as a summer one in any town you’re considering.
Why it's on our list
- How a purchase works
- Where people buy
- Our advice
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Buying on the Riviera: the back story before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Buying on the Riviera: the back story are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Key sights
- Musée Picasso, Antibes2.9 kmWalk 36 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Palais des Festivals8.9 kmCycle 36 minCar or taxi 20 min
- Nice Côte d’Azur Airport14 kmCar or taxi 28 min
- Promenade des Anglais19 kmCar or taxi 37 min
- Cours Saleya (Vieux Nice)20 kmCar or taxi 39 min
- Musée Matisse22 kmCar or taxi 42 min
- Villa Ephrussi23 kmCar or taxi 44 min
- Èze village27 kmCar or taxi 51 min
Main railway stations
- Antibes3.5 kmWalk 44 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 11 min
- Cannes8.8 kmCycle 35 minCar or taxi 20 min
- Nice Saint-Augustin (airport)14 kmCar or taxi 30 min
- Nice-Ville20 kmCar or taxi 39 min
- Menton38 kmCar or taxi 71 min