Exploring the Gorgeous French Riviera Beaches

The French Riviera is also known as the Cote d’Azur. This is a strip of land that goes along the southern coast of France, along the Mediterranean. It is famous for its amazing weather, breathtaking beaches and tons of things to offer for travelers.It is possible to explore all of the best French Riviera Beaches if you take a few days for a road trip. Here is how you can do that.

This is definitely one of the places that every beach lover should visit. People looking to take full advantage of their summer vacation in France are also the perfect candidates for this region.

There are tons of towns and cities along this coast that you can visit but a few of the best are definitely Nice, Cannes and Saint Tropez. They are relatively close to one another and offer tons of different fun things to do. If you have a car for your trip along France I would highly suggest a short road trip to visit them all.

Road Trip Along the French Riviera Beaches

Start in Nice

This is a large city that has been around since the days of the Roman Empire. It is known as the unofficial capital of the Cote d’Azur. Aside from tons of resorts, a gorgeous beaches and year-round sunshine it offers a combination of modern and old buildings.

You can get lost here for over a week as you explore all of its corners but if you only have a couple of days to stay I would recommend you visit Cathedrale Ste. Reparate from the 18th century, walk along Promenade des Anglais to enjoy views of the Mediterranean, explore the ruins of a medieval castle called Colline du Chateau and take a walk on the 14th century crypt.

For a more unique experience visit the Cimetiere du Chateau, an old cemetery.

Once you have had enough of this city hop in your car and move on to another of the iconic cities along the French Riviera, Cannes.

From Nice to Cannes

The drive takes roughly one hour along A8 highway. I would suggest leaving Nice early in the morning so you get the whole day to explore Cannes.

Photo by: Lim Ashley

The place started out as a fishing village and gradually turned into a Glamorous city known as a social hub of Europe. It is also a place filled with luxury resorts, high end restaurants and a fun nightlife.

For those interested in the cultural aspect of it there are options such as Le Suquet, the old quarters of the city with its cobble-stoned streets, ruins of a castle and souvenir shops. You can also go to a market called Marche Forville for a traditional meal and walk along its port.

I suggest spending two to three days here.

After that it is time to hop back in the car and head over to Saint Tropez.

From Cannes to Saint Tropez

This will also be a short drive. It will only take you about two hours to get to Saint Tropez from Cannes if you go on A8 highway.

Photo by: Chloé François

This is one of those cities that have been known as a vacation spot for the rich and famous for decades. Some of the most common activities here are yachting and cruising along its gorgeous coast.

This is also a great place to just relax, enjoy the beaches, walk along its narrow streets and visit one of its many cafes. There is also an art museum in the main harbor area called Musee de l’Annonciade that you should visit.

This is the perfect setting for finishing your road trip along the French Riviera.

* This post was done in partnership with Alamo but all opinions are my own.