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Côte d'Azur

Once upon a time, everyone called this glamorous stretch of Mediterranean coast the French Riviera; then in 1888 author Stéphen Liégeard dubbed it La Côte d'Azur, the name stuck and the rest is history.

Whatever you prefer to call it, the seashore that extends from St-Tropez to the French-Italian border is one of the world's great seaside destinations, packed with gorgeous beaches, luxury hotels, designer bars, belle époque villas, coastal trails, red-rock headlands and offshore islands. From Monte Carlo's casino and Nice's Promenade des Anglais to the Cannes film festival and St-Tropez's yacht harbour, the Côte d'Azur is home to some of the most iconic spots in Europe's collective consciousness.

Beyond the coast, the region is also home to some spectacular hilltop villages and mountain scenery, along with vineyards, flower farms that feed the French perfume industry and more than its fair share of great art museums.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Côte d'Azur.

  • See

    Vieux Nice

    Getting lost among the dark, narrow, winding alleyways of Nice’s old town is a highlight. The layout has barely changed since the 1700s, and it’s now packed with delis, restaurants, boutiques and bars, but the centrepiece remains cours Saleya : a massive market square that’s permanently thronging in summer. The food market is perfect for fresh produce and foodie souvenirs, while the flower market is worth visiting just for the colours and fragrances. A flea market is held on Monday. Baroque aficionados will adore architectural gems Cathédrale Ste-Réparate, honouring the city’s patron saint; exuberant 16th-century Chapelle de la Miséricorde; and 17th-century Palais Lascaris, a frescoed riot of Flemish tapestries, faience (tin-glazed earthenware), gloomy religious paintings and 18th-century pharmacy. There’s also a lively – and very smelly – fish market on place St-François.

  • See

    Promenade des Anglais

    The most famous stretch of seafront in Nice – if not France – is this vast paved promenade, which gets its name from the English expat patrons who paid for it in 1822. It runs for the whole 4km sweep of the Baie des Anges with a dedicated lane for cyclists and skaters; if you fancy joining them, you can rent skates, scooters and bikes from Roller Station. A more unusual way to cruise along is an electric Segway from Mobilboard Nice; the same agency also rents out bikes. Along the way, keep an eye out for a few of the promenade's landmarks, including the Hôtel Negresco, the art-deco Palais de la Méditerranée (1929) and Niçoise sculptor Sabine Géraudie’s giant iron sculpture La Chaise de SAB (2014), which pays homage to the city’s famous blue-and-white beach chairs. In 2015 the city of Nice submitted the Promenade des Anglais as a candidate for Unesco World Heritage status – the process can take up to 10 years to complete.

  • See

    Colline du Château

    For the best views over Nice’s red-tiled rooftops, climb the winding staircases up to this wooded outcrop on the eastern edge of the old town. It’s been occupied since ancient times; archaeological digs have revealed Celtic and Roman remains, and the site was later occupied by a medieval castle that was razed by Louis XIV in 1706 (only the 16th-century Tour Bellanda remains). There are various entrances, including one beside the tower, or you can cheat and ride the free lift. At the top you’ll find plenty of green space and a wealth of stunning views over the old town, the port and inland to the Provençal hills all the way to the Alps. The shady trees offer welcome respite on a blazing hot day, and there’s also an artificial waterfall built during the 18th century.

  • See

    Musée Masséna

    Originally built as a holiday home for Prince Victor d’Essling (the grandson of one of Napoléon's favourite generals, Maréchal Massena), this lavish belle époque building is another of the city’s iconic architectural landmarks. Built between 1898 and 1901 in grand neoclassical style with an Italianate twist, it’s now a fascinating museum dedicated to the history of the Riviera – taking in everything from holidaying monarchs to expat Americans, the boom of tourism and the enduring importance of Carnaval. It was built by the Danish architect Hans-Georg Tersling (1857–1920), who was responsible for several other important buildings during the belle époque. The ground floor can still be used for official occasions, so the museum sometimes closes at short notice.

  • See

    La Croisette

    The multi-starred hotels and couture shops lining the iconic bd de la Croisette (aka La Croisette) may be the preserve of the rich and famous, but anyone can enjoy strolling the palm-shaded promenade – a favourite pastime among Cannois at night, when it twinkles with bright lights. Views of the Baie de Cannes and nearby Estérel mountains are beautiful, and seafront hotel palaces dazzle in all their stunning art deco glory. Legendary addresses include the Martinez and the Carlton InterContinental, with twin cupolas modelled on the breasts of the courtesan La Belle Otéro, infamous for her string of lovers – Tsar Nicholas II and Britain’s King Edward VII among them.

  • See

    Musée Matisse

    This museum, 2km north of the city centre in the leafy Cimiez quarter, houses a fascinating assortment of works by Matisse, including oil paintings, drawings, sculptures, tapestries and Matisse’s famous paper cut-outs. The permanent collection is displayed in a red-ochre 17th-century Genoese villa in an olive grove. Temporary exhibitions are in the futuristic basement building. Matisse is buried in the Monastère Notre Dame de Cimiez cemetery, across the park from the museum.

  • See

    Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain

    European and American avant-garde works from the 1950s to the present are the focus of this sprawling multilevel museum. Highlights include many works by Christo and Nice’s neorealists: Niki de Saint Phalle, César, Arman and Yves Klein. The building’s rooftop also works as an exhibition space (with knockout panoramas of Nice to boot).

  • See

    Cours Saleya Markets

    Split between its beautiful flower market and rightly famous food market. On Mondays, flowers and food make way for a flea market.

  • See

    Musée de l’Annonciade

    In a gracefully converted 16th-century chapel, this small but famous museum showcases an impressive collection of modern art infused with that legendary Côte d’Azur light. Pointillist Paul Signac bought a house in St-Tropez in 1892 and introduced other artists to the area. The museum’s collection includes his St-Tropez, Le Quai (1899) and St-Tropez, Coucher de Soleil au Bois de Pins (1896). Vuillard, Bonnard and Maurice Denis (the self-named ‘Nabis’ group) have a room to themselves. The Fauvist collection includes works by Derain and Matisse, who spent the summer of 1904 here. Cubists George Braque and Picasso are also represented.

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Road Trip: The French Riviera

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