Côte d'Azur
Visitors come for beaches, Belle Époque resorts, hilltop villages and museums, and trains link the coast to towns such as Grasse.
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The Côte d'Azur is the Mediterranean coast at the southeast corner of France, within the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Its informal name is the French Riviera. The coast runs from the Esterel massif to Menton on the Franco-Italian border. Nice is the largest city, and resorts such as Cannes, Antibes, Villefranche-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat line the shore. The Principality of Monaco sits inside the region as a semi-enclave, and writer Stéphen Liégeard popularized the name in his 1887 book.
Visitors come for beaches, Belle Époque resorts, hilltop villages above the sea and museums devoted to Matisse, Chagall and Renoir. Roman sites such as the Trophy of Augustus at La Turbie, built in 8 BC, add ancient history. High-speed trains reach Nice from Paris in about five and a half hours, and other trains serve the coast and inland towns such as Grasse. Summers are hot, dry and sunny, while rain is most common in autumn and winter.
Côte d'Azur in five
- Base in one town and use the trainThe coast railway runs between Menton, Nice, Antibes and Cannes every few minutes at peak times. One base saves repacking, and most places on this page are a short ride away.Where to stay on the Côte d'Azur
- Rent a car only for the inland villagesHill villages like Èze and Grasse work by bus or short taxi hops, but the Verdon canyon and some inland villages need wheels. Parking in July and August is slow and expensive on the coast.Train or car on the Riviera
- Land at Nice, then check the EES queueNice airport is the main gateway. On a first entry to the Schengen area as a non-EU traveler, expect Entry/Exit System registration at the border, and keep your passport and travel dates handy.How EES works
- Go in late spring or SeptemberThe sea is warm from June, but July and August bring peak prices and full beaches. May, June and September give the best balance of swimming weather and room to move.
- Add the local tourist tax to your hotel budgetFrench hotels charge a per-person, per-night tourist tax set by each municipality, usually collected at checkout. Rates differ between towns, so check the total before you compare prices.Tourist taxes in Europe
Neighborhoods
Where to stay in Côte d'Azur, the full guide
Nice
- Best for: First trips, day trips by train
- To airport: About 25–30 min by tram line 2
- Price band: $$
- Trains to Monaco, Antibes and Cannes from the center
- Old town, market and a long promenade on foot
- Beaches are pebbles, not sand
Skip if you want a small harbor town to yourself.
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Antibes
- Best for: Couples, families, slower stays
- To airport: About 20–30 min by bus or taxi
- Price band: $$–$$$
- Walled old town, harbor and a daily market
- Juan-les-Pins has a sandy beach
- Frequent trains to Nice and Cannes
Skip if you want a big-city nightlife scene.
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Cannes
- Best for: Events, boat trips, shopping
- To airport: About 30–50 min by bus or taxi
- Price band: $$$
- La Croisette seafront and the old Suquet quarter
- Ferries to the Lérins islands from the harbor
- Prices jump during festivals and trade fairs
Skip if you travel on a tight budget in May.
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Menton
- Best for: Quiet stays, gardens, Italy day trips
- To airport: About 35 min by train from Nice, plus the tram
- Price band: $$
- Painted old town and a calm seafront
- Gardens in the hills above town
- Last major stop before Italy
Skip if you want to be near the airport or Cannes.
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Villefranche-sur-Mer
- Best for: Quiet evenings, short train hops
- To airport: About 40 min by train or bus via Nice
- Price band: $$–$$$
- Small harbor with seafront cafes
- Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Èze are minutes away
- Steep streets above the quay
Skip if you want a lot of restaurants and shops.
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Things to do in Côte d'Azur
See all attractions in Côte d'Azur
Need to know
- Airport
- Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE); tram T2 reaches the center in under 30 min
- Getting there
- TGV to Nice from Paris; flights from across Europe
- Getting around
- Coast railway, buses and trams; a car only for inland trips
- Best base
- Nice for trains; Antibes or Menton for a quieter stay
- Time needed
- 4–7 days
Weather by month
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- JanuaryMild, Carnival soon
- FebruaryCarnival, lemon fest
- MarchMild, quiet
- AprilSpring, sea cold
- MayWarm, fewer crowds
- JuneSwimming, festivals
- JulyHot, peak prices
- AugustHot, peak prices
- SeptemberWarm sea, calmer
- OctoberMild, some storms
- NovemberWet, quiet
- DecemberMild, lights
Right now in Côte d'Azur
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
12
- Feels like
- 10°
- Humidity
- 55%
- Wind
- 10 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
St-Tropez
09:47 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today18°10°0%Monday: Clear. High 18°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue18°11°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 18°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed17°16°65%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 65%.
- Thu17°13°38%Thursday: Rain. High 17°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 38%.
- Fri15°10°50%Friday: Rain. High 15°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 50%.
- Sat16°6°15%Saturday: Fog. High 16°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 15%.
- Sun15°6°34%Sunday: Cloudy. High 15°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 34%.
Updated 09:31 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- Feb–MarFête du CitronMenton, a day trip
- Feb–MarNice CarnivalNice, a day trip
- JulNice Jazz FestivalNice, a day trip
- JulJazz à JuanAntibes, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Èzeabout 30 min by bus from NiceA cliff village with an exotic garden above the sea.Read the guide
- Grasseabout 1 hour by bus or train from NiceThe perfume capital, with workshops and a museum.Read the guide
- Gorges du Verdonabout 2–2.5 hours by carThe best-known canyon in France, a driving day from the coast.Read the guide
- Mentonabout 35 min by train from NiceA lemon-growing town on the Italian border.Read the guide
Before you go to Côte d'Azur
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Rules for Côte d'Azur, checked
- France is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on the French Foreign Ministry travel advice site before you fly.Source
- Monaco is a separate state with its own laws, police and courts, so French rules do not cover it. Check Monegasque entry and local rules on the Government of Monaco site.Source
- French drug laws are strict and apply to visitors. Never carry a bag or parcel for someone else, including at the border.Source
All Côte d'Azur guides
ItineraryVillefranche-sur-Mer in one day: chapel, old town and a swimWhere to stayWhere to stay in Villefranche-sur-Mer: quay, station or hillsideHow toNice to Villefranche-sur-Mer: train, bus, airport and Italy
Where to stayWhere to stay in Cannes: Croisette, Le Suquet or the center
Where to stayWhere to stay on the Côte d'Azur: five bases comparedItineraryFrench Riviera itinerary: 5 days by train from one baseHow toNice airport to Cannes: bus, tram and train, or taxi comparedHead to headFrench Riviera by train or car: which is better?How toLérins islands day trip from Cannes: boats, forts and the abbeyCôte d'Azur FAQ
How many days do you need on the Côte d'Azur?
Four to five days covers Nice, Monaco, Antibes and one hill village without rushing. A week lets you add Cannes, Menton and a canyon or perfume day. Use one base and the train.
Is the French Riviera worth it without a car?
Yes. The coast railway and local buses reach Menton, Nice, Antibes and Cannes, and most hill villages have a bus. A car helps for the Verdon canyon and remote villages, and costs more in parking in summer.
What is the best month to visit the Côte d'Azur?
May, June and September for warm water and manageable crowds. July and August are the busiest and most expensive. Winter is mild but many beach clubs and some shops close.
Is the Côte d'Azur the same as the French Riviera?
Largely, yes. French Riviera is the English name for the coast, and Côte d'Azur is the French one, usually meaning the coast from Menton to Saint-Raphaël and the hills behind.
Where should I stay on the Côte d'Azur for a first trip?
Nice, for the airport tram, the coast trains and the widest range of rooms. Antibes and Menton are calmer picks if you want a smaller town and still ride the same railway.