It was writer Stephen Liégeard who coined the term Côte d’Azur in his 1887 book La Côte d’Azur (“Azure Coast”), evocatively describing the French Mediterranean shore from Marseille to the Italian border as a “coast of light, of warm breezes, and mysteriously balmy forests.”
The name helped to propel the coastline, which we also now know as the French Riviera, onto the global tourist trail.
To this day, its allure remains undiminished, attracting the rich, the famous, and, as we recently reported, The White Lotus season 4 film crew, who are set to shoot the next instalment of the murder-mystery anthology at uber-luxury Saint-Tropez hotel Château de la Messardière.
The riches of the Riviera are so abundant that for the first-timer, it’s hard to know where to start.
Here we’ve listed eight beautiful spots that deserve a pin on the map to help shape your itinerary, from fairy-tale villages and pristine pine-covered peninsulas to beaches that match anything the tropics have to offer, plus standout places to stay along the way.
1. Cap d’Antibes
The Cap d’Antibes peninsula, between Cannes and Nice, is a hustle-and-bustle-free haven of pine forests and spellbinding coves that has been taken over by the super-rich — discreetly. It’s also home to one of France’s best-known hotels.
Stroll along the Sentier du Littoral coastal path for glimpses of ultra-luxury villas hidden amid the trees and the strikingly azure Billionaire’s Bay (Baie des Milliardaires), and visit Villa Eilenroc, a historic Belle Époque estate with stunning gardens and postcard views.
Equally enticing is La Garoupe, with its flour-soft sands and clear, shallow waters. When it comes to lunch or dinner, there’s only one place to go: Eden-Roc Restaurant at the legendary Hôtel du Cap‑Eden‑Roc, where you can dine on exquisite Provençal cuisine in one of the Riviera’s most elegant settings.
Great place to stay: Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc (rooms from $1,300), beloved by Hollywood’s A-listers, sits on the tip of the peninsula and offers tennis courts, a magazine-cover-worthy outdoor pool and service that never puts a foot wrong.
Read more: I stayed in the new Saint-Tropez White Lotus hotel — and predicted it would appear in season 4
2. Èze village
Eze seems improbable — a lost-in-time village perched dramatically upon a rocky outcrop over 1,400 feet above the Mediterranean.
Embedded into its fairytale architecture is one of the French Riviera’s most celebrated restaurants, housed inside an opulent hotel.
The tiny medieval hamlet sits midway between Nice and Monaco, with many visitors reaching it via the steep Nietzsche Path that climbs from the coastal town of Èze-sur-Mer.
Day visitors should arrive early to explore the village’s art galleries, boutique shops, and the medieval fortress, and to linger over the delicious food and jaw-dropping terrace views at La Chèvre d’Or restaurant, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant within hotel Château de la Chèvre d’Or.
Great place to stay: Château de la Chèvre d’Or (rooms from $700) has 45 chic rooms and suites, a dreamy outdoor pool and a connection to Walt Disney. The filmmaker stayed at the chateau in 1956 and persuaded his friend Robert Wolf, the owner, to transform it into a hotel.
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3. Villefranche-sur-Mer
With fishing boats bobbing in aquamarine harbor waters, pastel-hued houses and seafront cafes, Villefranche-sur-Mer feels like an artist’s impression of a typical Riviera town made real.
It’s scenic in every direction.
Must-visits here include the Chapelle Saint-Pierre, decorated by avant-garde artist Jean Cocteau with scenes of local life, Citadel of Villefranche-sur-Mer, a 16th-century fortress that houses three art museums, and the Plage des Marinières, a gently sloping beach with invitingly tranquil water.
For food, book a table at unpretentious La Mère Germaine, a favorite of the aforementioned Cocteau that serves excellent seafood alongside spellbinding harbor views.
Great place to stay: Welcome Hôtel (rooms from $250) sits right on the waterfront in the old town. Ask for a room with a bay view.
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4. Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
It’s been quite the transformation.
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, nestled between Nice and Monaco, was a simple fishing village until the late 19th century. But improved access and the construction of lavish villas turned the peninsula of the same name into a tranquil playground for the very rich and very famous — from King Leopold II of Belgium to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
Magnificent mansions pepper the pine-clad terrain, while along the shoreline lie some of the Riviera’s finest beaches, including Paloma, Passable and Fossettes.
For food, head to Michelin-starred Le Cap at the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat. The food is the star of the show, but the sea views dazzle, too.
Great place to stay: Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel (rooms from $900) is opulent from top to bottom and features a private funicular that transports guests down to its grand seawater infinity pool.
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5. Îles de Lérins archipelago
Just 15 minutes by ferry from the glitz of Cannes is a wild contrast — the Îles de Lérins (Lérins Islands), a cluster of car-free islands where the silence is punctuated only by cicadas and waves lapping onto secluded beaches.
Of the five islands in the archipelago, two are visitable: three-mile-long Île Sainte-Marguerite and Île Saint-Honorat, which is just a mile in length.
The former is home to the cliff-edge Fort Royal, which became a state prison in 1685 and once held the legendary Man in the Iron Mask. And it’s laced with trails, including a five-mile coastal loop, that lead to over a dozen coves and beaches.
More idyllic swimming opportunities await in Île Saint-Honorat, and there’s a centuries-old fortified monastery to visit. There’s also an abbey inhabited by monks who cultivate olive trees and vineyards, offer wine tastings, and run La Tonnelle, an open-air restaurant serving regional dishes paired with wines made on the island.
Great place to stay: Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes (rooms from $285) is seriously classy and just steps from the Îles de Lérins ferry port.
Read more: Explore Europe the slow and scenic way: Five popular flights you can swap for ferries and trains
6. Saint-Tropez
When Brigitte Bardot shot Et Dieu… créa la femme (And God Created Woman) in Saint-Tropez in 1956 — and bought a waterfront house there, La Madrague, two years later — it sparked a transformation from sleepy fishing village to one of the Mediterranean’s chicest vacation destinations.
Grandiose parties at La Madrague made headlines in Parisian newspapers, and the rich and famous soon began flocking to what is now the French Riviera’s most famous name — a mecca for superyacht owners and home to dozens of high-end designer boutiques.
Saint-Tropez still retains its charm, though. The old town is a tangle of bewitching alleyways and lanes, while the port — lined with postcard-worthy pastel buildings — is one of the most handsome on the Côte d’Azur.
For food, book a table at storied Le Club 55, which began life as a simple canteen hut for the And God Created Woman film crew and evolved into an elegant beach restaurant beloved by stars from Leonardo DiCaprio to Beyoncé.
Great place to stay: Hôtel de Paris Saint-Tropez (rooms from $500) sits right on the edge of the old town and features an irresistible rooftop pool and restaurant with views across the sparkling Mediterranean.
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7. Menton
In the east, the Côte d’Azur ends at the Italian border in some style, with the soft-hued town of Menton, famed as the City of Lemons thanks to its centuries-old citrus cultivation. Menton lemons are prized for their fragrance and even have protected status.
You can learn more at La Ferme des Citrons, a hillside lemon farm perched above the town that offers transfers in a vintage Land Rover from the center, a guided tour of the plantation and a gourmet meal showcasing the fruit.
Carve out time, too, for an amble through Menton’s colorful old town and around the lush Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden, before heading uphill to the baroque Basilique Saint-Michel-Archange. Linger here for views down to a harbor worthy of a painting, then descend for a waterside bite at quayside Coté Sud.
Great place to stay: Hôtel Napoleon (rooms from $220) offers sea-view rooms and is an easy stroll from the old town.
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8. Iles d’Or archipelago
The Iles d’Or, the Islands of Gold, live up to their name. Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Le Levant, short ferry rides from Hyeres, to the west of Saint-Tropez, are gems.
Each one is pristine — thanks in part to car bans — and home to beaches that rival those in the Maldives.
The largest island, Porquerolles, measuring 4.3 by 1.8 miles, is where you’ll find the flagship beach, crescent-shaped Notre Dame.
Tourists in the know are drawn by its poster-quality golden sand that slopes gently into shallow, crystal-clear waters. There are no cafes or bars here, but that adds to the feeling of blissful seclusion.
Great place to stay: Hôtel Le Porquerollais is nestled near the square in Port de Porquerolles (the “capital”) and features Balinese-themed rooms and a restaurant serving locally caught fish.
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