There’s nothing quite like relaxing on a tropical beach, and the Cote d’Azur, which extends from St. Tropez through Cannes and Monaco offers some of the best beach experiences.
When you visit Cote d’Azur, you can lounge on the beach with friends, or take a charter tour of all the best beaches on the French Riviera. Here are some of the best beaches of Cote d’Azur.
Pampelonne Beach on the St. Tropez Peninsula
Pampelonne is a long beach, and very famous. If you like to “celebrity watch,” then this is the place to be, because it’s where everyone who is anyone goes. During the “high season” which runs from July through August, this beach will be home to upwards of 30,000 people. At Pampelonne, you’ll enjoy vast expanses of sand, as well as beach clubs galore. You can even order drinks and meals on the beach, and have them delivered to your designated spot.
Lavotto Beach
Lavotto Beach is located in Monte Carlo and is home to luxury yachts, stellar restaurants and private lounges. Rent a deck chair and a parasol, and then relax.
Plage de la Baumette
This heavenly beach is home to brilliant blue water, is entirely sheltered from the wind, and very private. The turquoise and crystal clear water of Plage de la Baumette extends over approximately 300 meters. There is a possibility to rent a paddleboard or other nautical recreational equipment at the beach.
Menton
This French beach is located 350 meters off the coast of Old Town and Bonaparte Quay. It is a gravel beach, ideal for walking and beachcombing. It’s known as “La Perle de la France” because of its outstanding sunsets and sunrises.
Plage des Cigales, Port Grimaud
This is a sandy beach that is very picturesque, with a lighthouse and pines bordering the shore. It’s not a big beach, but good things come in small packages! You might find it difficult to find a parking space, but if you have to walk to Plage des Cigales, the walk will be relaxing.
Cap Taillat
If you want to visit this beach, you’ll have to go by boat or on foot. If you don’t go by boat, you will have to walk for about 20 minutes, either from Gigaro Bay or the Escalet. Once you get there, though, you’ll see that Cap Taillet is worth the effort. You’ll find an array of cacti, various singing birds, white sands and turquoise seas.
Nice
The beach at Nice is very busy, but you’ll also find that you have a lot of space to spread out. Bring your friends, and have a picnic! One of the busiest streets of the coast, you will find numerous residences, museums, and restaurants along the Bay of Angels. There is plenty of space to take a dip in the sea or to organize a picnic with your friends.
Lérins Islands
The Lerins Islands face Cannes and are home to numerous small coves. Upon arrival, you can go in either direction and find beautiful beaches and lagoons.
Cove of Portet
This is a forested beach along the Isle of Portet. It’s a pebbled beach that can be rough to walk on, but the scenery makes it well worthwhile.
Cove of Four
This beach is located in the southwest. It’s private, uncrowded and typically used by kayakers or hikers.
Cove of Crimea
This is another pebbled cove with narrow beaches. It has an incredible view of Cap d’Antibes and Cannes.
The Final Word
There are so many fantastic beaches along the Cote d’Azur that it’s hard to pick just one. So, visit several, and find one that you’ll want to go back to over and over.