Things to do on the French Riviera
The French Riviera had been on our travel bucket list for quite some time. When we found flights from Thessaloniki to Nice with Aegean Airlines, we decided to plan a 7-day trip and explore as much of the Côte d’Azur as possible.
We chose to use Nice as our base for the entire trip, rather than changing hotels every few days. From there, we visited some of the most famous destinations along the French Riviera, including Monaco, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Èze, Menton and Antibes.
Our trip took place in early March, which had both its advantages and disadvantages. The first two days were not particularly kind to us, with quite a lot of rain. However, the remaining days were mostly sunny, offering much better weather for walking around and exploring.
Here is our 7-day French Riviera itinerary, based on our own travel experience.
Day 1 – Nice
Our first day started in Nice, although the weather was not exactly what we had hoped for. It was raining quite heavily, so we didn’t manage to explore the city as much as we would have liked.
We spent most of the day at our hotel, waiting to see if the weather would improve. In the evening, when the rain finally eased a little, we headed out for our first walk around Nice and grabbed something to eat.
Although it wasn’t the ideal introduction to the city, we got our first taste of Nice’s atmosphere and decided to save the final day of our trip to explore it properly.
Day 2 – Monaco
On our second day, we took the train from Nice and headed to Monaco.
The journey was very easy and relatively short, and travelling by train turned out to be one of the best ways to get around the French Riviera.
We didn’t have a strict itinerary for Monaco. Our main goal was to walk around and see as much of the principality as possible. We explored Monaco-Ville, walked through the Monte Carlo district and, of course, visited the famous Casino de Monte-Carlo.
One of the highlights of the day was the Musée Océanographique de Monaco. The building itself is impressive, perched dramatically on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean, while inside you can discover a beautiful aquarium featuring various marine species.
Of course, we couldn’t leave Monaco without seeing the streets that host the Formula 1 Grand Prix. There is something quite special about walking along roads that are transformed every year into one of the most famous Formula 1 circuits in the world.
After a full day of exploring, we took the train back to Nice.
Day 3 – Cannes
On our third day, it was time to visit Cannes, one of the most famous destinations on the French Riviera.
Once again, we chose to take the train from Nice, which made getting there particularly easy.
Cannes is one of the cities most closely associated with glamour, cinema and the world-famous Cannes Film Festival. We walked along La Croisette, the iconic seafront boulevard lined with luxury hotels, designer boutiques and beaches.
Naturally, we also stopped by the Palais des Festivals, where the annual film festival takes place and where you can find the famous red carpet.
To discover a different side of Cannes, we made our way up to Le Suquet, the city’s old town. Its narrow streets and more traditional atmosphere offered a lovely contrast to the glamour of La Croisette.
Cannes was probably the place where we experienced that famous Riviera glamour the most.
Day 4 – Saint-Tropez
On the fourth day, we started our road trip after renting a car for three days.
Our first destination was Saint-Tropez.
Unlike Monaco and Cannes, Saint-Tropez is considerably further away from Nice, so having a car gave us much more freedom and flexibility.
Saint-Tropez is famous for its luxury yachts, celebrities, beach clubs and lively summer atmosphere. However, we visited in early March, which meant we got to experience a much quieter side of the town.
We walked around the Vieux Port, with its colourful buildings and boats, explored the narrow streets of the old town and stopped by Place des Lices, one of the town’s best-known squares.
It was interesting to see Saint-Tropez outside the summer season. Instead of the glamorous and crowded destination we usually see in photographs, we discovered a much calmer and more authentic side of it.
Day 5 – Èze & Menton
The following day, we continued our road trip and visited two completely different but equally beautiful destinations: Èze and Menton.
Our first stop was Èze, a small medieval village perched high above the Mediterranean Sea.
Èze Village is one of those places that looks almost like something straight out of a fairytale. We wandered through its charming cobbled streets, passing small shops and historic buildings as we gradually made our way towards the top.
At the summit, you will find the Jardin Exotique, which offers truly spectacular views over the Mediterranean.
From Èze, we continued towards Menton, located close to the French-Italian border.
Menton was quite different from the other destinations we had visited so far. With its colourful buildings, narrow streets and strong Italian influences, the town had a more relaxed and distinctive atmosphere.
We explored the old town and walked along the seafront, enjoying the beautiful colours and views of the Mediterranean.
Day 6 – Antibes
On our sixth day, we continued our road trip and headed towards Antibes.
The town is located between Cannes and Nice and is another lovely stop along the French Riviera.
We particularly liked Antibes for its relaxed and authentic atmosphere. We wandered through the old town, explored its narrow streets and eventually made our way to Port Vauban, one of Europe’s largest marinas for yachts.
From there, we enjoyed beautiful views of the sea and the town’s historic centre.
Antibes was perhaps one of the most pleasant surprises of our trip, precisely because it had a different character from the more glamorous destinations along the Côte d’Azur.
Day 7 – One Last Day in Nice
On our final day, we returned to Nice and, this time, we finally had both the time and the weather on our side to explore the city properly.
We walked along the Promenade des Anglais, enjoyed the views of the Mediterranean and explored the old town, known as Vieux Nice.
Another place worth visiting is Castle Hill (Colline du Château), which offers one of the best panoramic views of Nice, its coastline and the Promenade des Anglais.
After a week filled with day trips, long walks and constantly changing scenery, our final day in Nice was much more relaxed and provided the perfect way to wrap up our trip.
Exploring the French Riviera in 7 Days
The French Riviera naturally has much more to offer than we could possibly see in just one week. There are dozens of charming towns, seaside villages and destinations worth exploring, including Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Villefranche-sur-Mer and Antibes, as well as many other beautiful spots along the Côte d’Azur.
For our first trip, however, we decided to combine some of the region’s most famous destinations with smaller towns and villages.
Using Nice as our base also turned out to be a very practical choice. We travelled by train to Monaco and Cannes, while we rented a car for three days to enjoy greater flexibility on our trips to Saint-Tropez, Èze, Menton and Antibes.
Would We Visit the French Riviera Again?
Absolutely, without a second thought!
In just seven days, we managed to discover several different sides of the Côte d’Azur, from glamorous Monaco and Cannes to medieval Èze, colourful Menton and the quieter March atmosphere of Saint-Tropez.
We would definitely love to return one day to explore even more of the French Riviera, discover some of its smaller villages and experience the region during the summer months, when its famous beaches and seaside towns come to life.