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Top 12 places to visit on the Côte d'Azur

If you were to amuse yourself by listing the number of exceptional sites and places jealously guarded by the Côte d’Azur, you certainly wouldn’t have enough time in a lifetime. Between nature and tradition, there’s something to marvel at all year round. If you’re still hesitating about where to spend your next holiday, you’ve just found the perfect destination to visit: the Côte d’Azur!

NICE AND ITS PROMENADE
DES ANGLAIS

Discover Nice, capital of the Côte d’Azur!

There are so many places to visit in Nice, but if there’s one place that can take you back to the glamour of the 1930s, it’s the famous Promenade des Anglais.

Offering a unique panorama of the Baie des Anges, the Promenade des Anglais, with its mythical blue chairs, is strewn with palm trees that shade the resplendent hotels and palaces of Nice, such as the Negresco and the Palais de la Méditerranée.

The ‘Prom’, as the locals call it, has become an essential meeting place for all those who love rollerblading, cycling, running or simply taking a stroll.

VISIT NICE

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THE ISLAND OF SAINT-HONORAT IN CANNES

Just a few minutes from Cannes, discover the island of Saint-Honorat, one of the jewels of the Côte d’Azur.

Paradise lagoons don’t just exist at the end of the world.

All you have to do is visit the Côte d’Azur! Off the coast of the Bay of Cannes, you’ll find protected lands: past the lush Ile Sainte-Marguerite, the silent Ile Saint-Honorat is a listed jewel, gently preserved by the monks of the Abbaye de Lérins.

Over an area of 40 hectares, you can alternate the pleasures of the sea and its turquoise waters with visits to historic monuments.

You’ll also have the chance to discover a unique terroir that has been producing world-renowned wines and liqueurs for centuries.

VISIT CANNES

THE PINE FOREST OF JUAN-LES-PINS IN ANTIBES

A legendary place on the Côte d’Azur where the memory of jazz and its renewal are forged!

You can’t dissociate Juan-les-Pins from jazz! Since the 1960s, a renowned jazz festival has been bringing international artists to the radiant seaside resort of Juan-Les-Pins. The Pinède Gould is an emblematic meeting place, where art meets the sea from its incredible bay.

The oldest European festival since its creation, Jazz à Juan has established itself over the decades as one of the legendary international stages where all artistic trends are mixed. On the legendary stage of the Pinède Gould, young talents and popular stars follow one another every summer.

VISIT ANTIBES JUAN-LES-PINS

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THE PRINCIPALITY OF MONACO

The glamorous destination of the Côte d’Azur, let yourself be seduced by Monte-Carlo!

It’s a rare thing, these timeless places, where as soon as you cross the border, a magical universe opens up.

Monaco, a rock jealously guarded by the Grimaldi family since the thirteenth century, has seen all its luxuriance built by the arrival of the world’s greatest fortunes. Its unique topography and extraordinary architecture make Monaco an exceptional place not to be missed if you’re visiting the Côte d’Azur.

Some of the highlights of your visit include Monte Carlo and its famous casino, the Exotic Garden, the Rock, the beating heart of the Principality, the Prince’s Palace and the Oceanographic Museum.

VISIT MONACO

SAINT-TROPEZ AND ITS PORT

Cinema has made the little fishing port of Saint-Tropez a mythical place the world over!

This is holy ground! As you come down from the sumptuous hills of Gassin and Ramatuelle, the little fishing port of Saint-Tropez reveals itself and the charm takes hold… Here, everything seems to have come out of a film, the stones, boats and people radiating colour.

Start your visit by walking along the old port and its impressive armada of yachts, sailing boats and fishing boats, before heading towards the old town and its colourful streets. Take in the view from the citadel, with its unobstructed view of Saint-Tropez and the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean.

VISIT SAINT-TROPEZ

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MENTON, THE PEARL OF THE FRENCH RIVIERA

Town of Art and History and lemon capital, let yourself be seduced by the charm of Menton!

There’s one thing about the Côte d’Azur that makes it the envy of the world: the French-Italian border.

Menton, the last bastion of the Côte d’Azur, is the gateway to Liguria, where you can discover the astonishing Vallée des Merveilles and the picturesque, dynamic town of San Remo.

You’ll be amazed by the authentic character of Old Menton, with its labyrinth of colourful alleyways, covered market halls, majestic Basilica of Saint-Michel overlooking the Bay of Garavan and many exceptional gardens.

Menton is also famous for its delicately scented lemons and its annual Lemon Festival in February.

It’s the perfect time to visit the Côte d’Azur and treat yourself to a touch of the Mediterranean, away from the crowds!

VISIT MENTON

VILLA EPHRUSSI DE ROTHSCHILD IN SAINT-JEAN-CAP-FERRAT

Built on the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula, this villa combines nature and culture!

The golden triangle formed by Villefranche-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Beaulieu-sur-Mer is a well of magnificence. The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is an ode to love. A must-see location on the Côte d’Azur, straight out of a fairytale, surrounded by lush gardens that will take you from continent to continent.

This villa is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful Renaissance residences to visit on the Côte d’Azur. Push open the gates to discover all its treasures! The gardens, the rose garden, the archaeological remains and the musical fountains are just some of the many refinements on offer.

VISIT THE VILLA EPHRUSSI

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HEADING FOR TRAYAS IN ESTEREL

The Corniche d’Or: one of the most beautiful panoramas on the Côte d’Azur!

L’Estérel lies on the border between the Var and the Alpes-Maritimes.

From the Dramont semaphore to the Calanque de Maupas, there are sumptuous coves, deserted most of the time, where the red rock and fine scrubland plunge steeply into the crystal-clear turquoise water.

Did you know?

Visiting the Côte d’Azur is an opportunity to discover France’s largest protected marine area, located at Cap Roux.

There are no fewer than 30 beaches and small coves along the 36-kilometre Corniche d’Or between Saint-Raphaël and Mandelieu.

VISIT THE TRAYAS DE L'ESTÉREL

SAINT-PAUL DE VENCE AND THE MAEGHT FOUNDATION

A village of artists, let yourself be seduced by the beauty of Saint-Paul de Vence.

On your way to Saint-Paul de Vence, you’ll be following the path of Côte d’Azur art.

The Maeght Foundation is much more than an exhibition space, it’s a veritable work of art: an extraordinary place that pays tribute to the many international artists who have made their mark here.

When you visit the Foundation and its gardens, you’ll be able to admire many of the twentieth century’s most important works, including those by Giacometti, Léger, Braque and, of course, Chagall and Maeght.

VISIT SAINT-PAUL DE VENCE

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MERCANTOUR NATIONAL PARK

Discover the magnificent Vallée des Merveilles!

Set in unspoilt countryside, the hinterland of the Côte d’Azur is a veritable haven of peace. The Mercantour Park is made up of 7 valleys with a distinctive character: Roya, Verdon, Ubaye, Tinée, Vésubie, Cians, Bévéra and Val Gesso in Italy. The choice is yours for unforgettable hiking and skiing holidays. From olive groves to mountain pastures, from larch forests to snow-capped peaks, the Mercantour is home to a wealth and diversity of flora and fauna that is rare the world over.

With its 3000m peaks and glacial lakes, the Mercantour is one of the places not to be missed on a visit to the Côte d’Azur, just an hour from the sea!

VISIT THE MERCANTOUR PARK

Bold, to intoxicate the senses

The city known as the perfume capital!

Perfumeries, museums and gardens punctuate your escapade in the city of 1001 fragrances. Molinard, Galimard or Fragonard, which perfume shop will make you succumb to its delicate essences?

Your visit to the Côte d’Azur will include a guided tour and a workshop where you can make your own perfume.

And since it’s only a short step from scents to flowers, why not take an olfactory stroll through the city’s gardens?

The scent of the emblematic Centifolia rose or Jasmine will guarantee a holiday bursting with fragrance.

VISIT GRASSE

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Hyères and its modern-day treasures

A town renowned for its island paradise and its gentle way of life.

Whether you have a heart of stone or an artistic soul, Hyères has something for everyone.

From hidden alleyways to idyllic landscapes, the Côte d’Azur has something for everyone.

While the archaeological site of Olbia offers one of the most precious testimonies to the past, the Parcours des Arts also takes you through the ages. A trip to the Pic des Fées observatory is the perfect end to your trip to Hyères.

Ready to aim for the moon?

VISIT HYÈRES

TOP 12 LOCATIONS

INCONTOURNABLES to visit on the Côte d’Azur!

By Ambassadeurs Côte d’Azur France

If you’re a Côte d’Azur lover or enthusiast, you’ll regularly discover on this site the selection of good places to visit and the favourites of the Ambassadeurs Côte d’Azur France community.