Nice
Getting lost among the dark, narrow, winding alleyways of Nice’s old town is a highlight. The layout has barely changed since the 1700s, and it’s now…
Must-see attractions in Côte d'Azur
Nice
The most famous stretch of seafront in Nice – if not France – is this vast paved promenade, which gets its name from the English expat patrons who paid…
Côte d'Azur
The only building French architect Le Corbusier (1887–1965) ever built for himself is this rather simple – but very clever – beach hut on Cap Martin…
Côte d'Azur
An ailing Henri Matisse moved to Vence in 1943 to be cared for by his former nurse and model, Monique Bourgeois, who'd since become a Dominican nun. She…
Nice
For the best views over Nice’s red-tiled rooftops, climb the winding staircases up to this wooded outcrop on the eastern edge of the old town. It’s been…
Nice
Originally built as a holiday home for Prince Victor d’Essling (the grandson of one of Napoléon's favourite generals, Maréchal Massena), this lavish belle…
Cannes
The multi-starred hotels and couture shops lining the iconic bd de la Croisette (aka La Croisette) may be the preserve of the rich and famous, but anyone…
St-Tropez
In a gracefully converted 16th-century chapel, this small but famous museum showcases an impressive collection of modern art infused with that legendary…
Cloître de la Cathédrale de Fréjus
Côte d'Azur
Fréjus’ star sight is its 11th- and 12th-century cathedral, one of the region's first Gothic buildings. Its cloister features rare 14th- and 15th-century…
Nice
This museum, 2km north of the city centre in the leafy Cimiez quarter, houses a fascinating assortment of works by Matisse, including oil paintings,…
Musée Jean Cocteau Collection Séverin Wunderman
Menton
Art collector Séverin Wunderman donated some 1500 Cocteau works to Menton in 2005 on the condition that the town build a dedicated Cocteau museum. And…
Côte d'Azur
A dreamy spot for swimming, sunbathing and water sports of all kinds, this secluded crescent of sand 1km east of St-Jean has an iconic bar-restaurant,…
Côte d'Azur
The 5km-long, celebrity-studded Plage de Pampelonne sports a line-up of exclusive beach restaurants and clubs in summer. Find public entries (and parking…
Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain
Nice
European and American avant-garde works from the 1950s to the present are the focus of this sprawling multilevel museum. Highlights include many works by…
Nice
Split between its beautiful flower market and rightly famous food market. On Mondays, flowers and food make way for a flea market.
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Côte d'Azur
An over-the-top, belle-époque confection, this villa was commissioned by Baroness Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild in 1912. She was an avid art collector…
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Musée d’Art Classique de Mougins
Côte d'Azur
The brainchild of compulsive art collector and British entrepreneur Christian Levett, this outstanding museum contains 600 works spanning 5000 years. The…
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Côte d'Azur
Irish modernist architect Eileen Gray designed this tour de force of a Mediterranean villa, complete with highly inventive furniture and fixtures, in the…
St-Tropez
Shrug off the hustle of the port in St-Tropez’ historic fishing quarter, La Ponche, northeast of the Vieux Port. From the southern end of quai Frédéric…
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Musée International de la Parfumerie
Grasse
This whiz-bang museum is a work of art: housed in an 18th-century mansion enlarged with a modern glass structure, it retraces three millennia of perfume…
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Côte d'Azur
These gorgeous gardens belonging to Grasse's Musée International de la Parfumerie showcase plants used in scent-making. Half the garden is displayed as…
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St-Tropez
Built in 1602 to defend the coast against Spain, the citadel dominates the hillside overlooking St-Tropez to the east. The views are fantastic, as are the…
Côte d'Azur
Immersed in greenery 6km southeast of St-Paul-de-Vence, Le Domaine des Collettes in Cagnes-sur-Mer was home and studio to an arthritis-crippled Renoir …
Antibes
Picasso himself said, ‘If you want to see the Picassos from Antibes, you have to see them in Antibes'. The 14th-century Château Grimaldi was Picasso’s…
Côte d'Azur
Perched on a hilltop just outside Monaco that’s visible from all directions, this amazing monument was built by Emperor Augustus in 6 BC to celebrate his…
Côte d'Azur
This magnificent dwelling is a reproduction of a 1st-century Athenian villa, complete with baths, stunning mosaic floors and furniture such as dining…
Èze
The best panorama in Èze village is from this cactus garden right at the top of the craggy hilltop village. Take time to relax in the ruins of Èze's…
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Côte d'Azur
Although just 20 minutes away by boat, Cannes' tranquil islands feel far from the madding crowd. Île Ste-Marguerite, where the mysterious Man in the Iron…
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Antibes
Ringed by sturdy medieval walls and criss-crossed with lanes and shady squares, old Antibes is a delightful place for a wander. The wonderful Marché…
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Côte d'Azur
Modern-art and architecture lovers shouldn’t miss Mouans-Sartoux’ contemporary-art centre, housed in the 16th-century Château de Mouans and the purpose…
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Èze
Sitting just below Èze, this fort is the perfect place to revel in 360-degree views. An orientation table helps you get your bearings. The fort was built…
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Côte d'Azur
The drawbridged entrance to this huge underground fort sits at the top of Ste-Agnès village. The 2500-sq-metre defence was built between 1932 and 1938 as…
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St-Tropez
This famous nudist beach is also a naturally magnificent stretch of sandy beach, about 4km southeast of St-Tropez.
Côte d'Azur
St-Paul's renowned art museum features works by a who's who of 20th-century artists – including many who found inspiration along the Côte d’Azur. From…
Nice
The strange, dreamlike and often unsettling work of the Belarusian painter Marc Chagall (1887–1985) is displayed at this museum, which owns the largest…
Nice
Right opposite Vieux Nice, this is generally the busiest beach of all, with oiled bodies either baking in the sun or punching a ball on the beach…
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Côte d'Azur
Long home to the Weisweiller family, patrons of Jean Cocteau, this villa contains a fabulous series of Cocteau's original frescoes. In 1950 Cocteau asked…
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Cannes
Easily recognisable by their intense, vivacious colours, the works of neo-impressionist painter Pierre Bonnard (1867–1947) form the backbone of the…
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Musée d’Art et d’Histoire de Provence
Grasse
This local-history museum, at home since 1921 in an aristocratic hôtel particulier (mansion), is a wonderful evocation of life in the 18th century. Rooms…
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St-Tropez
St-Tropez’ legendary and very charming central square is studded with plane trees, cafes and pétanque players. Simply sitting on a cafe terrace watching…
