The Most Beautiful Towns on the French Riviera

Written on : 18 October 2023
By : Laura Wendy Harders López

Are you planning a holiday on the French Riviera, also known as Côte d'Âzur, and wondering which towns to visit? This magnificent French coastal region is one of the world's epicentres of tourism that everyone dreams of going to at least once in their lifetime. Luxury, culture, gastronomy, beaches, mountains, leisure, and tradition come together in the French Riviera, making it a special place for visitors. A region made up of seaside towns and villages, each of them having a distinctive character.

>>> Discover beautiful villas in the French Riviera

Nice

Known as the French Riviera's capital, Nice is a top holiday destination, loved and appreciated worldwide. Visitors immediately feel captured by Nice's azure beaches and its different colours and shades, which charmed Matisse to fall in love. This beautiful town is located between the Mediterranean Sea and mountains, offering a plethora of geological landscapes. It's also just a few kilometres from the Italian border, making it a fantastic location for those prone to "itchy feet" wanting to travel to many places.

Nice is the perfect town for those culture and history buffs or art connoisseurs, given its intense cultural life and more than twenty museums and galleries.

Its magnificent Old town boasts a network of narrow, lively streets with a heritage dating back to the 17th - 19th centuries, with a predominance of baroque art and architecture.

Undoubtedly, one cannot leave Nice without trying their most traditional dishes, as gastronomy is a prominent element in their culture. In fact, their cuisine is deep in their DNA.

Saint Tropez

Saint Tropez is synonymous with glamour and the quintessential French Riviera town. Whenever someone mentions the Côte d'Azur, it's difficult to not think of Saint Tropez. A celebrity's holiday favourite, Saint Tropez flaunts a magnificent coastal port with millionaires' moored boats galore and golden sandy beaches stretching from Pampelonne to Ramatuelle. The town also boasts a beautiful historical heritage with its many quaint winding streets and its grand citadel offering a panoramic view of the Mediterranean sea. The lovely atmosphere in St Tropez makes for a pleasant day full of bar hopping and eating at charming terraces whilst admiring the people go by.

>>> Discover holiday villas in Saint Tropez

Marseille

Although boasting a village character, Marseille is the second most populous town in France, after Paris.

With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, Marseille has plenty of things to see and do. Its magnificent location on the Mediterranean coast makes it a fantastic French Riviera destination. Marseille's natural heritage is one-of-a-kind: nature parks galore and lush nature lungs are located in the city centre, making it an oasis of coolness during the hot summer months. Stroll through its vibrant streets and discover the magnificent heritage of this Mediterranean city-- from the historical quarter of the Panier to the buildings of the Second Empire or the Romanesque churches. Marseille will enchant you in every sense. What are the unmissable things you need to do in Marseille? You must not leave without admiring the panoramic view from the basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde; Explore the quaint fishing ports, the Calanques, the Château d'If and the Frioul archipelago; visit the Marseille food and thrift-shop markets; sample its various pastis (anisette) at sunset in the Old Port; Attend an art exhibition at the Vieille-Charité and wander through the old Panier quarter.

Aix-en-Provence

Aix-en-Provence is a charming quaint town in Provence made up of old colourful façades, museums, magnificent architecture, gardens, fountains, cobblestone streets, and lovely markets. This elegant town boasts a privileged climate and is surrounded by breathtaking natural sceneries such as the Sainte-Victoire mountain, the Touloubre chains, and the Durance Valley. To stroll through Aix-en-Provence is to travel back in time to the baroque period, given its exceptional architectural heritage (second most important after Versailles). Vacationing here means you can follow in the footsteps of artist Paul Cezanne, who immortalised many of Aix-en-Provence's landscapes into his works. You'll fall in love with its beautiful town squares full of colourful flowers and fountains-- the perfect atmosphere to sit down in one of their cafés' cosy terraces to enjoy a croissant and a coffee whilst taking in the vibrant town life.

>>> Discover holiday villas in Aix-en-Provence
>>> Discover beautiful villas on the Côte d'Azur