Essential French Riviera Itinerary: 7-10 Days in Côte d’Azur

This 7-10 day French Riviera itinerary is all you need for the perfect South of France and Côte d’Azur trip.

After travelling all over the Mediterranean, I can honestly say that a French Riviera itinerary is one of the best trips you can take in Europe. There is something about this coast that gets under your skin in a way that’s hard to articulate, the morning light on the harbour at Villefranche, a long lunch at a beach club in Pampelonne with a glass of rosé and the Med lapping a few metres away, the view from Èze at golden hour with the mountains behind you and the sea stretching all the way to the horizon.

It might sound like a cliché because I guess it is one, but somehow it doesn’t matter in the least.

This South of France itinerary covers the Riviera properly — from the wild calanques and characterful port towns of the west through to the hilltop villages, grand villas, and glamorous set-pieces of the east.

It takes in the famous Riviera names but doesn’t stop there, as I’ve also built in my favorite, quieter discoveries and off-the-beaten-track detours that separate a great trip from a good one.

Here I’m sharing my exact 7 day itinerary for the French Riviera, with optional bonus days for anyone who can stretch it to 10 days — and if you can, you should.

*This ‘french riviera itinerary’ guide may contain affiliate links, meaning I might make a small profit if you choose to book at no extra cost to you. This helps me to keep providing you with top-quality content for free. 

Considerations for Planning a French Riviera Itinerary

You can choose to do this itinerary from west to east or east to west, or even just a part of it, such as Menton to Nice or Cassis to Nice.

Getting to and Around the French Riviera

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is your best bet, it’s the second busiest in France, well connected to major European and international hubs, and drops you right at the heart of the Riviera. Marseille-Provence Airport is a solid alternative if you’re picking up this itinerary from the western end, or if you find a significantly better fare, just factor in the extra transfer time.

The bigger decision, once you’ve landed, is how you want to get around. The coastal train line is genuinely excellent — it runs right along the shoreline connecting Nice, Villefranche, Èze-sur-Mer, Monaco, Menton, and beyond. Supplement it with the occasional Uber or taxi for hilltop villages and you can cover a lot of ground without ever renting a car.

That said, a car is the way to unlock the full itinerary and give you the most flexibility. Parking is also genuinely not the ordeal many people expect. Even in late August, I found it to be manageable, with paid parking readily available in most towns. If you want freedom, flexibility, and to see absolutely everything on this list, rent the car.

Renting a Car for a French Riviera Itinerary

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The Best Time to Visit the French Riviera

The Riviera works year-round, but May, June, and September are the ideal months to visit with great weather, swimmable water, and a coast that’s still breathing.

July and August are peak in every sense — warm seas and buzzing atmosphere, but also crowds, high prices, and serious heat.

Early October is excellent too. Winter is underrated — Nice has genuine year-round life, and the light on a clear January day is stunning, just don’t plan your trip around the beach and use Nice as a base.

Side note: if the Cannes Film Festival in May or the Monaco Grand Prix are on during your visit, book well ahead and brace for a spike in prices. And whenever you’re visiting, smaller towns like Cassis and Menton fill up fast in summer — early booking is always worthwhile.

Where to Base Yourself

Rather than moving hotels every night, I’d recommend choosing two bases and working outward from each with day trips. For the western stretch, Saint-Tropez is my first choice as it’s genuinely beautiful and a brilliant anchor for exploring the surrounding area. Cannes is a solid alternative if you prefer somewhere with better transport links.

For the eastern half, Villefranche-sur-Mer is a gem — small, charming, and perfectly positioned between Nice and Monaco. If you’d rather have a city at your fingertips, Nice makes obvious sense and has the widest range of accommodation at every price point.

For detailed hotel recommendations at each base, see the Where to Stay on the French Riviera guide.

If you also feel like extending this itinerary into Provence, I’d recommend reading Provence Itinerary: How to Spend 7 Days in Provence and The Prettiest Towns and Villages in Provence, France.

The Ultimate 7-10 Day French Riviera Itinerary

Day 1: Saint-Tropez

Check in to your Saint-Tropez base, you’ll be here for the next three-plus nights and spend the day getting acquainted with the town itself.

Saint-Tropez has a double soul, the Vieux Port is lined with superyachts and the boutiques make no apologies for their prices, but beneath the glamour, this is still a beautiful old Provençal fishing town, and it doesn’t take long to find it.

Start at the port with a coffee at the legendary Sénéquier, then lose yourself in La Ponche — the historic old quarter of narrow alleyways and sun-bleached facades just steps away. The Musée de l’Annonciade is a small but world-class gallery with works by Matisse, Signac, and Derain, all drawn here by the quality of the light.

In the afternoon, head up to the Citadelle for views over the gulf, then wind down at Place des Lices — the shady square where locals play pétanque and where one of the region’s best markets sets up on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. Sundowners back at the port are, naturally, non-negotiable.

Day 2: Ramatuelle and Saint-Tropez Beach Day

Start the morning in Ramatuelle, a classic village perché just ten kilometres from Saint-Tropez that manages to feel a world away from the glitz down the hill. Coiled on a hillside surrounded by vineyards that slope gently down toward the sea, its cobbled streets curve inward as if protecting themselves from the outside world.

Wander the medieval lanes, duck into the 16th-century Notre-Dame church with its remarkable serpentine doorway, and if the Thursday or Sunday market is on, Place de l’Ormeau comes alive with an authentic Provençal atmosphere.

Then head down to Pampelonne. Stretching for four and a half kilometres of fine sand and turquoise water, this is one of the most iconic beaches in the French Riviera.

You have two options: stake out a spot on the free beach and bring your own provisions, or do it properly and book a day at one of the legendary beach clubs that line the shore. Club 55, Nikki Beach, Tahiti, Loulou, these are institutions, each with its own personality, its own crowd and their own particular brand of sun-drenched indulgence.

Lunch at a sun lounger with rosé and grilled fish while the Med laps a few metres away is, frankly, one of the finer things this coastline has to offer. Book ahead in summer, the best spots fill up fast.

Day 3: Cannes and Antibes

Visiting both Cannes and Antibes in one day might be a bit of a stretch, so feel free to choose just one if you’d prefer to explore more slowly.

Start in Cannes. La Croisette gets all the attention, and it’s worth a stroll for the spectacle of it but the real Cannes is up the hill in Le Suquet, the old medieval quarter that predates the film festival by about eight centuries.

Perched on the slopes of Mont Chevalier, its narrow traffic-free streets, old staircases and pleasant courtyards retain genuine Old World charm. Climb the watchtower for views all the way out to the Lérins Islands, browse the Marché Forville at the base of the hill, and have lunch somewhere in the winding lanes before heading east.

Antibes is only twenty minutes away and makes a superb afternoon. The Marché Provençal on Cours Masséna is a feast for the senses — stalls piled with herbs, olives, honey and charcuterie, though it winds down by early afternoon, so time it accordingly.

From there, head into the old town proper and make your way to the Musée Picasso, housed in the medieval Château Grimaldi, perched on a 20-metre cliff above the bay. It’s where Picasso actually lived and worked for two months in 1946, leaving behind paintings, ceramics, and drawings that form the heart of the collection.

Round off the afternoon with a walk along the old ramparts and a drink at the port.

Bonus Days: Day Trip to Gorges du Verdon and/or Parc National des Calanques

If you’re on the Riviera for more than seven days, this is where you can begin to push beyond the obvious. If you can programme an extra two days into your Saint-Tropez stint, both of these trips are genuinely worth extending your French Riviera itinerary for, and both offer something completely different from the coast you’ve been exploring.

The Gorges du Verdon sits around 100 kilometres north of Saint-Tropez — roughly a two-hour drive, and the contrast with the Riviera could not be more dramatic. Europe’s deepest canyon plunges to 700 metres, with the turquoise waters of Lac de Sainte-Croix shimmering at its base.

The drive up through the Provençal hills (you will need a car for this day) is half the pleasure, and once you’re there, the options range from a leisurely loop along the rim with stops at viewpoints to kayaking and paddleboarding on the lake below.

The village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, nestled beneath a rocky cliff, makes a perfect lunch stop.

The Calanques day trip takes you in the opposite direction — west towards Cassis, the gateway to the Parc National des Calanques. Stretching 20 kilometres of coastline between Marseille and Cassis, the park is a dramatic landscape of white limestone cliffs dropping into some of the clearest, most intensely turquoise water in the Mediterranean.

You have two main options: explore on foot via the hiking trails that connect the inlets — the three Cassis calanques of Port-Miou, Port-Pin, and the spectacular En-Vau can be covered on one moderate hike— or take a boat tour from Cassis harbour, which gives you the full cinematic perspective from the water.

One important practical note: in peak summer, the hiking trails may be closed due to fire risk, in which case the boat is your best bet. Either way, leave early and give yourself a full day.

Day 4 : Villefranche-sur-Mer

If you’re on the seven-day itinerary, today is day 4 and the day to move bases. Check out of Saint-Tropez and make your way east to Villefranche-sur-Mer (or Nice), your home for the next three-plus nights and, frankly, one of the loveliest spots on the entire coast to wake up in.

Small enough to feel like a village but perfectly positioned between Nice and Monaco, Villefranche punches well above its weight. Once you’ve checked in, spend the afternoon getting to know the town on foot.

Start on the waterfront at Quai Courbet, where the harbour bustles with bars, restaurants and a small working fishing fleet alongside the pleasure boats, then head into the old town proper — a pedestrianised maze of steep cobbled streets lined with houses painted in vivid oranges, reds, and ochres.

Don’t miss the Rue Obscure — a covered medieval passageway running beneath the old town, originally built in the 13th century as a patrol path along the defensive walls and now one of those atmospheric oddities that stays with you.

Down by the harbour, the Chapelle Saint-Pierre is decorated with vivid frescoes painted by Jean Cocteau in 1957, paying tribute to the life of St Peter and the local fishing community.

From there, make the short climb to the Citadelle Saint-Elme — a 16th-century fortress free to enter, with lovely gardens, courtyards, works of art, and sweeping views over the bay. Round the evening off with dinner on the quayside at one of the best restaurants in town, where the light on the water at dusk is the kind of thing that makes you want to extend your stay immediately.

Read more: The Complete Guide to Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

Day 5: Nice

Nice is only a short train or taxi ride from Villefranche, which makes it an easy and very rewarding day trip, though it’s a city substantial enough that you could spend two or three days here without running out of things to do.

With just one day, it’s best to focus on Vieux Nice and its immediate surroundings.

Start at Cours Saleya, the centrepiece of the old town, a massive market square permanently thronging in summer, where the food market is perfect for fresh produce and foodie souvenirs, and the flower market is worth visiting for the colours and fragrances alone.

From there, give yourself time to simply get lost. The layout of the old town has barely changed since the 1700s, with dark, narrow, winding alleyways now packed with delis, restaurants, boutiques, and bars, the buildings painted in that distinctive palette of ochre, terracotta, and faded gold that makes Nice look like it belongs in Italy as much as France.

Don’t miss Place Rossetti — a lovely square anchored by the Baroque Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate and home to Fenocchio, the legendary ice cream parlour with over 90 flavours that has been a Nice institution since 1966. Try the lavender. Try the socca too, while you’re at it — the thin chickpea pancake is the definitive Niçoise street food and best eaten straight off the griddle.

After lunch, make the short climb up to the Colline du Château — the wooded hill at the eastern edge of the old town — for panoramic views over the terracotta rooftops and the sweep of the Baie des Anges.

Then stroll west along the Promenade des Anglais — iconic, palm-lined and buzzing with energy — before heading back to Villefranche for the evening.

Day 6: Eze and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

Two of the Riviera’s most quietly special places, and they sit close enough together to make a natural pairing. Start the morning early in Èze — the archetypal village perché, balanced on a rocky pinnacle 430 metres above the sea between Villefranche and Monaco.

It’s undeniably touristy, which is why it helps to get here early or later in the day. Wander the cobbled medieval lanes, climb to the Jardin Exotique at the very top for what many consider the finest panoramic view on the entire Riviera, and don’t miss the Fragonard perfume workshop if you want a glimpse into the craft Grasse made famous. For a full guide to making the most of Èze, see my Essential Guide to Èze, France.

For lunch, book a table at La Table de la Réserve at La Réserve de Beaulieu for their superb lunchtime set menu. Then don’t miss a visit to one of the most unique villas in the Mediterranean, Villa Kérylos, a meticulous early 20th-century reconstruction of an ancient Greek villa built right on the water’s edge.

From Èze, make your way down to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat — the discreet, pine-shaded peninsula that juts into the Med between Villefranche and Beaulieu, and which has quietly been one of the most coveted addresses on the coast for well over a century.

It’s a place for lingering rather than ticking off sights — beautiful coastal walking paths, a harbour village of genuine charm, and an atmosphere that feels a world apart from the glitzier stretches of the Riviera.

The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is the standout set-piece: an extraordinary Belle Époque mansion with nine themed gardens cascading toward the sea. For everything else the Cap has to offer, see my Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, French Riviera Guide: Best Things to Do.

Day 7: Menton

The quietest and most genuinely local-feeling town on this stretch of coast, Menton sits right at the Italian border and wears its proximity proudly: the architecture is Italianate, the food leans that way too, and the whole atmosphere is several degrees more relaxed than anything you’ll have encountered further west.

Start in the old town, where a pile of pink, yellow and orange houses stack above the harbour, framing the Baroque bell tower of the Basilica of Saint-Michel-Archange in one of the most painted and photographed views on the Riviera. Climb the steep cobbled lanes and make your way to the Cimetière du Vieux Château at the top, set on the site of a medieval castle with views across terracotta rooftops to the mountains and along the coastline.

Back down at sea level, don’t leave without trying something lemon — Menton’s celebrated citrus turns up in tarts, sorbets, and limoncello in every other shop window, and it’s genuinely some of the finest in the world.

If you have time and a car, two excursions are worth it in the afternoon: the vertiginous hilltop village of Sainte-Agnès, at over 800 metres one of the highest coastal villages in Europe, with views that justify the drive entirely.

Just across the Italian border, the extraordinary Villa Hanbury, whose terraced botanical gardens tumble down to the sea in a blaze of exotic planting, has been drawing visitors since the 1860s. Both are well worth the detour.

Read more: The Essential Guide to Menton, France

Bonus Day: St Paul de Vence

If you have a spare day from your Villefranche base, Saint-Paul-de-Vence is where to go. Arrive early before the crowds and start at the Fondation Maeght just outside the village walls — one of the great modern art museums of France, with works by Giacometti, Chagall, Miró and Calder displayed indoors and in beautiful gardens designed to blur the line between art and nature.

Then head into the village itself: wander Rue Grande, and don’t miss the Folon Chapel — a small space painted entirely by Belgian artist Jean-Michel Folon and one of the most quietly moving things on this entire French Riviera itinerary. Chagall, who adored this village, is buried in the cemetery at the far end of the walls.

For lunch, book a table at La Colombe d’Or — and book well ahead. This legendary restaurant has been feeding artists and film stars since the 1920s, its walls lined with works by Picasso, Matisse, and Léger given in lieu of payment over the decades. The food is wonderful, but the atmosphere is something else entirely.

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Ready for your French Riviera itinerary? Have any questions or comments about where to stay in the French Riviera? Let me know in the box below.

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Further Reading:

Where to Stay on The French Riviera

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, French Riviera Guide: Best Things to Do

The Best Beaches on the French Riviera

The Complete Guide to Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

The Essential Guide to Èze, France

The Essential Guide to Menton, France

Essential Guide to Roussillon, Provence, France

Gordes, France: Insider’s Guide to Provence’s Iconic Village

The Complete Guide to Annecy, France

The Best Restaurants in Annecy, France

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