French Riviera: Nice to Monaco

The weaving streets and giant yacht-studded bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer make a welcome relief after busy Nice. Plus, Villefranche is graced with one of the few sandy beaches in the region. It's narrow but runs for several kilometres along the bay. The shallow drop-off makes the Villefranche beach an ideal family beach. Villefranche-sur-Mer is a major stop for cruises (250,000 passengers yearly) which means that the tiny old town can be quite busy on summer mornings. In addition to its charming but touristy medieval centre, Villefranche is known for its markets. The Saturday morning market (8am to 1pm) is a good place to pick up local produce and crafts and second-hand dealers organize a day-long Sunday market to sell various odds & ends. See the Villefranche-sur-Mer municipal site for more information.

St-Jean Cap Ferrat

Often counted as having the world's most expensive real estate, St-Jean Cap Ferrat, is perhaps the most exclusive and beautiful spot on the entire Cote d'Azur. The lush little peninsula is dotted with luxurious villas cloistered behind walls of foliage.There's a lovely walk all around the peninsula (it takes about three hours), passing through pine forests and over swimming coves. There are a few beaches, all public, but the lack of parking keeps day trippers away. There's also the Musée de Ephrussi de Rothschild, an early 20th-century villa that abounds with antique furniture, paintings and tapestries, surrounded by spectacular gardens.

Beaulieu-sur Mer

Winter and summer, Beaulieu-sur-Mer has one of the more dependably mild climates in France. Protected by mountains and bordering the sea, Beaulieu has long attracted the wealthy and the idle. The seaside promenade is bordered by scattered Belle Epoque villas, one of which houses a casino. The sightseeing highlight of Beaulieu is the Villa Kerylos, an exact replica of an ancient Greek villa with every detail scrupulously researched and reproduced. Visit the lavishly furnished interior and then stroll on the botanical trail through the gardens. See the Beaulieu tourist office website for more information about visiting Beaulieu.

Cap d'Ail

With a fantastic nearly hidden beach, a relaxing coastal walk and lush vegetation, Cap d'Ail is a wonderful place to spend the day. Read more.

INLAND (Moyenne Corniche)

Eze

Eze has a small outlet to the sea but the main village is at 427m above sea level, making it France's highest seaside village. Naturally, the views are splendid but it's also delightful to wander the medieval streets of the village centre. The curious name, Eze, derives from the Egyptian goddess, Isis. The ancient Phoenicians who once occupied this spot, dedicated a temple to her. The medieval walls that once encircled the village are long gone and in their place is the Jardin Exotique from which there are heady views over the coast. Visitors are also drawn to the two famous perfume factories, Galimard and Fragonard. With a long presence in the region, these two establishments vie for visitors, each offering free tours of their perfume factories, explanations of perfume-making and only a little sales pressure to buy their products. See the Eze village tourist office for more information about the village.

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