There are so many stunning places to visit on a trip to the Côte d’Azur that after one trip there you’ll be wanting to head back year after year.
With flights from London to Nice taking just over 2 hours you can be taking in the beautiful sights before you know it. And arranging a place to stay is just as easy when you use an Ebooking site to sort it all online.
You won’t want to get too comfortable at your hotel though, once you know all the amazing places nearby that you can visit.
Here are 7 stunning places on the Côte d’Azur that you won’t want to miss.
1. Antibes
Antibes is a town between Nice and Cannes, with so much to offer.
Head to the old town to mooch around the markets, visit the historic cathedral, explore the Picasso museum, and pick from the huge number of places to stop for food.
Or if you’re looking for a taste of luxury then you can visit the famous Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc for lunch or hire a yacht for the day from the marina.
2. Biot
Up in the hills above Antibes is the small fortified medieval village of Biot.
The village has a long, interesting history that you can learn all about at the Musée d’Histoire et de Céramique Biotoises (the museum of the history and ceramics of Biot.
You can get even more culture by visiting the Fernand Léger Museum – the only museum in the world dedicated to the local artist. Then head over to La Vierriere de Biot to watch the glassblowers at work and buy some stunning glassware to take home with you.
3. Fréjus
Fréjus is another place on the Côte d’Azur with a lot of history to discover.
There are parts of the cathedral that date back to the year 400, making it one of the oldest Christian sites in France, and making the site somewhere well worth visiting.
There’s also a whole load of Roman history to discover in the town, from the aqueduct to the amphitheatre.
And when you’ve taken in all the history you can manage, you can enjoy the town’s gorgeous beaches.
4. Menton
Menton might not be as well known as some of the other spots on the Côte d’Azur but it is absolutely worth a trip.
The town is part of France now, but in the past it’s been claimed as part of Italy and part of the principality of Monaco.
Menton has a lovely mild microclimate, which makes it perfect for all the plants and flowers that grow in the beautiful gardens there. The Val Rahmeh-Menton Botanical garden in particular is worth a wander around, with over 1500 types of tropical, subtropical and Mediterranean plants.
5. Grasse
Grasse is a town in the hills north of Cannes that is famous for being a hub for fragrance makers.
If you’ve ever wanted to know how perfumes are made, and maybe even have a go at making your own signature scent, then you need to pay Grasse a visit.
6. Route Napoléon
Something a bit different, the Route Napoléon might not be an obvious destination but it is well worth a visit when you’re in the area.
It’s the route that Napoléon took in 1815, running from Antibes and north up to Grenoble. It would take around 7 hours to drive the whole stretch, but you can get an incredible experience by just driving some of the way along.
The route is often described as one of the best driving experiences in France, and it is an incredible way to see the area.
7. Dolceacqua
If you’re happy to travel just a little bit further afield on your holiday, then you absolutely should head to Dolceacqua.
It’s a medieval village in the hills of Val Nervia, in Italy. And it is a place you’ll never forget.
Once you arrive in Dolceacqua you’ll see the bridge, the Ponte Vecchio, that leads you into the oldest parts of the village. This is where you can happily get lost in the narrow streets, stumbling across sights like the the old castle and the stunning church, as well as art galleries and artisan workshops and wineries.
The Côte d’Azur has always been a hugely popular holiday destination and it’s really not hard to see why.
My family have been going there for years and I have so many amazing memories of visiting all these different places, both as a child and as an adult. I’d love to take my own children there at some point, to share some of these experiences with them.
Each spot along the coast has something special to offer and you can always find something new to discover each time you visit.
Disclosure: this is a collaborative post