The French Riviera extends along the Mediterranean coast for nearly 600 miles, and it is fast becoming one of the most exquisite, classiest, most fascinating, and beautiful destinations to visit in the entire continent.

From gaming and punting at the widely-known Monte Carlo, savoring the best seafood in Nice, and sunbathing in Cannes. Despite being situated in the south of France, it never really gets too cold. In winter, this region offers moderate temperatures between 10°C and 15°C (50°F to 60°F), making the region a popular destination for a perfect winter escape.

Visiting the French Riviera isn’t super expensive as people think it is. In fact, there are many activities and fun things to do, like wine tasting, partying in the streets, and many more all at pocket-friendly prices.

Here Are The Best Things To Do And Places To Visit In The French Riviera.

Get To The Top Of Les Baux Provence

The French Riviera is generally admired for its clean, pure coastline, and verdure. However, the region comes with an important history and culture. This is visible in the inland, medieval village of Les Baux de Provence (Baux in French translates to a steep cliff). The village sits at an elevation of about 220 meters as it extends over a hillside. 

The village boasts of many impressive characteristics. You can expect lots of rocky highlands as it’s situated within the range of the Alpines Mountain Range. A famous landmark of the village is the Chateau-Fortress area. It’s a ridge area that offers some amazing views that can reach as far away as Marseille.

Experience The Flashiness Of St. Tropez

The coastal town of St. Tropez is proof that the coastline is greatly desired and one of the reasons is because of its features in outstanding movies like ‘The Transporter’. The town is situated at the edge of a peninsula, which explains the chain of crystal- blue and white- sand beaches.

Tourism is the major source of the city’s income as not only is it home to beautiful beaches, but a layout of museums too and also to think that the village was a fishing village a long time ago. The nightlife is also worth experiencing, with its elegant and stylish party scene, along with the fancy cruise ships. France definitely offers some of the continent’s best parties! While the town can be extravagant, its natural landscape is worth admiring and standing in awe of. The mild ocean waters are accompanied by sandy beaches and rolling green shrub hills, not forgetting the olive groves.

Explore Riviera’s Natural Beauty At Gigaro, La Croix-Valmer

Most visitors who travel to St. Tropez are incognizant of an amazing beach that lies only 25 minutes away. Gigaro contains the beginning of a walking trail along the Mediterranean. It’s a resort area that may not really have the high-end features when compared with St. Tropez, but it certainly does gives tourists with unmoved natural beauty. The area has rocky coastal inlets and 6 miles of pine forests. This makes it the perfect day trip from St. Tropez just in case you want to evade the decadent lifestyle for a while.

At Gigaro, you’ll find some fascinating beach restaurants that only serve the freshest of seafood. Marius a la Plage is one of the best, and it’s located on the beach a few meters away from the water. The restaurant also has an unbeatable view.

Get The Venice Feeling At Port Grimaud

The French Riviera is located close to the French- Italian border; you won’t need to travel there. The Riviera has its own little touch of Italy most especially, Venice. Port Grimaud is seen as the French version of Venice, and it was developed in the 1960s. It is usually confused with Grimaud- a medieval village that is part of the same commune as Port Grimaud. This beautiful seaside town is also another option as a day- trip from St. Tropez because it is just 4 miles to the west of the region.

Instead of replicating Venetian architecture, Port Grimaud’s chain of canals is bounded by Provencal-style buildings. These buildings are seen as the wonders and awesomeness of architecture because each building has its unique design and color. If you’ve visited Venice and found yourself wanting some natural elements, then Port Grimaud is your best option. It blends the multi-color spectacle of Venice but is set against the backdrop of abundant, rolling green hills. You can find unbelievable beaches perfect for swimming- a luxury you might not be offered when you’re in Venice.

Relax And Unwind At The Lerins Islands

At the coast of Cannes, there is an archipelago consisting of four islands, two of which are still untouched (not open to the public). The islands are only a 20-minute boat ride from Cannes and provide a break from the city. The two major islands visited are situated about 1 mile from the other. There are no means of transportation on the islands, yet so you’ll have to walk, which means that the islands are the perfect destination if you are looking for active things to do in the French Riviera.

The two islands open to the public are the Île Sainte- Marguerite and Île Saint- Honorat islands with Île Sainte- Marguerite being the largest and a must- explore. It has almost 14 miles of natural hiking trails and also has strong cultural aspects too. This includes the Cistercian monks that reside on the island and also work on the island’s vineyards. They live a simple life and also produce some of the luxuriant wines that have scored many awards. Taste some of these wonderful wines when you visit the island- you’d love it!

Enjoy Cannes Best Attraction

Asides the elegant lifestyle and film industry, this beautiful town is the French Riviera’s economic center of activity, and it is also regarded as the ‘sister city of Beverly Hills’ by some visitors. Some visitors also see it as a Zion of cuisine with extensive food markets that promote traditional French cuisine. Cannes’ Marché Forville is one of the top picks. Your trip to Cannes will be incomplete without visiting La Croisette, one of France’s most organized, established, and popular streets. The street is a promenade that extends up to a mile, with wonderful views of the shining Mediterranean waters. Cannes is also a famous destination for a cruise. Another reason why Cannes is so favorable is because of its amazing location on the French Riviera. You can as well focus your attention on the outskirts and its surroundings for pure nature experiences.

Improve Your Knowledge Of Wine

The French Riviera is a huge exporter of rose wine because of the wonderful climate and great soil that makes an ideal and favorable growing condition. It’s admitted that some local table wine is better than some highly-priced rose wine found in restaurants abroad, and a glass is mostly cheaper than a soft drink. It’s an amazing time to discover wines and how they’re cultivated without having to break the bank.

Breathe The Fresh Air Of Eze

Eze is a coastal village with an enchanting flair situated along the mountains just 8 miles from Nice. Most parts of the village haven’t been developed architecturally, yet, it sits at an elevation of about 430 meters above sea level. Another fascinating thing about this village is its award-winning Jardin Exotique d’ Eze or the botanical gardens. This garden is situated on the top of a steep mountain.

Watch The Amazing Ocean At Fontaine-De-Vaucluse

 This village is a little community within the French Department of Vaucluse. It is one of the beautiful places in the French Riviera that is often ignored despite being home to an amazing natural spring that flows from a 755-foot cliff. The more interesting thing is that this is France’s largest spring, and also the 5th most powerful in the world. The water flow is very strong, surging between 630- 700 million cubic meters of water every year. This serves as one of the special options for the fun things to do in the French Riviera. Despite its powerful surge, the water sources end up flowing into a gentle and quiet shaded basin.

Things To Do In The French Riviera – Summary

All these and many more are the fun and interesting things you can do when you visit the French Riviera. There is so much to do on the entire southern coast of France, as it is filled with sunny and beautiful beaches, exciting destinations, and it’s a place you will always want to visit again and again. Remember that the fun things are not limited to the major towns alone as the little villages and coastal towns are beyond amazing too.