Côte d'Azur Attractions  As you might expect the emphasis in this region is on sun, sea and sand.  Amongst our favourite attractions are Aqualand and Aquatica, ideal for those days when you want to have a bit of fun in the water without battling amongst the sun worshippers!  The region also boasts some remarkable scenery with the incredible Massif de l'Esterel, the Lerins Islands and the Gorge du Verdon, the world's second largest gorge, just a couple of hours drive inland.

Lerins Islands

Location: Just a few km south of Cannes, reached by boat from the Cannes harbour, alongside the Palais des Congrès.
General Info: Boats leave Cannes on the hour, every hour in the morning and early afternoon.  Take care not to miss the last boat back around tea time!
Description: This is a traffic free collection of four delightful islands.   Ste-Marguerite is the largest and closes to the mainland.  It was the location where the film “Man in the Iron Mask” was filmed and you can see the cell where he was held (Fort Royal).  St-Honorat is the next island and houses a Cistercian abbey where local produce is sold (including a rather strong local brew!).
Our recommendations: No swimming is allowed on St Honorat.
For the children: Check with the local tourist office on the timing of the Son et Lumière show which explains the history of the islands - the night time boat trip rounds off a special treat!

       - Aquatica
       - Aqualand
       - Cassis
       - Lerins Islands
       - Marineland
       - Massif de l'Esterel
       - Mont Vinaigre
       - Musée de l’Automobiliste
       - Parfumerie Fragonard

Worth a detour inland is the Gorge du Verdon (details in our Provence section).

It's a long time since we visited the Côte d'Azur with the children and they don't remember much about it.  So we can't offer a list of their favourites here.  If you would like to propose some, please send us your feedback.