Côte d'Azur Beaches

Not only do you have great weather and scenery on the French Riviera, but you are also spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches.  However, don't make the same mistake we did in peak season - driving up and down the coastline looking for a deserted beauty spot....you won't find one!  From St Tropez to Grimaud the coastline is packed with coves and delightful beaches (see left).  And the area around St Raphael has some fine beaches….. but it will be busy and parking can be a problem.  So if you want to spend a day on the beach you are recommended to make a day of it and arrive early!

These are our favourites:          - Agay           - Cannes           - Cassis            - Fréjus

Cannes Plage

Location: Follow the N98 from La Napoule round the bay towards Cannes.
General Information: Official Cannes website.

Description: The Cannes beachfront stretches for miles.  The sand is golden and perfect for sand castles.  The views are great and you can take a nice break from the beach with a trip around the town centre.  Our favourite area is along the Boulevard du Midi.

Our recommendations: Take lunch in one of the beachfront restaurants for a pleasant change.  Great for people watching but horribly expensive!  Some of the beaches are privately run and charge for the privilege!  But there are plenty of municipal beaches as well.

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.