There are many interesting routes for road trips in the world, and one of the most picturesque runs along the Mediterranean coast of France – along the French Riviera or Cote d’Azur, from the town of Menton, which is located on the border with Italy, to Marseille. However, these boundaries are not entirely unambiguous, everyone interprets them differently, so some believe that the Cote d’Azur extends only to Toulon.
But by and large this is not so important, the main thing is that the places there are really impressive – the Cote d’Azur is bounded on one side by a coastline indented with picturesque bays, and on the other by majestic mountain ranges, which, among other things, protect it from cold winds, thereby helping to create a pleasant, mild climate throughout the year (there are not hot summers and warm, sunny winters).
In order to take a road trip along the Cote d’Azur, the most convenient way is to fly to Nice – a direct flight from Moscow will take only 4 hours. You can rent a car at the airport and, depending on the time of arrival, you can either spend a few hours in the city and then head east, or spend the night and continue your journey in the morning.
Nice
From the point of view of a beach holiday, Nice is perhaps not very attractive – the city beach is covered with pebbles, however, in the high season it is often filled to capacity. Big waves don’t always make it possible to swim calmly, but the color of the water lives up to the name of the coast, so if you can’t wait to take a dip in the sea, you can spend some time on the beach. Well, at a minimum, be sure to go up to the observation deck located at the very end of the embankment; photographs from there should definitely be in everyone’s collection!
But from a cultural point of view, Nice has a lot to offer – there are many theaters and concert halls (including the Opera House),
as well as museums (Museum of Archeology, Museum of Natural History, Museum of Fine Arts, Navy Museum and others).
Mentone
After Nice, it makes sense to get to the easternmost city of France – Menton. This is a small, calm seaside town located right on the border. Here, French charm and Italian charisma are so closely intertwined with each other that it is difficult to say for sure whether this is still France or already Italy. The peculiarity of Menton is its Italian houses as well as lush parks, olive and citrus groves. By the way, if you are planning a trip to the Cote d’Azur in February, then you simply cannot miss Menton – it is at this time that the Lemon Festival takes place here, and in general, thanks to the special microclimate, lemon trees bear fruit here all year round.
Monaco
It is unlikely that anyone does not know about this dwarf state located inside France. The richest people in the world come here to play in the casino, chat with the Prince of Monaco and show off their expensive outfits. But even if you are not a gambler or are not yet familiar with His Highness, Monaco is still worth a visit, if only just to stroll along its wonderful streets and ride the free escalators connecting the cascading streets, fortunately, it is a completely state small – its area is only 2 square kilometers.
Ez Village
Returning towards Nice, you should not take the road along the coast, but take a route through the mountains, or rather, through the mountain village of Eze. This is a very tiny, but very atmospheric tourist village, located at an altitude of 430 meters from sea level. The settlement was founded in the 10th century. Now there are few local residents here, most of the village is reserved for tourism – there are mini-hotels, shops and restaurants everywhere.
In Eze, it’s pleasant to wander through the narrow stone streets, entwined with greenery and lined with clay pots, take photos on the steps and enjoy the views of the sea. Well, if you feel some energy in you, then you can go down to the coast along the Nietzsche trail – they say that when the philosopher lived in Eze, he walked along it every day (the descent and ascent takes about 2 hours).
Antibes
The next notable place on the Cote d’Azur will be Cape Antibes. It is built up with expensive villas, but most of the beaches are public. This is one of the best places for a beach holiday on the entire coast. The beaches here are clean, with fine sand, the water is the color of sky blue and very clear. Locals often come here for a day out and picnic on the beach, so if you want to pass as one of them, stop by the store on your way to buy a baguette, cheese, olives and wine. If you want to diversify your beach holiday with cultural leisure, the Picasso Museum and the Napoleonic Maritime Museum are at your service.
Cannes
Despite the fact that the city as a whole is not particularly remarkable, you cannot come to the Cote d’Azur without visiting Cannes, at least just passing through. In addition to the Palais des Festivals and Congresses, where the Cannes Film Festival is held, one of the main attractions here is the city embankment – it is very nice and, they say, even one of the most beautiful in the world!
Saint-Raphael
We recommend allowing plenty of time for the road to Saint-Raphael – get ready for dizzying landscapes. It is at the entrance to this town that the Esterel mountain range with its famous red rocky cliffs is located. In Saint-Raphael you can relax on the beach, swim in the sea and taste seafood in one of the many restaurants.
Continuing to move further along the coast, you can stop in any town and village. Fréjus and Saint-Maxime, Saint-Tropez and Toulon are quite large resorts, with picturesque beaches and the same azure sea, thanks to which the French Riviera received its second name. Well, besides this, the Cote d’Azur is also tens of kilometers of less well-groomed, but deserted, wild and deserted beaches.
You can complete the trip in the port of Marseille – this is a large city, the second largest in France. Well, if you still have a little time left, then before flying home (or returning to Nice, depending on the conditions under which you rented a car),
We recommend taking a trip to the very cozy town of Aix-en-Provence, located 30 kilometers from Marseille. It has a very interesting history, which dates back to antiquity. And don’t forget to try calissons, a traditional Provençal sweet made in this town.
