South of France Overview

Now that my mom has moved to Nice, I would consider myself an expert of some sort, if I do say so myself. This post is going to be a more comprehensive overlook of where I recommend staying in France, so just trust me and read on.

Nice

While the reputation here is for Nice to be used as nothing more than an embarkation point, the reality is, Nice is one of the best places in all of the South of France. It’s got a bit of everything - some mountains, some beaches, some old, some new. It’s a real city, not some made up doll town. Plus, its cheap! That’s not something you can say about the rest of the South of France. The public transport here is brilliant and there is really just so much to do - so much so that I HIGHLY recommend you actually stay here the majority of your time in the South of France, and take day trips to the nearby towns I will discuss later on. 

Where to stay:

I would go with one of 3 options, two of which are usually at a reasonable price point (especially compared to the rest of the Cote D’Azure). 

De Boscolo for solid location but beautiful design 

Le Meridien for the most ideal location and a reasonable price point

Hotel Negresco for historic charm and unmatched luxury (but pricey)

Where to eat and drink: 

Blue Beach for the best beach club option here.

Le Plongeoir for the most iconic spot with the best views and incredible seafood

Nuances for a surprise set menu at a reasonable price

Seen Rooftop for great views, drinks and tapas

Wayne’s Bar for a good old fashioned pub and party.

This list can go on for a while, because pretty much everything I have eaten in Nice has been incredible (except for the Thai food, which I would just avoid - albeit I am probably a bit biased myself). 

What to do:

Stroll along the Promenade des Anglais - this is the most famous part of Nice, and for good reason. You can walk all along the coast, stop at restaurants and bars by the sea, and eventually get as far as the airport if you wanted to!

Climb up Castle Hill - take the free elevator up and the stairs back down (trust me) and enjoy the amazing views and spectacular waterfall up above Nice.

Walk through old town - the winding streets of old town, just at the base of Castle Hill, is a joy to explore and get lost in, something I highly recommend. 

Check out a market - the weekend market is beautiful, but don’t miss out on the antique market on Mondays if you’re around! 

Go parasailing - I haven’t done it myself, but it looks damn fun watching those who do it straight from the beach.

Of course, Nice is definitely not the only place to go in the South of France. Other places definitely worth checking out for multiple nights are:

Monte Carlo

Stay at the Fairmont (pricey, but average for Monaco standards) for the best location, have a late dinner at Buddha Bar, party at Jimmy’z (where my dad even used to party), and just stroll around and observe the immense wealth of this tiny country.

Cannes

Stay at the Carlton, go for a fun dinner at Baoli, hurt your bank account with all the incredible high end shopping, lounge beachside, and enjoy what I would say is no more than a night here. Cannes is a glitzier, smaller, prettier, faker, richer, snobbier version of Nice, so do with that what you will.

Antibes

If you can, shell out and stay at the Hotel Cap du Eden Roc. This is one of the best hotels in the entire world, and is a gem of a property. But otherwise, check out the Picasso museum, go out in the awesome nightlife scene here (which is more on the affordable side in the region). 

St. Tropez

Stay at Le Toison D’Or (blog post on that, so check it out for more details), or if you got the big bucks, stay at the Coeval Blanc - otherwise, the Kube Hotel should do the trick. People watch while having some desserts at Senequier, party all night at L’Opera, and enjoy Nikki Beach or 55 or Bagatelle the next day. St. Tropez really lives up to its hype, and then some, in my opinion.

Now for some villages that I highly recommend you check out on a day trip:

Eze

Perched way up on a cliffside overlooking the coast, this tiny town has so much charm with its winding cobblestone streets, beautiful restaurants, and the famous botanical garden with really unbeatable views. This spot can get quite crowded, so if you’re here during the summer, I would highly recommend coming in the morning. Also, buy perfume from here, its like famous for a factory or something. 

Saint Paul de Vence

Another town perched up on the top of a mountain, but a bit further from the coast than Eze. Saint Paul de Vence is stunning and larger than Eze, and is filled with art galleries which adds a unique layer to exploring this city. 

Villefranche

If you’re looking for the best beach town in the South of France, this is it. It’s so unbelievably cute with all its colors you will literally die. Plus, the beach is a gem. Also, my mom lives here! So go say hi!

Saint Jean Cap Ferrat

Also some beautiful beaches here (I highly recommend Plage Passable), plus definitely worth stopping by at the Rothschild to experience one of the more beautiful estates of the area. 

Beaulieu

La Reserve is a stunning hotel here to stop by at, otherwise, its a great town to stroll through if you’ve got an extra few hours.