EASTERN FRENCH RIVIERA - TOWNS AND VILLAGES

Antibes

Famous for having been the home to Picasso, Antibes is a charming city offering the biggest marina in the French Riviera filled with fishing boats and beautiful yachts. The city has several parts with several distinct characters and an easy going ambiance. While down by the sea you can admire some of the largest and most lavish yachts, the area attracts a young, yachting crowd making for a lively bar and restaurant scene. Antibes also offers cobblestoned pedestrian old town center, the Vieux Ville, a perfect place for strolling.

Juan Les Pins

Just west of the Cap d`Antibes, Juan-les Pins is the Art deco resort town offering sun, sea, and sensuality since the 1920s. The area has the biggest Jazz scene in all of Europe and is famed throughout France for its International Jazz Festival each year. Juan-les Pins offers a fantastic stretch of sandy beaches, many private but a substantial portion that is free and open to the public. This area has an excellent variety of shopping along the coastal road which is lined with small boutiques. The nightlife here is also worth checking out.

Menton

Perhaps the best-kept secret on the French Riviera, this town portrays all the beauty of the better-known coastal villages but with a fraction of the crowds. It has the reputation for providing exceptional gardens, and a tasty Italian cuisine due to its position on the Franco-Italian border. In February the town hosts a winter lemon festival, a celebration of spring and a remembrance of the town`s past when it survived principally on citrus production. With its Belle Époque villas, boutique filled alleyways in the Italianate Old Town, the gorgeous tropical gardens, along with the the new Musée Cocteau Collection all make for this town worth visiting.

Cagnes Sur Mer

The seaside resort stretches along a beach more than two miles long and is surrounded by beautiful hills. Formerly an old fishing village, this town has become a lively area since the early 1970s thanks to its beach, Cros-de Cagnes. The area is known for its forests, pebble beaches and seaside charm. There is plenty of history, and home of the only horse hippodrome in the French Riviera, which draws people from all over for its horse races. The town also offers plenty of welcoming local shops and restaurants.

Villeneuve-Loubet

Villeneuve-Loubet is a medieval hilltop village created by the merging of two old villages: the village of Villeneuve inland and the village of Loubet the lower stretch of town on the shore. The resort town offers almost 2.5 miles of shingle beach where the European Blue Flag flies. You`ll be charmed with the old village, an interesting village with steeply sloping streets that border colorful facades and balconies beautifully adorned with flowers. Make sure to visit the Vaugrenier Park, Chateau-Fort, Marina Baie des Anges and the Museum of Culinary Art. Villeneuve-Loubet offers culture, nature, and of course beautiful beaches.

Saint Laurent du Var

Saint Laurent du Var is located between Nice and Cagnes sur Mer offering ancient charm along with the advantages of a modern city. The town, founded in the 11th-century, is the second-largest suburb of the city of Nice bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, the Var River and the hills. The natural welcoming setting has a reputation as an active and sporting city balanced with relaxation and leisure. You will be charmed by the old Italian-influenced village with its romantic streets and a stunning Romanesque church dating back to the 11th-century. The promenade on the turquoise waters has over a half a mile of pedestrian only walking and many recreational activities.

Beaulieu Sur Mer

This village town is nestled amongst abundant vegetation, Beaulieu means `beautiful place` in French, and it is a fitting name for this area. The village was once the spot for royalty and members of the aristorcracy, Beauliu today is a high-class village in true Mediterranean style. You will be surrounded by luxurious houses and beautiful parks and gardens in this heart of the Cote d`Azur. Stroll through the beautiful streets enjoying the attractive boutiques and the excellent village restaurants. Make sure to visit the Greek villa of `Kerylors,` an impressive antique Greek villa. With the sandy beaches bordered by palm trees and the sea, you will have hours of outdoor entertainment in Beaulieu Sur Mer.

Mandelieu

Mandelieu is located in the heart of the Cote d`Azur midway between Saint Tropez and the Italian border. The area is the capital of the mimosa and the city of art and culture. A secluded waterside community with sandy beautiful beaches, and seven ports offering numerous types of sea excursions and activities. The city is committed to a sustainable approach and values the environment, preserving the natural heritage and local assets of the region. One of the biggest draws to Mandelieu-La Napoule is the Michelin-starred Oasis restaurant.

Golfe Juan

Golfe Juan is the nearest port and seaside resort to the east of Cannes, offering a quieter spot on the French Riviera. A family resort known for its beaches. The town owes its reputation to Picasso, who `discovered` it after WWII and occupied a villa known as `the Woman from Wales.` Golfe Juan offers some lovely shops, bars and restaurants. Next door, Vallariuis, has been noted for its famous pottery.

Theoulesur Mer

Theoule sur Mer can found between Cannes and St Tropez tucked away in a small inlet among the rocks of the Esterel Mountains. The beautiful small town is a regular holiday destination for the rich and famous, seeking some isolation from the busier surrounding towns in the French Riviera. Since the beginning, the Theole-sur-Mer has been known as a small fishing village and the town continues to retain its small settlement reputation. There are a number of magnificent public and private beaches, together with a Marina and plenty of excellent restaurants to choose from all combined to make a perfect beach holiday destination.

Cap D`Ail

Cap D`Ail stretches along a serene part of the coast between Monaco and Beaulieu-sur-Mer offering Blue Flag beaches with regattas and sea festivals. The town has a fantastic coastal path from Marquet beach to Mala beach, passing through the pine forest and looking down on the cliffs and rocks. The beaches and all the leisure activities it brings amongst a dramatic backdrop of high cliffs make for a spectacular setting.