Itinerary Highlights

  • Experience the unparalleled glamour of the French Riviera
  • Enjoy the legendary beach clubs of Saint-Tropez
  • Stay in one of Europe’s most luxurious hotels
  • Swim in the sparkling blue Mediterranean
  • Visit enticing museums, villages and open-air markets
  • Dine at Michelin-starred seafood restaurants
  • Explore the Old Town of Nice

Follow in Our Footsteps

Editor’s Itinerary

French Riviera
Duration: 11 Days
France’s Côte d’Azur is packed with luxurious resorts, fascinating art collections, remarkable architecture and chic beach clubs situated on a dramatic rocky coastline. On this 11-day itinerary, you’ll sip rosé in Saint-Tropez, stroll the boardwalk in Cannes, relax by the coast in Cap d’Antibes and get lost in the maze of Nice’s Old Town. Along the way, you’ll experience fine seafood-focused dining at famous Michelin-starred restaurants and tucked-away local bistros, and you’ll stay in some of the world’s most prestigious hotels. While the Côte d’Azur is well worth a visit year-round, traveling in June or September will let you experience this quintessential coastal destination with sunny days and thinner crowds.
Days 1-3

Arrive in Nice – Saint-Tropez

Fly to Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, with seasonal direct flights from New York City and Atlanta or connecting flights through Paris. Have the Travel Office arrange for a driver to pick you up and transfer you to Saint-Tropez, two hours away.

The charm of Saint-Tropez isn’t always immediately visible to first-time visitors, but if you venture beyond the luxury stores and tacky nightclubs, you’ll find a fun-loving beach destination where the rosé flows like tap water, and it’s not unusual to have caviar and Champagne for breakfast.

Check in to La Réserve, a luxuriously low-key hideout in Ramatuelle. Twenty-eight rooms and 14 villas are perched on a hill with sea views from every room. Lounge by the pool, indulge at the expansive spa, and dine on creative Provençal dishes at the two-star La Voile restaurant, which also has an impressive wine list. You may be tempted to never leave the property at this wellness-focused resort, but you’d be remiss not to visit La Réserve’s beach club on Pampelonne Beach. Take a dip in the sea, recline in a sun lounger with a good book or venture into town for high-end shopping and people-watching at the marina. Stop for an afternoon pick-me-up of wine or coffee at the famous Café Sénéquier, or climb to the top of the citadel for a stunning view and a quaint maritime museum.

Stay Overnight

La Réserve Ramatuelle

La Réserve Ramatuelle provides splendid views of the Mediterranean from the pretty village of Ramatuelle.

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Days 3-5

Cannes

Have the Travel Office arrange a car and driver to transfer you to Cannes. Take the coastal route for a scenic drive along the calanques — mini fjords with hidden sandy beaches. Along the way, art lovers won’t want to miss Maison Bernard, a “bubble house” created by architect Antti Lovag, where you can take a tour of the wildly imaginative property.

In Cannes, check in to the beautiful Regent Hotels’ Carlton Cannes, an imposing property on the Cannes Croisette. Make sure to book a sea-view room with a balcony overlooking the blue Bay of Cannes and the sandy beach across the street. We recommend spending plenty of time at the elegant Carlton Beach Club, where you can dine on top-notch bouillabaisse and relax on sun loungers facing the water.

The hotel is walking distance from the narrow streets of Le Suquet, a neighborhood where you’ll find souvenir shops selling chic caftans and woven baskets, as well as the Marché Forville, where you’ll see restaurant chefs shopping for local products. In the evening, you can dine at the Carlton’s stylish Turkish restaurant, Rüya. Alternatively, walk into town for oysters and Champagne at Le Caveau 30 or a creative prix fixe menu inspired by local ingredients at Aux Bons Enfants.

Stay Overnight

Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel

Situated on the Cannes Croisette, the Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel stands out as a neoclassical palace on the beach.

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Days 5-7

Cap d’Antibes

Cap d’Antibes is one of the most glamorous destinations in the world and home to one of Europe’s finest beachfront hotels, the famous Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. The 111 guest rooms are spread across an original 19th-century villa and a newer all-suite wing, along with a private residence. With a heated pool, direct access to the sea, a Dior spa and multiple dining venues including the Michelin-starred Louroc Restaurant, you’ll probably never want to leave this slice of paradise.

But if you’d like to venture out, Antibes is a wonderful place for a pre-dinner stroll among the cafés and shops lining the winding stone paths. Make a reservation at L’Arazur, tucked away on a side street, where you’ll find fine dining in an unassuming venue. Opt for a multicourse or à la carte menu of inventive flavor combinations made with local ingredients.

Stay Overnight

Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc

Hotel du Cap-Eden Roc is a luxurious 19th-century mansion set on 22 acres of gardens edged by the Mediterranean.

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Days 7-10

Nice

From Cap d’Antibes, it’s an hour to Nice, where you’ll check into Le Negresco, a welcoming and colorful historic hotel where you’ll find eclectically decorated rooms, a cool old-school bar and the Michelin-starred Le Chantecler, one of the best restaurants in town.

Nice is a sprawling city that most visitors tend to deprioritize on a Côte d’Azur itinerary. But there’s plenty to see and do here, including world-class art museums like the Fondation Maeght and Musée National Marc Chagall; the mazelike Old Town, with a daily market overflowing with flowers, produce and souvenirs; and a rocky waterfront lined with chic beach clubs like Castel Plage, located at the end of the Promenade des Anglais.

While there’s much to keep you occupied in Nice, it also makes a convenient base for exploring nearby towns. For a taste of village life, take a day trip to Grasse, the birthplace of perfume, or Biot, where you can see artisan glassmakers at work and purchase handicrafts and homewares from the local galleries. Nearby Villefranche-sur-Mer is frequently hailed as one of the prettiest seaside towns in France, while the medieval village of Èze is perched high above the sea, offering spectacular views of the Côte d’Azur from Les Remparts, a favorite in Èze.

Make sure to dine in the hotel’s restaurant one night, but you’d do well to venture into Old Town for a local meal at one of the charming options there — we recommend a table on the romantic candlelit patio at Carmela for pizza.

Stay Overnight

Le Negresco

Filled with contemporary art, antique furnishings and whimsical decor, Le Negresco on the Promenade des Anglais is an unexpected delight.

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Day 11

Depart

It’s a short 20-minute drive from Le Negresco to the Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, where U.S.-bound flights depart in the early afternoon.

Contact the Andrew Harper Travel Office to customize this sample itinerary for your needs.