Picture Perfect Provence!
View from Eze over the Mediterrean Sea in the French Riviera
Have you ever been to a place that was so surreal that you took a moment to make sure what was happening wasn’t really a dream? Provence, including the French Riviera in the south of France, is full of cliff-top villages, deep blue seas, centuries of history, “Rosé all day”, and so many sights to see that a week just doesn’t do it justice.
If you don’t have a month to sightsee and relax (who does?), spending a few days on the coast and several inland will give you a taste of what Provence offers and check off a few of the must-sees in the region.
Nice is the largest city in the French Riviera and can serve as a great base for exploring along the French Riviera. There are plenty of hotels to choose from and train, bus, or private tours can get you to Eze, Monte Carlo, and Menton to the east and Cannes/Antibes in the other direction. All are within a few miles of each other so it’s easy to visit a few during a day. And if you’re flying straight into Nice, getting to/from the airport is extremely easy and inexpensive (1.50 Euro each way), with the fairly new tram line linking the two Côte D’Azur terminals to the center of town.
Vieux Nice (old town) is a wonderful place to get lost in the meandering alleyways and narrow streets lined with cafés, stores, and Baroque churches. It is very Niçoise! Place Masséna serves as a great entrance to the old town with its expansive, checker-board promenade and surrounding three-story ochre and yellow buildings.
Within old town, the Cours Saleya offers flower and antique markets, bars and restaurants, and a relaxing view of the gardens high above the city. In addition to quaint bistros, other streets are full of confectionary, olive oil, and artisan shops providing a taste of all things “Provencial”.
Along the waterfront, the Promenade des Anglais is a beachfront walkway extending along the majority of the Nice beaches which are a combination of sand and polished rocks. The deep blue Mediterranean and jagged coastline, along with the vibrant sea-front hotels and restaurants, provide the setting for a relaxing stroll along the promenade.
As mentioned, Nice is a perfect base for visiting coastal towns in either direction for day trips. One of the must-sees is Eze, a cliff-top town with awe-inspiring views of the Med and coastline below. Its meandering alleyways are full of shops, artist galleries, cafés, and on top, the Jardin Exotique, a beautiful garden full of local flora including various cacti, shrubs, and flowers.
The upper village can be a bit challenging to reach from Nice, unless you enjoy strenuous hikes, as the train line follows the coast below. More on that later. Otherwise, take the Nice tram to the Vauban stop, walk two blocks south to the Vauban bus terminal (outside lot with several bus lanes), and take the #82 or #112 to Eze (under 10 miles away but with traffic/stops, about a half hour). You can take the same bus back to Nice or on to Monte Carlo following your visit.
Otherwise, adventurous souls can hike the popular Nietzsche trail down to the town below (also called Eze). It’s an arduous, hour-long trail with countless steps and loose rocks but also provides great views of the sea and surrounding hills. The train line hugging the coast below runs roughly every 30 minutes in either direction to Nice or Monaco. So if you prefer the quicker, more reliable train service and want some exercise, take the trail up to the village and back down!
Monaco/Monte Carlo is a different world…not to mention country…when compared to the surrounding French countryside. Its modern buildings, intricate road system with tunnels burrowing under the city’s infrastructure, billionaire yachts, modern train station, and world-renowned casino reflect the inherent wealth in the second smallest country in the world.
Antibes and Cannes are lovely coastal towns to the west of Nice. Both offer walkable town centers along the ocean waterfront’s that show off high-end yachts and beautiful coastlines. The latter hosts the annual International Film Festival every May bringing dozens of A-list celebrities to town.
Another must-see in the area is Saint-Paul-de-Provence. Also a cliff-top village and larger than Eze, it’s a few miles inland from Nice. Full of galleries, churches, passageway arches covered with flora, and artist works imprinted in the walkways, it is a very relaxing visit with awesome views of the green valley below that extends to the Mediterranean miles away.
While the French Riviera is on many bucket lists, the best of Provence may well be inland. Aix-en-Provence is central to the region and offers a town center full of unique fountains and pedestrian walkways full of shopping, restaurants, and relaxing bistros. The wide, tree-lined Cours Mirabeau serves as an entrance into the Old Quarter where it’s easy to get lost among the meandering alleys and galleries inspired by Cézanne.
If you’re interested in a centrally located base to see the Bouches-du-Rhône and Vaucluse regions of western Provence, then consider either Avignon or Arles. Both cities have historical, walkable city centers with ancient remains of the old Roman occupation evident in several areas.
Arles is widely known as having one of the largest, completely intact Roman era coliseums outside of the masterpiece in Rome. Les Arénes is still used for sporting events, school trips, and other community activities with a scenic tower on one end providing great views of the town below and the Rhône River in the distance. If you ever watched the under-rated DeNiro film “Ronin”, a great action scene was filmed here.
There are also several other Roman ruins scattered around the city center including the Théâtre Antique and the Thermes de Constantin, an old bathhouse built for the infamous ruling emperor. The latter is close to the Rhône, which has a nice walkway along its bank and is quite popular with river cruise lines.
A great place to stay in Arles is the Maison Volver. The hotel is under a five minute walk to the arena and the Rhône riverfront walkway. Run by two lovely women, it also features a fantastic restaurant and within the lobby, offers homemade jams, olive tapenades and preserves for sale. A large, inexpensive public parking lot is a couple hundred feet away, just outside the old city gate, if you have a car.
Within this region are several towns and sights to see via day trips from either Arles or Avignon. Still in remarkable condition, a Roman engineering marvel close by is the Pont du Gard. While technically just outside of Provence, it is an easy 30-45 minute drive from either city through a countryside full of lavender fields and wineries producing Rosé. The three-level bridge, which once served as an aqueduct, is over 150 feet high and stretches over the Gardon River. A fairly new visitor center featuring an informative museum and restaurant is also present at the north entrance.
Between Arles/Avignon are several smaller towns that are worth a visit. Two in particular are St-Rémy-de-Provence and Les Baux-de-Provence. The former hosted Vincent Van Gogh during one of his prolific painting periods and features an artist’s trail showing where several pieces of work were painted during his stay. A small, town center features lovely shops, bistros, and plazas. One was hosting a festive wedding celebration while we were there!
An ancient Greek-Roman settlement, Glanum, can be found south of the town featuring a mausoleum, ruins, and artifacts from the era.
Les Baux is yet another clifftop town that once served as a fort protecting the area countryside. Sitting on a steep, limestone hill just south of St. Remy, the old village features several pedestrian-only walkways (no cars allowed) leading to several churches, museums, shops, and restaurants. While a ticket is needed to visit the old fort ruins on the hilltop, several areas exist on the lavender-filled apex with spectacular views of the surrounding Alpilles and arid plains below.
South of Arles and part of the Rhône River delta basin, the Camargue is a national nature reserve featuring dozens of bird species, white horses, and miniature black bulls, and other animals. The Parc Ornithologique is a must-see as it features hundreds of pink flamingos, terns, egrets, and other large birds and mammals in the tidelands of the lower Rhône. Majestic white horses meander in and out of the surrounding fields and marshlands mingling with their feathered friends. It’s hard to believe this natural park setting is so close to the history and sights of traditional Provence!
Between Marseilles and Cannes, there are several, wonderful coastal towns worth a look. They range from sleepy fishing villages to upscale ports where billionaires anchor their yachts.
Cassis, just to the east of Marseilles, is a must-see on the coast and while technically just outside of the French Riviera, definitely belongs in the class. While still popular among local fishermen, it is also popular with outsiders in the know about the postcard-like, remote beaches hidden among the high cliffs dotting the coast. The downtown is worthy of a leisurely stroll to take in the local markets, waterfront buildings, and lush, green mountains next to the deep blue sea.
Other towns worth a visit extending east along the coast from Cassis include Toulon, Bormes-les-Mimosas, and St-Tropez. The latter has long been a destination for the rich and famous interested in high-end shopping, Michelin restaurants (some featuring entertainment - see video below!), and endless sea views. Street after street is full of the world’s best fashion designers, so bring your platinum AmEx when you visit.
So while Paris must be marked off of every bucket list, a visit through the varied historical and cultural sights that Provence offers comes in a close second!