50 Best things to see & do in French Riviera

The Cote d’Azur is home to dozens of glorious walking trails – from rugged coastal hikes to pine-fringed peaks. Perfect for escaping the crowds and enjoying the surprisingly wild, verdant scenery.

Beaches are an integral part of this French coastal scene – so hang out at a swanky beach club, ordering rosé and seafood, swim and people watch like everyone else.

This pretty 16th-century chapel turned gallery has one of France’s top collections of post-Impressionist art. See paintings by Matisse, Derain, Braque, Vlaminck, Bonnard, Utrillo, Roualt and Vuilllard. Open daily, except Tuesday.

The Cote d’Azur’s most famous and atmospheric beach, with public sands and private clubs for every taste. The sea here is a lovely turquoise. Among the beach clubs, 55 is for serious star-spotting, Les Jumeaux is for families, Moorea and Aqua Club are laid-back, and Nikki Beach is for blingy party types.

Just outside the capital of bling, Saint-Tropez, this 18km coastal path, starting at beautiful Gigaro beach and signposted in yellow, is one of France’s wildest, most beautiful coastal paths.

If you want to escape the crowds, cross the water to this peaceful island, the second largest of the Lerins. There’s a 3rd-century abbey, where St Patrick once studied; there are lovely walks, swims and the monks’ wine to purchase. See the ferry website for departures and tickets.

In a medieval castle with superb views over  La Croisette, rare items from the Himalayas, Arctic, Pre-Colombian America and the Pacific islands, along with the ancient Mediterranean artefacts, musical instruments from around the world and historic paintings of the Riviera.

The big covered market in the heart of Cannes dates from the 1930s, and overflows with the fresh produce and flowers of Provence. It’s open daily until 1pm and closed Monday – although sometimes there’s a flea market in there instead.

Nicknamed ‘the Bunker’, this giant building on the Croisette hosts the Cannes Film Festival, with its famous red carpet and 24 steps where the paparazzi line up to take snaps of the movie stars: 150 have left their handprints, Hollywood style, in front.

Discover Cannes the easy way on the Movie Train, starting from the Palais des Festivals: it takes in the Forville Market, Le Susquet, La Croisette, the casinos, and Rue d’Antibes.