--- title: "Where to Stay on the French Riviera: Town by Town" description: "Where to stay on the French Riviera: Nice, Antibes, Cannes, Villefranche, Èze, Menton or Monaco. Our Nice designers explain who each base suits, and why." url: "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/where-to-stay-on-the-french-riviera" image: "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/_astro/01M5J4124V8J8YXJGSSAFRQMSM.DFoUcLYF_Z11BXTa.jpg" --- 1. [Home](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/) 2. [Travel insights](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles) 3. Where to Stay on the French Riviera: 7 Towns Compared [Travel insights](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles) # Where to Stay on the French Riviera: 7 Towns Compared Where to stay on the French Riviera: Nice, Antibes, Cannes, Villefranche, Èze, Menton or Monaco. Our Nice designers explain who each base suits, and why. By [Karine](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/team/karine), Senior Travel Designer · Updated October 2026 · 7 min read ![Monaco (2)](/_astro/01M5J4124V8J8YXJGSSAFRQMSM.DFoUcLYF_Z2ceXbH.webp) Where to stay on the French Riviera is the question that shapes the whole trip. The coast from Cannes to Menton is only about 40 miles long, and a fast regional train links almost every town on it. But each town has a very different feel, and the right base saves you hours of traffic in July. Our Nice office designs Riviera trips every week, and these are the bases we recommend, with who each one suits. ## Our quick answer - **Nice:** the best base for most first visits, and the only one we recommend if you will not have a car. - **Antibes:** for couples and families who want a smaller town, an old port and sandy beaches nearby. - **Cannes:** for beach clubs, shopping and a polished seaside atmosphere. - **Villefranche-sur-Mer:** for a calm bay and quick trains to Nice and Monaco. - **Èze:** for a honeymoon night or two in a perched village, ideally with a driver. - **Menton:** for slow travel, mild winters and day trips into Italy. - **Monaco:** for one or two nights of glamour, not as a week-long base for most budgets. ## Nice: the practical capital Nice is the Riviera's real city, and that is its strength. The airport is about 20 minutes from the center, trains leave in both directions along the coast, and you can live a full week without a car. Where to stay in Nice: - **Vieux Nice (the old town):** narrow streets, the Cours Saleya market, bakeries and wine bars. Atmospheric, but some streets are noisy late at night and cars cannot reach most hotels. - **The Promenade des Anglais:** sea views, Belle Époque hotels, and a flat walk to the old town. Our usual choice for first-timers. - **The Port and Lympia:** a local neighborhood with good restaurants and easy access to the coast road east. - **Cimiez:** a quiet residential hill with the Matisse Museum and Roman ruins, better for longer stays. Nice suits first-timers, food lovers, travelers without a car, and anyone who wants day trips in every direction. The beaches are pebbles, not sand, which surprises some visitors. ## Antibes and Juan-les-Pins Antibes sits between Nice and Cannes, about 20 to 25 minutes from each by train. The old town keeps its sea walls, a covered market and the Picasso Museum in the Grimaldi castle, and the harbor is one of the largest yacht marinas in Europe. Just south, the Cap d'Antibes has a coastal path along the rocks and some of the most famous villas on the coast. On the other side of the cape, Juan-les-Pins has sandy beaches and a summer jazz festival in July. Antibes suits couples who want a real town that is smaller than Nice, and families who want sandy beaches within reach. It works with or without a car. ## Cannes Cannes is polished and seaside-focused. The Croisette runs along a long sandy beach lined with private beach clubs, and behind it are designer boutiques and the old Le Suquet quarter on the hill. A short ferry takes you to the Lérins Islands, where monks still make wine on Saint-Honorat. The catch is the event calendar. During the Film Festival in May, and during big trade fairs at other times of year, hotel prices rise sharply and rooms are hard to find. Outside those dates, Cannes is excellent value for a beach-focused stay and convenient for Grasse and the hills of the hinterland. Cannes suits beach lovers, shoppers and travelers who enjoy a lively seafront more than a historic town. ## Villefranche-sur-Mer Villefranche sits on one of the deepest natural bays in the Mediterranean, between Nice and Cap Ferrat. Pastel houses drop to a small harbor, the old town has a covered medieval street, and a fishermen's chapel decorated by Jean Cocteau stands on the quay. The train station is right above the beach, ten minutes from Nice and about 15 from Monaco. The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and the Cap Ferrat walking paths are a short drive or a long walk away. One thing to know: cruise ships anchor in the bay on some days, and the village gets busy when passengers come ashore. Mornings and evenings stay calm. Villefranche suits couples who want a small, quiet base with fast access to everything. ## Èze Èze is a medieval village perched on a rock about 400 m above the sea, with an exotic garden at the top and views down to Cap Ferrat. It is one of the most photographed places on the coast. During the day it fills with visitors. In the evening, once the tour buses leave, it becomes very quiet, and that is why a night or two here is special. There are few hotels and they are mostly luxury properties, priced accordingly. The practical side: Èze village is on the cliff, not on the train line. The station of Èze-sur-Mer is down by the water, and the path up is a steep hour's climb. You need a driver or a car to move easily. Èze suits honeymooners and travelers who want two romantic nights within a longer trip, not a week-long base. ## Menton Menton is the last town before Italy, with an Italianate old town climbing above the harbor, the mildest climate on the coast and beautiful gardens. In February, the Lemon Festival fills the town with sculptures made of citrus fruit. It is quieter than Nice and less fashionable than Cannes, with a slower, more residential pace. From Menton you can cross into Italy for the Friday market in Ventimiglia or the hill villages of Liguria, and Nice is about 35 minutes by train. Menton suits slow travelers, winter visitors, garden lovers and anyone combining the Riviera with Italy. ## Monaco Monaco is a country of about two square kilometers, with the palace on its rock, the Oceanographic Museum, the casino of Monte-Carlo and the harbor full of yachts. It is spotless, safe and expensive. Hotels in Monaco are among the most expensive on the coast, and prices soar during the Grand Prix in May and other major events. For most of our travelers, we suggest staying in Nice or Villefranche and visiting Monaco for a day, or for an evening dinner and a walk around the casino square when the lights come on. Monaco suits luxury travelers who want one or two nights of glamour. ## Getting around the coast The coastal train runs from Cannes through Antibes, Nice, Villefranche and Monaco to Menton, with frequent departures and cheap tickets. Most stations are close to the town centers. A car is useful for the hill villages, Grasse and the inland Provence roads, but parking on the coast is difficult in summer. We often use a private driver for one or two days instead of a full rental. Saint-Tropez is a separate trip: about two hours west of Nice, with no train, and best as its own stay. ## One base or two? For five nights or fewer, stay in one place, usually Nice. For a week, two bases work well: Nice for the eastern coast and Monaco, plus Antibes or Cannes for the western side, or Nice plus the Gulf of Saint-Tropez as in our [French Riviera in 7 Days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/flavors-and-landscapes-of-the-blue-coast). Avoid moving every two nights. The distances are short, so day trips from a good base beat packing and unpacking. ## Our designers' take Our Riviera team lives and works in Nice, and we still think it is the best base for a first trip. Not the prettiest town on the coast, but the one that makes everything else easy: the market in the morning, the train to Menton or Antibes, dinner back in the old town. Our favorite second base is Villefranche. Have breakfast on the harbor before the day visitors arrive, swim in the bay, and take the ten-minute train into Nice for dinner. And if you are celebrating something, give yourself one night in Èze. Walking through the village after the last bus has left is the Riviera at its most magical. ## Riviera itineraries that use these bases Our [French Riviera in 7 Days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/flavors-and-landscapes-of-the-blue-coast) combines the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and Nice with a yacht day to Porquerolles, Èze, Monaco by night and a perfume workshop in Grasse. Travelers using a wheelchair can see the same coast from one hotel on the Promenade with our [Accessible French Riviera in 8 Days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/7-days-in-nice-accessible-trip-with-4). See our [honeymoon trips](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/trips/honeymoon) for Èze and Monaco ideas, and our [7-day France itineraries](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/countries/france/7-days) to combine the coast with Paris. Check [the best time to visit France](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/best-time-to-visit-france) before you fix dates, and if you want a lake chapter in Italy next, read [Lake Como vs Lake Maggiore](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/lake-como-vs-lake-maggiore). Tell us your dates and your style, and our Nice team will [send you a priced proposal](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/plan-your-trip) within 48 hours. More guides: [Places and regions](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/topics/regions) ## Related destinations - [France](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/countries/france) ## Contents Written by ### [Karine](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/team/karine) Senior Travel Designer · Based in Nice A true Niçoise with 30 years in destination management; designs our French Riviera trips from Nice and swims in the sea most of the year. [More about Karine](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/team/karine) ## Trips for this guide - [![Flavors and Landscapes of the Blue Coast](/_astro/01M5J4124KG6FF457NNV4YR4B7.Cb0a_Myj_1zpfVj.webp)**French Riviera in 7 Days: Saint-Tropez, Porquerolles, Nice & Monaco**From €1,899 · 7 days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/flavors-and-landscapes-of-the-blue-coast) - [![7 days in Nice: Accessible trip](/_astro/01M5J4124VQF6QPD0VP4QXAAY3.BlXaBIyU_ZsWT3U.webp)**Accessible French Riviera in 8 Days: Nice, Monaco, Eze & Grasse**From €1,499 · 8 days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/7-days-in-nice-accessible-trip-with-4) - [![7 days in Paris : Accessible trip](/_astro/01M5J4124TAWH74F0D2H3G05YX.HqmqYvmi_Z1jq12B.webp)**Accessible Paris in 7 Days: Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Versailles & More**From €1,699 · 7 days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/7-days-in-paris-accessible-trip) When you’re ready, we’re ready ## Let us help you plan a trip that feels right Tell us what you’re dreaming about: dates, pace, who you’re traveling with, and what would make it special. A real person will get back to you with thoughtful ideas, not a generic pitch. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best town to stay in on the French Riviera? For most first visits, Nice. The airport is about 20 minutes away, the coastal train runs in both directions, and you can enjoy a full week without a car. Antibes and Villefranche are smaller, calmer alternatives, and Èze is best for a romantic night or two rather than a full stay. ### Do I need a car on the French Riviera? Not if you stay on the coast. The regional train links Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Villefranche, Monaco and Menton with frequent, inexpensive departures. A car or driver helps for the perched villages, Grasse and the hinterland, but summer parking is difficult, so we often book a driver for one or two days instead. ### Is it worth staying in Monaco? For one or two nights of glamour, yes. As a week-long base, it is expensive, and prices soar during the Grand Prix in May and other major events. Most of our travelers stay in Nice or Villefranche and visit Monaco for a day, or for an evening dinner around the casino square. ### Is Saint-Tropez close to Nice? Not really. Saint-Tropez is about two hours west of Nice by road, and there is no train. It works best as a separate stay of two or three nights in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, combined with a few nights in Nice, as in our seven-day French Riviera itinerary. ## Plan this trip Day by day, with prices. Each one is reshaped around you. [All itineraries](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages) ![Flavors and Landscapes of the Blue Coast](/_astro/01M5J4124KG6FF457NNV4YR4B7.Cb0a_Myj_N9sDT.webp) 7 days / 6 nights ### [French Riviera in 7 Days: Saint-Tropez, Porquerolles, Nice & Monaco](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/flavors-and-landscapes-of-the-blue-coast) Six nights, three in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and three in Nice: a private dinner on arrival, a yacht day to Porquerolles, the gardens of Cap Ferrat and Eze, Monaco at night and your own perfume in Grasse. Driver throughout. From **€1,899** per person ![7 days in Nice: Accessible trip](/_astro/01M5J4124VQF6QPD0VP4QXAAY3.BlXaBIyU_Z1fdGlk.webp) 8 days / 7 nights ### [Accessible French Riviera in 8 Days: Nice, Monaco, Eze & Grasse](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/7-days-in-nice-accessible-trip-with-4) Seven nights in an accessible room at the Hotel West End 4-star on the Promenade des Anglais, adapted transfers throughout: Nice by bus, a perfume workshop in Grasse, a cruise to Monaco, the Matisse Museum, Eze and a beach day. From **€1,499** per person ![7 days in Paris : Accessible trip](/_astro/01M5J4124TAWH74F0D2H3G05YX.HqmqYvmi_Z25FNk1.webp) 7 days / 6 nights ### [Accessible Paris in 7 Days: Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Versailles & More](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/7-days-in-paris-accessible-trip) Six nights in an accessible executive room at the Hotel Westminster 4-star, adapted transfers to every visit: Seine cruise, Eiffel Tower, bus tour, Moulin Rouge, Louvre, Versailles and Sainte-Chapelle. Rooms checked by us first. From **€1,699** per person ## More to read [All articles](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles) ![Paris, Accessible Paris in 7 Days: Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Versailles & More](/_astro/01M5J4124TKBBDYH9PWF0B2ZAW.x3Ba8tYr_2fkQm0.webp) France ### [Accessible Travel in Europe: Exploring the Continent With No Limits](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/accessible-travel-in-europe-exploring-the-continent-with-no-limits) The desire to discover Europe, with its landscapes, cultures, flavors, and history, belongs to every traveler regardless of mobility. The question is not whether you can go, but how to make the experience as comfortable, accessible, and rewarding as possible. ![Gulf of Saint-Tropez, French Riviera in 7 Days: Saint-Tropez, Porquerolles, Nice & Monaco](/_astro/01M5J4124K56MAWWR8GAHCK1Z7.CUFB7F74_Y8Iz1.webp) France ### [Beyond the Tourist Trail: How to Experience Europe Like a Local](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/beyond-the-tourist-trail-how-to-experience-europe-like-a-local) The Europe that locals love is often invisible to visitors who follow only the well-worn path. Finding it requires curiosity, flexibility, and the right guide. ![Montgolfiere](/_astro/01M5J4124JEA3FGWA44WN91J9P.Dhls5oY6_fFvJU.webp) France ### [France in September: Harvest Season, a Warm Sea and Calmer Cities](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/france-in-september) France in September: grape harvest timing by region, the warmest sea of the year, Heritage Days, Mediterranean storms and real temperatures by region. Tailor-made, from France ## Let us help you plan a trip that feels right Tell us what you’re dreaming about: dates, pace, who you’re traveling with, and what would make it special. A real person will get back to you with thoughtful ideas, not a generic pitch. 1. 1Share your dates and wishes 2. 2Get a priced itinerary within 48 hours 3. 3Refine it together, then travel 9 travel designers in Lyon and Nice reply to every request themselves. ★★★★★ > “A wonderful travel partner” Carol W., Seattle, WA · 4.8/5 on 273 reviews - [US+1 607 354 8896](tel:+16073548896) - [Europe+33 4 26 30 36 82](tel:+33426303682) - [contact@mobeeinternational.com](mailto:contact@mobeeinternational.com) Two minutes, three steps. 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