Planning a French Riviera Trip: The Luxury Playbook

Nice, Monaco, Saint-Tropez, Cannes — how to plan the perfect luxury Riviera itinerary with insider tips.

The French Riviera stretches from Menton on the Italian border to Saint-Tropez in the west. Planning your trip requires understanding the distinct personality of each destination along this legendary coastline.

Nice is your ideal base. It offers the best balance of culture, cuisine, and coastal beauty. The Promenade des Anglais, the old town's vibrant markets, and the Matisse and Chagall museums provide substance beyond the beach.

For accommodation in Nice, the Hôtel Negresco on the Promenade des Anglais is an institution — its pink dome is as iconic to the Riviera as any view. The hotel's private art collection, spanning five centuries, rivals many museums. For a more contemporary option, the Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Méditerranée combines an Art Deco facade with modern interiors.

Monaco is a day trip from Nice (30 minutes). Visit the Prince's Palace for the changing of the guard, the Oceanographic Museum, and of course, the Monte-Carlo Casino. Dress code is strictly enforced after 2 PM.

The Monte-Carlo Casino's private salons — the Salons Privés — require a minimum bet of 25 euros and a dress code of jacket and tie. Beyond the gambling, the interior designed by Charles Garnier (architect of the Paris Opera) is worth the visit alone. The terrace bar at the Hôtel de Paris, directly opposite the casino, is the premier people-watching spot on the Riviera.

Saint-Tropez is best reached by private yacht from Nice or Cannes — the coastal road in summer is a parking lot. Club 55 on Pampelonne Beach remains the legendary lunch destination.

Cannes offers glamour with substance. Beyond the Film Festival (May), the city's old town (Le Suquet), the Lérins Islands (a 15-minute boat ride), and exceptional restaurants make it worth at least two nights.

The Île Sainte-Marguerite, the larger of the two Lérins Islands, is home to the Fort Royal where the Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned. Today it is a peaceful nature reserve with walking trails through Aleppo pine forests and crystal-clear swimming coves. It feels a world away from the Croisette, just twenty minutes by ferry.

The corniche roads between Nice and Monaco — Basse, Moyenne, and Grande — are among the most beautiful drives in the world. The Moyenne Corniche passes through the medieval village of Èze, perched 427 metres above the sea, where the Jardin Exotique offers one of the most vertiginous viewpoints on the Mediterranean.

Èze deserves more than a photo stop. The Château de la Chèvre d'Or, a collection of medieval houses converted into a luxury hotel, has a two-Michelin-star restaurant with a terrace that drops away to the sea below. Lunch here, with the coast stretching from Cap Ferrat to Cap d'Ail, is among the Riviera's great pleasures.

A recommended itinerary: 3 nights in Nice as your base, with day trips to Monaco, Èze, Saint-Paul-de-Vence (visit the Maeght Foundation for modern art), and Antibes (the Picasso Museum occupies the château where he worked in 1946), plus a yacht day to Saint-Tropez.