The Perfect French Riviera Itinerary: 3, 5 and 7 Days
Few stretches of coastline capture the imagination quite like the French Riviera. From the café lined streets of Nice and the hilltop beauty of Èze to the glamour of Monaco, Cannes and Saint Tropez, the Côte d’Azur rewards travellers who take the time to experience it properly.
The challenge is deciding how much to fit in. Three days can give you a beautiful introduction, five days allows the Riviera to unfold at a more relaxed pace, while a full week leaves time for long lunches, quiet coastal stops and days when the only plan is to enjoy the Mediterranean.
This French Riviera itinerary brings together three carefully considered routes for 3, 5 and 7 days, designed to help you see the places that matter without turning your holiday into a race along the coast.
How Many Days Do You Need on the French Riviera?
Three days is enough for a first taste of the French Riviera, particularly if you base yourself centrally and choose your stops carefully. You can experience Nice, Èze and Monaco, with time for one of the Riviera’s beautiful coastal areas without trying to see everything at once.
Five days gives you a much better balance. There is time for Nice and Monaco, but also Cap Ferrat, Antibes, Cannes and a dedicated day around Saint Tropez. For most first time visitors, this is the length of stay we would choose.
Seven days allows the Riviera to be enjoyed as it should be. Rather than simply moving from one destination to the next, you can linger over lunch, spend an afternoon by the sea, explore smaller coastal towns and leave space for a beach club, spa or boat day.
The itineraries below are designed to work independently, so simply choose the one that best matches the time you have.
3 Day French Riviera Itinerary
Three days on the French Riviera calls for a little restraint. Rather than racing from Saint Tropez to Monaco, this route concentrates on the eastern and central Riviera, where some of the coast’s most beautiful places sit surprisingly close together.
Day 1: Nice, Èze and Monaco
Begin in Nice, where the Riviera feels at its most effortless. Spend the morning exploring the narrow streets of Vieux Nice, wander through the Cours Saleya market and take a walk along the Promenade des Anglais before stopping for an early lunch.
In the afternoon, make your way east to Èze. Perched dramatically above the Mediterranean, this medieval village is small enough to explore in a couple of hours. Wander uphill through its stone lanes to the Jardin Exotique, where the views along the coastline are among the finest on the Riviera.
Continue to Monacofor the late afternoon and evening. Explore the old streets of Monaco Ville and the area around the Prince’s Palace before heading towards Monte Carlo. As evening arrives, the Casino de Monte Carlo and surrounding terraces give you a completely different side of the Riviera.
The Aurelle tip: don’t try to squeeze too much into Nice before leaving. The pleasure of this day is the contrast between three very different places, not ticking off every sight.
Day 2: Saint Jean Cap Ferrat and Cap d’Antibes
After the energy of your first day, slow the pace. Begin on Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, one of the Riviera’s most elegant peninsulas, where pine fringed paths, secluded coves and grand villas create a quieter side of the Côte d’Azur.
Spend the morning exploring the peninsula and, if you enjoy gardens and architecture, visit Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. Its hilltop position and elaborate gardens offer beautiful views towards both Villefranche sur Mer and Beaulieu sur Mer.
After lunch, continue west towards Cap d’Antibes. The peninsula feels wonderfully removed from the busier resort towns, with rocky coastline, hidden beaches and some of the Riviera’s most celebrated hotels. If time allows, wander through Antibes itself before returning to the coast for the evening.
The Aurelle tip: this is the day not to over plan. Leave room for a long lunch, a swim or simply an hour beside the Mediterranean. The Riviera is often at its best when there is nowhere you particularly need to be.
Day 3: Cannes and Antibes
Spend your final day exploring the western side of this stretch of the Riviera. Begin in Cannes, with a morning walk along La Croisette, passing its grand hotels, designer boutiques and private beaches. Wander through the old quarter of Le Suquet for views across the harbour before settling in for lunch.
In the afternoon, return to Antibes, this time giving the town itself the attention it deserves. Explore the narrow streets of the old town, browse the Marché Provençal and walk along the ramparts overlooking the Mediterranean and Port Vauban.
As the afternoon fades, find somewhere by the water for a final drink or dinner. After three days of moving along the coast, this is a good moment to stop travelling and simply enjoy where you are.
The Aurelle tip: tempted by Saint Tropez? Save it for a longer stay. Reaching Saint Tropez and returning in a single day can consume more of your holiday than expected, particularly in summer traffic. Our five day itinerary gives it the time it deserves.
5 Day French Riviera Itinerary
Five days gives the French Riviera room to breathe. Rather than combining several destinations each day, you can spend longer in the places that deserve it and venture west to Saint Tropez without sacrificing the rest of the trip. For a first visit, this is our favourite balance between seeing the Riviera and actually enjoying it.
Day 1: Nice
Make Nice your introduction to the Riviera. Start in Vieux Nice, wandering through its ochre coloured streets and the stalls of the Cours Saleya before walking towards the seafront.
Spend the afternoon at a slower pace. Walk the Promenade des Anglais, climb to Colline du Château for views across the Baie des Anges, or simply settle into a terrace and watch the city go by.
Nice is also an excellent place for your first Riviera evening. Rather than rushing elsewhere, stay for dinner and enjoy the city after the day trippers begin to disappear.
The Aurelle tip: if you arrive on the Riviera today, resist the temptation to immediately start sightseeing elsewhere. Nice deserves more than being treated simply as an airport.
Day 2: Èze and Monaco
Begin the day in Èze, ideally arriving early enough to experience the village before it becomes busy. Follow the steep stone lanes towards the Jardin Exotique, stopping along the way to enjoy the tiny galleries, courtyards and glimpses of blue Mediterranean far below.
With five days to work with, there is no need to rush onwards. Stay for lunch in or around Èze before continuing along the coast to Monaco for the afternoon.
Start in Monaco Ville, exploring the old town and the area surrounding the Prince’s Palace, then make your way towards Monte Carlo. Spend the late afternoon around Casino Square before choosing somewhere for dinner or drinks as the principality lights up for the evening.
The Aurelle tip: Monaco is particularly atmospheric towards the end of the day. Arriving in the afternoon allows you to experience both its Mediterranean side in daylight and the glamour of Monte Carlo after dark.
Day 3: Saint Jean Cap Ferrat and Antibes
Begin the morning on Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, where the landscape feels quieter and more residential than many of the Riviera’s famous resort towns. Walk part of the coastal path, stopping at one of the small coves along the peninsula, or visit the gardens of Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild.
Allow time for a leisurely lunch before travelling west to Antibes. Spend the afternoon exploring the old town, the Marché Provençal and the ramparts, then wander towards Port Vauban to see the extraordinary yachts moored beneath Fort Carré.
If the weather is warm, another option is to spend part of the afternoon on the Cap d’Antibes coastline before heading into town for the evening. With five days on the Riviera, there is finally enough time to choose between sightseeing and the sea rather than trying to fit in both.
The Aurelle tip: this is an ideal day to keep flexible. If you find a beach, restaurant or stretch of coastline you love, stay longer. There is no prize for reaching Antibes by a particular hour.
Day 4: Cannes
Give Cannes a full day rather than treating it as a brief stop along the coast. Begin with a morning walk along La Croisette, where grand hotels, designer boutiques and private beach clubs line the Mediterranean.
From the waterfront, head into Le Suquet, Cannes’ historic quarter. Its narrow streets climb above the old port to viewpoints overlooking the bay, offering a quieter contrast to the polished glamour below.
Spend the afternoon according to the season. In warmer months, reserve a table and lounger at a beach club and make lunch the main event. Alternatively, explore the boutiques around Rue d’Antibes before returning to the waterfront for the late afternoon.
Stay in Cannes for the evening. Dinner followed by a walk along the illuminated Croisette is one of the simplest pleasures of being here, particularly once the daytime crowds have thinned.
The Aurelle tip: Cannes is a place to enjoy rather than conquer. A long lunch, a few hours by the Mediterranean and an evening on La Croisette can be more memorable than filling the day with sightseeing.
Day 5: Saint Tropez and Ramatuelle
Make an early start for Saint Tropez, particularly during the summer months when traffic into the peninsula can build quickly. Begin around the old port, then wander through the lanes of La Ponche and the old town before the day becomes busier.
By late morning, head towards Ramatuelle and the beaches around Pampelonne. This is the day to embrace the more indulgent side of the Riviera, with a long lunch, time by the sea and nowhere else you need to reach before evening.
Later, return to Saint Tropez for a final wander around the harbour and an aperitif as the afternoon crowds begin to change. If you are staying locally, remain for dinner and experience the town after dark.
The Aurelle tip: Saint Tropez is much more enjoyable when it has a day of its own. In July and August, allow plenty of time for the journey and book popular restaurants and beach clubs well ahead.
7 Day French Riviera Itinerary
A full week on the French Riviera changes the rhythm of the trip. There is time to see the celebrated destinations, but also to slow down, return to the water and enjoy the coast without constantly thinking about the next stop. This is the itinerary we would choose for travellers who want the Riviera to feel like a holiday rather than a checklist.
Day 1: Nice
Begin your week in Nice, giving yourself a full day to settle into the pace of the Côte d’Azur. Spend the morning in Vieux Nice and around the Cours Saleya, then walk towards the Mediterranean and along the Promenade des Anglais.
In the afternoon, climb to Colline du Château for views across the city and the Baie des Anges, then leave some time completely unplanned. Stop for a drink, find a terrace or simply spend an hour beside the sea.
Stay in Nice for dinner and enjoy the old town in the evening, when the streets take on a different atmosphere and there is no need to think about travelling onwards.
The Aurelle tip: make the first day deliberately easy. A week gives you the luxury of not needing to start your holiday at full speed.
Day 2: Èze and Saint Jean Cap Ferrat
Begin early in Èze, when the medieval lanes are at their quietest. Climb through the village towards the Jardin Exotique for sweeping views across the Mediterranean, then take your time wandering back through the tiny streets and terraces.
From Èze, continue to Saint Jean Cap Ferrat for a completely different pace. Visit Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, or head towards the coast and spend the afternoon exploring the peninsula’s walking paths and secluded coves.
This is also an excellent place for a long lunch overlooking the water. With a full week on the Riviera, there is no reason to hurry onwards. Stay on the peninsula into the late afternoon and enjoy one of the most peaceful stretches of coastline between Nice and Monaco.
The Aurelle tip: bring swimwear even if swimming is not part of the plan. On a warm day, the small coves around Cap Ferrat can be very difficult to resist.
Day 3: Monaco
Give Monaco a full day and you will discover there is much more to the principality than Casino Square. Begin in Monaco Ville, wandering through the old streets around the Prince’s Palace before taking in the views across Port Hercule and the Mediterranean.
Spend the middle of the day over a leisurely lunch, then make your way towards Monte Carlo. Explore the area around the Casino de Monte Carlo, the gardens and the elegant streets surrounding the Carré d’Or.
Later in the afternoon, leave time to enjoy Monaco rather than simply sightseeing. Stop for a drink on a hotel terrace, wander towards Larvotto or settle somewhere overlooking the water before dinner.
The Aurelle tip: if your budget allows, Monaco is one of the places where upgrading the experience can be worthwhile. A beautiful lunch, cocktails on a hotel terrace or a night in one of Monte Carlo’s grand hotels can become part of the destination itself.
Day 4: Antibes and Cap d’Antibes
Begin in Antibes, where the old town offers a different atmosphere from the polished resorts further along the coast. Wander through the Marché Provençal, explore the narrow streets and walk along the old ramparts with views across the Mediterranean.
By late morning, make your way towards Cap d’Antibes. This wooded peninsula is home to secluded villas, small beaches and some of the Riviera’s most beautiful stretches of coastline. If you enjoy walking, part of the coastal Sentier du Littoral offers spectacular views across the water.
Spend the afternoon slowly. Stop for lunch, find a beach or simply explore the peninsula before returning to Antibes as the day begins to cool.
The Aurelle tip: Cap d’Antibes is one of those places where having your own car can be particularly useful. It gives you the freedom to explore the peninsula without structuring the day around transport.
Day 5: Cannes
Spend the day in Cannes, beginning along La Croisette before the waterfront becomes busy. Walk past the city’s grand hotels and private beaches, then head towards Le Suquet and the old port for a glimpse of Cannes beyond its glamorous façade.
With a full week on the Riviera, make this a deliberately indulgent day. Reserve a long lunch by the sea, spend the afternoon at a beach club or simply divide your time between the Mediterranean and the boutiques around the centre of Cannes.
As evening approaches, return to La Croisette for an aperitif before dinner. Cannes is particularly enjoyable when you have enough time to experience its atmosphere rather than treating it as another sightseeing stop.
The Aurelle tip: if you are tempted by one of Cannes’ palace hotels, this can be a wonderful point in the itinerary to change hotels for a night or two and experience the city from La Croisette itself.
Day 6: Saint Tropez and Ramatuelle
Set aside the entire day for Saint Tropez and Ramatuelle. Arrive early and begin around the old port, watching the town come to life before wandering through the lanes of La Ponche and the old quarter.
Later in the morning, head towards Pampelonne Beach, where the Riviera’s beach club culture is at its most famous. Choose somewhere for a long lunch and allow the afternoon to unfold slowly, with time for swimming and relaxing by the Mediterranean.
Before leaving, explore the hilltop village of Ramatuelle or return to Saint Tropez for the early evening. If you are staying nearby, this is an ideal night to remain in town for dinner rather than facing the journey back along the coast.
The Aurelle tip: during the busiest summer months, consider staying overnight around Saint Tropez or Ramatuelle. It turns what can be a traffic heavy day trip into one of the most enjoyable parts of the itinerary.
Day 7: A Slow Day on the Riviera
Leave the final day deliberately open. After six days exploring the coast, there is no need to add another destination simply because you have time.
Spend the morning beside the pool or sea, book a spa treatment, return to a favourite beach, or take a boat out along the coastline. A leisurely lunch overlooking the Mediterranean followed by an afternoon with no plans at all can be the perfect ending to a week on the Riviera.
If there is somewhere you loved earlier in the trip, this is also the day to return. The luxury of a seven day itinerary is having enough time to change your mind.
The Aurelle tip: don’t feel obliged to fill the final day. Some of the best Riviera memories come from the hours when nothing was scheduled.
Where to Stay for a French Riviera Itinerary
Where you stay can make a significant difference to how much of the French Riviera you can comfortably explore. For a shorter trip, Nice makes an excellent base thanks to its transport connections and position between Antibes and Monaco. For five or seven days, splitting your stay between two parts of the coast can create a more relaxed experience.
Cannes works particularly well for exploring Antibes and the western Riviera, while Monaco or the eastern Riviera puts Èze and Saint Jean Cap Ferrat within easy reach. If Saint Tropez is an important part of your trip, consider spending a night there rather than travelling there and back in a single day.
Getting around the French Riviera is relatively straightforward, but the best option depends on where you are going. The coastal train is excellent for travelling between Nice, Monaco, Antibes and Cannes, and it avoids the traffic and parking that can make driving frustrating during the summer months.
A car becomes more useful when you want to explore places that sit away from the main rail line, particularly Cap d’Antibes, parts of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat and the Saint Tropez peninsula. For a five or seven day itinerary, hiring a car for only part of the trip can be a good compromise.
Saint Tropez requires a little more planning. There is no railway station in the town, and summer road traffic can be considerable. Depending on where you are travelling from, a combination of train and seasonal boat services can sometimes be more enjoyable than driving the entire way.
Private transfers are the easiest option if convenience matters more than cost, particularly when changing hotels or travelling with luggage.
The Aurelle tip: don’t automatically hire a car for the entire trip. The train is often the simplest way to move along the central and eastern Riviera, while a car becomes much more valuable for the places the railway does not reach.
When Is the Best Time to Visit the French Riviera?
The French Riviera is a year round destination, but May, June, September and early October offer an especially appealing balance of warm weather and a slightly calmer atmosphere.
July and August bring the hottest weather and liveliest beach club season, but they are also the busiest months. Expect higher hotel rates, fuller restaurants and considerably more traffic, particularly around Cannes and Saint Tropez.
Spring and early autumn are particularly well suited to an itinerary like this one. The weather is generally comfortable for exploring towns and coastal paths, while terraces and beaches can still be enjoyed on warmer days.
Winter is quieter and has a completely different character. Monaco, Nice and Cannes remain appealing for a short break, although many seasonal beach clubs and restaurants elsewhere along the coast may be closed.
The Aurelle tip: for a first French Riviera trip, we would choose June or September. You still get much of the summer atmosphere, but travelling along the coast is generally more enjoyable than at the height of August.
How to Make the Most of Your French Riviera Itinerary
The French Riviera rewards a little planning, but leave enough space for spontaneity. Restaurant reservations, popular beach clubs and the most sought after hotels are worth arranging in advance, particularly between June and September. The rest of the itinerary should have room to change with the weather and your mood.
Avoid changing hotels every night. For a three day trip, one well positioned base is usually enough. With five days, consider splitting your stay between the eastern and western Riviera. With seven days, two bases and an optional night around Saint Tropez can work beautifully.
Most importantly, resist the temptation to see everything. A morning that turns into a long lunch by the Mediterranean is not time lost. It is part of the reason for coming to the Côte d’Azur in the first place.
The Aurelle View
The perfect French Riviera itinerary is not necessarily the one that covers the most ground. Three days can provide a wonderful introduction, five days gives the coast room to unfold, and seven days allows you to experience the slower rhythm that makes this part of France so special.
Whichever you choose, build the trip around a few places you genuinely want to experience and leave some space between them. The Riviera is at its best when there is time for the unexpected beach, the table you decide not to leave, and the afternoon when the Mediterranean becomes the only plan.
