9 Days in France: Paris and the French Riviera
Walk the cobblestone streets of Montmartre before soaking up the sun along beaches and Medieval towns in the French Riviera.
This itinerary doesn’t include every activity we did, I only want to share the very best experiences from our trip. It’s also not strict and leaves room for you to explore and improvise. Enjoy!
Table of Contents:
1. Itinerary Highlights
Day 1 - Fly into Paris (CDG Airport)
Day 2 - Fly into Nice (NCE Airport)
Day 3 - Day trip from Nice to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villafranche-sur-Mer
Day 4 - Day trip from Nice to Èze Village, Menton and Monaco
Day 5 - Day trip from Nice to Cannes and Antibes
Day 6 - Day trip from Nice to Saint-Paul-de-Vence
Day 7 - Day trip from Nice to Antibes
Day 8 - Nice to Paris
Day 9 - Depart Paris
2. Travel Details and Tips
Day 1 - Fly into Paris (CDG Airport)
Day 2 - Fly into Nice (NCE Airport)
Day 3 - Day trip from Nice to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villafranche-sur-Mer
Day 4 - Day trip from Nice to Èze Village, Menton and Monaco
Day 5 - Day trip from Nice to Cannes and Antibes
Day 6 - Day trip from Nice to Saint-Paul-de-Vence
Day 7 - Day trip from Nice to Antibes
Day 8 - Nice to Paris
Day 9 - Depart Paris
3. Calendar View
4. Map View
Itinerary Highlights:
Day 1 - Fly into Paris (CDG Airport)
Spend the day in lovely Montmartre
Lunch at Au Relais
Place du Tertre - Square filled with artists and cafes
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre - Walk up 292 steps to the dome of the Basilica for a panoramic view of Paris!
Square Louise Michel - garden with steps leading to/from the Basilica
Pass by the charming and picturesque pink restaurant La Maison Rose
Gilato from Kosak Glacier
Day 2 - Fly into Nice (NCE Airport)
Old Town at Night
Day 3 - Day trip from Nice to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villafranche-sur-Mer
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild (opens 10am) - coffee at tea house (opens at 11am for snacks and drinks, lunch starts at 12pm)
Anao Plage (first choice but was full for the day and we couldn't go - book in advance!)
Baia Bella (good back-up option)
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Old Town
Dinner at Dry
Day 4 - Day trip from Nice to Èze Village, Menton and Monaco
Èze
Coffee with stunning views at the Lounge bar of Château Èza (opens at 11am)
Lunch at Deli'
Explore the medieval village
Fragonard Boutique Eze-Village (French perfumery)
Menton
Promenade
Gelato at Gelateria Sofia
Old Town
Monaco
Casino de Monte-Carlo (Bring your passport if you want to go inside the casino - we just went to view the main lobby which did not require our passports)
Dinner at Maya Mia
Tebe in Costume Sculpture (Observation deck overlooking Port Hercule)
** Be aware that Uber is banned in Monaco and if you are planning to take an Uber to leave, you must take a short walk to the French town Beausoleil in order to regain access to Uber rides
Day 5 - Day trip from Nice to Cannes and Antibes
Cannes
Le Suquet, old quarter of Cannes
Place de la Castre (panoramic view of Cannes, its old port and the Iles de Lérins)
Église Notre-Dame d'Espérance (sweeping views over the Bay of Cannes)
Promenade de la Croisette (magnificent panorama of the Bay of Cannes and the Iles de Lérins)
Rue d’Antibes (parallel to La Croisette)
Antibes
Walk around Old Town: shops, open air market, sculptures mixed with architecture throughout the town
Day 6 - Day trip from Nice to Saint-Paul-de-Vence
Nice
Breakfast at EDMOND Cafe
Saint-Paul-de-Vence
Old Town
Ramparts of Saint-Paul-de-Vence (unique views both over the old city and the countryside of Provence)
Lunch at Café de la Place
Cheese and Wine at Malabar
Return to Nice
Dinner at Z Restaurant Tapas
Return to Promenade des Anglais after dinner to relax on the pebbled public beaches and watch the sunset
Day 7 - Day trip from Nice to Antibes
Morning in Nice
Cours Saleya Market (Try Socca, a crispy French chickpea pancake!)
Antibes
Juan les Pins: YOLO Beach club
Old Town
Gelato at Gelateria Del Porto
Enjoy live music
Socca at the Cours Saleya Market
Day 8 - Nice to Paris
Sunset on the Seine
Eiffel Tower at night - the tower lights up for 5 mins on the hour every hour after sunset
Day 9 - Depart Paris
Brunch at Kozy
Rent Uber bikes to easily navigate the city
Depart for the airport
Travel Details and Tips:
Day 1 - Fly into Paris (CDG Airport)
If you have not been to Paris before, you may want to give yourself extra time to explore the city and adjust to the jet lag before heading south. We wanted to maximize our time in the south of France, so we limited our time in Paris upon arrival. Keep in mind that staying in Montmartre is also more convenient if returning to the airport the next day compared to staying in the heart of the city.
Montmartre is a charming neighborhood bustling with artists in Place du Tertre, beautiful gardens and restaurants. Take time to sit on the steps in front of Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre, or on a grassy hill in Square Louise Michel, to soak in one of the best views of the city from the Overlook of Paris. If you have a sweet tooth, you must stop by Kosak Glacier to try the delicious gelato!
Day 2 - Fly into Nice (NCE Airport)
Nice is the perfect hub while staying in the south of France since all destinations are easily reachable from Nice via Uber.
Spend your first day in Nice relaxing at Negresco Beach Club to continue overcoming your jet lag and prepare for a busier itinerary over the next few days. Be sure to make reservations for dinner to avoid a long wait, as it seemed every restaurant in Nice was packed when we were there.
Day 3 - Day trip from Nice to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villafranche-sur-Mer
Start your day visiting the sprawling Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, which encompasses nine variously themed gardens and endless stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea. Enjoy coffee and a pastry at the tea house when it opens at 11am for a peaceful start to the day before returning to explore the gardens. After taking a break for lunch, head to Villa Kerylos, which was built to replicate a Greek villa. Within the rooms and courtyards of Villa Kerylos are an unexpected mix of classical and quirky modern sculptures that add even more character to the property.
Once you’ve taken in your fill of beautiful architecture and gardens, head to the beach to cool down. Anao Plage is right by Villa Kerylos and was our first choice, however it was full for the day, so be sure to book in advance! Instead, we went to Baia Bella which was a good alternative. The beach clubs have private changing rooms for guests so you can seamlessly change and freshen up before heading to dinner.
As the day winds down, take an Uber to Villafranche-sur-Mer for dinner overlooking the harbor. After wandering through Old Town, sit down for a delicious meal at Dry. Again, be sure to make a reservation, as all restaurants along the harbor are packed by dinner time.
Day 4 - Day trip from Nice to Eze Village, Menton and Monaco
The itinerary for Day 4 is not for the faint of heart - three different locations in one day may not be ideal for the typical traveler, but with an early start we were able to spend just enough time in each location. If you do not want to keep such a fast pace, but also don’t have time to split up these sites on different days, I recommend seeing Èze Village and Monaco and skipping Menton, as Èze Village and Monaco are such unique experiences.
Start your day with coffee at Château Eza in the picturesque hilltop village of Èze. Arrive shortly before it opens at 11am to snag the best seat on the terrace overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. After a relaxing morning with coffee and stunning views, head to the lovely botanic garden Le Jardin Exotique. With its mix of cacti, succulents and statues overlooking the cliffside of the village, the garden is a truly breathtaking experience not to be missed. Head to Deli' for a delicious, casual lunch surrounded by foliage before exploring more of the narrow, winding streets of the medieval village.
From Èze, you can grab an Uber to Menton. Stroll through Old Town while enjoying delicious gelato from Gelateria Sofia. If you have more time during your trip, I would recommend spending a full day relaxing at the beach in Menton. We did not have a chance to enjoy the beach, but the waves looked calm and shallow, with people enjoying walking out into the water far from the shoreline.
After a brief stop in Menton, spend the rest of the evening wandering through Monaco, the second-smallest country in the world. The extreme wealth of the country is almost bizarre to witness, as people are rushing to get a glimpse of rare and expensive cars as they drive by, and the port is lined with rows and rows of multi-level yachts large enough to hold jet-skis and hot tubs.
If you want to go inside the Casino de Monte-Carlo, be sure to bring your passport, however passports are not necessary if you only want to view the main lobby. Another factor to be aware of is that Uber is banned in Monaco. While Uber is allowed to drop you off in Monaco from France, if you are planning to take an Uber to leave, you must take a short walk to the French town Beausoleil in order to regain access to Uber rides.
Day 5 - Day trip from Nice to Cannes and Antibes
Begin your day in Cannes, home to the international Cannes Film Festival. Start in the old quarters of Le Suquet to take in beautiful panoramic views from the town square Place de la Castre. Make your way down the hilltop to walk along the Promenade de la Croisette, a lovely boardwalk that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. For a dash of cinematic history, head to the Cannes Walk of Fame Le Chemin Des Etoiles, where you can view handprints and signatures of actors and directors. Pass by the red carpet of Palace of Festivals and Congresses of Cannes, where the Cannes Film Festival is hosted. After a morning of sightseeing, relax at Riviera Beach, where you can rent lounge chairs with umbrellas and towels to enjoy the warm, mild waves of the sea.
From Cannes, take an Uber to Antibes and head to the charming, though very rocky, Bay of Billionaires. We saw many people struggling to walk along the rocky terrain of this beach, so you will definitely want to have proper footwear/water shoes if you decide to swim at this beach. Following the beach, hop in another Uber to Old Town. Here, you can stroll past various shops, restaurants and sculptures mixed with architecture throughout the town. After stopping for dinner, make sure to walk through the small, but lovely, Jardin des Poetes. Before heading back to Nice, stop to see the sculpture Le Nomade, which is brightly lit up at night.
Day 6 - Day trip from Nice to Saint-Paul-de-Vence
Start your morning at one of our favorite breakfast spots, EDMOND Cafe, where you can enjoy delicious pancakes, eggs and coffee.
From Nice, take an Uber to the hilltop medieval town Saint-Paul-de-Vence, one of my favorite destinations of the trip. Here, wander the cobblestone streets of the Old Town, filled with floral-covered homes and shops, art galleries, and picturesque views. Walk along the outer walls of the town, known as the Ramparts of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. You can even walk on top of the walls, from which you can enjoy unique views both over the old city and the countryside of Provence. Enjoy a pastry while admiring the Fontaine de Saint-Paul-de-Vence, before heading for a light lunch at Café de la Place. After lunch, resume wandering the town before stopping again at Malabar to savor wonderful cheese and wine while overlooking a sweeping view from the hilltop village.
Return to Nice via Uber to enjoy more breathtaking sights. Start with walking up to the hilltop park Colline du Château, from which you can view the city standing both above and below the park’s man-made waterfall. Slowly make your way down the many stairs, passing by Panorama sur la Vieille Ville de Nice and Bellanda Tower until you reach the giant #ILoveNice sign. Stroll along Promenade des Anglais, overlooking the many beaches and beach clubs, before enjoying a tasty dinner at Z Restaurant Tapas. Return to Promenade des Anglais after dinner to relax on the pebbled public beaches and watch the sunset.
Day 7 - Day trip from Nice to Antibes
Spend the morning at Place Masséna and the Cours Saleya Market on your last full day in the French Riviera. Make sure to try Socca, a crispy French chickpea pancake while at the market!
We loved Antibes so much that we wanted to return to see some sights we missed the first time we went. If you only want to go to Antibes once, instead of seeing both Cannes and Antibes in one day, you can opt to spend a full day in either one. However, I enjoyed that we returned to see Antibes on a second day, since it gave us more time to explore Antibes overall. If you are a big fan of Picasso, you will not want to miss Musée Picasso. My favorite part of the museum was the rooftop, where you will not only find unique sculptures, but also a beautiful view overlooking the sea.
After the museum, head to YOLO Beach club located in the town Juan les Pins. We didn’t need to make a reservation, but I recommend you make one just in case to secure your spot! Following the beach and dinner, head to Old Town to wander streets and shops you didn’t have a chance to see your first day there. Stop at Gelateria Del Porto for some delicious gelato - if you are lucky, you will arrive before a huge line forms! Be aware that you will need cash if you want to enjoy this sweet treat. After walking around the Old Town and market, settle in at one of the many restaurants with outdoor seating within town, from which you can enjoy hearing various artists playing live music.
Day 8 - Nice to Paris
Enjoy one more breakfast and a morning stroll along the Promenade des Anglais before heading to catch your flight back to Paris. After arriving in Paris and settling into your accommodations, grab some dinner before making your way to catch the sunset over the Seine. From the river, walk to the Eiffel Tower - which lights up and sparkles for five minutes on the hour every hour after sunset - for a romantic Parisian night.
Day 9 - Depart Paris
Make the most of your final day in Paris by heading to the Luxembourg Palace and Jardin du Luxembourg. The gardens are expansive, with people relaxing on the grass and in chairs scattered throughout the grounds sunbathing, reading books in the shade, or having a picnic. After working up an appetite, enjoy an indulgent brunch at the Notre Dame location of Kozy. Walk down the street to see the cathedral Notre Dame - now recently reopened to the public since catching fire in 2019. The cathedral still wasn’t open at the time we visited Paris, so instead of going inside, we rented some Uber bikes to see more of the city. From Notre Dame, bike to Jardin des Plantes, another expansive and beautiful park overflowing with greenery and flowers. Soak up the sun and the sights before picking up your luggage and heading to the airport.
Calendar View: Paris and the French Riviera Itinerary
Map View: Paris and the French Riviera Itinerary
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