If you’re dreaming of doing a French Riviera road trip, keep reading! We’re sharing the best places to visit, what to do in each place and how to get around. Plus, at the end—we’ve got 5 super useful road trip hacks and travel tips to make driving in France easier.
French Riviera Road Trip
First, let’s go over the best places to visit in the French Riviera and how long it takes to get from Saint-Tropez to Menton. To keep it simple, we’ll give you the driving times, but don’t worry—later on, we’ll also cover the best alternative ways to get around.
Parking in the French Riviera
Something to keep in mind in the French Riviera is the parking. Most of these places we’re going to mention have designated parking areas, but they tend to get super busy especially during peak season, so keep that in mind and make sure to get there early if you can. We’ve linked the best place to park in each destination in the description of the youtube video.
Saint-Tropez
Saint-Tropez is where the French Riviera is said to end (starting in Menton). It started as a small fishing village but became a hotspot for artists and celebrities.
When you’re in Saint-Tropez, you’ve got to check out the long row of luxury yachts and grab a drink at one of the many fancy restaurants overlooking the water. But there’s also a super charming old town with narrow streets and colorful buildings. Even though it’s known for its glamorous vibe, it really has the best of both worlds.
You can relax on the beach, wander through the old town, rent a boat, or head up to the citadel for amazing views of Saint-Tropez. We suggest parking here and walking to the main part of the town, which takes around 10 mins.
Port Grimaud: 20 min drive from Saint-Tropez
Port Grimaud is a bit tucked away, but once you step inside, it’s absolutely beautiful. Often called the “Venice of Provence,” it’s filled with colorful houses, canals, yachts, and charming little bridges. There are so many beautiful spots to take photos, plus plenty of amazing waterfront restaurants that are always full of people. The whole place has such a great holiday vibe.
Sainte-Maxime: 35 mins drive from Port Grimaud
Sainte-Maxime is a charming coastal town where we had some delicious fish and chips at La Gaudina, right on the beach. For dessert, cross the bridge to a patisserie called 100% Maison by Laveissière—we loved the cheesecake and raspberry tart. Though, to be fair, we only got to eat half of the tart because it was so windy that day, it literally flew onto the road (true story).
Fréjus: 30 min drive from Sainte-Maxime
Fréjus, the oldest town in the French Riviera, is a fantastic place to stay. It’s well-positioned, making it easy to explore the region by car, and it’s far more affordable than many other areas. Plus, it’s a stunning destination with plenty of ancient Roman landmarks to discover.
Saint Raphaël
Right next to Fréjus is Saint-Raphaël, where we had the most amazing sunset picnic on Plage Veillat. Before heading there, we grabbed a bunch of snacks—cheese, champagne, grapes, and a local dessert called Tarte Tropézienne.
We’ve also stayed in Saint-Raphaël before, and it’s just as conveniently located as Fréjus.
What is Tarte Tropézienne?
It’s this fluffy brioche cake with a creamy custard filling, and the one we had was flavored with orange blossom. So good! If you’re in the French Riviera, you have to try it.
Cannes: 40 min drive from Saint Raphaël
Cannes is a gorgeous resort town best known for the Cannes Film Festival. Do yourself a favor and park here, then take a walk along the coast to check out the beautiful beaches, yachts, and iconic hotels—especially the Carlton.
About an hour away by boat, you’ll find the Lérins Islands. There is a private boat trip you can take from Cannes to the Lérins Islands and Cap d’Antibes.
However, don’t skip the old town of Cannes. It’s full of high-end stores and even has a Ladurée—the famous macaron shop from Paris.
Antibes: 25 min drive from Cannes
Located right between Saint-Tropez and Menton, Antibes is a beautiful town with a lively atmosphere, charming narrow streets, a stunning port and great restaurants.
For amazing views, take a walk along the Promenade Amiral de Grasse and head to the port, where you’ll see a long row of luxury yachts. Fun fact: Picasso lived and worked here in the 1940s, and there’s even a Picasso Museum on the promenade that you can visit for €12.
Cap d’Antibes
For stunning turquoise water, take a drive through Cap d’Antibes and stop at the various viewpoints—especially Bay of Antibes Billionaires. If you love snorkeling, this is definitely the place to be.
Saint-Paul de Vence: 40 min drive from Antibes
Saint-Paul de Vence is a gorgeous little town, best known as Marc Chagall’s home for nearly 20 years. The cemetery he was burried has incredible views of the sea, and visitors often leave creative gifts at his grave. If you want to see his artwork, the Chagall Museum in Nice is just a 30-minute drive away.
One thing you have to do here is stop by Glacier de la Fontaine for some lavender ice cream—it was honestly so good! The town is full of charming boutiques, artsy shops, a store with all kinds of scented soaps, and even the cutest little mailbox (I’m obsessed with this mailbox).
Nice: 30 min drive from St Paul de Vence
Nice has an amazing restaurant scene—it almost has a Miami vibe. The beachfront spots were packed, but we went to La Voglia and absolutely loved it.
Matisse lived in Nice for nearly 40 years, and you can visit the Matisse Museum for €10.
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild: 30 min drive from Nice
If you’re into pastel pink vibes, then Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is a must-see. This stunning pink mansion sits right on the French Riviera in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and stepping inside feels like entering a dream. Built by Béatrice de Rothschild—a woman with remarkable style and vision—it is filled with art and treasures that beautifully reflect her unique taste.
After a tough divorce, she spent years creating this stunning place. Inside, you’ll find gorgeous rooms with lots of history, and outside, there are lovely gardens, each with its own theme. Be sure to check out the French Garden, where the musical fountains put on a show.
The villa’s open every day, so you can take your time exploring. Admission is 17€ per adult and includes audio commentary in several languages.
Èze: 20 min drive from Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
You can’t miss Èze, a charming hilltop village 430 meters above sea level with incredible views of the French Riviera coast. This is the exact spot where we saw one of the most stunning views we’ve ever seen.
Fun fact: it was once a pirate hideout! In the Middle Ages, its steep cliffs and location made it the perfect spot for pirates to escape to after raiding ships in the Mediterranean. The village’s walls acted as a fort to protect people from all the pirate attacks.
Monaco: 20 min drive from Èze
Although Monaco is a different country, it’s right on the French Riviera coast. We love driving around to do the route of the F1 track and seeing the beautiful streets.
For dinner, head to Giacomo, part of the Big Mamma group, right on the beachfront. The prices here are super fair for Monaco. We highly recommend their pizzas, seasonal cocktails, and classic tiramisu for dessert! They bring the dessert right to your table and serve it fresh from the dish right in front of you.
Afterward, take a stroll along the beach and Port Hercule to admire all the yachts.
One thing to remember is that Monaco is its own country, not part of the Schengen Area or the EU, so roaming works a bit differently. If you’re using an eSIM, make sure it covers Monaco too—otherwise, you might get hit with super high data roaming charges. Get a valid e-sim here.
Menton: 30 min drive from Monaco
We love Menton! Every time we’re on a road trip in this area, we always make a stop. This coastal town has colorful houses, beachfront restaurants, and amazing hilltop views—it almost feels like you’re in Italy.
Fun fact: Menton used to be part of the Republic of Genoa and later Monaco, but after high taxes on its famous lemons, it declared independence before officially joining France in 1861.
Our tip? Park at the top of the hill, enjoy the views, and then walk down to the water. The views on the way down are amazing. Sure, you have to walk back up, but it’s not too bad, and totally worth it!
Two things you have to see are the Basilica Saint-Michel and a stroll along the Promenade du Soleil.
Best Way to Get Around the French Riviera
The best way to get around these places is by car, but you can definitely use the bus or train too. The main public transport options on the French Riviera are the 876 bus and the TER trains. Head to the TER website where you can check out routes and buy tickets.
Tips for Driving in France
Tips for renting a car in France
- Getrentacar is a super easy-to-use car rental app that helps you compare prices and book rental cars across Europe. It offers a wide selection of cars from top rental agencies, letting you filter by price, car type, and pick-up location. With instant booking, secure payment options, and the ability to modify or cancel reservations, they also offer special deals. We highly recommend using them if you’re planning on taking a road trip on long drives during your trip.
- When renting a car, go for the smallest one that still has enough space for you and your luggage. There are lots of narrow roads and tight parking spots all over France (and Europe in general), so having a smaller car makes things way easier.
Road trip tips for driving on the road
- France has a lot of tolls, and many travelers forget about them. We recommend downloading TollGuru—it’s a road trip cost calculator that helps you find the cheapest and fastest routes by comparing toll costs, fuel expenses, and alternate routes across Europe. Not to mention, it’s super useful for road trippers and budget travelers since it shows you exactly how much you’ll spend on tolls before you even start driving. We cover this app and many others in this blog post. Also, no need to carry cash—all tolls in France have contactless card readers.
- If you’re not familiar with European or French road signs, check out this website. It’ll help you understand them, drive with confidence, and avoid any fines.
- In fact, another way to get a ticket is by speeding. France is super strict about speed limits and has radars everywhere to enforce them. You can only go 4 km/h over the limit before getting fined. A great way to get alerts for upcoming speed cameras is by using the Waze navigation app.
Planning more budget adventures across Europe? Check out our guide on the Top 9 Most Underrated Places in Europe for top picks to explore that no one is talking about enough. If you’re short on time, our post on Must-Have Apps for Europe Travel is perfect for discovering the essential apps that will make your journey easier. For general tips to save money while travelling, don’t miss Europe on a Budget: Travel Hacks You Need to Know. If road trips are more your style, we’ve got you covered with 9 Road Trip Tips: Plan a Road Trip Around Europe for stress-free planning and memorable journeys.
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