We’ve been coming to the French Riviera for about 15 years and truly fell in love with its extraordinary scenery and relaxed beaches. Unlike the beaches in the French Basque Country which face the Atlantic, the ones on the French Riviera enjoy the mild climate of the Mediterranean coast creating ideal conditions for swimming and sunbathing. That’s why the South of France has always been the number one place to visit for beach lovers and sun worshipers.
10 MOST BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC BECHES ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA
If you’re heading to the French Riviera for a beach holiday, you’ll have a wide range of choices along this 180-kilometer stretch of coastline called Côte d’Azur. So here are the 10 most beautiful public beaches to visit in the South of France:
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Mala Beach (Plage de la Mala), Cap d’Ail
Tucked beneath the cliffs of Cap d’Ail lies one of the most beautiful beaches in France: Mala. While this beach is well known among the locals, very few visitors know about it. Mala is a small pebble beach with calm, crystal-clear water and very picturesque scenery. So if you are looking for a secluded beach close to Paris, this is the one.
We discovered this beach totally by accident, when doing a coastal scenic walk from Cap d’Ail to Monaco. There were not many people around here in May, when we visited, but probably in July and August this place sees bigger crowds.
Escalet Beach (Plage de l’Escalet), Saint- Tropez
Hidden behind rocks, off the beaten path, this tranquil beach is definitely worth seeing. To get to it you’ll have to follow a short and very picturesque trail that starts at the parking lot.
Escalet is a perfectly calm cove with turquoise, clear water, but the sea may be rough sometimes so it’s always good to exercise some prudence when entering the water.
We visited l’Escalet in late spring when the weather was warm enough for sunbathing. Sadly, the water was too cold for swimming, but we rented a kayak instead and paddled around the bay.
Like on most beaches in Saint Tropez, you may see some nudity at l’Escalet, so this may not be a good beach to take your young ones.
Little Africa Beach (Plage Petite Afrique), Beaulieu-sur-Mer
This is one of my favorite beaches anywhere. It’s small, secluded and has a more discreet vibe compared to other beaches along the French Riviera.
Plage Petite Afrique lies at the eastern end of the small village Beaulieu-sur-Mer. There is some parking for the beach, but in summer it may be difficult to find a spot.
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Larvotto Beach (Plage du Larvotto), Monaco
Larvotto is a free public beach located right in the middle of Monte-Carlo. This beach reminds me a lot about Waikiki beach, in Honolulu: it’s always crowded, but people seem to love it here. If you like sunbathing with sky rise buildings right behind you, you’ll like this beach too.
Also, like many French Riviera beaches, it has pebbles so you’ll need to rent a lounge chair if you want to be comfortable.
Although Larvotto is not my favorite beach, I can’t deny its merits. It has calm, shallow water and in summer they install a net to protect swimmers from jelly fish, which is really nice.
Bocca Beach (Plage de la Bocca), Cannes
Unlike most beaches in Southern France which are pebbly, Cannes beaches are all sandy. which is a big plus. On the downside, most of them have been acquired by the big hotels in Cannes which charge for their use.
Plage de la Bocca however is free, with a lovely narrow stretch of golden sand and huge boulders along the shoreline. Most of the time the water is calm here, except for the very windy days, when the waves totally invade the beach, crashing into the rocks.
The beach nice and clean, with a vibrant atmosphere, which makes it very appealing for families with small children or teens.
Palmes Beach, Menton
Palmes Beach is one of the most laid back and quietest shorelines on the French Riviera. Located within walking distance of the town centre, this pebble beach offers nice swimming and a number of leisure activities for the whole family, like snorkeling and diving expeditions.
The beach is lined up with dozens of palm trees, hence its name: Palms Beach. There is plenty or parking around and very easy access from promenade behind the beach. Also, lots of eating and shopping options around.
Gravette Beach (Plage de la Gravette), Antibes
Located right in the middle of the old town, Plage de la Gravette is the most beautiful public beach in Antibes. The beach is wide, sandy and has perfectly calm water, with almost no waves. That makes it perfect for families with small children.
Because it’s sheltered by high stone ramparts that block the wind, the beach becomes a beautiful sun-trap. As a result, you may find locals sunbathing here even in late November.
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Pampelonne Beach (Plage de Pampelonne), Saint Tropez
Pampelonne is one of the most famous beaches in France. Ever since the ’50s, when Brigitte Bardot frolicked on the beaches of Saint Tropez, Pampelonne became the playground of movie stars and international socialites.
This beach is ideal for beachgoers who like to lease a parasol, hammock, or a chaise lounge, rather than sit on a towel. However, there are plenty of beach areas where you do not need to hire lounges and umbrellas. The beach also has large nude section towards the far end of the bay.
Passable Beach (Plage de Passable), St. Jean Cap Ferrat
Tucked away in a little cove on the north-west side of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, Plage Passable is half public and half private.
The beach is very cozy, with fine pebbles and crystal clear water that is perfect for snorkeling. If you are looking for peaceful place to lie in the sun, this beach is perfect!
Paloma Beach, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat
Another quiet stretch of sand on the exclusive peninsula of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat is Paloma Beach, which was named after Paloma Picasso, the youngest daughter of Pablo Picasso. It appears that the painter and his family used to spend a lot of time on this beach
This beach is a little corner of paradise, hidden from the liveliness of the French Riviera. This makes it a perfect spot for singles looking for a nice retreat. Paloma Beach has both a public area and a private beach club.
Best Time to Visit the Beaches on the French Riviera
We visited the South of France dozens of times over the years, and during all seasons. While the beaches heat up (literally and figuratively) in the summer, I prefer visiting the French Riviera in early June or late September, when the crowds thin.
Most private beaches shut down by the end of September, but you can still spread your towel on the public beaches and enjoy some warm weather. That been said, I have to agree that the best time to visit the French Riviera is at the end of August, when the weather is fantastic and the Mediterranean sea is at its warmest.
The Côte d’Azure enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate year-round, with almost 300 days of sunshine. We rarely saw rain in this region, except for a few days in December when it was really cold.
However, winters may be cold sometimes. I remember one December in Nice when I had to wear my winter coat. It was really cold, so winter is far from beach weather in the South of France.
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Brian Knudson
We are going to France for three weeks in 2025. We have a week already booked at a villa in Perigeaux 31 August to 7 Sep. We want to do a week in the French Riviera and a week in Paris/Normandy. Balancing crowds with warm beach and walking around weather, can we do both after 7 Sep, or should one of them be the last week of August?
Anda
Both the end of August and the beginning of September are still hot in Europe, but if you can push everything to September you stand a chance to have cooler weather.
Antoine and Marielle
We live in the Alps, about 2 hours away from the French Riviera but have yet to visit the region. We hope to make it out there this spring or summer. We’ll probably stick to more nature areas with our campervan than the crowded places. Of the list above, Mala and Escalet Beach are added to our list! Looks beautiful!
Raksha
The Palms beach will be my favourite, with the beach and the palm trees lined up. All the beaches are so blue and amazing. I have never been to French Rivier before but I would love to visit it. I will add these beaches to my list and try to see some of them at least if not all.
Umiko
Some of the beaches are surely look beautiful. I like the Gravette and Mala Beaches the most simply because there weren’t too many people around. I would skip Larvotto, Bocca, Passable, and Paloma beaches though. Too many people.
Vaisakhi
Woah!!! These beaches look like dream! (Maybe because I am dreaming of a nice beach vacation off late, or maybe because they really are stunning) But seriously. Mala Beach with those towering cliffs of Cap d’Ail is so inviting and so does Little Africa Beach. The water and the small cove, I totally get why it is your favourite. Loved the list!
Anda
Glad you like these beaches.
Agnes
I haven’t had a chance to visit the French Riviera yet, but I am planning to travel to this coast in a camper van. So I’m glad I stumbled upon your article. I definitely could use your recommendations and tips. It’s such an informative post. I want to visit Little Africa Beach, Bocca Beach, Gravette Beach, and Paloma Beach.
Anda
Visiting the French Riviera in a camper van would be just perfect, Agnes.
Paul Healy
Definitely spoilt for beach ideas on the French Riviera. The only one on your list I’ve been to is Paloma beach which was fantastic. I love the look of Little Africa Beach and Passable Beach looks great as well, like a little hidden secret. I’ll pin this list for when we are able to travel again.
Anda
Hope you’ll manage to make it back to the French Riviera someday, Paul.
Ambica Gulati
I have never been a beach person, but I’ll have to say these beaches are out of this world beautiful! Your post really inspires me to go out and run into the water. It’s so blue and refreshing!
Debbra Dunning Brouillette
We were able to visit St. Tropez and Monaco on our Star Clippers Mediterranean cruise. I would love to have spent more time in the French Riviera and wish we could have visited the village of Eze. I hope to be able to make it back to France one day soon!
Anda
I miss the French Riviera too.
Priscilla
I envy you visiting all these beautiful beaches! I’ve only been to Cannes. The stunning Mediterranean view and seclusion of Mala and Little Africa appeal to me – so different from beaches in California and Hawaii.
Anda
Yea, we were very lucky to have a friend who has an apartment in Eze Village, so we used to go to the French Riviera every year.
Akos+Galfi
Very good, but when can we enjoy your beautiful pictures and descriptions about the stunning French beaches of the Atlantic Coast ?
Anda
When we’ll go there, hahaha! We haven’t been there yet, but maybe we can go together.
Danik the Explorer
I know the Cote d’Azur well and done half of the beaches on here (St Tropez, Menton, Monaco to name a few) but some of the smaller ones in the villages along the coastline I need to check out. I come to this area about once a year (post-Covid) and I just brought my flights and accommodation for the Fall where the temps are ok and can still lay around on the beach. SO I am excited right now just to get back down there…as long as there is no other problems with the Covid situation. I love this area, not just the beach and the glamour, but the hiking trails in the mountains nearby and taking a drive along the coastline into Italy on a summers day…marvellous. 🙂
Anda
I envy you for being so close to this beautiful region, Danik. We have a friend who has an apartment in Éze Village, so we went there dozens of times in the past 30 years. However, at some point we decided it’s time to visit other destinations as well, so we stp[[ed gpomg/ But I miss the French Riviera now.