The 20 Best Beaches in Provence
These are the best beaches of Provence, going from the Cote d’Azur in the east to the Cote Bleue in the west, taking in Menton, Nice, Antibes, Cannes, St Tropez, Le Lavandou, Porquerolles and the Calanques
Plage des Sablettes, Menton
Running along the length of the old town of Menton, you can't get a more stunning setting, with the pastel facades of Menton tumbling down the hill behind, and the coast of Italy in front. The beach runs for 350 metres and is made of coarse sand. Menton has a micro-climate that allows citrus fruit to grow, and the beach also benefits from an extra-long season.
Facilities: restaurants, showers, WCs, watersports rental
Plage de la Petite Afrique, Beaulieu-sur-Mer
In a beautiful setting with the mountains plunging into the sea, palm trees and picturesque villas behind, Plage de la Petite Afrique is loved by the locals of Beaulieu. Underfoot it is small pebbles.
Facilities: restaurants, showers, WCs, watersports rental
Plage des Marinieres, Villefranche-sur-Mer
A stunning setting with colourful Villefranche old town on one side and St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat on the other. Plage des Marinieres is about half a mile long, extending from Villefranche itself, with rough sand underfoot. There are snack bars alongside, and the railway track runs right behind. The water is shallow for the first 10 metres.
Facilities: snackbars, showers, WCs
Castel Beach, Nice
This is the easternmost part of the long beach that runs the length of Nice, recommended because of the view, water clarity, and if the wind is from the east it is sheltered. There is a beach club here and also the public beach so you can take your pick. The beach is pebbles rather than sand, and the water is a spectacular turquoise. If you want a wilder, rockier, and more interesting swimming and beach experience, go to the other side of the old harbour, to the east, where there are three little beaches - this is where the locals go.
Facilities: restaurant, showers, WCs
Plage Mala, Cap d’Ail
In an inlet just outside Monaco, Plage Mala is only accessible by foot down about 180 steps (or by boat). There are two pricy restaurants with sunloungers taking up about half the beach and the rest is public. Clear waters, pebble beach, and soaring limestone cliff as a backdrop.
Facilities: restaurants, WCs, showers, watersports rental
Plage Paloma, St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
In the exclusive enclave of St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Plage Paloma retains some old-world charm with its timeless setting and view across the bay. Paloma Beach is named after Paloma Picasso who used to spend lazy days here. The beach is pebbled and well sheltered facing east, with pine trees all around. There is a restaurant and sunloungers in season, the rest of the beach is public.
Facilities: restaurant, showers, WCs, watersports rental
Plage de la Gravette, Antibes
Beautifully nestled under the ramparts of Antibes old town, an escape from the luxury and expense, Plage de la Gravette is a small public beach without beach club or restaurant. It's part sand and part pebbles, and very popular in high season.
Facilities: WCs, showers
Plage de la Garoupe, Antibes
White sand, and largely eaten up by beach clubs, though there is still a public section. La Garoupe is where the idea of sunbathing and coming to the Cote d'Azur in summer was born, when American expats like F. Scott Fitzgerald and artists like Picasso whiling away the summer on La Garoupe beach in the 1920s.
Facilities: restaurants, showers, WCs, watersports rental
Cannes Beach
All along the Croisette runs the golden beach of Cannes, mostly taken up by extravagantly priced beach clubs and restaurants where the sand is packed with sunlounges and parasols. This can be a lovely way to spend the day if budget allows, being served drinks at your sunlounger and lunching at the restaurant tables. But at either end of the beach there are public parts, without all the infrastructure - same sand, same sea, but free.
Facilities: showers, WCs, watersports rental
Pointe de l’Aiguille Beach, Théoule-sur-Mer
On a very beautiful coastal footpath, the point of this beach is the contrast of the red rock against the azure and greens of the sea, which is the speciality of this part of the coast (the Esterel). Pointe de l’Aiguille is a small cove and the beach is made of large pebbles so swimming shoes may be needed. Rocks on either side give good diving opportunities of different heights.
Facilities: none
Pampelonne Beach, St Tropez
This 3-mile stretch of golden sand between St Tropez and Ramatuelle is where all the celebrities are pictured in the summer, either at one of the expensive beach clubs or at the Club 55 restaurant. In the summer the blingiest yachts in the Mediterranean anchor offshore. However, in between the glitz and glamour there are free access points to the beach so you can enjoy the lovely sand and clear waters of the bay for free. There are also more reasonably priced beach clubs and restaurants as you get further from the St Tropez end of the beach. One section of the beach is for naturists.
Facilities: restaurants, beach clubs, WCs, showers, watersports rental
Calanque des Anglais, Agay
Small but beautiful, this is a cove with 3 little beaches of pebbles and caves, in the most eye-pleasing setting, with the red rocks and the blue waters.
Facilities: none
Plage Gigaro, La Croix Valmer
Plage Gigaro is a sandy beach at La Croix Valmer, which is close to Le Lavandou. There are public parts, as well as a beach club with restaurant. If Gigaro Beach is not to your liking the coast path runs through it and you can carry on to find a little cove or inlet further on.
Facilities: restaurants, showers, WCs
Plage de St-Clair, Le Lavandou
With white sand, palm trees and relatively affordable restaurants and beach clubs, the gorgeous St-Clair is a great option for a day on the beach in the Lavandou area. Facing east gives shelter from the mistral wind, and there is a great view of the Levant and Port Cros islands.
Facilities: restaurants, showers, WCs, watersports rental
Pramousquier Beach, Le Lavandou
One of the 12 beaches of Le Lavandou, Pramousquier is a little harder to get to, on foot, but worth the effort Because of this it is known as ‘la mystérieuse’ (the mysterious one). The blue waters typical of the Lavandou, white sand, and sheltering cape make this the standout beach of this locale. It is part public with two restaurants offering the usual all-day sunloungers.
Facilities: restaurants, showers, WCs, watersports rental
Notre Dame, Porquerolles
You do have to get to the island of Porquerolles first (a 15-minute ferry trip from the Giens peninsula), and then walk or cycle to the north of the island (there are no cars), but it's worth a detour to see this stunning half-mile crescent of sandy beach backed by pine and eucalyptus forest. No surprise that Notre Dame beach has been voted the best beach in Europe. Porquerolles is the most Caribbean part of the south of France, and this beach echoes that vibe.
Facilities: none
Calanque de Figuerolles, La Ciotat
Just outside the town of La Ciotat, you descend down through vegetation to discover the Calanque de Figuerolles, a little cove with spectacular rocks framing the view, including the famous Bec d'Aigle (Eagle's Beak) rock. This is actually the first calanque (from the east) of the Calanques National Park. The water is notably clear and deep as the rocks descend straight down and keep going, making this a popular spot for scuba diving. The beach is pebbles and small, and there is a restaurant behind it.
Facilities: restaurant, WCs
Calanque d'En Vau, Cassis
The most spectacular beach in the south of France is also the least accessible. It's in the Calanques National Park between Cassis and Marseille, and you have to hike about 1.5 hours to get there from Cassis or Port Miou. The terrain is rough and uneven, and it should not be attempted with young children or the elderly. If you make it, you will be rewarded with the most amazing view from above, and the most tempting water. Another way to get there is by canoe/kayak. The Calanque d'En Vau’s beach areas is small and it gets very busy in summer so go there early, and the morning is also when the sun is most present.
Facilities: none
Plage du Rouet, Carry-le-Rouet
Plage de Rouet is the largest beach in Carry-le-Rouet, on the Cote Bleue to the west of Marseille. Swimming is good for children as the water is shallow a long way out. The beach is part sand, part pebble.
Facilities: restaurant, shower, WCs, watersports rental
Plage de l’Espiguette, Camargue
Unlike any other beach recommended here, Plage de l'Espiguette in the Camargue region is wild and untouched for the great majority of its 12 miles. There are a couple of snack bars but otherwise it is just endless sand and sea, backed by dunes so you have no awareness of the outside world. This is a unique habitat in Europe. The water is shallow so good for families. There is one naturist section.
Facilities: (only in certain places) parking, restaurants, WCs