By Jennifer Dawson
Taking a road trip to some of Europe’s most picturesque locations — like the French Riviera — can serve as both a vacation and an opportunity to dive into the culture of multiple locations. Whether you’re looking to explore the French Riviera as a potential location to retire in the future or you’re planning to do a little house hunting along the way, there are many great places to add to a Côte d’Azur road trip itinerary.
Menton — a foodie’s paradise
For those headed to Côte d’Azur, Condé Nast Traveler highlights the town of Menton. Menton boasts a variety of advantages, effectively making it a great location to add to a road trip itinerary. For example, it’s noted that the town’s half-dozen beaches are “all but empty” in the off-season, while boutique filled alleyways “are relatively free of bargain-hunting tourists.” In addition to the spectacular gardens and 316 days of sunshine each year, Condé Nast Traveler explains that Menton is a foodie’s paradise — chef Mauro Colagreco’s triple Michelin-starred Mirazur, for example, won number one in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for 2019.
A Go South France post by Iain Laverock lists several additional restaurants worth traveling for — including Maison Martin et Fils, which offers a range of French and Italian dishes, to Cote Sud near Menton’s port, which offers budget-friendly (yet high quality) pizzas, calamari, grilled seafood, and fresh fish. In addition to Menton’s many high-quality restaurants, unique events can give additional reason to add the town to a French Riviera road trip itinerary. For example, Condé Nast highlights the town’s Lemon Festival, which takes place in February, serving as an idyllic way to celebrate spring while taking part in a historic event from the town (the festival survived on circus production in the past).
An unconventional approach
There are many locations along the French Riviera for those searching for spectacular views. Adding locations to your road trip itinerary that can go overlooked in favor of more popular options, however, can make for a truly unique trip. TimeOut highlights Villefranche-sur-Mer, where ochre houses overlook “one of the world’s most beautiful bays.” Not only has the town provided a backdrop in films such as Never Say Never Again with Sean Connery, but it also provides the perfect opportunity for visitors to sunbathe at the beach, visit the Saint-Pierre chapel, and dive into history at Les Musées de La Citadelle.
While popular destinations along the French Riviera include Monaco, Nice, and Grasse, TimeOut highlights Juan-les-Pins. This town has much to offer — especially for people who enjoy classical literature. According to TimeOut, the art deco Hôtel Belles Rives was the location where F. Scott Fitzgerald “hosted glamorous parties attended by the likes of Rudolph Valentino, Hemingway and American tycoon Frank Jay Gould, which later inspired him to write The Great Gatsby.” Other attractions in the town include beaches named Plage de Gallice and Plage Epi Hollywood, which are in the center of the town and very popular, in addition to many restaurants and the Jazz á Juan festival, which takes place in July. According to France This Way, the festival is the second most important in the world regarding the jazz calendar. It has been taking place for over 50 years, making it a great road trip destination for music enthusiasts.
Additional considerations for a perfect trip
Planning the perfect Côte d’Azur road trip can make for an intimidating endeavour, though there are a few considerations to remember. For those looking to go all out, packing in as much as possible is one of the many advantages of exploring the Côte d’Azur by car. One Eternal Arrival post by Anna Koberle details a five-day road trip along the Mediterranean coastline, starting in the French city of Nice, through Antibes, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Eze, Grasse, Monaco, and ending the trip at the peninsula of Cap-Ferrat. This itinerary proposes a comprehensive journey of the Côte d’Azur, allowing travellers to experience as much as possible in just five days.
While seeing as much as possible is a fantastic way to take advantage of a road trip along the French Riviera, tailoring the trip to your interests can allow you to dive into select locations, which is particularly valuable if you’re exploring prospective locations to purchase property and settle down one day. One way to do this is by pre-planning your itinerary well in advance, taking into account aspects such as events at the time of your trip, budget, and your timeline, in addition to whether or not you’ll need to factor in a meeting with a real estate agent to discuss or show you prospective properties. As a result, you can effectively narrow down your itinerary, allowing you to focus on as many or as few locations as needed to fit your goals.
The car that you choose to rent for a French Riviera road trip can also make a significant difference, particularly when it comes to comfort. Road trips can often be long, and if you’re new to the Côte d’Azur, spending even more time in the car is a given when finding your way around. With that in mind, doing car-specific research beforehand is a great way to show up prepared, allowing you to understand your options before flying into the country. Renting a luxury car, for example, can make for an elevated experience all around, bringing today’s modern features to a vehicle in conjunction with high-end, quality interiors. Reviewing consumer ratings of popular luxury vehicles can make a major difference when preparing for an upcoming road trip.
Travelling the French Riviera via road trip is a fantastic way to get acquainted with a multitude of culture-rich locations. From Nice to Monaco, Menton, and beyond, the Côte d’Azur presents a variety of options — whether you prefer to dive into one or two locations or pack in as much as humanly possible. Have fun!
