Palaces, pine-covered resorts and real beaches between Nice and Saint-Tropez
🛥️French Riviera
France
Updated 1 July 2026
The French Riviera is not one place but a string of very different family bases along the same glittering coast: buzzy Nice with its tram and pebble beaches, elegant Antibes and Juan-les-Pins with a genuine water-skiing tradition for kids, self-catering marinas and resort villages with real kids clubs further along, and quieter Menton and Sainte-Maxime for families who want a slower pace. Add reliably warm summers, short flights from most of Europe, and day trips into Monaco or across the Italian border, and it works for a long weekend or a full two weeks, whether the budget is a self-catering apartment or a Riviera palace.
25 to 29C
Typical summer day highs
300+
Sunny days a year
1h30
Coastal drive, Nice to Sainte-Maxime
1929
Year Monte-Carlo Beach first opened
Live prices & availability
Stays near French Riviera, France
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Why it works with kids
- A genuine water-skiing tradition for children from age 3 in Juan-les-Pins
- Several proper kids clubs, some free, running through summer school holidays
- Calm marinas and pine-covered resort estates alongside the glamorous beach clubs
- Short flights or drives from most of Europe, with Nice airport well connected
- Easy day trips into Monaco and across the Italian border at Menton
- A real mix of budgets, from self-catering apartments to five-star palaces
Best areas to stay
- 1Nice: the practical city base, tram-connected, pebble beaches and a self-catering aparthotel scene
- 2Antibes and Juan-les-Pins: palaces, private beaches and the region's water-skiing heritage
- 3Cannes and Mandelieu: sandy beaches, resort pools and easy access to the Croisette
- 4Villeneuve-Loubet and Cagnes-sur-Mer: self-catering marina apartments between Nice and Antibes
- 5Saint-Raphael and Frejus: pine-covered resort villages with genuinely free kids clubs
- 6Menton and Roquebrune: quieter towns and one legendary beach hotel, right by the Italian border
- 7Sainte-Maxime: the calmer, family-friendly side of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez
Our KidProof picks
Hand-picked and scored on the eight things that matter to families.
in French Riviera
Monte-Carlo Beach
Just 40 rooms and 14 suites in this legendary 1929 beach hotel, several with private terraces over the Mediterranean. Children up to 12 stay free sharing a room with parents, and an extra bed can be added to most room categories.
in French Riviera
Marina Baie des Anges
Full apartments in the complex's four iconic curved towers, typically two bedrooms and two bathrooms with a proper kitchen and a balcony over the marina or the sea. Living space here beats almost any hotel room on this coast for a family of four.
in French Riviera
Village Club Cap Esterel
Self-catering apartments and studios spread across a pine-covered 210-hectare estate, from simple studios to two-bedroom apartments with a kitchen and a terrace. Family units sleep up to six, useful for larger families or two generations travelling together.
in French Riviera
Hotel Belles Rives
Art Deco rooms with a genuine sense of history, the best with private balconies over the bay. Two-bedroom family suites have a separate lounge and two bathrooms, a real plus for families of four staying more than a couple of nights.
in French Riviera
Pullman Cannes Mandelieu Royal Casino
Contemporary rooms with balconies, most looking over the pool, the private beach or the Esterel hills. Family rooms can connect, and a second room for children is discounted, useful once kids outgrow sharing a bed with a parent.
in French Riviera
Best Western Premier Montfleuri
A ground-floor family suite faces the garden pool directly, with a terrace lined with birds of paradise and space for up to four children alongside the parents. Standard rooms are smaller but well kept, most with a balcony.
in French Riviera
Hotel Napoleon Menton
Bright, contemporary rooms in a 1960s building right on the Baie de Garavan, most with a sea-view balcony. Family suites have a separate sitting area and panoramic views over the bay towards Italy.
in French Riviera
Aparthotel Adagio Nice Promenade des Anglais
Studios and two-room apartments with a full kitchenette (hob, microwave, dishwasher, fridge), most with a balcony facing the sea or the building's inner courtyard. The two-room apartments sleep up to four with a sofa bed in the living area, separate from the parents' room.
Compare our picks in French Riviera
| Hotel | Score | Kids club | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monte-Carlo Beach | 85 | ✅ Free kids club | 620€ |
| Marina Baie des Anges | 80 | — | 230€ |
| Village Club Cap Esterel | 80 | ✅ Free kids club | 125€ |
| Hotel Belles Rives | 79 | — | 480€ |
| Pullman Cannes Mandelieu Royal Casino | 79 | — | 210€ |
| Best Western Premier Montfleuri | 79 | — | 175€ |
| Hotel Napoleon Menton | 76 | — | 155€ |
| Aparthotel Adagio Nice Promenade des Anglais | 69 | — | 115€ |
Browse French Riviera by what matters
Family things to do in French Riviera
Water-skiing in Juan-les-Pins
The calm bay off Juan-les-Pins is considered the birthplace of European water-skiing, with schools taking children from age three.
Marineland Antibes
A big marine park with orcas, dolphins, sharks and an adjoining water park, an easy full day for the whole family.
Train des Pignes into the hills
A scenic narrow-gauge train from Nice climbs into Provencal hill villages, a novel outing that breaks up beach days.
Monaco Oceanographic Museum
Sharks, turtles and a spectacular cliffside building make this a memorable half-day from anywhere on the eastern Riviera.
Parents also ask
When is the best time to visit the French Riviera with kids?
Late May, June and September offer warm, swimmable weather without the peak crowds and prices of July and August, when most kids clubs and resort programmes are also running full swing.
Are the beaches sandy or pebbly?
It varies by town. Nice and Menton are mostly pebble, while Mandelieu, Agay and Sainte-Maxime have proper sandy beaches, worth factoring in when choosing a base with young children.
Do we need a car?
Nice, Antibes and Menton work well without a car thanks to trains and trams along the coast, but a car helps for reaching resort villages like Cap Esterel or exploring the Esterel corniche and hill villages at your own pace.
Is the French Riviera very expensive?
It can be, especially around Cannes and Monaco in August, but self-catering apartments in Nice or Villeneuve-Loubet and resort villages like Cap Esterel keep costs well below the coast's famous palace hotels.
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