Beaches in Provence

Some of the best and most beautiful beaches in France are right on the south coast, bordering the Mediterranean Sea. On the top of most peoples lists are visits to St Tropez and Cannes, home of the film festival and favored by celebrities. Whilst these areas tend to be expensive and crowded, it’s easy to see why – the pretty fishing village of St Tropez is home to some top designer brand shops, sizeable luxury yachts at the marina and a real French feel.

During the French summer holidays many of the beaches along the Riviera can get crowded – if possible, visit at other times when you’ll find it easier to find your own stretch of sand to relax on. With 300 days of sun a year, you can enjoy the sun from April right through to October. One of the prettiest beaches, facing west, is close to Antibes, with a sheltered bay and view of the Old Town, with plenty of ice cream parlours nearby to help you keep cool.

Visitors to Cannes may be disappointed to find that many of the beaches are not accessible unless you’re staying in one of its top hotels. Unlike Nice, where the wide beach along the Promenade Des Anglais, though pebbly, is the place to relax in the summer. If you fly in to Nice airport, with just hand luggage, you could be lying on the beach in less than an hour, if you take a taxi.

One of the best ways to see the most beautiful stretches of sand on the coast is to hire a car. Many of the beaches are in little coves, often just minutes away from each other, so you can visit over a dozen beaches in just one day, all with different feels and flavours. What lots of people enjoy about lazing on beaches in France is that it’s considered OK for women to go topless and there are often reserved naturist beaches for those who like to relax au natural.