Golden Beaches on the Azure Coast
In terms of sandy beaches, the fame of the entire French Riviera is due mainly to Cannes and St-Tropez, as other resorts in the region generally have narrow beaches or quite rocky areas. Still, beaches are the main target on the coast right after the flourishing casino industry.
Opinion suggests that the best Tropezien beaches are located along the coast in the Baie de Pampelonne, which lies south of Saint-Tropez and east of Ramatuelle. Pampelonne offers a collection of about 31 beaches along its 5 km shore. Each beach is around 30 meters wide and has its own beach hut and private or public tanning area. But the most famous around is definitely Tahiti, thanks to Brigitte Bardot and the naturist approach of the many movie stars sunbathing there.
Cannes gives its best on beaches along La Croisette. The picturesque shore is lined with many first-class resorts, restaurants, hip cafés and an array of brand name boutiques and though many beaches here are private, there are also some nice public ones. Antibes and Juan-les-Pins total 48 beaches spread on no less than 25 km and each one has its own unique character and atmosphere. The main public beach is La Salis, on the edge of the Cap d’Antibes but private beaches are also very welcoming and they usually have seafood restaurants on-site.
Beaches in Nice are quite narrow and as they lay along the famed Promenade des Anglais, they are also noisy. Still, the private Beau Rivage in front of the Opera is a definite hotspot, as is the case with Ruhl, in front of the casino.