Day 3146 (Sunday) 18th January 2026

This is Menton

and this is Saint Tropez.

 

It was cloudy and horrible again today – what a boring weekend.

Here are the rest of the beautiful places in France…

The best places to visit in the French Riviera

Saint Paul de Vence

My favourite fairytale village in France is without a doubt, Saint Paul de Vence. I genuinely think it is the most beautiful place in the south of France. I fell in love with this one when we stayed for 2 days and I understood why it was a trap for artists. We drove from Cannes and parked right in the village since we were staying there. However, parking within the village is limited if only coming for a day trip. There are car parks just outside the village and then you walk in to explore. The bus 655 from Parc Phoenix in Nice is also a more sensible option.

Saint Paul de Vence is as perfect as fairytale villages go, cobblestone streets, disappearing alleys and charming shops. It is one of the oldest medieval towns in the south of France and its fortified wall is still present to date. It was home to artists like Picasso, Chagall and Matisse. The renowned French poet Jacques Prévert lived there in the 1940s and his home is available on airbnb.

What to do in Saint Paul de Vence

Visit the galleries that line the streets. It is a creative’s haven as there is so much inspiration from walking around the village. You can also visit the Cimetière where Chagall is buried.

Where to eat in Saint Paul de Vence

Le Lotus d’Or was the one that we absolutely loved. It is a Vietnamese restaurant and the special thing about it is that we could eat our food alfresco. We loved it so much we returned the following night to get take out.

Le Lys d’Or cafe and patisserie for the perfect coffee and pain au chocolat.

Èze 

I had seen Èze for the longest time in photos and knew I had to visit. Èze is one of the most beautiful villages in the south of France. It is the medieval village between Nice and Monaco. We drove straight to the carpark which is right next to the entrance of the village.

Èze is a popular day trip from Nice and you can see why when you arrive. It is filled with quaint, cobblestone streets. They are scenic and as one weaves in and out of the pretty streets, you’re transported to a time in the past. Cars cannot drive into the village which makes it even more special.

What to do in Èze

The best thing to do in Èze is to explore its quaint, cobblestone streets. Le Jardin Exotique which has the best views in Èze village. Church Notre Dame de l’Assomption is an interesting and historic stop. Fragonard Perfume factory is also in the village so it is one to add to the list. The converted Château, Château Eza also has a restaurant that is popular for lunch and dinner. Other places to eat in Èze are Le Nid d’Aigle and Château de la Chèvre d’Or. However, for a no fuss meal, just stick to any of the restaurants you see on the path to the village. We also bought some ice cream from Le Palais des Glaces.

Mougins 

The beautiful village of Mougins is quite small. We drove to the mini town centre and went for a walk to the flower and fruit shop. It is a really pretty medieval village in the French Riviera and a lovely base to visit Cannes. Mougins is the perfect mix of countryside and coast; it feels like Provence within Côte d’Azur. It is no wonder that people who talk about it group it as a Provençal village.

We stayed in a historic hotel, Les Rosées which made our time in Mougins even more special. Something quite special about Mougins is that it is the village where Pablo Picasso lived for the last 12 years of his life. It is where he died in 1973 and although his house is closed to the public, this fact draws tourists to Mougins.

Mougins is a celebrity trap and I suspect that the serenity and proximity to Cannes (Film Festival) makes it attractive. Jean Cocteau, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Catherine Deneuve and many more spent time in Mougins in their lifetime.

What to do in Mougins

Explore the medieval village that has lots of art galleries, restaurants and museums. Stop at Chapelle de Notre Dame which is close to the property Picasso spent the last years of his life. Picasso spent the last 12 years of his life in Notre Dame de Vie, a private house that is closed to the public. For nature lovers, L’étang de Fontmerle, a serene oasis set in a beautiful park. It is in one of the biggest lotus parks in Europe.

Where to eat in Mougins 

We stopped at a gorgeous boulangerie to buy some pain au chocolate and baguette. There was a pizzeria just off the road where we bought some pizza and ice cream to take back to the hotel for our dinner.

Menton

Menton is the last place on the French Riviera just before the Italian border. So you can see how it has been inspired by both French and Italian architecture. It is very colourful and is very much worth a must visit if you are in the South of France. You can get a direct train from Nice and it is another popular day trip from Nice. 

We drove from Monaco as it is only 25 minutes from there and I must confess that parking was a nightmare. However, this did not stop us from spending some time there – it is an artist’s dream. Blocks and blocks of colours lined side by side and in the sun, it is absolutely glorious. I kept wondering what it must feel like to actually stay in one of the colourful houses.

What to do in Menton

Les Sables beach is a must as it has the famous gorgeous colourful backdrop of houses. Other places to see are the Botanical garden and for the best views, head to Cemetery of the Old Château.

Villefranche-sur-Mer

If there is one place I wish we had a full day to explore, it is Villefranche-sur-Mer. It is one of the most beautiful places in the south of France. However, I will settle for driving through it and stopping to take it in from the view point. Next time, I am in the South of France, it will definitely be the first place I’m heading to.

Villefranche-sur-Mer is beautiful even from the glimpse I caught. It is no wonder why it is quite popular with the wealthy who buy up the real estate. It is the quintessential coastal town and even though there is not so much to do in comparison to Nice, it is well worth a day trip.

On our way to Èze, we noticed cars stopping at a particular spot so we followed suit. It looked like a photo you’d see on a typical south of France postcard. Just incredibly beautiful and I was so happy that we stopped.