5 medieval towns on the French Riviera that are worth seeing

The French Riviera is not only beautiful beaches and luxury hotels – it’s also the unique medieval towns that look like stone castles or movie sets with colorful houses. Here are five medieval towns that are worth visiting on the French Riviera!

The medieval towns on the French Riviera are gems among the many attractions of the region. Most tourists associate this part of France with luxury, the azure sea, and palm trees. In fact, it is the charming small towns that are one of the most interesting attractions on the French Riviera! Walking among old stone houses, colorful tenement houses with their flowers, and old fountains is an attraction for everyone.

We have quite a lot of such unique places here. It’s enough to mention Eze Village, Antibes, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Saint-Paul de Vence, Vence, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, and Menton. Below, in no particular order, are five of my favorites – all definitely worth visiting while relaxing in the region.

The five towns at a glance

• Èze Village: perched on a rock between Nice and Monaco; bus 602 or 82 from Nice.
• Saint-Paul de Vence: walled art town inland; train to Cagnes-sur-Mer, then bus 655.
• Roquebrune-Cap-Martin: castle and views of Monaco, few crowds; train or bus 600.
• Antibes: old town by the sea with the Picasso Museum; train from Nice in 15–25 minutes.
• Villefranche-sur-Mer: colorful harbor town next to Nice; train in about 7 minutes.

All of them make easy day trips from Nice, without a car.

Here are five medieval towns on the French Riviera that are worth seeing:

Eze Village

Eze Village is mentioned in, probably, all the guidebooks of the world as the prettiest town on the French Riviera. This makes it one of the most desirable tourist destinations, and in summer there is nowhere in the area to park. Eze is situated on a high rocky hill between Nice and Monaco and is indeed lovely. Walt Disney was one of the frequent visitors to the town. There isn’t a single street for cars in the whole town; there are only stairs and narrow passages between the stone houses. Most of the buildings are occupied by luxury hotels or boutiques with local artists’ creations. At the very top of Eze there is a nice exotic garden with great views of the surrounding area. Bus 602 or 82 from Nice takes about 30 minutes; you can also walk down the steep Nietzsche Path to Èze-sur-Mer by the sea and take the train back.

Saint-Paul de Vence

This town is the only one on the list not located by the sea. Instead, it is located a few kilometers inland beyond Cagnes-sur-Mer. Saint-Paul makes an amazing impression from a distance, because it is completely surrounded by a thick stone wall. It was built on an elliptical elevation, and the main (but still narrow) street runs through the center of the town, at the end of which there is a lookout, and, just outside the walls, a cemetery. The great artist Marc Chagall is buried here. Saint-Paul de Vence is a town dominated by artists – their boutiques and studios can be found on every street. Take the train from Nice to Cagnes-sur-Mer, then bus 655, and continue to Vence a few kilometers further.

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin

In my opinion, this is the most underrated town on the French Riviera. It lies between Monaco and Menton and is densely built-up with old, colorful houses. At the top there is the former fortress of the Grimaldi family, from which you can admire Monaco and the roofs of the town. The view is amazing, and even in the high season there are no crowds of tourists. It would be a shame to miss Roquebrune-Cap-Martin when exploring the region! Get off the train at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin station or take bus 600 from Nice, then climb up to the old village.

Antibes

Antibes is a popular resort on the Cote d’Azur. There are many nice, sandy beaches in the area, and the accommodation base is extensive. In the center of Antibes is the old part of the city. It was built next to the sea and originally surrounded by walls, which have been pulled down over time. However, you can still admire a section standing by the sea, with Nice and the Maritime Alps in the background.  The Picasso Museum can be found in the castle by the sea, where he lived and worked in 1946. The train from Nice takes 15 to 25 minutes.

Villefranche-sur-Mer

Villefranche-sur-Mer is located right next to Nice (on the Monaco side), and here is one of my favorite beaches. The town has more of an Italian than a French vibe, and its location on a bay with a view of the Cap Ferrat peninsula (called Billionaire Peninsula) is conducive to walking. There are lots of colorful tenement houses and lots of cool photo spots. It is only about 7 minutes from Nice by train, and bus 600 to Monaco stops there too.

If you have more time, add Tourrettes-sur-Loup, Gourdon above the Loup gorge, Biot with its glassblowers, La Turbie above Monaco, and the old town of Menton. Nice is the best base for all of them: see where to stay on the French Riviera.

These are my suggestions. If you have your own favorite old towns on the French Riviera, be sure to write to me about them in a comment below!