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.

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

Eze Village

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.

Saint-Paul de Vence

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.

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin

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!

Antibes

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 middle of the town in which he lived and created.

Villefranche-sur-Mer

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.

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!