Place Masséna

The French Riviera offers numerous sites beyond the main tourist routes. Medieval hilltop villages such as Èze and Saint-Paul de Vence perch above the coast, while historic fortifications like Fort Carré in Antibes preserve the region's maritime past. Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild on Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Château Grimaldi in Cagnes-sur-Mer display architectural styles from different eras. The region extends from the coastline to the backcountry. The Îles de Lérins off Cannes are accessible by ferry, Col de la Bonette reaches 9,193 feet (2,802 meters) elevation, and Vallée des Merveilles in the Mercantour preserves prehistoric rock carvings. Hiking trails cross Parc national du Mercantour and follow the coast at Cap d'Ail. The Gorges du Verdon to the north form one of Europe's deepest canyons. Museums in Nice focus on Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse and Asian art. The Musée de la Mer on Île Sainte-Marguerite documents the island fortress's history. Smaller towns like Tourrettes-sur-Loup and Le Cannet lie a few miles from the coastal cities. Lac de Saint-Cassien near Montauroux provides water sports in a rural setting.

The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region depicts a land where architecture narrates a thousand years of history between sea and mountains. From the 12th-century Cistercian abbeys to the brutalist experiments of Le Corbusier, this area features an exceptional built heritage shaped by Mediterranean light. You can find fortresses perched on rocky promontories, Romanesque monasteries where Van Gogh depicted his struggles, and contemporary museums that interact with the blue of the Mediterranean. Vineyards contain large-scale sculptures, the perched villages of Luberon display their medieval architecture in light stone, and Belle Époque villas in Cap d'Antibes mark the golden age of the Riviera. Between the limestone cliffs of the Calanques and the alpine valleys carved with prehistoric signs, Provençal architecture follows the contours of the land, capturing shadow and warmth, blending tradition and modernity. From the port of Marseille to the hanging gardens of Èze, each building bears the mark of a region where Cistercian builders, military engineers, visionary artists, and contemporary architects have inscribed their visions in stone, concrete, and landscape.

Nice combines museums, parks and coastal areas in a city between hills and the Mediterranean. The Marc Chagall Museum holds the largest public collection of his works, while the Matisse Museum is devoted to the paintings and sculptures of an artist who spent many years here. Castle Hill offers views over the rooftops and the water, and the Promenade des Anglais follows the shoreline. The Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral is the largest of its kind in Western Europe and stands in a quiet neighborhood north of the center. Parc du Mont Boron spreads across wooded slopes with trails for walking. Place Masséna marks the heart of the city with red facades and open squares. Port Lympia lies east of the old town and keeps the feel of a working harbor. These places show different sides of Nice, from art to nature to everyday life by the sea.

The French Riviera between Monaco and Saint-Tropez features a diverse architectural heritage reflecting centuries of history. Visitors can explore medieval villages such as the historic center of Grasse, known as the perfume capital since the 16th century, or Saint-Paul-de-Vence, home to the Maeght Foundation and its modern art collection. The region also has Belle Époque buildings like the Negresco Hotel in Nice, along with 20th-century architectural creations such as the Palais Bulles in Théoule-sur-Mer. Mediterranean gardens are another attraction along this coastal area. The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat has nine themed gardens with vegetation suited to the local climate. The Bastide du Roy in Antibes preserves its geometric gardens and century-old olive trees. The coastline offers several vantage points overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, notably from the Le Corbusier Promenade connecting Cap Martin to Monaco over two miles, or from coves like Coco Beach where rocks and pebbles enable swimming and marine life observation.

Nice naturally lends itself to photography. The Mediterranean light shapes the city from morning to evening, revealing in turn the ochre facades of Old Nice, the palms lining the Promenade des Anglais, or the blue domes of Saint-Nicolas Orthodox Cathedral. From the Château hilltop, at 92 meters high, the view encompasses the entire bay, while below, Place Masséna displays its geometric paving stones and red facades. The flower market at Cours Saleya, established since the 17th century, extends to Lympia Port where yellow facades reflect in the water, each neighborhood forming a different scene. The Negresco Hotel with its pink dome marks the coastline, and the Matisse Museum shares the painter's love for the light of the South. Nice offers a variety of viewpoints, making it a preferred destination for those interested in capturing the architecture, colors, and vitality of a city oriented toward the Mediterranean.