Best Villages to Visit as a Day Trip from Nice
There are a lot of people who believe that the French Riviera is overrated, but in my personal opinion – the Côte d'Azur region and the day trips you can take from Nice are some of the most wonderful vacation places that Europe has to offer.
View of the coastline from Jardin Exotique d’Èze; June 2025
How Many Coastal Villages Can I Visit as a Day Trip from Nice?
There are several villages and cities you could visit for the day from Nice, such as:
Cannes
Antibes
Saint-Tropez
Èze Village
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Cap-d'Ail
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Menton
Monte Carlo in Monaco
Exploring the Old Town in Villefranche-sur-Mer; June 2025
How Many Days Should I Stay in the French Riviera?
Honestly, you could spend a full week in the French Riviera, or the Côte d'Azur region, and still have things to do and see – as you could explore Cannes and Antibes, Monaco, Menton, Èze Village, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Saint-Tropez, and more.
However, if you’re only interested in places like Nice and Monte Carlo in Monaco, then 2 full days will be enough to see everything both cities have to offer calmly.
Where Should I Stay in the French Riviera?
My advice for where you stay in the French Riviera, or the Côte d'Azur region, will depend on what you want out of your vacation in the South of France.
Nice for Day Trips or High Paced Travelers: If you want to see all of the different cities and villages, I would suggest Nice as it is the most interconnected of all the cities with easy and frequent public transportation. Furthermore, Nice is the largest city in the Côte d'Azur region, making it better for big city lovers who want easy access, history, and fun events.
Luxury in Monaco: If you want a luxurious vacation – I would opt for Monte Carlo, as it’s quiet, clean, and will guaranteed be pristine beyond your wildest dreams. There isn’t much to do in Monte Carlo, except to enjoy its opulent environment – making it perfect for people seeking a high-end vacation.
Beach Goers & Low-Stress Vacations: If you just want some time on the beach, long lunches, and wandering old towns – I would suggest staying in a place like Villefranche-sur-Mer or near one of the popular beaches such as Plage Mala or Plage Petite Afrique. These places will allow for a low-key, casual beach vacation – perfect for families or groups of friends looking to rent out an AirBnB.
The table below will compare and contrast the pros and cons of staying in one of the smaller coastal villages in the Côte d'Azur region:
| Village | Vibe | Best For | Things to Know |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⛵ Villefranche-sur-Mer | Colorful old town by the sea with Monte Carlo–style hillside views | Everyone — solo travelers, couples, families, and friend groups | Feels like a blend of Nice and Monaco, super photogenic and well connected |
| ⛰️ Èze Village | Hilltop medieval village with dramatic coastal views | View seekers, photographers, fans of Santorini/Cliffs of Moher/Edinburgh | Not directly on the water, harder to get to, but incredibly rewarding |
| 🏖️ Cap d’Ail | Quiet beachy escape with Cinque Terre–style views | Relaxed travelers who want a lazy beach day near Nice | Head straight to Plage Mala — limited activities, but perfect for unwinding |
| 🍷 Beaulieu-sur-Mer | Eerily quiet, more for locals than tourists, with hidden gems | Travelers seeking peace, quiet, and stunning waterfront scenery | Best for enjoying hidden wine bars and escaping the tourist crowds |
| 🍋 Menton | Underrated gem with colorful old town and family-friendly atmosphere | Families, laid-back travelers, those wanting “a bit of everything” | Great beaches, artisanal jams, and no need to hop between towns |
View of the water and rocky coastline in Cap d’Ail; June 2025
Since there are so many trips to take for the day from Nice, I’m going to provide a comprehensive guide on all of the various coastal villages and towns you could visit from Nice for the day – breaking down the cost, distance from Nice, how much time you should spend in each coastal village, and if I think each of these places is worth seeing.
This list will be provided in order of the coastal villages closest and then furthest away from Nice.
Best Coastal Villages to Visit As a Day Trip from Nice
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Honestly, this is my favorite coastal village in the French Riviera – as it’s postcard picture perfect, colorful, cute, and is the perfect mix of the best of Nice and Monte Carlo.
Time Away by Train From Nice: 3 minutes
Distance Away From Nice: 3.5 kilometers or 2.1 miles
View of Villefranche-sur-Mer; June 2025
How Much Time Should You Spend At Villefranche-sur-Mer?
If you’re trying to see all of the coastal villages between Nice and Monte Carlo in a single day, you can keep your stop at Villefranche-sur-Mer short – as in 30 minutes to one hour.
However, if you want to really enjoy all that Villefranche-sur-Mer has to offer – it’s best as a half-day trip for lunch, a swim, and a walk through its colorful old town.
Is Villefranche-sur-Mer Expensive?
Eating out in Villefranche-sur-Mer is more expensive than eating out in Nice, but the price differences aren’t outrageous – such as to purchase a bottle of water or an ice cream cone.
Restaurants on the waterfront in Villefranche-sur-Mer; June 2025
General Tips and Advice For Villefranche-sur-Mer
Beach Gets Crowded: The main beach you’ll find when walking down the steps from the Villefranche-sur-Mer train station, yotherwise known as Plage des Marinieres, gets crowded easily due to its convenient location near the Old Town and waterfront restaurants. If you planning on setting up camp here for the day, I recommend coming early to secure a spot on the beach.
Old Town Villefranche-sur-Mer: I’ve seen a lot of Old Towns in Europe, but the one in Villefranche-sur-Mer is absolutely wonderful. It’s less crowded than the once in Nice, has lots of calm restaurants with live music playing, and little shops to peruse for the perfect French Riviera Souvenir.
Rue Obscure: Known as a hidden medieval street and almost tunnel like, Rue Obscure is a secret passageway in Villefranche-sur-Mer that was once used by the military. You’ll find it on your right as you begin walking up the steps to the Old Town if you’re coming from the beach.
Plage des Marinieres in Villefranche-sur-Mer; June 2025
Is It Worth Seeing Villefranche-sur-Mer?
Yes, Villefranche-sur-Mer is absolutely worth seeing – as its the epitome of what most envision when they think of the perfect vacation on the French Riviera. In fact, if you only have time to see one coastal village from Nice – I recommend you take a trip to Villefranche-sur-Mer for the day.
Wandering through the old town in Villefranche-sur-Mer; June 2025
Overall, Villefranche-sur-Mer is my favorite coastal village on the French Riviera – and the one I recommend for all people to visit: including couples, families, groups of friends, and solo travelers.
Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Much quieter than the other beach towns and villages on this list, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, literally translating to “beautiful place on the water” – has an non-commercialized, stunning beauty that is perfect for people who enjoy vacations full of peaceful escapism.
Time Away by Train From Nice: 5 minutes
Distance Away From Nice: 5.3 kilometers or 3.3 miles
View of Port Beaulieu-sur-Mer; September 2025
How Much Time Should You Spend At Beaulieu-sur-Mer?
Honestly, you won’t even have enough to spend a full day in Beaulieu-sur-Mer – as it’s truly not designed for tourists and sticks to serving locals. We came for a few hours to eat our packed sandwiches by the water and the sat in a wine bar, and it was plenty of time as a half-day trip before returning to Nice.
Is Beaulieu-sur-Mer Expensive?
I would say the prices in Beaulieu-sur-Mer are some of the least expensive prices I’ve seen for food out of all of the villages I’ve been to on the French Riviera, because again – it’s not catered to tourists.
View of Beaulieu-sur-Mer; September 2025
General Tips and Advice For Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Not Touristic: Out of all of the towns along the French Riviera, Beaulieu-sur-Mer is clearly more for the locals than it is for tourists. I didn’t see a single souvenir shop along the main strip alongisde Port Beaulieu-sur-Mer as most of the stores were to buy boats are hardware stores. There is also no main beach or official place to walk along the coast. Plus, there aren’t a surplus of cafés or places to eat unless you’re on Boulevard du Maréchal LeClerc – so plan accordingly if you plan to eat in Beaulieu-sur-Mer.
Wine Bars & Local Experience: Since this town isn’t a touristic place, it has hidden gems such as funky wine bars and quieter restaurant experiences. Ultimately, Beaulieu-sur-Mer is the place to stay if you want to live like a local in the French Riviera with no one treating you like a tourist.
Is It Worth Seeing Villefranche-sur-Mer?
Honestly, if you plan to visit other villages like Villefrance-sur-Mer or Menton, I’m not sure that Beaulieu-sur-Mer is worth allocating your previous travel time toward. However, if you’re planning a longer trip to the French Riviera and want to see an unfiltered side of this hyped up area – then it’s worth making a stop for the scenic views by the water alone.
View of main street with shopping and restaurants in Beaulieu-sur-Mer; September 2025
Ultimately, Beaulieu-sur-Mer is perfect for people who want a serene, tourist-free vacation to the French Riviera – as it doesn’t posses the constant waterfront restaurants or souvenir shops hyper-prevalent in the other villages on this list.
Èze Village
The most unique of all the coastal villages you can visit from Nice, Èze village is situated over 420 meters, or 1,400 feet, above sea level –offering sweeping views of the French Riviera’s coastline.
Time Away by Train From Nice: 7 minutes
Distance Away From Nice: 8 kilometers or 5 miles
View from Èze Village; June 2025
How Much Time Should You Spend at Èze Village?
This is the coastal village in the French Riviera that will require the most time, anywhere from at least 1 to 3 hours depending on how fit you are to climb the steep hills in Èze Village. You’ll want to be sure you leave enough time to see Jardin Exotique d’Èze, which closes at 6:30PM every day.
In theory, you could also spend a half-day in Èze – but it’s not as nice as other coastal villages near Nice as it’s not situated near the way for an easy swim or beach day in between exploring.
Is Èze Village Expensive?
Once again, I didn’t find the price differences between Èze to be that different from Nice, but beware – I recommend bringing some cash to Èze.
As it’s a more remote village than the other coastal villages between Nice and Monte Carlo, I found that the small grocery store and many places for water bottles, coffee, or juices had a card minimum. Therefore, if you don’t want to be hassled into buying more – I would bring some cash to this village in the French Rivera.
View from Èze Village; June 2025
General Tips and Advice For Èze Village
Beware of Steep Incline & Slippery Steps: Especially in the heat of the summer, be prepared for a miniature hike if you plan on going all the way to the top for Jardin Exotique d’Èze. It costs around €8 for a full price ticket and €6,50 for students, but it is a must-see while in Èze Village. There are places to fill up your water bottle for free, shaded areas, and Espaces Contemplatifs – or places for other writers and I to sit and think about life, if that’s also your vibe.
Motion Sickness During Ride Up to Èze: I took an Uber up to Èze Village and the bus ride down, as I wanted to be more time efficient on the way up – and then wanted to get the experience of the bus. I don’t normally get car sick, but I will say – the drive up to Èze Village could be nauseating for people sensitive to windy car drives. This is because there are numerous sharp and speedy turns when making your way up to Èze Village, and the locals are used to driving fast. If you want to be time efficient and don’t get car sick, opt for the Uber – but if you want to save money and are sensitive to windy rides, I would take the bus. However, it is important to note that even the bus driver was going incredibly fast – so hold on tight when taking the bus to Èze Village and back.
Uber or Bus: Remember, Èze village is located a 10 to 15 minute drive away from where you’ll be dropped of at the train station – meaning you’ll either need to pay a €2 bus ticket or €15 to €20 Uber to get up and back down to the train station in Èze. You could take a taxi, as Ubers often get busy and the buses in Èze do not run often, but be warned that you’ll be ripped off – especially if you don’t speak French.
Is It Worth Seeing Èze Village?
I would say it’s worth seeing Èze Village if you’re a fan of medieval style towns and coastal views like the ones in Santorini. However, this personally isn’t a coastal village in France I would return to – as it’s not the most convenient and lacks part of the color charm many of us know and love about the Côte d'Azur region.
Wandering around Èze Village; June 2025
Is It Worth Paying to See Jardin Exotique d’Èze?
Yes, it is absolutely worth paying for the ticket to enter Jardin Exotique d’Èze. In my opinion, this is the main attraction to see while in Èze and made the journey worthwhile.
Ultimately, Èze Village is perfect for people who love wandering around perfume shops, small art galleries, and exploring medieval villages –with Jardin Exotique d’Èze being the main highlight.
View of the coastline from Jardin Exotique d’Èze; June 2025
Cap D’Ail
Known for its hidden beach, known as Plage Mala – Cap d’Ail is close to Monaco and is a popular running route for locals.
Time Away by Train From Nice: 15 minutes
Distance Away From Nice: 10.6 kilometers or 6.5 miles
Coastline in Cap d’Ail; June 2025
How Much Time Should You Spend at Cap D’Ail?
Honestly, similar to Villefranche-sur-Mer, if you don’t plan on spending the day here at the beach – you can keep this as a short 30 minute to one hour photo stop.
However, if you want to really enjoy the calm magic offered by Cap d’Ail – you could spend a full day at Plage Mala.
Is Cap D’Ail Expensive?
Yes, I found the prices for restaurants at Cap d’Ail to be more expensive in comparison to the other coastal villages between Nice and Monte Carlo – perhaps as it is closer to Monaco, which is more expensive than the rest of France, itself.
People swimming off the coast of Cap d’Ail; June 2025
General Tips and Advice For Cap D’Ail
Narrow Walkway to Beach: It’s around a 15 minute walk from the Cap d’Ail train station to the beach. The sign when exiting the train station will tell you to go down the stairs “by tunnel” but it’s very easy to miss. It’ll look like a dead end, but peer to your left to see the very disguised tunnel. After that, you simply follow the coastline. However it is important to note that there are very steep and narrow steps on the walkway to Plage Mala – and there is no railing, meaning you could very easily drop your phone or camera over the cliff.
Private Boat Tours: Similar to what I did with a group in Cinque Terre, Cap d’Ail is the perfect place to rent a private boat and discover the coastline of Cap d’Ail.
Cap d'Ail Museum: As Cap d’ail is mostly known for Plage Mala, most people don’t know that there is actually a small museum called Villa the Camellias – where you can successful people who have made Cap d’Ail a part of their story, alongside a garden with views of the Mediterranean sea.
Approaching Plage Mala in Cap d’Ail; June 2025
Is It Worth Seeing Cap D’Ail?
Honestly, unless you are planning on spending the day at Plage Mala or on your way to Monte Carlo – I am not sure that Cap d’Ail is worth a visit unless you spend the majority of your day at its secret beach.
In the end, I’m glad I made the trip out to Cap d’Ail – but it has much less to see and do in comparison to other coastal villages between Nice and Monte Carlo like Villefranche-sur-Mer and Èze.
Menton
Perhaps the most underrated village on the French Riveria, Menton is a colorful, lively beach town perfect for families looking for both long days under the sun and strolls through a colorful and charming old town.
Time Away by Train From Nice: 33 minutes
Distance Away From Nice: 20 kilometers or 12.5 miles
View of the main strip of beach in Menton, France; September 2025
How Much Time Should You Spend at Menton?
I think you could spend several days, even a full week in Menton to enjoy it’s slow, Italian-inspired vibe. However, if you’re planning a day trip to Menton from Nice – I’d try to come for at least half a day, if not a full day.
Is Menton Expensive?
No, I didn’t find Menton to be outrageously expensive – especially if you don’t eat directly alongside the water. Yes, it’s true that eating at one of the several beach-side restaurants will be expensive (think €22 for a Caesar's salad) – but I found prices at bakeries and for little shops offering granitas to be reasonably priced.
Tourists wandering the Old Town in Menton, France; September 2025
General Tips and Advice For Menton
Plan Trip Accordingly: If you’re planning a day trip to Monte Carlo from Nice and don’t want to spend the full day in Menton, I highly recommend getting an early start to the day and going to Menton in the morning before heading to Monte Carlo back towards Nice. This way, you start with the farthest journey away first – and get to enjoy Menton before afternoon crowds pour in.
Amazing Beaches: Keep in mind that Menton makes a great place for a beach day from Nice – as it’s less crowded and the water has the same crystal clear blue and hint of turquoise color palette as Plage Mala but sand similar to the beaches in Cannes.
Lively Old Town & Artisanal Jam Shops: I always heard about Menton having amazing artisinal jams, but what I didn’t know is that it would have one of the best old towns in the French Riviera. One of the best things about Menton is that it can appeal to everyone: photographer-lovers with it’s colorful streets and views, beach goers, or people who enjoy a seaside lunch.
View of the dozens of artisinal jams availbale in Menton, France; September 2025
Is It Worth Seeing Menton?
Without a doubt yes, it is worth seeing Menton. I truly believe any trip to the French Riveria should include a trip to Menton. It’s an underrated city in the Côte d'Azur that somehow doesn’t skimp on beauty, allows for a simultaneous luxurious and low-key vibe, and encapsulates a unique Italian-inspired atmosphere without needing to leave France.
View of the beach in Menton, France; September 2025
Which Coastal Village From Nice Should I Visit?
Choosing the right coastal village to visit for the day from Nice depends on what you enjoy most during your vacation and when you travel.
Here’s what I would say as an elevator pitch to someone trying to decide which coastal village to visit from Nice:
Villefranche-sur-Mer: Choose this coastal village if you enjoy picturesque waterfront towns, colorful old towns like the one in Nice, and the rolling hills in Monte Carlo – as it’s essentially the perfect miniature combination of the two.
Beaulieu-sur-Mer: Best for travelers who want a serene and completely tourist-free experience in the Côte d'Azur to enjoy a hotel alongside the water and wandering the main strip of the town for hidden gems like wine bars or local restaurants.
Èze Village: This is coastal village near Nice is best for people who like remote areas high above sea level with stunning coastal views. If you’re a fan of views in Santorini or the Cliffs of Moher, go here. Additionally, if you like places with medieval style architecture like Saint-Malo or Edinburgh – you’re bound to enjoy Èze.
Cap d’Ail: If you’re looking for a lazy beach day from Nice, Plage Mala at Cap d’Ail is the clear winner – and is perfect for people who enjoy chill, stress-free places and are attracted to scenic views like the ones found in Cinque Terre.
Menton: This is the best one-stop-shop place in the French Riviera to get the best of everything, such as oceanfront restaurants, incredible beaches, and an amazing Old Town to explore.
At the end of the day, you can’t go wrong when choosing one of these villages to visit from Nice – as they all offer something different and make the Côte d'Azur region more diverse than I initially thought it was before.
Want to see my adventures in these coastal villages near Nice in action? Watch my vlog below!
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Last updated: September 18, 2025