Approximately 90 million people visit France every year to put their language skills to the test, try the infamous cuisine and photograph the diverse landscape. But if they’re not going to Paris, France’s number one tourist destination, they’re travelling south, to the notorious French coast. It’s equal parts crazy, beautiful, packed, expensive, relaxing and hot – that’s what makes it so much fun – here are some of our favourite beaches.
Plage de Passable, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat
Tucked away in a little corner on Saint Jean Cap Ferrat’s northwest side, Plage de Passable is gloriously secluded with shallow crystal clear water. Slightly off the beaten track, it is perfect for snorkelling and quieter than the more well-known beaches of the South. Palm trees and brightly coloured flowers overlook the beach. And its location means that it is bathed in a radiant glow right after other beaches in the area have been cast into the shade.
Calanque de Sorminou, Marseille
The Calanque de Sormiou is one of the most well-known and most visited of the Marseille Calanques. Just a few miles from Marseille, bordered by a hundred picturesque little sheds and surrounded by high cliffs, you will discover a breathtaking landscape. With its many caves, magnificent seabed and turquoise water, Sormiou is a paradisiacal diving location.
Plage Cros Dei Pin, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat
The beautiful Plage Cros Dei Pin stretches 150 meters just after the port of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and faces the Bay of Beaulieu Sur Mer. This sandy beach has an anti-jellyfish net in the summer season and a water sports centre. A paid car park is available (although it can be tough to find space in the summer so start your day early).
Plage Mala, Cap d’Ail
Plage Mala is Cap d’Ail’s hidden gem and one of the most beautiful beaches on the Riviera. Steeply rising cliffs surround this magnificent stretch of white sand and pebbles. The remote beach is nestled into a cove and offers the perfect setting for lazing and swimming in clean, translucent waters whilst surrounded by Mediterranean charm.
Plage Paloma
Plage Paloma on St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat has long been considered one of the Riviera’s most beautiful beaches. Pine-covered hills shelter the beach from winds, and small waves make this the place to go for complete relaxation.
