French Riviera Things To Do

Wander the atmospheric streets of Old Nice. Pastel yellow- and ochre-colored buildings line the city’s historic core which today teems with shops, restaurants, bars, markets, and a hodgepodge of architectural highlights.

For about 20 miles these three serpentine roadways run alongside one another from Nice to the Italian frontier. The highest, the Grand Corniche, provides the most dramatic views of the Mediterranean Sea and its settlements.

Indulge your James Bond fantasy and go for broke at this famed casino, contained within an opulent example of 19th-century architecture designed by Charles Garnier.

Trace the graceful curve of Cannes’ beaches on this mile-long, waterfront pathway dotted by palm trees, gardens, restaurants, upscale hotels, and glitzy designer shops.

This is the place to discover the art of market shopping in southern France. Colorful and fragrant flowers are sold every day except Mondays, when the blossoms are replaced by the Marché à la Brocante, an antiques market.

This impressive collection of artworks by French artist Henri Matisse, who lived in Nice during the last four decades of his life, is housed in a light-bathed, 17th-century villa.

Above Antibes’ old port presides Château Grimaldi, once a residence for the Antibes’ royals and today the home of the Musée Picasso, which is world-renowned for its staggering Picasso collection. Closed for renovations through early 2008.

Featuring late works by Russian-born Chagall (including 17 biblical scenes on large canvases), this natural-light-filled museum is enhanced by surrounding gardens and pools.

Wide and well landscaped, Nice’s four-mile-long “La Prom” is perfect for biking, alfresco dining, strolling, or simply for people watching from one of the many blue chairs that line the Baie des Anges waterfront.

Cannes’ sandy beaches facing La Croisette are among the best in the Riviera – paying entrance to these upscale private beaches is worth the splurge for the chaise lounges, parasols, restaurants, and bar service.