The beaches of the French Riviera and Languedoc have long been a vacation hot spot for international jet-setters and movie stars—and with good reason. With warm Mediterranean waters, beautiful resort seaside towns, plenty of sunshine and great beaches, it is no surprise that these beaches are some of the most popular and famous around the world.
Listen
I recently discussed some of my favorite spots along the French Mediterranean coast with Pat Boyle from KPAM’s Travel Show on 860 am in Portland, Oregon. Listen in for my tips about these great Mediterranean spots.
St. Tropez
When you think of the French Mediterranean, you think of St. Tropez—complete with beautiful sunbathing women, yachts, five-star hotels and lots of very rich and famous people. What was once a quaint seaside village and resort town, now becomes completely overrun with vacationers during July and August in France (complete with traffic jams and expensive hotel rooms).
While Saint Tropez certainly can be worth checking out, it is not a must-see on my list of beaches to visit on the Mediterranean coast. However, strolling the port and checking out the rich folk dine aboard yachts can certainly be an interesting cultural experience. It is also important to keep in mind that this city certainly became playground to the rich and famous for a reason. Just like Aspen and other cities famous for being vacation spots to the rich and famous, the scenery here is beautiful and the town charming.
Menton
The last French city before the Italian border, Menton is a sunny, picturesque village located east of Monaco. Bordered by lush green gardens and lemon groves, the scenic little city id remarkably off most tourists’ radar despite its unique beauty. While Menton’s beach is pebbled, it is stunning enough to make up for not having smooth, white sand. The old town is charming and palm-tree lined and the harbor is marked by masts of sailboats.
Because Menton gets markedly fewer tourists than many of the higher trafficked destinations along the Cote d’Azur (like Saint Tropez), it tends to be less expensive and less crowded. Menton also enjoys surprisingly warm weather. Thanks to the steep surrounding hills which trap warm air from the Mediterranean, this city often enjoys much warmer temperatures than its neighbors and it said to have the highest temperatures on the coast. This warmer weather micro-climate is what makes it the perfect place to grow lemons, and the city celebrates the bright yellow crop every year during the Fete des Citrons (Lemon Festival) in February.
Le Petit Travers
Although I didn’t find the seaside town of Carnon to be especially charming (like a few other cities along this stretch of coastline, Carnon was ruined by legions of cheap, garish pink apartment buildings and tacky souvenir shops), there is a great beach located not far from this city. Situated between Marseilles’ La Grande Motte beach and Carnon is a flat, long strip of beach called Le Petit Travers. As the closest and nicest beach near Montpelier, this area can get crowded in the summer months—though in the winter you will still see many jogging and walking their dogs here.
While this beach is certainly not laden with amenities, it does offer on-beach restaurants and night clubs between May and September—though with Montpelier so close you are probably better off heading into the lively student city for a night out than sticking near this beach.
Cassis
Not to be confused with crème de Cassis, which a specialty liqueur made from black currants, Cassis is a picturesque port town located not far from Marseilles. Although not nearly as famous as its nearby Riviera neighbor, Cassis is just as delightful as St. Tropez with an equally beautiful town and beach. Cassis is defined by white cliffs and sheltered inlets called calanques.
Cassis has a beautiful port, where Provence pastel colored buildings face the sunny waters. A popular resort spot, masts of sail boast and yachts dot the harbor. Cassis was actually an older port city, known for hauling in big loads of fish. Today you can sit in the shadow of the coastal mountains behind you, looking at the dramatic white cliffs dripping into the blue Mediterranean waters and you’ll quickly realize you have found your new favorite spot in France.
>>Exploring the calanques in Cassis is also on my list of the Top 10 Things to Do in Provence
Cap d’Agde
If you are looking to hit the nudes beaches in France, than heading to Cap d’Agde isn’t a bad idea. Although there is a lovely public beach (not a nude beach) and a popular resort town here, there is also a “village naturiste,” located on the north-eastern edge of town. Sometimes referred to as the “Naked City” nudity is legal and common throughout this entire resort—including in its restaurants, shops and beaches. While you don’t have to necessarily spend your time naked at this lovely beach, at least you know you have the option.
Over the years, Cap d’Agde has actually become one of the most famous naturist resorts in the world, and many flock here each year to let it all hang out and work on their all body tan on the French Riviera. While this is true, just because Cap D’Agde has a great beach for those that want to keep their suits on.
>>Read more about Nude Beaches in France
Sete
Sometimes referred to as the “Venice if Languedoc” this seaside resort town is the eastern starting point of the Canal du Midi, one of France’s many popular canals with people taking barge cruises. Laced with canals and built around Mont St. Clair, Sete is a great beach destination for traveler looking for sand and culture.
Sete is located just 26 km from Montpellier and is also known as France’s largest Mediterranean fishing port and biggest commercial port after Marseille. However, while many of the cities in southern France have Roman influences and ancient Medieval buildings, Sete is a relatively modern French city. Built by Louis XIV, Sete quickly grew as the ports at Aigue Mortes and Narbonne were moved inland by silt deposits. With great beaches, beautiful canals, tons of outdoor cafes and delicious seafood, Sete is definitely a worthwhile place to visit.
Saint-Maxime
Located on the gulf of St Tropez, Sainte Maxime is a beautiful beach resort town that is much more laid back and subdued than its glamorous neighbor. The beach here has also received a Blue flag rating, meaning the beach has met stringent quality standards for bathers. There is also a convenient ferry service to St. Tropez for those who want a quieter place to stay but still want to check out what all the talk is about nearby.
If you want to vacation in this area of France, you are much better off in Sainte Maxime than Saint Tropez. Not only do hotels tend to be more affordable here, but there is less traffic and fewer people in general. While certainly not an undiscovered spot, Saint Maxime is definitely more off the radar than nearby Saint Tropez—and just as beautiful.
Camargue Wetlands
You probably didn’t think flamingos lived in France, but this beach area located close to Arles is home to more than 400 species of birds, including the greater flamingo. This protected area in the Rhone river delta (called the Bouches du Rhones or mouths of the Rhone), is Europe’s largest river delta and is a vast plane of brine lagoons (etangs), marshes and home to lots of flora and fauna. Because this is a protected area, there are also some lovely expanses of beach to be found in this area that are far away from any boardwalk shops, hotels and people.
You could easily spend a day bike riding, horseback riding or renting a jeep and exploring this massive nature preserve. There are also some quiet and protected areas of beach along here, where you can work on your tan in relative peace. In fact, Espiguette Beach here is said to be Europe’s longest beach.
>>Visiting the Camaruge Wetlands is also on my list of Top 10 Things to do in Provence
photo credits: petit travers , cap d’agde
