The French Riviera Under Le Ponant’s Sails

The port of Nice is a vibrant gateway to the French Riviera, offering a rich tapestry of history, stunning architecture, and delectable local cuisine. Must-do experiences include savoring local specialties at the bustling Cours Saleya Market and exploring the charming streets of Vieux Nice. The best time to visit is during the spring and early fall when the weather is mild and the city is alive with cultural festivities.

Portofino is a jewel-box fishing village on Italy's Ligurian coast, renowned for its pastel harbour, Castello Brown fortress views, and exquisite pesto-dressed trofie pasta at waterside trattorias. Visitors should walk the coastal trail to the Cristo degli Abissi underwater statue at San Fruttuoso and savour focaccia di Recco with a glass of local Vermentino. The ideal season stretches from late April through October, with September offering the perfect balance of warm Mediterranean light and the intimate calm that returns after summer's peak.

Menton is the French Riviera's warmest, most Italianate town, famous for its citrus groves, Belle Époque architecture, and Jean Cocteau's whimsical murals in the Hôtel de Ville. Must-dos include the February Fête du Citron, the Jardin Serre de la Madone, and savoring lemon-infused Provençal-Ligurian cuisine. The exceptional microclimate makes Menton rewarding year-round, with spring best for gardens and summer for swimming.

Antibes is a captivating Provencal town on the French Riviera where a magnificent covered food market, a castle housing Picasso masterpieces, and Vauban ramparts overlooking the Baie des Anges create one of the Mediterranean's most complete port experiences. Visitors should walk the coastal path around exclusive Cap d'Antibes, taste authentic socca and salade nicoise, and browse the legendary Marche Provencal. Over three hundred days of sunshine make Antibes a year-round destination.

Cannes, transformed from a sleepy Provençal fishing village into the Riviera's most glamorous resort by an English lord's chance quarantine in 1834, and immortalized by the Film Festival since 1946, remains the French Riviera's most theatrical stage — where La Croisette's curved promenade of Art Deco palaces, private beach clubs, and Palme d'Or dreams meets the quiet authenticity of the Suquet hilltop quarter above the old port. For shopping, the Marché Forville bursts with Provençal produce, truffle vendors, and cut flowers each morning; for dining, the restaurants of the old port district offer bouillabaisse and socca that need no red-carpet backdrop. Visit in spring or September; Nice is twenty minutes by rail and Monaco thirty.

Saint-Tropez is the legendary Côte d'Azur fishing port turned global glamour destination, where Provençal authenticity endures beneath the mythology of yachts and celebrities. Must-dos include browsing the Musée de l'Annonciade's Fauvist masterpieces, tasting tarte tropézienne and fresh-caught rouget, and strolling the Sentier du Littoral coastal path to hidden coves. May through June and September through October offer the best weather with fewer crowds.

Cassis is an exquisite Provençal fishing village on the Mediterranean, framed by white limestone cliffs and serving as the gateway to the spectacular Calanques national park. Must-dos include swimming in the turquoise calanques, tasting the village's rare white wine at a harbourside table, and hiking the cliff-top trails. April through October is ideal, with June and September offering the best balance of warm weather and manageable crowds.

The port of Nice is a vibrant gateway to the French Riviera, offering a rich tapestry of history, stunning architecture, and delectable local cuisine. Must-do experiences include savoring local specialties at the bustling Cours Saleya Market and exploring the charming streets of Vieux Nice. The best time to visit is during the spring and early fall when the weather is mild and the city is alive with cultural festivities.