Perfect Four Day Itinerary-South of France

My husband and I spent the first leg of our honeymoon in the South of France. We enjoyed some of the best food and drinks of our lives while relaxing and enjoying the idyllic coastline. We went in August during peak tourism season so some of our recommendations (and things that we missed) can be attributed to that. The weather was absolutely perfect except for one day when the morning thunderstorms passed quickly and we were on the beach by 2pm. We based our trip out of Nice, but Cannes is another great option if you want to stay central. I could also see having an amazing trip based out of St. Tropez.

Check out my guide below, featuring our daily itinerary and mini-reviews of the places that we ate.

How do you travel around the South of France

Public Transport- Download the SNCF app before you get there. There will be long lines for tickets during peak season.

Car-hailing- Uber works in France but is often the more expensive option. I recommend downloading Bolt and scheduling ride ahead of time. We were able to find wifi most of the time but you might not have it at the pick up point so scheduling is important.

Renting a car- Renting a car is essential if you are trying to visit regions of the South o f France beyond the French Riviera. If you are based out of Nice, rental cars will be picked up from Nice Railway Station. Hertz, Enterprise, Sixt and more all have cars available here.

Your Perfect South of France Map

This map has everything that you need for your trip to the French Riviera. Everything mentioned in the itinerary below is pinned on this map. Make sure that you download before your trip.

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Day 1-Settling in to Nice and Monaco

We landed at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport the night before (Day 0) at 8:45 pm and got to out AirBNB by 11:00pm. We got doner kebab from ADA Kebab, it looked unassuming from the outside, but it was the perfect midnight meal.

Cafe Fino- Our first breakfast in Nice! Overall this was a great experience, they had delicious burrata, matcha, and a tasty and substantial breakfast sandwich. There is service to your table but you will pay at the front counter. Service was great but slow so allow 1.5-2 hours for breakfast here.

Train from Nice-Ville to Monaco-Monte Carlo: This train ride is about 20 minutes. As mentioned above, the train station has long lines during peak season so pre-book your tickets on the SNCF app or get there early.

Casino de Monte-Carlo- You need your passport to enter the casino. Entrance into the game rooms of the casino is €19 and includes a €10 voucher that can be used at the slot machines, bar or Salon Rose restaurant. There is a dress code to enter the Casino, shorts, ripped jeans, sportswear, running shoes, flip-flops and sandals for men, beachwear and tank tops are not permitted.

Amù at the Fairmont Monte Carlo- We stopped here for a quick drink and to escape the heat. The cocktails were great, we had a Campari Spritz and a Spicy Rhubarb Margarita. We got here around 2pm and it there was tons of availability, we did not need to book ahead. You can also book a pool day here, there is a package that includes a massage and sauna.

Train from Monaco-Monte Carlo to Nice-Ville  (20 minutes)

Onaka- This Japanese fusion restaurant was very good! Not the best Japanese food that I've ever had, but they served very high quality fish, creative cocktails and rolls, and a fun vibe. Definitely make a reservation ahead of time during peak season.

Day 2- A Day in Cannes and Île Sainte-Marguerite

Hobo Coffee: This coffee shop had a cheerful vibe, with cool vintage decor, good coffee and sandwiches. Definitely worth stopping in for coffee and breakfast.

Train from Nice-Ville to Cannes: The train ride is about 40 minutes.

Fred Maître Boulanger: This was a yummy little cafe that we found while walking around Cannes before headed to our lunch reservation. We grabbed two cappuccinos and a pain au chocolat for the road. The pain au chocolat was delicious and there were people lined up around the block picking up loaves of bread. A great little cafe!

Marché Forville: The market is a must see. There is gorgeous produce, flowers, cheesemakers, fish and oysters, apertifs, and handcrafted goodies. It's hard not to buy everything here but we walked away with some berries and a plan to come back one day.

La Guérite: This is an iconic restaurant that is definitely worth visiting. The food was delicious, the scenery is unmatched, and it comes with a boat ride to Île Sainte-Marguerite, a tiny island off the coast of Cannes with amazing natural scenery, an ancient fortress, and amazing swimming. You must make a reservation for La Guérite ahead of time, they will email you to arrange the boat ride to Île Sainte-Marguerite after you book on the website. Arrive at Port Pierre Canto 15 minutes before your reservation, the boat ride is €25 per person which will be added to your final bill. Bring bathing suits to the restaurant, you can change in the bathroom and then enjoy an idyllic swim.

Train from Cannes to Nice-Ville: The train ride is about 40 minutes. The walk from Port Pierre Canto is quite long. We managed but you might want to schedule a Bolt/Uber ride.

Peixes: This was one of my favorite dining experiences in Nice. We didn't make a reservation because we weren't sure how long we would stay in Cannes, so we waited about 40 minutes for a table. The service was amazing, they serve you wine while you are waiting for your table and our servers were so funny, nice, and personable. We got oysters, scallop ceviche with passionfruit and avocado puree, stewed octopus, and plenty of cocktails. The fish was amazing quality and the vibe was incredible. I definitely recommend.

Day 3- A Beach Club Day in Nice

Marinette Kitchen: This is the perfect spot to stop for coffee, and breakfast or a pastry. The granola bowl was delicious. The burger looked bad so I'm not sure if I would eat here for dinner or lunch but it was a perfect place to start our day! After breakfast we walked back to our AirBNB and had some Aperol Spritz's before heading back down to the beach.

Le Temps d'un Été: We had an awesome time at this beach club located along the Promenade des Anglais. The parma pizza was great and we drank Hugo Spritzes, ate fries, and ran down to the water to swim ever throughout the day. The service waxed and waned throughout the day but it was impossible to have a bad time here, swimming, eating, drinking, and staring out at the Mediterranean.

Babel Babel: This was a relaxed restaurant in a gorgeous location that came highly recommend to us. The small plates and cocktails were creative. Our meal had several highlights including the deep fried tomino cheese, shakshuka, and lamb skewers. My husband's cocktail, the Garibaldi featuring Campari and orange juice, was delicious. There were also the low-light of the tomato dish, which had a tomato water foam that was trying to be delicious and creative but failed miserably (this has since been taken off the menu so I think they agree). Overall, looking out at the water and the meal highlights made this experience worth it.

Day 4-A Beautiful Day in St. Tropez

Trans Côte d'Azur: We took the Ferry from Nice to St. Tropez Reserve your ferry tickets here then pay for your spot at the ticket office at Quai Lunel before 8:30am on the day of your trip. The ferry ride is €78 per adult and about 2 hours and 30 minutes, stopping in Cannes and Île Sainte-Marguerite on the way. We got coffees and pastries on the boat and brought a deck of cards. Get there early to get a window seat or a seat at a table.

We downloaded Bolt and scheduled a ride to pick us up near the Port at 11:45am, 15 minutes after our scheduled arrival time of 1130. We found wifi at Claudie Pierlot and were able to communicate with and find our Bolt driver. We were cutting it a little close for our 1200pm reservation so I would recommend making any reservations for around 1230 or 1pm.

Jardin Tropezina: You seriously have to visit Jardin Tropezina if you want to have the best lunch of your life (and have a spare €200). This laidback restaurant is defined equally by its iconic idyllic location and its menu, designed by Michelin-star chef Jean-François Piège. Highlights included the fennel salad, the bread with endives and anchovy paste, and the post lunch swim from Pampelonne Beach which was somehow empty in mid-August. This was one of our favorite dining experiences in the South of France.

Lavomatique: To continue on this legendary food day, we stopped by Lavomatique. During peak season, I would make your reservation as soon as possible. We made ours a few weeks in advance and we ended up with a 9:00pm dinner reservation. This was probably our favorite meal (for the price) that we had in Nice. We enjoyed some orange wine, burrata with zucchini and figs, falafel, tuna ceviche, and a perfectly cooked steak dish. I wish I could relive every dish. (I have already tried to recreate the burrata with zucchini and figs at home.) Lavomatique is a MUST GO!

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Places that we missed:

We planned to visit a few places that we didn't make it to, due to the weather, overplanning our days, jet lag, or a combination of all three. Here are the first things that I would do if I was to go back to the French Riviera.

Gorges du Verdon

Unfortunately, the day that we were supposed to visit Gorges du Verdon, there were thunderstorms that made us nervous to make the 2.5 hour drive from Nice. We planned to rent an electric boat, enjoy some sandwiches and orange wine, and maybe do some hiking. A visit to this iconic river canyon in southeastern France will be my priority if we make it back to the South of France.

Antibes

We planned to visit Antibes on the way to Cannes, but had a later start than we wanted to. To ensure that we didn't miss our reservation at La Guérite we headed straight to Cannes, skipping the Picasso Museum, the Provencal Market, and Hotel Belles Rives.

Èze

This beautiful village dates back to the middle ages, it is defined by its panoramic views, ancient façades, and cobblestone streets. I hope that we make it back to the French Riviera one day to walk these streets!

Villefranche-sur-Mer

All of the beautiful beaches in Villefranche-sur-Mer are open to the public. I can't wait to make it back to this gorgeous town and lounge on the free beach all day long.

Menton

The colorful city of Menton is another one of the stops that I wish that we had made on this vacation. This is the last stop on the French Riviera before you reach Italy, known for its beautiful climate and citrus production!