Cote de Azur - The French Riviera

Have you ever thought of renting an apartment here on the French Riviera, with the pristine sunny beaches, the homes perched among the green hills, great cars, superstars - wow - is it really possible? And the answer surprisingly is "yes". What is unusual here is that you "can" fit in and you "will" find something just for you. The charm here takes me back to the 1920's.

Make sure you click on the images so you can see the best view. Looking for the world class beach with "bling-bling"? There are a few around St. Tropez along the French Riviera. This area was the hangout of starlet Bridget Bardot, but today the hotels and clubs are packed year-round with Hollywood's hottest stars.

Not far from Nice or Cannes, St. Tropez is a lively town, full of grand culture and shopping during the summer and can be a nice hideaway during the winter months. Hotels abound, and some great bargains can be made if you plan far enough in advance. Tourists planning vacations from all over the world make it once to St. Tropez, and with good reason. The area around the beaches is full of culture, gourmet food and exciting nightlife.

The beach to be seen? Plage Port Grimaud! Wealthy sunbathers and international beach bums cruise the beach. But don't let the crowds stop you. The Cote de Azur offers exciting beach options for any taste - and I mean any. Plage de Tahiti is notorious for its clothing-optional policy. And if you're bringing the whole family, make sure you stop by at least one of these gems: Plage de la Bouillabaisse, Plage des Graniers and Plage des Jumeaux, which also offers beach side playgrounds.

Plage de Pampellone has over three miles of beaches and hotels throughout the area. You'll find yacht harbors all along the famous Cote de Azur, or French Riviera. While you're taking a break and venturing from the beach or your hotel, check out the open-air markets, boutiques or local groceries. Pick up a bottle of olive oil from the area, or wine.

BEACH INDEX:

• Sand - medium grain, coral/loam mix
• Facilities - full on all popular beaches
• Shade - umbrella rentals
• Sports - some snorkel gear rental
• Notes - the Riviera is packed with tourists all summer, expect crowded restaurants and even more crowded highways. Best months to visit are June and September, when you can enjoy the beaches and nice summer weather away from the hordes. Last two weeks in July and the entire month of August are hot holiday time for French families and other Europeans on vacation. Plan accordingly. Closest airport - NCE (unless you have your own jet).

Which French beach was Napoleon's favorite? - Next >>

Biarritz Beaches - Napoleon's Favorite Resort

Biarritz, France surfing. Ah, yes. Two words that one week out of the year go hand in hand. The Biarritz Surfing Festival draws surfers from all over the world. See our other video below for some rad surfing action, right here in Biarritz, France. There are over 5 Km's of beaches here - and people frequent them year round.

Biarritz established itself as a popular coastal resort in the mid-19th century when Napoleon III and his wife Eugenie used to spend their summers here. Since then it has proved popular not only with royalty but also with Europe's rich and famous.

Biarritz lies along the Basque coast, near Spain's Basque region. You can easily see the influence even today in the Biarritz architecture and cuisine. Any of the many hotels in this beautiful French resort town reflect that.

There are five beaches in all, each with a distinct history. Once a fishing village, this area became a European surf mecca when in the late 50's American filmmaker Peter Viertel brought a longboard from California and surfed the huge waves astonishing the locals.

Today Biarritz, France is home to the "Biarritz Surf Festival" attended by over 150,000 surfing enthusiasts.

You will find this area of France astoundingly picturesque with majestic hotels and old resorts with all of the amenities. But book your hotel early; this is one popular place for both local Europeans and people from all over the world.

If you tire of the beach and don't want to be cooped up in the hotel, head for the local aquarium, one of the best in the region. Or, walk to several of the museums of Biarritz. Check with your hotel concierge for times and locations.

Other attractions include the old whaling port which looks a lot like it did many years ago when whaling was the prime means of commerce. Biarritz is full of boutiques with the finest from Europe. And at night, the City Casino stays open until morning. You can also head off to the local disco and dance away any energy you may have left.

BEACH INDEX:

• Sand - dark, coral/loam mix, some debris
• Facilities - various along all beaches
• Shade - none
• Sports - none except surf rentals at select beaches
• Notes - a popular destination for international tourists, who flock to the beach during the summer months. Biarritz becomes crowded during the July Surf Festival, and hotel prices increase. The climate in Biarritz is always temperate: winters are comfortable (average 50 degrees F), and summers are warm (average 72 degrees F). Biarritz has an average of 61 rainy days per year. Closest major airport - CDG.

But which area in France is considered home to the Best Beaches? - Next >>

Corsica - The Best Beaches in France

Planning a vacation in France and missing the fabulous island of Corsica would be a sin. We believe Corsica has the best beaches for spending a delightful European vacation. But there are over 200 of them around the island, so what do you do? We'll list our picks and comment on why these French beaches are a traveler's delight, and we will show you a few.

The Island of Corisca sits off the southeastern coast of France. It is a large island, some 3370 square miles dressed with not only the best beaches in France, but a landscape as diverse and one can imagine. What's more, you'll see most of it unspoiled by man when you vacation in this recommended travel destination. The mild climate and terrain makes it heaven for climbers, hikers and paragliders - and excellent for improving your tan at the miles of beach.

We can only list the ones that made our top five list. Please try these if you can, then venture out to other spectacular beaches throughout Corsica.

Calvi - This magnificent strip of beautiful sand is the very best on the island. It has warm, shallow water making it perfect for families with small children, and for swimming late into the year - as the sun warms the shallow water close to shore. Calvi, Corsica is also a historic citadel. While you are winding down after hours at the beach, check out the citadel and museums. Recommended.

Plage de Loto and Plage de Saleccia - on the North coast; yes "plage" means "beach", like "playa" in Spanish. These gems are unspoiled. As you arrive at the beach, your eyes will immediately go to the color of the water. This site will not soon be forgotten. Don't forget the camera. Please note, there are no facilities at these beaches and, the access is rather tricky. Take your time making it down to sea level. It "is" worth it.

Plage de Palombaggia and Plage de Santa Giulia - on the South coast. These are near Porto Vecchio. Make your way down to the ocean after you pass the village. These two offer beautiful turquoise bays with fluffy, white sand and pine trees to shade you, should you need it. Please note, the world jet-set travel here when France's Cote d'Azur proves...tiring, dahling.

Don't forget that Napoleon was born on Corsica. There is a lot of history here. Ajaccio, the capital, is decked in white and is Napoleon Bonaparte's birthplace.

When should you come to Corsica? During the summer months, May and June, when there is plenty of sun and fewer visitors. How do you get to Corsica? There are flights out of Nice, a little over a half hour flying time, and you can opt for the ferry, a few hours ride leaving from Marseilles.

Beach Index

• Sand - mostly white power, fine to medium grain
• Facilities - note: many French beaches do not have on-site facilities, but have commerce close-by. Plan accordingly.
• Shade - tall pines on most, some simply commercial buildings nearby
• Sports - few beaches have sporting items for rental
• Notes - on Corsica, all above highly recommended.

Algajola, Corsica

I love the sort of village Algajola, Corsica, is. It's small and very old in the Balagne Region on Corsica's northwest coast. Algajola is very old France - built on a rock outcroppings, this fishing village has a very cool citadel. The citadel was built during the Genoese rule. What makes Algajola a beautiful beach village is that the harbor is on the west side of town, and the beach - Plage Aregno - is around 1 km long, winds right to the village.

The beach around the Aregno side of town has finer sand. The closer you get to Algajola, the coarser the sand is. There are around a dozen very nice restaurants and we even found a beach bar. There's a small supermarket; weren't you thinking of renting an apartment here on Corsica?

We found bike rentals along with windsurf equipment, kayaks, and boogie boards. And locals tell us the diving here is spectacular. However, the wind can whip up - fun for the windsurf and body boarding.

Snorkeling is good here too, because of the rocky outcroppings that jut down into the water. It's clear water and mainly sunny skies making for a wonderful beach recipe.




Algajola, Corsica - Beach Index:

• Sand - medium grain, coral/loam mix
• Facilities - full. We even found a beach bar.
• Shade - umbrella rentals
• Sports - snorkel, windsurf, body board, diving
• Notes - This is a great get-away-from-it-all beach. Plan a rental here.

Back to Famous French Beaches