How To See The Côte D’Azur In One Day From Aix-En-Provence

The Côte d’Azur is a beautiful place to drive along and visit on a day trip from Aix en Provence. To me, it’s all about the magnificent beach town scenery and coastal views. Somehow each city is more beautiful than the last!

There are several cities to visit on the Côte D’Azur, but with just one day, I focused on the top three: Cannes, Nice, and Monaco. You could easily spend an entire day in each of these cities, but, if you only have a limited time, this road trip is the perfect way to get a taste of all of them.

If you’re only interested in relaxing on the beach, this is not the post for you!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Côte D’Azure Or French Riviera?

The Côte D’Azur is the French Riviera is the French Riviera is the Côte D’Azur. Do you get me? They are the same thing, merely different names for it based on the language. In English, it’s more often referred to as the French Riviera. In French, it’s the Côte D’Azur.

Where Is The Côte D’Azur France?

The Côte D’Azur France is the Mediterranean cost of southeastern France.There are no real borders to the Côte D’Azur it’s actually all a part of the  Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region.

Unofficially, what constitutes the Côte D’Azur begins as early as Cassis and extends all the way to Menton on the French-Italian Border. And it includes the micro state of Monaco which isn’t even a part of France.

Why Go On A Day Trip From Aix En Provence

The Côte D’Azur is easily accessible on a day trip from Aix en Provence. It’s a worthwhile day trip if you’re also craving some beach vibes. Aix is inland so you are nowhere near the coast.

Heads Up Before Driving On The Côte D’Azur

A day trip to the Côte D’Azur from Aix is the perfect way to see some of the cities and get a taste of coastal life!

There’s no way around it, if you want to go on a proper road trip through the Côte D’Azur, you’ll need to rent a car and drive. 

There isn’t a bus or train that will be quick and efficient at getting you everywhere in one day. The tourist office does provide organized tours, but they can be quite expensive. Driving isn’t as cheap as we thought it would be though, as there were some unforeseen expenses.  

There’s an unavoidable toll road that you have to take from Cannes to Aix that’s €15 each way! But don’t even think about avoiding it, it’ll double your driving time.  

To get from Cannes to Nice and Nice to Monaco though, you can avoid the toll highway if you want. Those are much smaller, only costing about €1.50 to €3 each way, but it definitely adds up.

I’d actually recommend avoiding those tolls on the way down anyway. The side roads take you through the mountains along the coast with spectacular views. It’s well worth the small detour.

The way back is a different story though, because you might end up driving at night time. If you’re unsure about driving back in the dark, definitely don’t stay for sunset. We thought the drive back would be fine even in the dark if we stayed on the highway.

Boy were we wrong! There weren’t any lights guiding our way, on top of the twisty roads. The highway wasn’t too busy either, so you’re often alone on the road. When you did meet another driver, it was just long enough for them to whiz by. I guess French drivers are very accustomed to these roads, so they drive very fast, and it’s terrifying.

At the end of the day, we didn’t save as much money and it might not be worth the added stress of driving back on the dark roads. The struggle is real.

How To Spend One Day In The Côte D’Azur Itinerary

If you’re coming from Aix-en-Provence, you’ll want to start your day in Cannes and make your way along the coast to Monaco.

First Stop: Cannes!

Welcome to the Côte D’Azur! The drive is about an hour and a half from Aix (all highway driving).

Cannes is pretty small so you can really just drive through it. This way, you’ll have more time to explore Nice and Monaco. Cannes and Nice are very similar so the one you spend more time in should depend on what you’re more interested in seeing.  

Originally we wanted to drive to the top of the hill to see the Church of Our Lady. We thought we could see the church, the Musée de la Castre, and get a view of the beach. It turns out, you can’t even get close to the top with a car.

Instead of trying to find parking, we ended up driving along the Promenade de Croisière. It’s next to the beach giving us a view of the Old Port as we drove by. We even drove by the Palais des Festivals (where they host the famous Cannes Film Festival). Although, it wasn’t the festival season when we were visiting, so it didn’t look like much.

You can also wander around the streets of Le Suquet in Cannes if you make a longer stop. We just stayed long enough for some pictures and then drove along the coast to Nice!

Driving From Cannes To Nice

As I said, depending on what you want to do, you can either drive along the highway or take the scenic route to Nice.

The difference is about 30 minutes. If you take the highway, the drive is about 45 versus the side roads along the coast is about an hour and 15.

Spend The Afternoon in Nice

Nice is beautiful! It’s a lot bigger than Cannes so there’s a bit more to explore. You’ll want to walk along the Promenade des Anglais next to the beach and see the famous Negresco hotel. I love the Art Deco architecture of the buildings along the promenade.

You can also turn into the town to explore for a bit. Make sure to remember where you’re going, it’s easy to get lost in the narrow winding passageways.

But, an absolute must-do in Nice is getting the skyline view from Castle Hill (photographed above). If you’re game for a small uphill hike, you can walk up to the viewpoint. But there is also the 45 minute Petit Train de Nice that will give you a tour of the city and bring you up to the top. Otherwise, there’s also a free elevator at the base of the hill you can take.

Not only do you get the best view of the French Riviera at the top, but there’s also a secret (manmade) waterfall to admire! I’d recommend (if you can) coming here for sunset, if it’s possible for you, as the view gets even better.

You should be able to find street parking here on the smaller streets (read my tips for parking in Nice).

Driving From Nice to Monaco

Once again, you have the option to take the highway or the scenic route. Here the difference is only 10 minutes (30 vs. 40 minutes). If there was ever a time to take the scenic route, it’s now!

On this drive, you’ll make your way through the small town of Èzes. This is a bit of a hidden gem along the Côte D’Azur (and you can swap any of my stops out if you wanted to check out Èzes instead).

But this way you at least get to drive through it!

Spend The Evening In Monaco

Monaco is the strangest place I’ve been to. To me though, a visit to Monaco was all about the views.

It’s actually its own country and the smallest in the world after Vatican City. Monaco is separated into Old Town and New Town. The Old Town is up the hill with the Prince’s palace, botanical gardens, and the oceanographic museum.

New Town to me was a bit less exciting, but this is what all the views are of! The marina with the homes built going up the hill is beautiful! 

New Town is very fancy, so window shopping only here! You’ll also find the most extravagant casino in the world; the Monte Carlo Casino. It’s completely free to go in and walk around (or gamble if you please!).

From Monaco, it’s a bit over 2 hours to drive back to Aix.

Alternative Stops For One Day In The Côte D’Azur

Of course, there are many other towns along the French Riviera where you can stop and spend the day.

I was really interested in visiting Saint Tropez which is before Cannes. And of course,  you can stop in Èzes to walk around and go on a hike.

P.S. Need A Place To Stay In Aix?

Aix en Provence is a very small city in the South of France so there’s no bad location to stay during your visit. We stayed at an Airbnb in Aix because we were visiting for a month. Here are some hotel suggestions I found to stay at while in Aix en Provence.

I would recommend staying in an apartment get a more local taste of this small South of France town and a balcony is a must-have! I love Loft “Le Petit Séquoia for both of those features. You can sleep 5 people in this apartment on the edge of town and it has an unbeatable balcony for everyone to enjoy. See room rates and availability.

For a truly luxury getaway with a pool and spa to relax in the South of France, book a room at the Les Lodges Sainte-Victoire Hotel & Spa. Although it is further outside the city centre, they offer a truly relaxing South of France getaway. I mean, they have not one, not two, but THREE swimming pools! See room rates and availability.

If you want a luxury stay in the city, book Luxury Design Hotel Particulier le 28 where every room is different! They also have an indoor pool and give you one of a kind stay in Aix en Provence. See room rates and availability.

For a budget-friendly option in the city centre (on Cours Mirabeau) stay at Séjours & Affaires Aix-en-Provence Mirabeau. They offer a full kitchen and apartment amenities to live like a local in Aix! See room rates and availability.

For more hotel accommodations in Aix en Provence, Click here.

My France Day Trip Essentials

Related Posts

• Souvenirs To Bring Back From Provence
• Guide To Driving Through Provence
• 27 Day Trips From Aix-en-Provence
• Discover Aix-en-Provence: The South of France Hidden  Gem
• Honest Review: What Marseille is Really Like

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Last update on 2024-05-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API