The Magnificent French Riviera (Part. 2)
It’s nearly impossible to explore the French Riviera within one single trip. I personally went three times, and there are still places I haven’t seen. The Côte d’Azur is delimited by the Italian border in the East, and the city of Marseille in the West (although some might argue with the latest). In this blog post, I will focus more on the West part of the Riviera.
Back in 2012, I went to the Côte d’Azur for the first time. Needless to say that I was astonished by so much beauty. If I had to compare both sides of the coast, I would say that the East is a bit more mountainous and has more pebble beaches than the West. However, both have a lot to offer, and I think it's worth visiting as many spots as you can!
Beach, Beach, and More Beaches
There are so many stunning beaches along that part of the coast. I must admit that tanning, swimming and snorkelling were my favourite activities during that trip. Each beach has its own particularities, but my favourites were definitely the less crowded and most isolated ones. Here are a few that I really liked:
Plage du Lavandou
Île des Embiez
Plage de l’Estagnol (personal favourite!)
Plage des Lecques
Calanques de Cassis
The calanques are a mix of impressive cliffs and creeks located all the way between Marseille and Cassis. Compared to those in the Estérel Massif, Cassis’ calanques are completely white! If you'd like to see them from the sea, just like I did, there are boat tours departing from either Cassis or La Ciotat. However, these tours don’t include a drop-off anymore, to preserve the environment, so you won’t be able to enjoy the secret beaches hidden between the cliffs. If you feel a bit more adventurous and would like to see those beaches, I would highly recommend hiking one of the Calanques (the most popular one is En-Vau but my favourite is Sugiton). Definitely make sure to stop in Cassis, this little town is super cute. I’d also suggest catching sunset at Les Goudes.
Bormes-les-Mimosas
Just like St-Paul-de-Vence in our previous article, Bormes-les-Mimosas is a lovely village not too far from Le Lavandou. I fell in love with that place instantly as it is full of flowers everywhere. Mimosas, bougainvillea, exotic cactus, and more. Not to mention the gorgeous views on the Mediterranean sea.
Porquerolles Island
This was by far the highlight of my trip! To get to that island, you will need to take a boat from Hyères-les-Palmiers. The island’s scenery is just gorgeous, it is full of vineyards and olive trees everywhere. I suggest walking (1 hour) or biking towards Notre-Dame beach, you won’t regret it once you see what it looks like. Calm turquoise waters and umbrella pines; it could be worse ;)
Les Baux-de-Provence
If you ever feel like doing something a bit more cultural, the remains of Baux-de-Provence castle are located an hour away from Marseille. This medieval village was built during the 10th century, and was strategically constructed on top of a mountain. Even though the place has been almost entirely destroyed, the village is now pedestrian and has been restored. If you visit the castle, I suggest taking an audioguide, which will help you understand where were the key areas, and give you a little bit of historical background.
Sénanque Abbey
This tiny little abbey is hidden in the middle of nowhere (an hour North of Marseille). I remember my dad not wanting to tell me where we were going, cause he knows I’m obsessed with lavender, and wanted to surprise me! It worked out perfectly! The lavender fields and the Cistercian monastery are a perfect combination, and it was worth driving the extra miles to get there!