5 of the BEST Cote d’Azur Cities You Need to See on a Europe RV Trip

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Maureen Hochdorf

Visiting the Cote d’Azur with MommyMoAdventures

After spending the first four days of our 2-week European RV trip in Rome, Pisa, and Cinque Terre, Italy, we headed northwest toward the coast of the infamous French Riviera of France. There are so many incredible places to visit along the Cote D’Azur, but because we were on a time frame, we needed to narrow it down for this particular road trip. Here are our 5 BEST Cote d’Azur cities to add to your next European RV Trip.

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What is the best time to visit the Cote d’Azur?

The best time to visit the Cote d’Azur is late Spring to early Fall – May through October. The summer months are sunny and warm for sunbathing and seeing those gorgeous turquoise waters. We were there in early Spring – mid-April – and it was still a little too cold to go in the water. We had one day that was warm enough for Mia to go in the pool at the Saint-Tropez campground but a bit too chilly for us adults.

TIP: The best time to visit the French Riviera is also the most expensive time to visit. If you plan your trip during the offseason like we did, you’re able to save a lot of money, especially on campgrounds.

Best Cote d’Azur Cities: Eze Village, France

One of the most STUNNING views you’ll see of the French Riviera is from atop the Hidden Gem location of Eze Village. Nestled in between Monaco and Nice lies a tiny little village that most people have never even heard of. But believe me – you’ll want to! We spent a day in Eze Village, hiking to the top, exploring the quaint streets, and eating at one of the French restaurants inside the village. And of course, taking in the INSANE VIEWS!

Is Eze Village worth visiting?

In a word, ABSOLUTELY! Eze Village is one of those places that you will be telling everyone about once you visit. And here’s a little fun fact: Walt Disney, himself, was known to spend a lot of time in Eze, so don’t be surprised if you get a few Disney vibes while walking around.

Tips for visiting Eze Village with kids

Walking up to the top of the village is no easy feat. It’s considered challenging, with its cobblestone roads and steep inclines. So here are 3 TIPS for exploring Eze Village with kids:

Because the walk up to the village is steep and not easy, it’s best to take your time and walk carefully. Wear appropriate shoes and bring plenty of water.
The streets are cobblestone and NOT stroller friendly. We made the mistake of bringing our stroller but ended up carrying it most of the time. If you have a baby or toddler, don’t waste your time with a stroller – bring a baby carrier instead.
The restaurants are all quite expensive. So if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on food, bring snacks or a small lunch.

Best Cote d'Azur cities Eze Village, France, with kids

Parking your RV at Eze Village

There are two parking lots at the base of the village’s entrance, but RVs are not allowed entrance into the lots. There are spaces along the street that you can park a motorhome on, or you can park in the parking lot a further away from the entrance and take a shuttle bus in. You’ll see signs for the second parking lot or use the park4night app to search for open parking.

Where can you RV camp near Eze Village?

We stayed overnight at the French Aire, La Turbie – only 6 minutes from Eze Village. French Aires are a great option for overnight stays – especially for larger motorhomes. And the best part is that they are FREE! During our RV trip, we stayed at a few different French Aires, and this was the first one.

FINDING FRENCH AIRES TIP: The easiest way to find French Aires along the route is to use your Google Maps app. Filter by service stations and all the French Aires near you will pop up.

Best Cote d'Azur cities French Aires for campers in France

Best Cote d’Azur Cities: Nice, France

The next must-see stop along the Cote d’Azur is Nice. We actually combined a Nice/Cannes visit on the same day since they are right next to each other and we had previously been to both. But we’ll start with Nice since it is the next stop on the road trip.

While Nice is known for its stunning beaches and promenade, there are many family-friendly places to see as well. We took time to stroll around Old Nice, played at the Promenade du Paillon Park (the best playground by far!), and ate at an adorable restaurant in the side streets of the cities.

Nice with Families TIP: There are some great parks and playgrounds sprinkled throughout Nice. Make sure to carve out time to let your kids blow off steam with some fun!

RV Camping near Nice, France

Since we only explored Nice during the day, we didn’t need a campground on this trip. But, there are plenty of great campgrounds near the city if you’d like to stay more than a day. If you want to camp near Nice, check out our Europe Campground Guide here which is full of camping resources.

Best Cote d’Azur Cities: Cannes, France

As mentioned above, we combined a quick trip to Cannes with Nice on this trip. But if you’ve never been to either before, I highly suggest a couple of days exploring each city. And while Cannes is known for its luxury and wealth, it’s also a great family destination.

Yaron and I had fun posing on the infamous Red Carpet of the Cannes Festival, while Mia had a blast running along the boardwalk. Taking a boat ride is a great way to spend the day on the beautiful water, and don’t forget to leave time for the beach! It’s a Cannes must!

Best Cote d'Azur cities Cannes red carpet

Best Cote d’Azur Cities: Antibes, France

Without a doubt, our favorite spontaneous stop on our trip was Antibes. Originally, we didn’t plan a stop here, but after driving along the coast and seeing the beach from our RV, we KNEW we had to! This is a great place to plan a beach day with an open beach for miles. It’s a great place for a beach stroll.

You can also spend time wandering the streets of Old Town, Antibes. Our favorite places in European cities are the Old Town areas. Steeped with history, art galleries, shops, and cafes, it’s a great place to explore. Old Town also houses the Picasso museum, with a collection of his artworks in the building he actually lived and worked in.

Boondocking and wild camping in Antibes, France

If you want to wake up to the most spectacular view of the Cote d’Azure, THIS IS IT! All along the coast, there are boondocking motorhome and RV spots – perfect for spending the night on the beach. I just couldn’t believe we were waking up with those views. You can park and stay overnight for free. We saw many other RVs who had the same idea, so you won’t feel isolated or scared to park.

Boondocking at Antibes TIP: When parking along the beach, MAKE SURE you don’t drive too far onto the beach. Right when we arrived, another motorhome was being towed out because he got stuck in the sand. Stay right up near the gravel area.

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Saint Tropez, France

Saint Tropez is known as the playground for the rich and famous – you really never know who you might run into walking down the street or sitting at a cafe near a yacht. Hello, Jack Nicholson. And even though you might not be a regular at Louis Vuitton or Burberry, you can still enjoy this quaint little city in the south of France.

Is Saint Tropez worth visiting?

We think so! The vibe is really fun, and walking around the old city and port areas is quite an experience. We were so glad we added a stop at Saint Tropez to our European RV trip. And the Saint Tropez campsite was our FAVORITE campground throughout the entire trip!

What to see in Saint Tropez?

Saint Tropez is known for its beaches, yachts, shopping, and nightlife – but to be honest, we didn’t do any of that. We started up at the Citadel for the best views of the city and walked down into the city from there. We strolled through the cute cobblestone streets, spent some time at the port and coastal trail near it, ate ice cream, and just took in the vibes of the city. It was a fun half-day trip for us.

Hidden Gem of Saint Tropez: There are tons of cool little cafes and restaurants all throughout the city, but by far, the one place you MUST GO is Barbarac Artisan Glacier. It’s seriously the BEST ice cream we had on the entire trip!

Where can you camp in Saint Tropez?

It can be pretty expensive to stay right in the middle of Saint Tropez, but here’s our trick. We stayed at campinglestournels campground – just outside the city. The campground was only €25 a night. And it was the BEST camping experience we’ve ever had! We stayed two nights at this campground and could have easily stayed longer. It was located just outside Saint Tropez in the beautiful vineyard country – a 20-minute drive to the city.

More like a resort, this campground had it all! It’s fantastic for families with kids of all ages, and there were plenty of adult activities as well. Yaron and I took turns visiting the spa while Mia played in the kid pools on one of the nicer days. It was the perfect way to relax and take advantage of showers outside the RV. One of the nights we ate delicious oven-made pizza at one of the restaurants and then played Bingo as one of the offered activities.

Here are the amenities that the campground offers:

Full RV hookups
Kids & Adult Pools + Lazy River
Incredible Playground
Putt-putt golf, tennis, and basketball
Bikes
Bakery, Restaurant, and Grocery Store
Spa, massages, and workout areas
Nightly Entertainment

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How to get to Saint Tropez from the campground

The streets of Saint Tropez are narrow and tight, so we do not recommend driving your RV or motorhome inside the city. Taxis aren’t cheap in France, so we used an Uber to get a ride to the city and back. It was around €15 for each Uber ride. And our Uber driver gave us tips on what to see and do in the city. And he was actually the one who told us about Barbarac Artisan Glacier. It’s truly the best way to get to and from the city.

Is the Cote d’Azur worth visiting?

So, is the Cote d’Azur worth visiting and adding to a France road trip? For us it absolutely was! It was a great decision to spend a few days along the coast before heading up into central and northern France. If you’re traveling during the Spring, it might be a little chilly, so bring some warmer clothes. Summer months warm up nicely – perfect for those beach days.

To follow along on ALL our travel adventures, make sure you’re following us on Instagram.

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