Top Things to do in Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur
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10 Sights & Landmarks in Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France including Route des Cretes, Parc National des Calanques, Point Sublime - Mont Faron, La Croisette, Promenade des Anglais, Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde, Chateau d'If, Amphitheatre (les Arenes), Palais des Papes, Villa & Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild.
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1. Route des Cretes
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 721 reviews
Reviewed By tahnathos
A transverse road in the South of France, between Toulon and Marseille. Not the shortest one, especially compared to the close by highway. But hell (pun intended), the scenery is so incredible that it's a must go !
2. Parc National des Calanques
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,949 reviews
Reviewed By milgil24 - Sydney, Australia
The stunning natural beauty of the Calanques along the South Coast of France is a must do. We went on a boat tour which departed from Marseille (booked through Airbnb experience) which was amazing, but there are so many ways to visit this national park.
3. Point Sublime - Mont Faron
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 380 reviews
Reviewed By PDJLD123 - Watford, United Kingdom
I struggled to find any good information on a demanding day hike from the cruise port up to Point Sublime at the top of Mont Faron. I did read that you must not follow Google maps as it leaves you at the end of dead end path looking up at a sheer rock face! So we kind of followed the road and the following notes give you a safe tarmac road based route with a reasonable amount of shade as you wind up the Western side of the mountain. Cars do pass but not in any large numbers. It will get you to the viewing point in about 2.5hrs. We then came down on the cable car (€5 one way) and walked the 35mins back to the cruise port. The whole round trip took us 5.5 hours including a coffee stop (€2 each) at the cafe next to the cable car. Leave the cruise ship, put the “Zenith Omega” into your maps app. I think it’s a conference centre. It’s doesn’t matter how you walk there as it will take you though a tunnel under the railway. Once on the other side of the railway with the Zenith Omega in front of you, turn left and walk to Boulevard Bianchi, which is the start of a steep climbing road that changes name to Boulevard Emile Jacquemin. At the junction with Chenin du Fort Rouge turn right and then it’s all up hill on a one way road (cars going up only) into Route du Faron until you reach the cable car (Telepherique du Mont Faron). Staying on the road, keep walking past this to the zoo and then past that towards the Point Sublime. You will see a path with a barrier and no entry sign (for cars) on the right which you walk along for about 15 mins. The sign says 25 mins which is not true. The viewing point at the cross gives a wide open view of the harbour, the town and the mountain. It’s impressive. Then walk back to the cable car, take it down to the edge of town and it’s a 35 min stroll back to your ship through the old town. Overall 12 miles or 19 km and about 24,500 steps. Enjoy.
4. La Croisette
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,099 reviews
This world-famous street, which runs along the shoreline of Cannes, is full of upscale shopping opportunities.
Reviewed By florinr814 - The Hague, The Netherlands
La Croisette is always an awesome place for summer holidays. Its sandy beaches, the great food restaurants and the luxury shops offer all the ingredients of a perfect stay, althought a bit too expensive.
5. Promenade des Anglais
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 15,280 reviews
This famous street travels along Nice's Mediterranean waterfront.
Reviewed By mbc421 - Toronto, Canada
There is something to be said for a morning walk with a warm, salty summer breeze rolling off the Mediterranean. The Promenade des Anglais is a wide spot that is perfect for a morning jog, a hop down to the pebble beach, or simply stopping for a coffee or cocktail to people watch. I went in the morning and afternoon and found the experience more relaxed and less hot in the morning. The Promenade is close to the old town, so if you like long morning walks you can combine both. The Promenade is the best option for joggers, strollers, and slow-walking groups who want to stick together.
6. Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13,186 reviews
Reviewed By JenLovesTrains - Bad Hindelang, Germany
It’s a steep climb up to the basilica with stations of the cross along the way. Well worth it for the views over all of Marseille. It looked as though a little tourist train goes though if you don’t want to do the walk. The basilica itself is beautifully decorated with mosaics and full of a variety of thankful donations, including ship and plane models hanging from the ceiling, medals, paintings and many many marble plaques. We enjoyed reading those! People’s thanks range from being saved from submarine bombardment in the war through being healed of an ulcer to passing an exam. There’s also a crypt, gift shop, restaurant and museum but we didn’t go to the restaurant or museum. They crypt is full of votive candles and the gift shop is crowded but has a good selection of postcards.
7. Chateau d'If
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,725 reviews
This famous fortress, standing on a rocky island off the coast of Marseille, was immortalised by Alexandre Dumas in The Count of Monte Cristo as the prison where the novel’s hero, Edmond Dantes, was incarcerated before ultimately escaping. The castle was built by Francois I in 1524 and over the centuries it gained a fearsome reputation as many opponents of royal power were jailed and died in the fortress. The Castle of If has been perfectly preserved and is one of the most impressive historical sites on the Mediterranean coastline. Open: > 15th May to 20th September: from 9.30 a.m. to 6.15 p.m. > 21st September to 14th May: from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. The last visit depends on the timetable of boats, information at the tourist information center, on our website monuments-nationaux.fr or on Frioul If express. Closed: > Mondays from 21st September to 14th May. > 1st January, 25th December and subject to bad weather. Admission fees: Adults : 5,50 €; Concessions (18 to 25) = 4 €; Free admission: minors under 18*; Free admission: 18-25 years old* (citizens of one of the 27 countries of the EU or are non-European permanent residents of France) * excluding school groups.
Reviewed By tanyac179 - Surrey, United Kingdom
We opted for this trip as part of our Marseille tourist pass. Enjoyable boat ride (great views on boat) in lovely warm weather and you can spend as much time as you like walking around. Fascinating history - there is no lift & area is uneven which was a little bit difficult for our elderly relatives but we had plenty of time to explore which helped. Walk up is steep in parts too. Nice cafe with wonderful view and prices not too bad - we just had drinks & ice cream.
8. Amphitheatre (les Arenes)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,291 reviews
Reviewed By Solarbearz
We toured the amphitheatre during a recent visit to Arles. First, it was incredibly impressed from the street, being in such good condition considering its age. Entering the amphitheatre we walked through corridors of beautiful hewn stone that took us back to centuries past. We finally entered the arena and took seats in the cool sun to take it all in. It is in such good condition that it is hard to believe it is so old. The best part was knowing that the amphitheatre is still in use. The arena was set up for bull fights which I wish we could have seen. Provençal fighting bulls don’t end up as hamburger, but instead, the bulls become celebrities in their own right and have quite a fan following until they are retired. We were told that when these bulls finally died of old age they were buried standing up and facing the Mediterranean. I’m planning on doing this with with my hubby if I can outlive him. We were lucky to tour the amphitheatre on a cool day in November when the tourist count was extremely low. The only thing better would have been to arrive on a day when a bull fight was scheduled, as I am sure it is a magnificent event in such an historic setting!
9. Palais des Papes
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10,840 reviews
The residence of the soveriegn pontiffs in the 14th century is the largest Gothic Palace in the world. 25 areas to visit : ceremonila halls, chapels, cloister, the Pope's provate apartments with their priceless frescos, as well as a scenographic area, the Musée de l'Oeuvre, wich presents the development and history of the building since it was build. Ranked as UNESCO world heritage.
Reviewed By YairBarZohar - Qiryat Ata, Israel
After going through some of Avignon's other sites, you finally reached the highlight - the Pope's Palace. The palace, built between 1335 and 1352, is the largest Gothic palace in the world. This palace served as the residence of the popes in the 14th century and was also the place where six closed meetings were held, under which six popes were elected. This important site entered the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1995. As part of your visit to the Pope's Palace, you can tour more than 25 rooms open to the public. One of the highlights of the visit is the opportunity to see the Pope's living rooms from the time he lived here. Also, be impressed by the spectacular fresco paintings, which adorn a large part of the halls and chapels. You can hire an audio guide at the entrance. If you wish, you can choose to visit the Pope's Palace as part of a guided walking tour of Avignon, which includes a queue entrance to the Pope's Palace. Admission is reasonable. Children 8 and under come in for free. The card can be used with the San Benza Bridge. Opening hours: from April to the end of June and September to the beginning of November from 9:00 to 19:00, November to the end of February from 9:30 to 17:45, March from 9:00 to 18:30, July to 9 : 00-20: 00, August 9: 00-20: 30. How long should you visit? Between two and three hours. The Pope's Palace is adjacent to Avignon Cathedral to the south.
10. Villa & Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,494 reviews
It took Baroness Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild, one of the most original women on the French Riviera, seven years to build one of the most beautiful sites on the Côte d’Azur. An enlightened art enthusiast who travelled back and forth across France and Europe, Béatrice de Rothschild built up an incomparable and eclectic collection of masterpieces: priceless Sèvres and Vincennes porcelain, works by Fragonard, paintings by the masters (Boucher, Carpaccio, Tiepolo, etc.), Louis XVI furniture, and so on.
Reviewed By stephenh00d - Brentwood, United Kingdom
What a beautiful location.A free audio guide gave a detailed description of the villa and its history.Fanfastic gardens and views.Also had afternoon tea in the restaurant very pleasant.Overall great value as we spent over 4 hours wandering the house and grounds.If you are travelling from Nice the bus number has changed from the 81 to 15.
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