Five (slightly) lesser-known beach spots on the French Riviera

• To enjoy summer on the Côte d'Azur in a different way, here is a selection of lesser-known beach spots on the maralpine coast.

• From the east to the far west of the department, from the pebbles to the sand via the creeks, each place offers an exceptional landscape for an unusual swim.

With the summer period well underway on the Côte d'Azur, you may want to escape the many tourists who spread their towels on the pebbles of the 7.5 km of beach in Nice and discover other "less known”.

offers a selection of coves, sandy beaches and turquoise water to enjoy the summer.

The Nice Reserve

Nice does not only have beaches on its 10 km of coastline.

Going towards Villefranche-sur-Mer, the rocks of "La Réserve" allow you to leave a towel and some belongings to then go to sea equipped with a diving mask.

This spot is more reserved for those who like to spend time in the water rather than sunbathing… The stone is not very comfortable to lie there for hours.

To the east, the beaches of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin

La Buse beach in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, between Menton and Monaco, is very pleasant because it is located far from the roads.

The place is little known because it is accessed by many stairs.

It is a five-minute walk from the station, following the gull path.

The place is quite exceptional, below the hills of Roquebrune, with a restaurant "Le Cabanon" and 400 m of beach (good, pebbles) only public and wild.

Swimming is not supervised but there are a few showers.

Access to this content has been blocked to respect your choice of consent

By clicking on "

", you accept the deposit of cookies by external services and will thus have access to the content of our partners

I ACCEPT

And to better remunerate 20 Minutes, do not hesitate to accept all cookies, even for one day only, via our "I accept for today" button in the banner below.

More information on the Cookie Management Policy page.

A little further, towards Nice, in the same town, the Golf Bleu beach is also less crowded, even in high season and is more extensive.

The landscapes are remarkable because adorned with luxurious villas.

To the west, Cap d'Antibes and its coves

The best spots are the coves around Cap d'Antibes.

In addition to being a place mainly frequented by regulars, Bacon beach offers a heavenly setting with turquoise water and a view as far as Nice.

Also confidential, the Gardiole beach overlooks the Garoupe.

L'Abri de l'Olivette, below Boulevard Maréchal-Juin, is also an unsuspected spot.

It hosts a few pointus, these traditional boats from the South.

It is possible to take a dip but it is above all a perfect place "with a view" for an aperitif at the end of the day, with friends or family!

At the end of the department, the Aiguille beach in Théoule-sur-Mer

Finally some sand!

Aiguille Beach is located in the departmental natural park of the Pointe de l'Aiguille in Théoule-sur-Mer.

After Cannes, just before the Var, this is where the Estérel massif and its rather impressive red rock begin.

Even if it may seem crowded, the spot remains less crowded than the others in high season and offers a rather exceptional panorama for a swim.

The creek of Maubois

Finally, perhaps the lesser known spots in the Alpes-Maritimes are to be found… in the Var!

Shortly after Théoule-sur-Mer, you will find the cove of Maubois, in Saint-Raphaël, which extends over 150 m of red pebbles.

The spot is then ideal for diving or for a stand up paddle excursion.

Planet

Alpes-Maritimes: How does Eze manage the rise in the level of the Mediterranean?

Planet

What is a "carbon neutral beach"?

• Nice

• Paca

• Beach

• Summer holidays