Top Things to do in Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur
Top Hotels in Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur
10 Things to do for Honeymoon 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 Gorges du Verdon, Route des Cretes, Parc National des Calanques, La Croisette, Promenade des Anglais, Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde, Montagne Sainte Victoire, Amphitheatre (les Arenes), Villa & Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild, Castle Hill of Nice.
Restaurants in Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur
1. Gorges du Verdon
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,811 reviews
Europe's only grand canyon.
Reviewed By B_Brierley - London, United Kingdom
We visited for 1 day in August 2020, and even in the height of summer with many other tourists, this was still an incredible experience. We arrived at La Base Nautique de l'Etoile which is the closest pedalo/kayak rental to the Gorge opening (on the left bank when looking at the Gorge) at 8:45am and joined the already formed queue of people (opens at 9am). We rented a pedalo for 40Euros for 2 hours - this allowed us to pedal as far as the Gorges allows (in terms of signposts, not in terms of ability) and enjoy some swimming while docked at the side before heading back. We could have used more time to relax and just enjoy. Arriving that early in the morning affords you some quieter time in the Gorge, even in summer, before it gets really filled up with boats/people. Due to our next stop, we ended up driving the D952 to Castellane by total chance which turned out to be one of our TOP drives of all time - just stunning and highly recommended.
2. 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 !
3. 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.
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. Montagne Sainte Victoire
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. 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.
10. Castle Hill of Nice
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9,638 reviews
Reviewed By sezzyloulou - Harlow, United Kingdom
Of all the places essential to see in Nice, this is one of them On the top of a hill overlooking the bay of Nice, originally built for military purposes Castle hill dominates the city, separating the eastern part - the port - and the western part - the old town Once at the top (you can climb up the stairs, or get in the free lift) it offers the most spectacular panoramic views of the bay, the ruins of an old cathedral, a view of the port, and has a lovely (though artificial) waterfall There are toilets and a small cafe too It is lovely to walk back down and visit the Jewish and catholic cemeteries, where you will find tombs of many aristocrats and famous people - apparently it costs 30k just to ‘reserve a plot’ with a substantial yearly upkeep fee
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