Driving along the coast between Marseille and Nice there are stunning views and cute little towns, bustling cities and beaches with crystal clear water dotted with sun umbrellas and kids playing in the waves. There were lots of things we didn't get to fit in like visiting the lavendar fields, seeing Verdon Gorge, or visiting St Tropez or Eze, but between eating ice cream, riding carousels, swimming at every opportunity possible and sight seeing on open air trolleys there is no shortage of things that will keep your little ones entertained. Here are 10 of our favourite things to do in Provence-Cote D'Azur:
1. Carousels
Every little town has a carousel and it makes for a great way to break up walking or sight seeing with little ones. It’s also an inexpensive attraction where you only have to spend a couple of euros to really make your kids day. Hannah loved the anticipation of watching it go around, picking the thing that she’d like to ride, buying the token that you give to the operator and then finally being able to get on. Some of our favourite carousels were:
Aix En Provence – the two story Carousel Paul Cezanne on the leafy cours Mirabeau it was beautifully painted, with horses to ride but also planes that teetered from side to side, a car and even a giraffe. It is decorated at the top with Paul Cezanne paintings
Cannes – in keeping with Cannes being a film lovers destination, Le Grand Carrousel is a huge two storey carousel that had some more current, pop culture characters like Mickey Mouse and bright cartoony cars and trucks. It is decorated with famous Cannes landmarks and is located along the seaside walkway in Reynaldo Hahn Square. It has the benefit of being right beside a playground and very close to Palais des Festival.
Cassis – The Jules Verne Carousel in Cassis wasn’t working the day that we were there but it was still our favourite carousel in the south of France. It’s probably a good thing that it wasn’t working because I’m sure we would have spent all our souvenir money riding that thing! There were submarines, rocket ships, a hot air balloon, a plane and a classic fire truck. It was beautiful and whimsical and because it was under repair we were able to explore every part of the ride. The location can’t be beat either it’s right in the port of Cassis with the beach, cafes and restaurants surrounding it and a public washroom just around the corner.
Every little town has a carousel and it makes for a great way to break up walking or sight seeing with little ones. It’s also an inexpensive attraction where you only have to spend a couple of euros to really make your kids day. Hannah loved the anticipation of watching it go around, picking the thing that she’d like to ride, buying the token that you give to the operator and then finally being able to get on. Some of our favourite carousels were:
Aix En Provence – the two story Carousel Paul Cezanne on the leafy cours Mirabeau it was beautifully painted, with horses to ride but also planes that teetered from side to side, a car and even a giraffe. It is decorated at the top with Paul Cezanne paintings
Cannes – in keeping with Cannes being a film lovers destination, Le Grand Carrousel is a huge two storey carousel that had some more current, pop culture characters like Mickey Mouse and bright cartoony cars and trucks. It is decorated with famous Cannes landmarks and is located along the seaside walkway in Reynaldo Hahn Square. It has the benefit of being right beside a playground and very close to Palais des Festival.
Cassis – The Jules Verne Carousel in Cassis wasn’t working the day that we were there but it was still our favourite carousel in the south of France. It’s probably a good thing that it wasn’t working because I’m sure we would have spent all our souvenir money riding that thing! There were submarines, rocket ships, a hot air balloon, a plane and a classic fire truck. It was beautiful and whimsical and because it was under repair we were able to explore every part of the ride. The location can’t be beat either it’s right in the port of Cassis with the beach, cafes and restaurants surrounding it and a public washroom just around the corner.
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2. Promenade de Paillon Park in Nice
Separating the old and new part of Nice is this amazing park filled with swings, marine themed climbing structures, fountains for splashing and mist stations to cool off. There's also lots of trees and grass where you can spread out a picnic blanket and relax with a snack. Bring your own snacks or head down to the market at Cours Saleya to grab some fruit (we ate SO many cherries Hannah is still talking about it) and pastries! I think we could have easily spent a whole day here and the fact that it's super central to a lot of other attractions in Nice means you could come and go any time your kids need to burn off steam.
Separating the old and new part of Nice is this amazing park filled with swings, marine themed climbing structures, fountains for splashing and mist stations to cool off. There's also lots of trees and grass where you can spread out a picnic blanket and relax with a snack. Bring your own snacks or head down to the market at Cours Saleya to grab some fruit (we ate SO many cherries Hannah is still talking about it) and pastries! I think we could have easily spent a whole day here and the fact that it's super central to a lot of other attractions in Nice means you could come and go any time your kids need to burn off steam.
3. Pont du Gard
Pont du Gard was one of the highlights of our trip to France and ironically we almost didn’t go. While planning our day trip up to Pont du Gard from Marseille I thought that we could just quickly see Aix en Provence and Avignon on the way. *face palm* Without kids it would have been doable but like a total noob I totally underestimated all the time that we spent during those early days with an infant and toddler changing diapers, feeding the baby and eating meals and snacks. In any case I can’t recommend Pont du Gard enough but I would definitely recommend stopping at just one of Aix-En-Provence OR Avignon on the way to break up the drive, but not both.
ANYWAY This ancient Roman Aqueduct was built around 50 AD and is the tallest in the world. It is stunning. When you walk from where you buy the tickets (7€ per adult, children get in free) down a path you wonder where exactly the aqueduct even is and then BAM you’re on top of it, with stunning views of the gorge and the river Gardon on either side. There are public washrooms and a small café located along the pathway with stairs leading you down to the riverbed. The water was warm and clean, it was sandy and perfect for playing and there was lots of space to stretch out with a picnic. Similar to most other beaches we visited, there was very little shade but the terraced area where the café was provided relief when needed.
Pont du Gard was one of the highlights of our trip to France and ironically we almost didn’t go. While planning our day trip up to Pont du Gard from Marseille I thought that we could just quickly see Aix en Provence and Avignon on the way. *face palm* Without kids it would have been doable but like a total noob I totally underestimated all the time that we spent during those early days with an infant and toddler changing diapers, feeding the baby and eating meals and snacks. In any case I can’t recommend Pont du Gard enough but I would definitely recommend stopping at just one of Aix-En-Provence OR Avignon on the way to break up the drive, but not both.
ANYWAY This ancient Roman Aqueduct was built around 50 AD and is the tallest in the world. It is stunning. When you walk from where you buy the tickets (7€ per adult, children get in free) down a path you wonder where exactly the aqueduct even is and then BAM you’re on top of it, with stunning views of the gorge and the river Gardon on either side. There are public washrooms and a small café located along the pathway with stairs leading you down to the riverbed. The water was warm and clean, it was sandy and perfect for playing and there was lots of space to stretch out with a picnic. Similar to most other beaches we visited, there was very little shade but the terraced area where the café was provided relief when needed.
4. Find a Beach and Swim
One of the reasons so many people travel to the south of France is the combination of 300+ days of sunshine and beautiful beaches. We managed to find a different and beautiful place to swim every day of our vacation – some with soft sand, some with pebbles, some steps from the city and others that you have to hike to. Some of our favourites were:
Antibes – just outside the city walls this beach had super soft sand and was a quick walk to the town (just in case you need snacks, or in our case ice cream). I’m not sure if we were just there on a particularly windy day but we found that the water was rough with lots of waves and some sea weed so it wasn’t our favourite for swimming.
Cannes – we swam in two spots in Cannes, one at the public beach along la Croisette (there are lots of private beaches reserved for hotel guests but there are little stretches of public beach as well) and another further down at Plage du Midi which was convenient because it was away from the hustle and bustle and there was parking really close for a small fee.
Pont du Gard – see above. This was a great place to swim and picnic and sight see. It was fresh water which was a nice change and it’s nice and shallow which makes it a great place to splash and play.
Ile de Porquorelle – Check out our post about things to do in Hyeres to read more about Ile de Porquorelle and the beautiful beaches that are walkable or bikeable. Calm, warm, and sandy these were great places to swim but took a little bit of time and money (you have to take the ferry from Giens Peninsula) to get to.
Hiking in Calanques National Park – check out our post on hiking in Calanques National Park because these beaches were totally worth the work it took to get to them!
One of the reasons so many people travel to the south of France is the combination of 300+ days of sunshine and beautiful beaches. We managed to find a different and beautiful place to swim every day of our vacation – some with soft sand, some with pebbles, some steps from the city and others that you have to hike to. Some of our favourites were:
Antibes – just outside the city walls this beach had super soft sand and was a quick walk to the town (just in case you need snacks, or in our case ice cream). I’m not sure if we were just there on a particularly windy day but we found that the water was rough with lots of waves and some sea weed so it wasn’t our favourite for swimming.
Cannes – we swam in two spots in Cannes, one at the public beach along la Croisette (there are lots of private beaches reserved for hotel guests but there are little stretches of public beach as well) and another further down at Plage du Midi which was convenient because it was away from the hustle and bustle and there was parking really close for a small fee.
Pont du Gard – see above. This was a great place to swim and picnic and sight see. It was fresh water which was a nice change and it’s nice and shallow which makes it a great place to splash and play.
Ile de Porquorelle – Check out our post about things to do in Hyeres to read more about Ile de Porquorelle and the beautiful beaches that are walkable or bikeable. Calm, warm, and sandy these were great places to swim but took a little bit of time and money (you have to take the ferry from Giens Peninsula) to get to.
Hiking in Calanques National Park – check out our post on hiking in Calanques National Park because these beaches were totally worth the work it took to get to them!
5. Visit Antibes
While we wanted to hit the bigger cities of Marseille, Cannes and Nice we also wanted to explore smaller little towns along the way and Antibes was a town that kept coming up as small and charming and we loved it. It’s a small artsy town where we explored an open air flea market, grabbed lunch at the market, tried the local delicacy a wood fired chickpea pancake called socca, walked the 10th century city walls, got ice cream at Gelateria del Porto and then swam at the beach. PHEW. We wished we had more time to explore the Sentier du Littoral but there’s always next time
While we wanted to hit the bigger cities of Marseille, Cannes and Nice we also wanted to explore smaller little towns along the way and Antibes was a town that kept coming up as small and charming and we loved it. It’s a small artsy town where we explored an open air flea market, grabbed lunch at the market, tried the local delicacy a wood fired chickpea pancake called socca, walked the 10th century city walls, got ice cream at Gelateria del Porto and then swam at the beach. PHEW. We wished we had more time to explore the Sentier du Littoral but there’s always next time
6. Stay at a family campground
If you’re looking for a great accommodation style that will make everyone in your family happy check out a family campground. We were able to find a fully serviced two bedroom accommodation with air conditioning, and a pool and playground right there and a shuttle to the beach! It was a great way to have some downtime while still enjoying all that the south of France has to offer. For us it was all the benefits of a resort with the flexibility of making our own food and being able to do daytrips if we wanted.
If you’re looking for a great accommodation style that will make everyone in your family happy check out a family campground. We were able to find a fully serviced two bedroom accommodation with air conditioning, and a pool and playground right there and a shuttle to the beach! It was a great way to have some downtime while still enjoying all that the south of France has to offer. For us it was all the benefits of a resort with the flexibility of making our own food and being able to do daytrips if we wanted.
7. Hike in Calanques National Park
In my (humble) opinion, some of the most gorgeous views in the South of France are found in this park. We did two hikes while we were in Provence-Cote D’Azur, one just outside of Marseille and one in Cassis. Both can be accessed by public transit and are manageable with kids. Not to mention it combined all of our favourite things: walking, sunshine, beautiful views, picnics (aka food) and swimming. Remember lots of water, sunscreen, snacks, hats and sturdy shoes oh and your camera because you will want to capture these views. Check out our post about hiking in Calanques National Park if you want more details.
In my (humble) opinion, some of the most gorgeous views in the South of France are found in this park. We did two hikes while we were in Provence-Cote D’Azur, one just outside of Marseille and one in Cassis. Both can be accessed by public transit and are manageable with kids. Not to mention it combined all of our favourite things: walking, sunshine, beautiful views, picnics (aka food) and swimming. Remember lots of water, sunscreen, snacks, hats and sturdy shoes oh and your camera because you will want to capture these views. Check out our post about hiking in Calanques National Park if you want more details.
8. Take “petit train” tours
Almost every town has a “petit train”, an open air trolley that gives a tour around the city, hitting some of the most popular spots and often stopping at one or two so you can treat it as a hop on/hop off. In Marseille we took the petit train from the port to Notre Dame de la Gard along the coastal road. The tours are inexpensive (8€ for adults and 4€ for kids, children under 3 are free), a great way to see the city and our daughter loved pointing the little trains out in every town that we visited.
Almost every town has a “petit train”, an open air trolley that gives a tour around the city, hitting some of the most popular spots and often stopping at one or two so you can treat it as a hop on/hop off. In Marseille we took the petit train from the port to Notre Dame de la Gard along the coastal road. The tours are inexpensive (8€ for adults and 4€ for kids, children under 3 are free), a great way to see the city and our daughter loved pointing the little trains out in every town that we visited.
9. People watch in Cannes
Place de la Croisette is such a great place to people watch. Boulevard de la Croissette in particular is lined with high end shops and hotels, hosts tons of artistic conferences and attracts the rich and famous. We loved wandering along the water watching beach goers (and taking a dip ourselves), oogling at the yachts in the harbour and snacking at the cafes. Make sure you stop at the Cinema Mural at the far end of the port at the bus station and see how many movie characters you and your kids can recognize!
Place de la Croisette is such a great place to people watch. Boulevard de la Croissette in particular is lined with high end shops and hotels, hosts tons of artistic conferences and attracts the rich and famous. We loved wandering along the water watching beach goers (and taking a dip ourselves), oogling at the yachts in the harbour and snacking at the cafes. Make sure you stop at the Cinema Mural at the far end of the port at the bus station and see how many movie characters you and your kids can recognize!
10. Visit the Ile de Porquerolles (and see flamingos on the way!)
Looking for a beautiful day trip from Hyeres? We enjoyed the stunning unspoiled beaches, trails, and ice cream on Ile de Porquerelles. It is a quick ferry ride from the port on the Giens Peninsula and seems a world away thanks to the complete absence of cars (and apparently pavement!) There’s a plethora of bike rental places that have everything from electric bikes to child seats, trailers and tag along attachments and lots of stroller friendly paths. We particularly loved the 30 minute walk to Plage D’Argent which took us along vineyards and through beautiful forested areas For swimming we preferred Plage de Courtade just on the other side of the port for a slightly quieter atmoshphere and a nicer sand to lay the towel out on. Along the main strip just up from the ferry dock you can find restaurants, an open square and plenty of ice cream. On your drive back from the Giens Peninsula to Hyeres make sure to take the scenic Route du Sel. On the left hand side you will see kite surfers taking advantage of the strong mistral winds and on the right you will see the marshlands that attract hundreds of flamingos. There are access points to the beach along the roadway and you will notice people parked on the shoulder of the road to enjoy the view on both sides.
Looking for a beautiful day trip from Hyeres? We enjoyed the stunning unspoiled beaches, trails, and ice cream on Ile de Porquerelles. It is a quick ferry ride from the port on the Giens Peninsula and seems a world away thanks to the complete absence of cars (and apparently pavement!) There’s a plethora of bike rental places that have everything from electric bikes to child seats, trailers and tag along attachments and lots of stroller friendly paths. We particularly loved the 30 minute walk to Plage D’Argent which took us along vineyards and through beautiful forested areas For swimming we preferred Plage de Courtade just on the other side of the port for a slightly quieter atmoshphere and a nicer sand to lay the towel out on. Along the main strip just up from the ferry dock you can find restaurants, an open square and plenty of ice cream. On your drive back from the Giens Peninsula to Hyeres make sure to take the scenic Route du Sel. On the left hand side you will see kite surfers taking advantage of the strong mistral winds and on the right you will see the marshlands that attract hundreds of flamingos. There are access points to the beach along the roadway and you will notice people parked on the shoulder of the road to enjoy the view on both sides.
