MUST SEA: WHERE TO SWIM ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA
Unbelievable pools, world-famous beaches, secret spots where you feel alone with the Mediterranean…
The French Riviera offers visitors 115 kilometers of seduction (and roughly 330 days of sunshine a year!). Tried and tested by Vilebrequin, discover a few our favorite places for a swim with an ultra-privileged view.
It’s not a myth. The blues really are bluer here.
CANNES - THE PLACE TO BEACH: L’ONDINE & VILEBREQUIN LA PLAGE
Last April, Vilebrequin took the helm at one of Cannes’ best-loved private beaches: L’Ondine. Just below the boardwalk of the iconic Croisette, an entirely re-imagined space from French designer Vincent Darré invites you to get some color(s!) with Vilebrequin. Our beach concierges are on hand to show you to your table or your sunbed… Hopefully both! From sunrise to sunset, la dolce vita is served.
ROQUEBRUNE-CAP-MARTIN - GOLDEN HOUR AT THE MAYBOURNE RIVIERA
Not too far from Monaco, there’s another jewel waiting in the rocks: the Maybourne Riviera. The hotel’s incredible ship-like structure gives you the impression of being somewhere in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Stay for the evening and watch the sunset from the infinity pool. It’s as if you’re floating on the horizon.
SAINT-TROPEZ - PLAGE DE LA PONCHE: THE MOST FAMOUS SAND IN FRENCH CINEMA
Brigitte Bardot and Jean-Louis Trintignant were here! Bring your most iconic swim costumes and remember your (tan) lines because the little beach at La Ponche was once the backdrop for Roger Vadim’s 1958 classic “And God Created Woman.” They’re ready for you on set now.
NICE - LUNCH AT SEA: VERY NICE.
You bring the pepper, the Mediterranean will take care of the salt. Lunch like locals by ordering your picnic from Lou Pantail in Nice and renting a “pointu” (traditional Provence fishing boat) from the ravishing little port of Villefranche. Nothing works up an appetite like an afternoon of sailing.
ON THE WAY TO CANNES - POOLSIDE PAMPERING AT LES ROCHES ROUGES
Expect the red-carpet treatment at Les Roches Rouges, a five-star hotel flanking the rocks at Saint-Raphaël. Built in the 1950s, its striking modernist architecture features not one but several of the best pools on the Riviera. As you swim off your lunch, navigate between views of the Mediterranean and Provence. The ultimate experience: plunging into the sea from their wooden dock.
