Anonymous
05/09/2025 14:08
Subject: Off the path: South of France
Cap d’Agde
Anonymous
05/09/2025 14:02
Subject: Off the path: South of France
Anonymous wrote:Hyères is less done for Americans and very pretty and wilder. Don't know about beach clubs. If you want beach clubs then you probably want very much ON the beaten path! Do make sure you can walk to the beach because all areas will be a nightmare to park in summer.
NP- yes, I have family there. It is beautiful and less busy. Access to beaches is really tough in the summer (as in you won't find a spot even circling for hours) but June is better since kids in France are still in school.
Anonymous
05/09/2025 13:59
Subject: Off the path: South of France
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Looking to rent a villa for 10 days at end of June.
Thoughts on:
Bandol
Ramateulle
St. Tropez
Juan-les-Pins
Antibes
Villefranche
Hoping to have a villa walking distance (or very close) to lively central village/town area for college aged kids (and their friends) to go out at night and for dinners.
Close to beach clubs for daytime.
Traveling occasionally in the area for market days and lunches out.
Boat days.
Fly into Nice or Toulon from London.
Ideas?
If you have not booked flights yet, United now has direct daily flight from IAD into Nice
It's not daily- it's 4 days per week, starts in late May.
Anonymous
05/09/2025 13:56
Subject: Off the path: South of France
Cannes has everything you're seeking - beach clubs, walkability, tons of restaurants, villas just a bit up the hill, lots of shopping, safe for young adults to wander off on their own, etc.
Villefranche and Beaulieu-sur-Mer are bit too small. Very picturesque, but its more residential with a strong focus on the waterfront marinas/boating. Same thing with Eze - gorgeous quiet beach but its all residential.
Personally, I think Antibes has A LOT of car traffic and its bigger than Cannes (but smaller than Nice) with more apartment buildings.
The issue is that if you're dead set on a villa, that usually means you will be up a hill from the beach and the town. If you want a walkable, bustling town....that usually means villas are further away. The villas with access to a beautiful walkable beach are in very small villages. Catch 22.
Villefranche and Beaulieu-sur-Mer are bit too small. Very picturesque, but its more residential with a strong focus on the waterfront marinas/boating. Same thing with Eze - gorgeous quiet beach but its all residential.
Personally, I think Antibes has A LOT of car traffic and its bigger than Cannes (but smaller than Nice) with more apartment buildings.
The issue is that if you're dead set on a villa, that usually means you will be up a hill from the beach and the town. If you want a walkable, bustling town....that usually means villas are further away. The villas with access to a beautiful walkable beach are in very small villages. Catch 22.
Anonymous
05/09/2025 12:05
Subject: Off the path: South of France
Anonymous wrote:Looking to rent a villa for 10 days at end of June.
Thoughts on:
Bandol
Ramateulle
St. Tropez
Juan-les-Pins
Antibes
Villefranche
Hoping to have a villa walking distance (or very close) to lively central village/town area for college aged kids (and their friends) to go out at night and for dinners.
Close to beach clubs for daytime.
Traveling occasionally in the area for market days and lunches out.
Boat days.
Fly into Nice or Toulon from London.
Ideas?
If you have not booked flights yet, United now has direct daily flight from IAD into Nice
Anonymous
05/09/2025 12:03
Subject: Off the path: South of France
For college age kids, I'd stay in St. Tropez within walking distance of the port/ old town.
It's definitely not off the beaten path, but the nightlife is great, the afternoon parties at the beach clubs are fun and you can walk everywhere.
We visited a family with college kids who vacationed there last summer and they had a blast. Renting a villa would probably be cheaper than staying in a hotel for a family.
It's definitely not off the beaten path, but the nightlife is great, the afternoon parties at the beach clubs are fun and you can walk everywhere.
We visited a family with college kids who vacationed there last summer and they had a blast. Renting a villa would probably be cheaper than staying in a hotel for a family.
Anonymous
05/09/2025 09:42
Subject: Off the path: South of France
Interested in many of these stops....any hotel recs for the places you booked for your trip?
Anonymous
Anonymous
09/13/2024 21:13
Subject: Off the path: South of France
Anonymous wrote:I recommend Antibes or Nice itself. Nice has a good tram system, and there is also train service from Cannes to Monaco (and beyond to Italy). We did not need a car at all. West of Nice the beach is sandy. In Nice proper, the beach is completely rocky.
Yes, the beach is rocky but the color of the water is amazing!
Anonymous
09/13/2024 21:04
Subject: Off the path: South of France
I recommend Antibes or Nice itself. Nice has a good tram system, and there is also train service from Cannes to Monaco (and beyond to Italy). We did not need a car at all. West of Nice the beach is sandy. In Nice proper, the beach is completely rocky.
Anonymous
09/11/2024 21:51
Subject: Off the path: South of France
Anonymous wrote:Hyères is less done for Americans and very pretty and wilder. Don't know about beach clubs. If you want beach clubs then you probably want very much ON the beaten path! Do make sure you can walk to the beach because all areas will be a nightmare to park in summer.
And 100% this - parking in these towns is practically impossible. Walkability will be key
Anonymous
09/11/2024 21:50
Subject: Off the path: South of France
Of these, Antibes or Juan are the best for the lively town for your kids thing. I don’t know Ramateulle so can’t comment on that. Fly into Nice for those (and yes, as PP said, all very much on the beaten path!)
Anonymous
09/11/2024 16:58
Subject: Off the path: South of France
Hyères is less done for Americans and very pretty and wilder. Don't know about beach clubs. If you want beach clubs then you probably want very much ON the beaten path! Do make sure you can walk to the beach because all areas will be a nightmare to park in summer.
Anonymous
09/11/2024 16:37
Subject: Off the path: South of France
Well that area have very much been "on the path" for over 200 years.
"This coastline was one of the first modern resort areas. It began as a winter health resort for the British upper class at the end of the 18th century"
"This coastline was one of the first modern resort areas. It began as a winter health resort for the British upper class at the end of the 18th century"
Anonymous
09/11/2024 16:19
Subject: Off the path: South of France
Looking to rent a villa for 10 days at end of June.
Thoughts on:
Bandol
Ramateulle
St. Tropez
Juan-les-Pins
Antibes
Villefranche
Hoping to have a villa walking distance (or very close) to lively central village/town area for college aged kids (and their friends) to go out at night and for dinners.
Close to beach clubs for daytime.
Traveling occasionally in the area for market days and lunches out.
Boat days.
Fly into Nice or Toulon from London.
Ideas?
Thoughts on:
Bandol
Ramateulle
St. Tropez
Juan-les-Pins
Antibes
Villefranche
Hoping to have a villa walking distance (or very close) to lively central village/town area for college aged kids (and their friends) to go out at night and for dinners.
Close to beach clubs for daytime.
Traveling occasionally in the area for market days and lunches out.
Boat days.
Fly into Nice or Toulon from London.
Ideas?