How to plan the perfect French Riviera tour by train

In 1886, passengers on the Calais-Méditerranée Express were among the first to ride a sleeper service from Paris to the town of Menton on the French Riviera. They bedded down in the capital and woke up speeding along the coast, prickly pears blooming by the tracks, flashes of the Mediterranean sparkling in the first light of morning. The train was discontinued some 20 years ago, but with sleeper services enjoying a renaissance across Europe, part of the original route between Paris and Nice has now been resurrected.

By establishing a base at Nice, it’s then possible — not to mention, entirely delightful — to ride the regional ZOU! trains up or down the coast. An Interrail Pass gives you the freedom to hop on and off at will, granting yourself as long or as little time as you wish to stroll botanical gardens, paddle at the beaches and wander myriad museums, galleries and perfumeries. With destinations ranging from glamorous Cannes to Antibes’ medieval town, from the seaside village of Villefranche-sur-Mer to the hilltop enclave of Biot, this is the ideal way to discover the quieter side of the Côte d’Azur.

Day 1: Markets & Michelin restaurants

Morning
By 7am, the vendors at Nice’s Liberation Market are selling courgette flowers and fist-sized garlic bulbs to locals. Pick up punnets of cherries and strawberries, then head down to Nice-Ville station and take the train east to Menton. It’s a 40-minute journey alongside villas draped in bougainvillea, the Mediterranean shimmering nearby. A 20-minute walk beneath orange trees then brings you down to pebbly Plage du Marché and along to the Jean Cocteau Bastion Museum. The 20th-century French writer and painter worked in Menton and chose this building — which dates to the 17th century and looks like a sandcastle — to house a changing collection of his works.

Afternoon
Menton’s medieval old town overlooks the bay in ochre glory. Ascend the 18th-century Saint-Michel ramps — decorated with a floor mosaic — that lead up to its baroque Basilica of Saint-Michel Archange. You could then tuck in to a hearty buckwheat pancake filled with mushrooms, pancetta and béchamel sauce at Crêperie Saint Michel, or embark upon a sensory voyage at three-Michelin-star Mirazur. The menus here follow the lunar calendar; depending on the day, you’ll be served one that highlights roots, leaves, flowers or fruits. Return to the station to make the six-minute ride to the beachside village of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin for a rosé at Le Cabanon restaurant, set in a corner of Plage du Buse.

Evening
Head back to Nice Old Town. It’s at its best in the evening, when tables spill onto the cobbles, candles warming the faces of chattering diners, and boutiques remain open. Starting at the top of Rue Pairolière, stop into Girofle et Cannelle for sachets of flavoured salt, Caprice Vintage Shop for jewellery and Maison Perrert for truffle sausage and comté cheese. Provided you booked in advance, sit for dinner at Acchiardo. A family affair since 1927, it serves Niçoise home cooking like braised veal and panisses (chickpea flour chips). Finish the night with ice cream from Fenocchio, with flavours including salted caramel and tiramisu.

Day 2: Vineyards & Museum visits

Morning
A glorious 40-minute train ride down the west coast from Nice takes you to Cannes. The resort city evokes images of growling Ferraris and supersized yachts, but steer clear of the popular seaside Promenade de la Croisette and head to the quieter old quarter of Le Suquet instead. Walk up the alleys to the Église Notre-Dame d’Espérance, a steep but short climb that rewards with an unrivalled view of the bay. Nearby is Marché Forville, a covered market selling everything from cheese and sausages to sea urchins and candied fruit. For reasonably priced souvenirs, the adjacent Rue Meynadier has the likes of Provençal ceramics and calissons, confectionery made of almonds, candied melon and orange zests.

Afternoon
Board a 20-minute ferry from the Quai Laubeuf to Saint-Honorat Island, the smallest of the Lérins Islands off the bay of Cannes, home to the 21 monks of Lérins Abbey. Established in 410 CE, the monastery is surrounded by 20 acres of vineyards; visitors can gather in olive groves to taste a wide variety of wines produced from Chardonnay, Viognier and Pinot Noir grapes. Covered in Aleppo pines and pink blooms, the island is also ripe for discovering old ruins, the soothing scent of rosemary and thyme in the salty air. Make sure to factor in a long, indulgent lunch at La Tonnelle, which serves wonderful grilled octopus and rigatoni in creamy truffle sauce.

Evening
Alternatively, leave Cannes a little earlier and make for Antibes, a 10-minute train ride to the east. After becoming smitten by the Riviera, Pablo Picasso set up a studio at the city’s Château Grimaldi, which now houses the Picasso Museum. It contains a mix of his post-war work and is well worth a visit (note that it closes at 6pm). While here, the painter developed a love for ceramics, taking inspiration from the artists working at the Madoura studio in the adjacent commune of Vallauris (set to open to the public in 2027). Many of the creatives in the area were known to enjoy a shot of absinthe; toast to their legacy at L’Absinthe Bar, whose bartop is lit in neon green.

Top three beaches to visit:

1. Plage des Marinières: The town of Villefranche-sur-Mer’s seafront is one of the few soft, golden-sand stretches on the predominantly pebbly Riviera. Walk halfway along the Promenade des Marinières to the spot opposite La Praia shack, where the beach becomes a no-smoking area, the water is clear and the waves barely ripple.

2. Sablettes Beach: Overlooked by the old town of Menton, this is a crowd-free cove with a private club hiring out parasols, towels and loungers. Ideal for families, the water is shallow, clean and full of tiny crabs to catch in buckets. Try the fried calamari in spicy mayo or a bowl of garlicky vongole (clams) from the on-site restaurant.

3. Plage Marquet: This small-stone beach lies a short drive from Monaco-Monte-Carlo station on the eastern end of Cap d’Ail. It’s perfect for swimming and beach activities: there are volleyball courts plus options to go paddleboarding, kayaking and windsurfing with Cercle Nautique. The beach has accessible ramps to the sand and bathing wheelchairs for hire in July and August, plus accessible showers and changing rooms.