A Guide to the South of France: What to Do and Where to Stay

So much does the ‘south’ of France offer to visitors that it could be a country in itself. In the southeast lie the sun-baked Mediterranean coast of the Côte d'Azur and the idyllic countryside of Provence, dotted with Roman ruins and rolling vineyards. Heading west via proudly independent Marseille, the fascinating ‘Ville Rose’ of Toulouse and wine heaven of Bordeaux await. The resort towns come to life at the height of summer, but the south is generally warm enough for beach days and hikes from May to October.

The best places to visit in the south of France

Aix-en-Provence

There’s something magical about Aix-en-Provence, a city where ancient streets run between shady squares and honey-hued houses. On your first trip to Provence, it is one of the best places to stay. At the Renaissance Aix-en-Provence you’re within walking distance of the town’s famous food markets, the best restaurants and Cezanne’s favourite painting spot – plus there’s a gorgeous pool to splash in at the end of the day. Day-trips can take you to nearby villages on the lavender trail or even as far as the Palais de Papes in Avignon.

Marseille

Marseille

Marseille, France’s second city, is proudly independent in everything from architecture to accent. Museums and galleries continue to open apace, with Mucem, the Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean, a must-see. On the doorstep, the best places to visit include the secluded beaches of Calanques National Park or the picturesque fishing village, Cassis. Stay at the AC Hotel by Marriott Marseille Prado Velodrome for a calmer alternative to the centre and to be well placed for exploring the coast.

Montpellier

Montpellier’s large student population lends this sunshine-drenched city an especially youthful ambience. That vibrant energy extends to the city’s cultural life, exemplified by the opening of the dynamic Montpellier Contemporary art museum. But the city knows how to be laidback, too, with the cobblestoned Old Town lending itself to unhurried exploration and long stretches of golden sand an easy trip out of town, with the nearest at Carnon. Courtyard Montpellier puts you within easy reach of Montpellier’s covered food markets, especially Halles Castellane and its huge selection of local produce, seafood and Languedoc wines.

Cannes

If you’re wondering where to go for glitz and glamour, one place should be top of your list. Cannes, as famous for its superyacht-studded bay as for its eponymous film festival, is the riviera’s playground. A trip to the south of France is hardly complete with a stroll along the city’s iconic 19th-century Croisette promenade, which runs right along Cannes’ Mediterranean shore. Perfectly placed midway along La Croisette is the stylish JW Marriott Cannes, with a private beach that’s perfect for posing right on the sand, like the 1960s film stars so synonymous with Cannes.

Bordeaux

Bordeaux

Bordeaux is rightly proud of its status as one of the world’s capitals of wine and nowhere is this more in evidence than at the fabulous Cité du Vin museum. If wine is your thing, then naturally you must also sample some of Bordeaux’s eponymous tipple and there’s no better place to sip a glass than at one of the cafes dotted around the city centre’s grand 18th-century trio of Place du Parlement, Place Camille Jullian and Place St-Pierre. When you’ve fully explored these venerable corners, experience Bordeaux’s cutting-edge contemporary face with a stay at architecturally exciting Renaissance Bordeaux Hotel, near the Cité du Vin.

Nice

Nice

Nice is one of France’s most instantly likeable cities, stacked up the hillside behind a long sweep of pebbly beach. Vieux Nice, with its ornate balconies and tiny alleyways, gives way to palm-lined boulevards and grand squares. Along the waterfront, beach clubs try to out-do each other with blue-and-white striped umbrellas and plush loungers. You’ll find more than a hint of Italian influence at spots like Le Galet – little surprise given the border is just over 20km away. It’s all about cocktails and frosty glasses of rosé poolside at the rooftop bar atop AC Hotel Nice, while Le Méridien Nice has the best views out to sea from its tenth-floor restaurant, La Terrasse.

What to eat and drink in the south of France

Bouillabaisse

True bouillabaisse is closer to a ceremony than a dish. First, there’s the broth, flavoured with saffron and served with croutons, rouille and aioli. Then there’s the fish, cooked in the broth but presented separately, including local catch such as rascasse, galinette and Saint-Pierre. The best place to eat bouillabaisse is Marseille: make a reservation at Chez Fonfon.

Socca

Socca

This moreish and crispy chickpea-flour pancake is a Niçoise speciality and rarely found outside the south of France. Expect to wait in line for a table for lunch at Chez Pipo, where it’s been devoured with greasy fingers since 1923.

Ratatouille

Ratatouille

Ratatouille is one of the all-time top dishes to try anywhere in France, but it originally hails from the south. Variations on the recipe are endless. At its heart are the vegetables that thrive here in the summer: tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes, peppers and garlic. They might be elaborately sliced or chopped, then stewed or roasted.

Rosé

Rosé wine

More than 90 percent of the vineyards in Provence are planted only with grapes for making rosé. Whether blush pink or a whisker off white, it’s a type of wine taken seriously. Choose between bottles from estates owned by Hollywood celebrities or smaller, family-run domaines. Look for the word “récoltant” on top of the foil covering the cork, which signifies the wine was bottled by the grower, or the phrase “mis en bouteille à la propriété”.

Top things to do in the south of France

Gorges du Verdon

The beaches of the Côte d'Azur are unmissable, whether your idea of fun is sipping cocktails under a parasol or scrambling over rocks to find a private cove. Typically Mediterranean, the bays are sometimes pebbly with calm, translucent water that’s perfect for swimming. Even town beaches such as La Salis in Antibes are worthy of a half-day’s sunbathing, while famous faces are regularly spotted around Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Inland, the best things to do generally take place outdoors. Cycling and mountain-biking trails criss-cross the maquis (the local aromatic scrub landscape), while the brave can tackle vertiginous cliffs and rope bridges at the via ferrata Demoiselles du Castagnet. Easier hikes include routes around the massif of Mont Sainte-Victoire. There are plenty of fun things to do with kids, too, such as kayaking through the magnificent Gorges du Verdon.

You might also stumble upon memorable and interesting things to do purely by chance. Holidays in the south of France are about soaking up the famously relaxed pace of life, perhaps spending the morning at a local food market and the afternoon strolling around quaint country towns or chatting to the locals over a game of pétanque. From Nice, visits to the beautiful hilltop villages of Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Èze are two nice options. From Aix, venture inland to Renaissance treasure Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. You could even stay overnight in a seventeenth-century palace, the Hôtel de Tourrel, Saint Rémy de Provence, a Member of Design Hotels™.

Hidden gems in the south of France

Toulouse

The easiest way to lose the crowds is to leave them on the beach. Beautiful coastal paths quickly spirit you into pine-scented scrubland and around rocky cliffs. The blustery sentier du littoral, looping around the mega mansions of the Cap d'Antibes, is one of the loveliest stretches. Alternative things to do away from the coast include visiting le Colorado Provençal, where ancient ochre quarries have left a landscape of otherworldly orange-gold cliffs.

Wine geeks should head for Bandol, one of the rare spots along the Riviera known for its reds. They’re little exported, so tasting these spicy and complex wines on a vineyard tour is a unique thing to do; the Maison des Vins de Bandol can advise on which domaines are best to visit.

For a throwback to the Riviera’s roaring twenties party scene, check into AC Hotel Ambassadeur Antibes- Juan les Pins to attend the annual Juan les Pins jazz festival, usually held in July.

It might seem surprising to see a city among these ‘hidden gems’ but Toulouse is just that. The shade of the brick used extensively in ‘La Ville Rose’ means that the city is, as the nickname suggests, blushed pink and this contributes to the pleasantly dreamy atmosphere of the place. With its huge student population, there’s a spontaneous side to the city’s cultural life, and just going with the flow is a big part of life here – the ever-changing roster of art shows held in the city’s converted old palaces and the crowds sipping drinks down by the banks of the Garonne are just two manifestations of this spirit.

Courtesy of the surrounding landscape’s tendency to produce fabulous jasmine and rose flowers, the town of Grasse is renowned for perfume production. Delicately fragranced items of all kinds are on offer in the town’s, while a couple of festivals celebrate the aromatic heritage annually. Another scent associated with the south is the aniseed-rich spirit Pastis, enjoyed throughout the region as an aperitif.

Go deeper

Few places attracted the great painters of the early twentieth century like the south of France. Picasso, Matisse and Renoir were among the luminaries who once worked along the Côte d'Azur. A scattering of museums and galleries commemorating their work will help you delve into the past.

Where to Stay

Published: July 26, 2022