Visiting the French Riviera is a dream of many. The French Riviera is known as the Cote d’Azur in French (blue coast), and it’s stunning. The French Riviera roughly starts in the town of St, Tropez, east of Marseille, and ends in the perfectly pastel town of Menton. The unofficial capital of the French Riviera is Nice, which is where many couples choose to stay while they’re on the French Riviera.
Nice is an ideal place to stay for many reasons. First, as the fifth largest city in France, it offers all the big city amenities, such as shopping, restaurants, hotels and cultural activities (the Carnaval de Nice every winter is a highlight). It’s also a transportation hub of the region, with wonderful train service all along the coast, and other parts of the region, as well as buses.
I love photographing couples in Nice because it’s colorful and beautiful. Plus, it’s just fun to wander the narrow streets in Old Town, or look out over the boardwalk, known as the Champs Elysees. I photograph many couples in Nice, and I love it. My photo sessions include a walk around the old town (Vieux Nice) and usually some photos by the water, as well.
NICE
Feel free to read many beautiful Nice love stories on my blog, here >> STORIES FROM NICE
So, you like Nice, but you’re not quite sure? There are so many wonderful locations, most couples choose Nice, but let’s discuss some of the others.
MENTON
Menton is on the far east side of the French Riviera, the last French town before you cross over into Italy. Menton is really colorful, and really gorgeous. The town was built on a hill, which is the case for many towns on the French Riviera. It’s known for its beautiful gardens and several beaches. My couples love its charm and colorful buildings, you can’t help but feel happy in Menton! To get to Menton, you take the train from Nice Ville station, it takes about 35 minutes. Photo sessions here are for a minimum of two hours, so that we can enjoy walking around and not feel rushed. You are never photographed for the entire two hours, much of our time is walking time,
ROQUEBRUNE CAP MARTIN
I’ve fallen in love with Roquebrune Cap Martin a million times. This charming little town is very high on a hill and offers spectacular views of the entire French Riviera. On a clear day you can even see Monte Carlo, Monaco. Like most other towns on the French Riviera, you’ll find colorful buildings in Roquebrune, as well as some nice restaurants. The best view is from the castle, which does have a small entrance fee, but the views are entirely worth it. Roquebrune is quite small, but also has a few tiny beaches. The easiest way to get to Roquebrune is by train, which takes about 28 minutes from Nice. However, the train station is far beneath the old town on the hill, and there are an impressive number of steps to climb to the top. The stairs are in great condition, but it will take up to a half hour to walk to the top, and it is a bit grueling if you’re not in fair shape. It’s possible to get to the top though by rental car or taxi.
MONACO
Everyone knows Monaco, or we have heard of Monaco, the tiny principality on the French Riviera, from the movies or TV shows. A place of glamour and wealth (with a Prince and Princess!) the town of Monte Carlo, in Monaco, is famous. I personally love Monaco, despite its small size, it has a lot of history. I’m a huge fan of 1950s American actress Grace Kelly, who went on to become Princess Grace of Monaco, and I love to walk around Monaco and think about her life here. There are many beautiful spots in Monaco for couples photos, although there is no beach and no real view of the water except from above or on a hiking path. That said, it’s still a very special place.
ANTIBES
This beautiful town just west of Nice, is a gem! It’s got sea views, a beautiful old town, and tons of charm. Right next door to Antibes is another wonderful small town called Juan Les Pins, which hosts an internationally acclaimed jazz festival every July. I love photographing couples in Antibes, there are so many cute little places and it’s a wonderful, peaceful place to spend an afternoon too. You can read all about one of my Antibes photo sessions here >> Read the Story. Antibes is super close to Nice, only 20 minutes by train.
THE OTHERS
What about other spots? Cannes? St. Tropez? Eze? A beautiful resort hotel?
Cannes is great, the beaches are wonderful and there’s an old town also in Cannes. However, I don’t find Cannes to be as stunning as some of the other towns on the Riviera for photography. If you’re in Cannes, and would prefer Cannes, I’m happy to discuss, but I believe there are more scenic places we could explore.
St. Tropez is also a very famous town on the French Riviera, but without a rental car it takes a bit of time to get there and in my opinion, beautiful imagery can be created in many other places.
As for Eze, a popular tourist spot overlooking the sea, it is indeed beautiful, but most of the time so crowded with tourists and it takes a bit of effort to get there, so I usually revert back to one of the other lovely towns along the coast.
Some clients ask me about photographs at their resort hotels. So many hotels have stunning gardens and sea views, however, these resorts and hotels are private property and do not allow commercial photography on their premises without authorization and normally, usage fees. Why? Because commercial photography, even photographing guests of the hotel or resort could disturb the other guests and it’s normally not permitted.
No worries though, because as you can see, there are so many gorgeous places to photograph you on the French Riviera! Nice is the most popular spot by far, but there really are some great choices. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me at karina@karinaleigh.com to reserve your beautiful couples photo session!
Karina Leigh Photography
I’d love to capture your precious memories on the French Riviera. Don’t hesitate to reach out for more information or to book your photoshoot!
