The most beautiful villages of the French Riviera

The French Riviera is home to some of the most beautiful villages in France.

Between the sea and the mountains, these perched villages offer culture, art and pleasures in an exceptional natural setting.

quot;Borghi più belli di Franciaquot;.\nVillaggio arroccato a oltre 700 metri sul livello del mare, Gourdon offre una vista eccezionale su 80 chilometri di costa, da Nizza all’Estérel. In passato vi si accedeva principalmente dalla mulattiera che parte da Bar-sur-Loup. A Gourdon si possono vedere case medievali, la chiesa romanica e il suo castello millenario, circondato dai giardini creati da Le Nôtre.\n\nSAORGE\nSaorge è senza dubbio il villaggio collinare più spettacolare della Roya Valley. Fu ricostruita dopo un grande incendio nel XV secolo. Un’ex roccaforte, Saorge impressiona i visitatori con i vecchi edifici e le strade troglodite. Dal convento francescano alle terme semite nella Roya passando per la chiesa barocca di Saint-Sauveur, Saorge è unico nel suo genere. Nel paese ci si può spostare solo a piedi.\n\nFAYENCE\nFayance è villaggio collinare nel Var. Nel paese, sono presenti i resti del suo passato medievale, come la Torre dell’Orologio con il suo magnifico panorama sui tetti di tegole del villaggio di Fayence, la Porta Sarrazine del XIV secolo, i resti della Torre di Guardia, le sue fontane o anche i suoi lavatoi.\nVicino a Fayence, si possono visitare i villaggi arroccati di Seillans, Mons, Caillan o Montauroux.\n\nCOARAZE\nAffacciato sulla valle del Paillon a 650 metri sul livello del mare, il paese di Coaraze è soprannominato “Villaggio del Sole” ed è iscritto nell’elenco dei quot;Borghi più belli di Franciaquot;. Strade lastricate e in pendenza, passaggi a volta, case in pietra o rivestite di blu, giallo, rosa, in stile italiano e piazze fiorite hanno attratto molti artisti e personalità, alcuni dei quali, come Jean Cocteau o Ponce de Léon, hanno firmato i quadranti pannelli solari che sono sparsi per il villaggio.\n\nGASSIN\nVillaggio arroccato sulla Costa Azzurra con vista panoramica sul Golfo di Saint-Tropez.\nA pochi chilometri da scoprire anche l’affascinante villaggio di Ramatuelle.\n\nMOUGINS\nCon più di 30 studi di artisti e gallerie lungo le strade, Mougins è famoso per gli amanti. Inoltre, il villaggio ha ospitato artisti prestigiosi come Picasso, Picabia, Paul Eluard, Jean Cocteau, Man Ray, Edith Piaf, Fernand Léger e molti altri. Da visitare è il Museo di Arte Classica, con la sua collezione privata unica al mondo. Mougins deve la sua fama anche ai suoi numerosi ristoranti stellati.\nPer gli amanti del golf, da non perdere Mougins, la famosa destinazione golfistica con due prestigiosi campi.\n\nSAINT-MARTIN-VESUBIE\nAlle porte del Parco Nazionale del Mercantour, tra le valli Boréon e Madone de Fenestre, il pittoresco villaggio di Saint-Martin-Vésubie conserva tracce delle sue origini medievali: la via principale, percorsa per tutta la sua lunghezza da un piccolo canale, detto quot;béalquot;, rivelerà il fascino delle antiche case in pietra. Siti vicini: il Parco della Montagna della Vésubia, la Madone de Fenestre, il Boréon, il Parco Alpha, per non parlare dei numerosi percorsi escursionistici nel cuore del Mercantour.\n\nPEILLON\nMeritando il suo posto tra i borghi più belli della Costa Azzurra, Peillon offre ai suoi visitatori un vero viaggio nel tempo con le sue strade tortuose intervallate da passaggi a volta e ampie scalinate. Le sue alte case di pietra raggruppate in modo circolare sono letteralmente un tutt’uno con la roccia. Da vedere in particolare la Cappella dei Penitenti Bianchi o la Chiesa della Trasfigurazione situata nella parte alta del paese. Non mancare di salire fino al tavolo di orientamento.\n\nTENDE\nCircondato dalle montagne tra il cielo e Roya, il villaggio di Tende segna il confine italiano. Questo villaggio pittoresco racchiude meraviglie, tanto per i colori delle sue facciate, quanto per la sua torre circolare, o la sua collegiata Notre-Dame de l’Assomption e il suo campanile atipico.\nDa vedere anche il Museo delle Meraviglie. Per visitare questo villaggio collinare della Costa Azzurra, si può prendere il Train des Merveilles."}” data-sheets-userformat=”{"2":13249,"3":{"1":0},"9":1,"10":1,"11":4,"12":0,"15":"Arial","16":11}”>For everyone, the French Riviera is a resort land located in the south of France, where the climate is always sunny and warm. But it is also rich in jewels perched on its hillsides, overlooking the waves, valleys and bearing in their stones the richness of the regional heritage.

ÈZE
A true eagle’s nest overlooking the Mediterranean, Èze is one of the most beautiful hilltop villages on the Côte d’Azur!
Like an eagle’s nest (or rather Phoenix, the village’s emblem) nestled on a rocky outcrop, Èze shows all its medieval past. The narrow streets lined with vaulted houses where one encounters many artists and craft stores give this perched village a special atmosphere of authenticity and tradition. On the ruins of the ancient fortress, its famous Exotic Garden plunges into the sea, offering an exceptional landscape over the Cap Ferrat peninsula and the entire French Riviera.

SAINT-PAUL DE VENCE
Facing the Mediterranean shimmering at its feet, leaning against the Southern Alps, the medieval village of Saint-Paul de Vence is one of the most beautiful villages on the French Riviera. These attractions alone would be enough to explain the charm exerted by Saint-Paul. Cultural and artistic influence must also be added. This village attracts creators and artists, thanks to its many art galleries. For lovers of art, particularly modern and contemporary art, a visit to the Maeght Foundation, an open-air museum surrounded by nature, is recommended.

SAINTE-AGNES
Situated nearly 800 meters above sea level, the perched village of Sainte-Agnès is nicknamed the “Balcony of the Côte d’Azur.”
In addition to the title of “Highest Coastal Village in Europe,” Sainte-Agnès is officially listed among the “Most Beautiful Villages in France.” A title that distinguishes the panorama as much as the cobblestone-paved alleys, the century-old houses clustered around the bell tower with glazed tiles, and the disused fort, the southernmost bastion of the famous Maginot Line.

GOURDON
Gordon is a French village ranked among the “Most Beautiful Villages in France.”
A village perched more than 700 meters above sea level, Gourdon offers exceptional views of 80 kilometers of coastline from Nice to the Estérel. In the past it was mainly accessed by the mule track from Bar-sur-Loup. In Gourdon you can see medieval houses, the Romanesque church and its thousand-year-old castle, surrounded by gardens created by Le Nôtre.

SAORGE
Saorge is undoubtedly the most spectacular hilltop village in the Roya Valley. It was rebuilt after a great fire in the 15th century. A former stronghold, Saorge impresses visitors with old buildings and troglodyte streets. From the Franciscan convent to the Semitic baths in the Roya via the Baroque church of Saint-Sauveur, Saorge is unique. In the village one can only move around on foot.

FAYENCE
Fayance is hilltop village in the Var region. In the village, there are remnants of its medieval past, such as the Clock Tower with its magnificent view of the tiled roofs of the village of Fayence, the 14th-century Sarrazine Gate, the remains of the Watchtower, its fountains or even its wash houses.
Near Fayence, you can visit the perched villages of Seillans, Mons, Caillan or Montauroux.

COARAZE
Overlooking the Paillon Valley at 650 meters above sea level, the village of Coaraze is nicknamed the “Village of the Sun” and is listed among the “Most Beautiful Villages in France.” Paved and sloping streets, vaulted passageways, stone or blue, yellow, pink, Italianate-clad houses, and flower-filled squares have attracted many artists and personalities, some of whom, such as Jean Cocteau or Ponce de Léon, signed the quadrant solar panels that are scattered around the village.

GASSIN
Village perched on the French Riviera with panoramic views of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
The charming village of Ramatuelle is also just a few kilometers away to be discovered.

MOUGINS
With more than 30 artists’ studios and galleries along the streets, Mougins is famous for lovers. In addition, the village has hosted such prestigious artists as Picasso, Picabia, Paul Eluard, Jean Cocteau, Man Ray, Edith Piaf, Fernand Léger and many others. Worth visiting is the Museum of Classical Art, with its unique private collection. Mougins also owes its fame to its many starred restaurants.
For golf lovers, don’t miss Mougins, the famous golf destination with two prestigious courses.

SAINT-MARTIN-VESUBIE
At the gateway to the Mercantour National Park, between the Boréon and Madone de Fenestre valleys, the picturesque village of Saint-Martin-Vésubie retains traces of its medieval origins: the main street, traversed along its entire length by a small canal, known as a “béal,” will reveal the charm of the old stone houses. Nearby sites: the Parc de la Montagne de la Vésubie, the Madone de Fenestre, the Boréon, the Parc Alpha, not to mention the many hiking trails in the heart of the Mercantour.

PEILLON
Deserving its place among the most beautiful villages on the French Riviera, Peillon offers its visitors a true journey back in time with its winding streets interspersed with vaulted passageways and wide stairways. Its tall stone houses grouped in a circular fashion are literally one with the rock. Especially worth seeing is the Chapel of the White Penitents or the Church of the Transfiguration located in the upper part of the village. Be sure to climb up to the orientation table.

TENDE
Surrounded by mountains between Sky and Roya, the village of Tende marks the Italian border. This picturesque village holds wonders, as much for the colors of its facades as for its circular tower, or its Notre-Dame de l’Assomption collegiate church and its atypical bell tower.
Also worth seeing is the Museum of Wonders. To visit this hilltop village on the French Riviera, you can take the Train des Merveilles.