In this slow travel guide to the French Riviera, I’m sharing how to get to the French Riviera and where to go in the South of France, including five of my favorite towns to visit along the Côte d’Azur. I share a bit about transportation options in the South of France, how long to stay to explore the places listed in this guide, and where I recommend you stay when visiting this gorgeous stretch of coastline along the Mediterranean Sea.

Visiting Menton, France: a slow travel guide for the crown jewel of the French Riviera. The Côte d’Azur (also known as the French Riviera) in the South of France is a breathtaking, rocky area of France stretches along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.

One place you must not miss when exploring the Côte d’Azur is the beautiful French-meets-Italian town of Menton. I’m sharing with you some of my favorite areas to explore in Menton, along with details about train travel and why this is the perfect place to serve as your “home base” while you are in the South of France.

Provence! The South of France truly is magical. Even though our stay was short, we chose to slow down and explore a few specific places, rather than run around and see as much as we could.  In just 2 ½ days, we made a very brief visit to Marseille, wandered through the city center of Aix-en-Provence, and enjoyed an afternoon visiting the stunning calanques in the port town of Cassis. My husband and I are already talking about when to go back!