Reimagining the Riviera

The French Riviera. Say those words aloud, and what comes to mind? Perhaps Grace Kelly's elegant silhouette against Monaco's palace walls, or Brigitte Bardot lounging on a Saint-Tropez beach. Maybe you envision mega-yachts bobbing in Cannes harbor or champagne flowing at the Carlton Hotel. These images, frozen in mid-20th century amber, have defined the Côte d'Azur for generations—but they tell only a fraction of the story.

Today's French Riviera is a vibrant, multicultural region where Syrian bakeries thrive next to traditional boulangeries, where public beaches welcome families with modest budgets, and where hiking trails offer more thrills than any casino. It's a place where you can explore world-class museums for free on the first Sunday of each month, where local markets burst with affordable produce, and where the most memorable experiences often cost nothing at all.