The Cote d'Azur is a popular holiday destination among tourists from all over the world. Everything has been done here to ensure that guests get the most out of their vacation. And people of different incomes visit the coast. Many areas by the sea are private. You will have to pay for the rest here. But the prices are quite democratic: besides, the owners offer flexible rates. In municipal areas, guests are offered a standard set of services: shower, toilet, changing cabins. Nice beaches welcome tourists with any vacation budget.
Castel
If you move towards the city from the port, then Kastel is the first place for swimming. It is quite picturesque here: a narrow strip of loose sand adjoins the foot of the Chateau hill. There are a lot of pebbles on the shore, it is felt when walking barefoot. The depth grows quickly enough: there is a cable for the convenience of tourists. Holding on to it, it is easy to go down into the sea and climb back up. Even a few hundred meters from the shore, the water is transparent.
All accessories for Kastel are paid. Sun loungers can be rented for full day or half day. A fresh water shower is available to rinse off adhering sand and sea salt. Changing cabins and toilets are arranged. So that vacationers do not get bored, pleasant music sounds from the speakers. The castel consists of 2 parts: paid, equipped for recreation, and free. The public area is slightly worse: it has more pebbles, no toilets and sun loungers. But there are still a lot of vacationers.
In the paid zone, the audience is decent, it is quiet, calm. This is a place for respectable tourists with a certain income. A pleasant addition to a lazy rest is the promenade. It is wide and long, equipped with bike paths and pedestrian areas. The audience strolls here all day.
- Hotel Suisse 4 * - panoramic sea view, excellent location, free Wi-Fi
- Hôtel Univers 3 * - breakfast buffet, just 2 minutes walk to Place Masséna, a huge bathroom with a window
Marinier
This is an excellent democratic place for recreation: both wealthy tourists and those with a modest budget come here. There are several reasons for this:
- Great length. You can settle down on a strip of coastline a kilometer long.
- The surface is covered with such small pebbles that some vacationers mistake it for coarse sand. True, there are still large pebbles and boulders along the edges.
- No parking problems. Paid parking with 400 spaces is available near the Mariniere.
- Calm in the bay at any time of the year. The bay is protected from the north and north-east winds by rocks and a forest-covered hill. You can swim even when the sea is stormy.
- There is a train station nearby: it is convenient to get to Mariniere from Nice by train.
- The administration offers many activities for vacationers. Diving, yacht and catamarans rental are developed here. You can ride a bike along the promenade.
- Marinier is surrounded by cafes and small restaurants where you can have a snack on a budget. Excellent local wine for sale.
- The area is patrolled by lifeguards, but only in high season.
- Smoking is allowed in a special area.
But it's important to be prepared for some inconvenience. Marinier offers a rather limited level of service. There are showers, toilets, sun loungers can be rented. There are no umbrellas or shaded areas, so those who like to relax in the shade should bring an awning with them. The depth is growing rather quickly: it is inconvenient for tourists who come with children, and tourists who are uncertainly floating on the water.
Blue beach
Blue Beach is located next to the Promenade des Anglais. It is designed for the most fastidious buyers. Here you can not only enjoy the warm sea and hot sun, but also:
- taste freshly prepared custom-made dishes
- go water skiing
- ride a rented bike along the waterfront
- sit in the bar located here
- use free Wi-Fi
- listen to pleasant music, participate in competitions
The recreation area is wide, shaded awnings are installed everywhere. Vacationers are offered comfortable sun loungers. You can rent them for different times. The entry into the water is shallow, the depth increases gradually. For the convenience of moving around Blue Beach, wooden paths are laid. The high ticket price cuts out noisy youth: respectable audience rests on the Blue Beach. Communication difficulties do not arise: all service personnel speaks English.
Blue Beach is ideal for those tourists who prefer to rent a hotel near the beach. The most popular hotels are located along the coastline: Hotel Negresco 5 * and Hôtel West End Promenade 4 *. But there is a significant fly in the ointment in a barrel of sweet honey: the entrance ticket to Blue Beach is quite expensive. And the entire coastal area consists of large pebbles. For comfortable bathing. It is recommended to purchase special shoes.
Steering wheel
This is a great place next to the Le Meridien Nice 4 * hotel. The coastal area is strewn with small pebbles, therefore, for the convenience of movement, it is required to purchase special bathing shoes. But along the coast there are paths made of wooden mats. There is always clean and warm water on the steering wheel, the depth increases gradually. This place has long been chosen by parents with small children.
There is a children's bathhouse on the territory, where children learn to swim under the supervision of experienced instructors. Rudder boasts its own restaurant. Here you can order dishes and drinks of local and European cuisines. The staff is able to communicate not only in French or English, but also in Russian.
Gravette
This is a municipal beach in the city of Antibes, access is open to all comers. Gravet is called by tourists the most picturesque in the vicinity of Nice. There is a transparent shallow sea, white fine sand. From the side of the port, the coast is protected by a breakwater, so there are no waves. Gravet is an ideal place for families with small children. It is quiet here, the motorway is located at a considerable distance, the depth of the sea is increasing gradually.
Children play with pleasure in the coastal strip. But it is important to take into account that only port workers can park a car in the parking lot. And the service is rather modest: shower, toilet, changing cabins. During the holiday season, the territory is controlled by lifeguards. You can have a snack in the coastal cafes and restaurants. It serves excellent fish and seafood dishes.
Neptune
Despite the fact that you have to pay for the entrance, Neptune is quite a popular tourist destination. This is determined by a number of advantages:
- Cleanliness and well-groomed. The territory is constantly cleaned, garbage is removed from the cisterns. Tourists are not worried about the unpleasant smell.
- Own cafes. The cuisine here is varied, dominated by fish and seafood dishes. Some establishments offer a children's menu.
- There is a shady park nearby. This is a favorite place for couples with children.
- If you get tired of a beach holiday, you can explore the local attractions. There is a museum and an art gallery nearby.
- The Neptune administration offers rental of accessories at different rates. You can buy an entrance ticket with an all-inclusive option. And you can pay for everything separately. Tourists staying at hotels nearby are offered passes for several visits.
The coastal strip is strewn with medium and small pebbles: for the convenience of movement along the coast, it is recommended to purchase special shoes. But there are positive aspects in such a coating: the water near the coast is always clean and transparent. Neptune offers guests the rental of sun loungers, shaded canopies, fresh water showers, toilets, changing cabins. The depth increases gradually: children like to splash in shallow water.
Mala
Eden Plage Mala is located at some distance from the port. In order to find yourself on the coast, you need to walk along the promenade for about 3 km. But Mala is worth it: it is a wonderful picturesque bay with the purest clear water. Mala is protected from all sides by high cliffs: it is quiet and calm in any weather. To get to the sea, you have to go up a steep staircase.
In the heat of the day, it gets hot, so the descent and ascent turn into an attraction. The service is usual: rental of sun loungers, shade awnings, showers, toilets; rent of catamarans and yachts. Boating along the coast is popular. Divers have chosen the bay for diving: it has clear water and stunning underwater views. Eden Plage Mala is deserted on weekdays, but locals come on weekends to take a break from the hustle and bustle.
By the way, you should take into account the difficulties with parking: there are few parking spaces upstairs. And the prices for renting sun loungers and awnings are higher than in other places: remoteness affects. There are 2 restaurants on site. The menu is delicious and varied, so no one is left hungry. Eden Plage Mala is considered by many tourists to be the pearl of the Cap d'Ail coastline.
La Bocca
This place is ranked 6th in the ranking of Nice resorts. La Bocca is open to everyone: no entrance fee is required. It is pretty clean in the morning, smoking is prohibited on site. But people with disabilities or parents with wheelchairs have difficulty descending: the stairs are quite steep. The coast is strewn with fine white sand, it is pleasant and soft to walk here. The set of paid services is standard: rent of sun loungers, shade awnings.
Showers and changing cabins can be used free of charge. But there is a problem with the toilet: it is located outside the territory of La Bocca. Guests who prefer activity can rent a catamaran, ride a yacht or water ski, and dive. Rescuers patrol the territory during the season. There are a lot of pavilions with cheap food around: you can eat in them on a budget.
La Bocca is chosen by romantic couples or fun-loving youth on a budget. Wealthy conservative guests prefer to relax elsewhere. Morals on La Bocca are free: topless sunbathing is allowed. And the main advantage of the site is the availability of free space even during the peak of the high season.
Hi Beach
Ideal for those looking for modern design and fun. The private beach is divided into zones:
- bar where you can order food for every taste
- relaxation with sun loungers and shady awnings
- playground, where children spend time under the supervision of animators
Tourists use Wi-Fi throughout the territory. And during the holiday season, you can become a participant in an incendiary party. Hi Beach is chosen by young couples with children and party-goers, everyone is welcome here.
Paloma
Paloma is a picturesque place, but a little old-fashioned. It is impossible to see glamorous youth or inveterate party-goers here. Those who appreciate the unique comfort of the 50-60s of the twentieth century go to Paloma. The entrance to Paloma is paid. But there is a free site nearby. The coastal area is built of medium-sized pebbles with wooden paths leading to the water. But to enter the water, you will have to overcome 50 steps of large pebbles.
This attraction is unlikely to appeal to tourists with children. But Paloma has natural protection from the prevailing winds. The coastal area is covered by a rocky coast. From any point of the coastal strip, wonderful views of the azure expanse of the sea, villas, vineyards and orchards open up. Slightly old-fashioned sun loungers and umbrellas look great on dark pebbles. Some tourists think that they are immersed in the atmosphere of a feature film from the middle of the twentieth century.
The service is quite common: rental of sun loungers, shade canopies; showers, toilets and changing cabins. The latter are clearly not enough. Of the activities, yachting and water skiing are common. There are restaurants and bars along the coast serving fish and seafood specialties. In the free part of all services, only toilets. But they are cramped and uncomfortable. Tourists vacationing here dress up in front of the neighbors. Few people are confused by this.
Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel 5 * - a luxurious hotel-palace, an area of 7 hectares, a heated pool with sea water (33 m), 3 restaurants
Carlton
Carlton is one of the most attractive holiday destinations. It is located 30 km from Nice, and during the season only guests of local hotels rest here. Tourists traveling in high season, staying in other places, are unlikely to be able to reserve a place for themselves. The entire coastal area is covered with screens that protect guests from prying eyes. Helpful waiters scurry between tables with trays full of freshly prepared food and refreshments.
Guests are invited to:
- rent of umbrellas and sunbeds
- showers, toilets, changing cabins
- lockers
- gourmet cuisine, waiters service
The territory of Carlton is completely blocked: an outsider is unlikely to come here. And vacationers with pets are also not allowed. Guests who prefer to combine passive rest with active are offered yachts, catamarans and water skis for rent. An excellent panorama of the surroundings opens from any point in Carlton. There are fashionable palaces, villas, the famous Croisette embankment. Entertainment events are constantly organized. Carlton is a territory for wealthy tourists and affluent romantic couples. Children of any age will be frankly bored here.
Ptit africa
This place is ranked 9th in the ranking of Nice resorts. It is deserted because the way to it lies through the yacht port of Beaulieu-sur-Mer. The territory is strewn with large sand, it is pleasant to walk along the shore. But the water is often cloudy (again because of the sand). Petit Africa is picturesque: palm trees and shrubs grow around. But the bay itself is rather narrow, so the water is cramped.
The infrastructure is standard: umbrellas, sun loungers, shower toilet, changing cabins. Activities include a volleyball court and yacht rental. When the wind changes, jellyfish enter the water area: you should be careful when entering the water.
