Life’s a Beach
Discover history, glamour, and beauty along the picturesque Cote d’ Azure.
Along the Cote d’Azur, nature provides sunlight and scenery, coast-to-cliffs topography, and a temperate climate; people embellish the region with historic, artistic, and gastronomic improvements; and beaches grace the world-class, warm-weather Mecca in and around ports from Monte Carlo westward to Villefranche-sur-Mer, Nice, Cannes, and Saint Tropez.
Most coastal towns boast varying degrees of amenities such as rental parasols, towels, and chaises longues (a la première ligne is closest to the water), and the sea is clean, well tested, and safe for swimming.

It’s a destination where people-watching is as much a sport as volleyball; bouillabaisse and salade niçoise are more common than hamburgers and hot dogs; and wearing sandals is a must, but wearing a top is not. If you’re cruising the region, be sure to take the time to discover why the beaches of the French Riviera are worth their memorable experiences.

Monaco
Monaco is a 3-mile-long, half-mile-wide strip of prime real estate facing the Mediterranean Sea and surrounded by France. The 485-acre principality is a majestic cruise destination unto itself, but also a 20-minute train ride from Nice. A new bateau bus, (“bus-boat”) transports passengers from Port Hercules harbor to Quai Kennedy while public buses, a tourist train, and elevators deposit passengers at Place du Casino, Restaurant Louis XV at Hôtel de Paris, and the Thermes Marins Spa.

It’s a doable walk along Avenue Princesse Grace to the free, family-friendly, and wheelchair-accessible stretch of sandy pebbles at Plage du Larvotto and to Le Méridien Beach Plaza Monte Carlo (#22), the only hotel in the principality with a private beach. Day passes and rental amenities are available as is a seasonal lunch at Restaurant Muse.

The Monte Carlo Beach Club, with its stunning beach, heated pool, spa services, restaurant, and array of watersports, is actually located in Roquebrune-sur-Mer, France.

This is an excerpt only. To read this article in its entirety, pick up the current issue of Porthole Cruise Magazine.
By Irvina Lew
Porthole Cruise Magazine