From the borders with Italy to Monaco and then heading west across the Mediterranean to Spain, France has great summer holiday destinations.The first French city after the Italian border, Menton is a sunny, picturesque village located east of Monaco. Menton’s pebbled beach is stunning enough to make up for not having smooth, white sand. Go west and discover Nice and its stunning azure blue waters and then continue to Cannes feeling like a film star. You could then try camping in Frejus and have some luxury in Saint-Tropez.
Marseille has a vibrant buzz and not far from here you will find Cassis a picturesque port town and a beach defined by white cliffs and sheltered inlets called calanques.Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is the beach capital of the Camargue which is, of course, famous for its horses.
Further west, you’ll find the sandy beaches of the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Just a bit inland, and worth a detour, is the fascinating city of Montpellier - known for being youthful ad progressive. Sète is located just 26 km from Montpellier and is also known as France’s second-largest Mediterranean fishing and commercial port after Marseille. Sometimes referred to as the Venice of Languedoc this seaside resort town is the eastern starting point of the Canal du Midi. Laced with canals and built around Mont St. Clair, Sète is a great beach destination for any traveler looking for sand and culture.
Historic Perpignan is a major coastal town and a great family resort. Explore the rocky coastline around unspoilt Collioure. It’s close to the Spanish border (around 15 miles) and is where the Pyrenees meet the sea in the very south of France. This small Catalan port is sheltered by a creek and has an exceptionally sunny climate. There are several sandy or pebble beaches and it is a great stopping point for anyone travelling onwards to Spain.
