The French Riviera's Most Underrated Places To Visit In 2017

There are a few places that are less discovered along the Côte d’Azur than the region’s usual suspects such as St. Tropez, Cannes, and Nice. From little island archipelagos to sleepy coastal villages, head to some of the French Riviera’s most underrated places to visit before 2017 ends.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Ramatuelle

Everyone heads to St. Tropez, one of the most iconic villages on the French Riviera. And while it’s a lovely place, Ramatuelle, the village that borders St. Tropez, is just as worthy in its own right. It won’t be any cheaper, but some amazing vineyards and the second tallest lighthouse in France, Cap Camarat, can be found. One of the nicest coastal walks is along the Ramatuelle beaches, and it’s where one the most iconic beaches in the region, Pampelonne—made famous by Brigitte Bardot in the 1950s—is located.

The island of Porquerolles is often overlooked. Off the coast of Hyères, it can be challenging to organise a trip here as the island doesn’t allow cars and it doesn’t have a lot of shops. But that’s what makes it a wonderful escape. It still gets busy with locals in the summer, but without cars, the pace is gentle. The island was settled in the 1800s by fishing communities. Since the 1970s, wine has been produced in the many vineyards and was recently made a national park. Be sure to book hotels or camping options in advance.

Frioul Island

The Frioul Archipelago contains four islands off the coast of Marseille. One is very tiny while another is the island fortress of Château d’If, where Alexandre Dumas set his novel, The Count of Monte Cristo. The other two are joined by a bridge and now, a national park. There are places to stay, port-side restaurants, but more importantly, several places to swim off the rocks, beautiful birds, and a very slow pace of life. It’s normally overlooked for the more well-known (and easily accessible) landmarks and sites, but it’s well worth a visit to take it easy for a while. Boats leave from Marseille’s Old Port (“le vieux port”) and take about 30 minutes.

Isle de Lérins

Building, Church, Natural Feature

The Lérins Islands make up another archipelago off the coast of Cannes. The two largest islands of the four offer a chance to see a part of Cannes that has been overtaken by the chic lifestyles and holidaymakers. The Isle St-Marguerite is smaller, but people love its laid-back nature and the Museum of the Sea that houses several local shipwrecks. The larger, Isle St-Honorat was founded in 400 AD by monks when they used to own the entire area around Cannes. They built an abbey, which is open to the public as a restaurant or for people who want to be on retreat (they have taken a vow of silence). In addition to the remains of an 11th century monastery, they still make wine that they sell mostly in the Asian Market.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.