South east of France : Riviera cote d azur, Marseille, Nice, Saint Tropez, Lyon, Rhone valley, french alps, Annecy, ...

South East France : cote d'azur, french riviera, Nice, Cannes, Marseilles, Alps, Lyon, Rhone...

South east of France is one of the most irresistible region of France. The sun is usually shining all year long in the South of France and there are many beautiful places to visit. South east of France could be divided in 4 regions going from the south coast including Riviera, Cote d'azur and Marseille to French Alps in the north, including Provence and Languedoc, and Rhone valley.

The south coast of France : Riviera and Cote d'azur (Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Monaco or Monte Carlo, Saint Tropez...), Marseille, Toulon... : 

South coast is a jewel on the seashore. A jewel because it is beautiful but also because some places of the Riviera are made for very rich people (Saint Tropez, Cannes, Antibes, Monaco or Monte Carlo...).

• Antibes and cap d'Antibes (Riviera - Southern France)

Antibes is near Juan-les-pins and Golfe-Juan, on the Riviera. Antibes, on the Riviera, is especially known for the quiet charm of its old town, the beautiful sandy beaches and the cap d'Antibes, a very nice cape with woods of pine and rich villas. 

• Cannes (Riviera - Souhern France)

Cannes, on the Riviera, is a nice seaside town with sandy beaches and long promenades on the seafront ("La croisette"). Cannes is known for the International flim festival of Cannes, during which the town is crowded...

• Marseille (Southern France)

Marseille, one of the biggest and oldest city of France, offers a mix of culture and people.

If you go to Marseille, don't miss the "vieux port" (old port) and eat a "bouillabaisse" there. Visit also the "calanques", a few kilometers from Marseille, which are wonderful rocky inlets and lagoons.

• Monaco (or Monte Carlo)

Monaco is a tiny principalty known for its Monte Carlo rally, the Casino and the harbour.

• Nice (Riviera - Sourthern France)

Nice is the capital of the French Riviera. It is a nice seaside resort with beaches and a long promenade on the seafront : the "promenade des anglais".

• Saint Tropez (Riviera - Southern France)

Saint Tropez is a famous Riviera town known for its medieval streets and its harbour.

South of France Provence (Saint Paul de Vence, Gorges du Verdon, Aix en Provence, Arles, Saint-Remy de Provence...), Nimes, Languedoc, Pont du Gard : 

• Aix en Provence

Aix en Provence is a charming town of Provence with beautiful architecture and romantic streets, situated a few kilometers north from Marseille. The painter Paul Cezanne painted the Sainte Victoire Mountain which is in the countryside nearby Aix en Provence.

• Arles

Arles is a town with roman history, displaying beautiful churches and roman ruins, especially well-known roman arena ("les arènes"). Vincent van Gogh lived and painted in Arles. 

• Nimes

Nimes is also a town with roman history, especially roman amphitheaters and temple. 

• Carcassonne

Carcassone is a very nice medieval town

South of France Rhone Valley (Lyon, Avignon, Orange, Vaison la romaine...): 

Rhone valley is a beautiful place known for its wines (Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas, Cote du Rhone...). Make sure to taste them if you visit the Rhone valley !

• Ardèche

In the south of the Rhone valley, Ardèche is known for its gorges, some granite-sided ravines made by the Ardèche River. Some call it the 'Grand Canyon of France'. It is a nice place to see and for doing canoe.

• Avignon

Situated on the Rhone river, Avignon is known as the "city of the popes" because christian popes lived in the city instead of Rome during the 14th century in a beautiful palace, "le palais des papes", a Unesco world heritage. Avignon is also known for its bridge, (sur) "le pont d'Avignon"!

• Lyon

Lyon is the one of the biggest city of France (after Paris). Lyon offers a mix of architecture and cultures. If you go to Lyon, don't miss the Vieux Lyon, plenty of boutiques and "bouchons" (small restaurants serving local dishes). But you will have many other reasons to taste good food because Lyon is one of the capital of good french cook (Paul Bocuse, Bresse poultry...).

South of France french Alps (Annecy, Chamonix, Mont Blanc, Evian, Leman or Geneva lake, Courchevel, Megeve, Meribel, Val Thorens, Val d'Isere...): 

• Annecy and the Annecy lake

Annecy is a very nice resort city offering a wonderful view of the french alps and the lac d'Annecy.

• Chamonix, the Mont Blanc and french alps ski resorts

Mont Blanc is the western Europe highest mountain and Chamonix is the historical capital of alpine skiing.

The french alps offer very famous ski resorts (Courchevel, Megeve, Meribel, Val d'Isere...) and excellent skiing facilities.

• Leman or Geneva lake, Evian

  Evian (known for its water) and Geneva (Switzerland) are on the same lake front : the Leman lake.