Ranking the 6 cities I visited in the South of France

Sep 13, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links, which earn me a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

During my month long study abroad, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit a variety of cities throughout the South of France.

I loved that each place I visited was quite different. Every city had its own characteristics that made it stand out from the rest. There were definitely parts of every place that I enjoyed, and aspects that I personally did not enjoy as much.

That being said, lets get into the list...

1. Antibes

Without a doubt my favourite place I visited was Antibes. For me, Antibes had all the things I love. It's right on the coast, and the beaches here are sandier compared to other cities like Nice. It has the Marche Provencal which is a large farmers market that's open everyday except Monday. I also enjoyed that this city is smaller in size, and everything felt more authentic here and less touristy. A lot of the shops I walked through in Antibes were locally owned and sold different merchandise than what I had seen in some of the other cities.

2. Monaco

I decided to give the second place spot to Monaco because I really loved my time here. I think that whether or not this city is one that you'll enjoy depends highly on whether or not you're a fan of Formula One. For me personally, I'm a big fan which is why I think I enjoyed it here so much. That being said, I still think its a very nice city even if you're not a Formula One fan. Stepping out of the train station in Monaco is like stepping into a new world. I truly have never been to a city like it. It's incredibly clean, with designer stores on every corner and luxury cars all over the streets.

My favourite things I did included visiting the Prince's car collection, which hosts tons of unique vintage cars as well as old Formula One cars. I also really enjoyed checking out the famous hairpin turn from the Formula One track and having a look inside the casino.

One thing I will say is that there is not a ton of activities to do here if you're not a big Formula One fan, but is still think it is well worth a day trip to check it out.

3. Nice

Nice definitely has the most activities to do out of any city on this list. Personally I would consider it the hub of the South of France. There's tons of shopping, beach clubs, restaurants, and more. If you're someone who is looking for a big variety of activities, Nice is definitely the place. Nice also has the advantage of being slightly more affordable than some of the other cities on this list, especially when comparing the beach clubs specifically.

I really loved all that there was to do in Nice, but there was a couple of downsides for me. A couple of areas, especially near the train station, I found to be slightly dirty. Also, there were times where I didn't feel 100% comfortable as a solo female, mostly due to catcalling and stares from groups of men.

4. Aix-en-Provence

Aix was my home base during my study abroad, so I definitely spent the most time here. I truly loved this city and it holds a special place in my heart. I would say Aix has a slightly slower pace than the other cities on this list, and it's the perfect place for someone looking to relax. I absolutely loved the huge market that took place every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I also feel like Aix is a lot less tourist than the other cities.

The reason I placed this city a bit lower on my list is because it's not on the ocean, which is personally a big factor for me. Also, there's not as many activities to do here as some of the other cities on this list.

5. Cannes

Cannes was a super cool city, but I feel like it didn't match my personal style as much as the others on this list. Cannes is definitely one of the more luxurious cities in the South of France. Beach clubs line the main beach, and there are many designer shops and cafes.

Personally, I think I would have liked Cannes more if I had a bit more money to spend, because the beach clubs looked absolutely gorgeous, but they were just unfortunately out of my price range.

6. Marseille

Marseille is the only city on this list that I will openly say I did not enjoy as a tourist. Marseille is a city that has struggled with homelessness and crime for a while now, and that it very apparent when visiting the city. There were many homeless people all over the streets, piles of garbage, and broken glass. While this was obviously difficult to witness as a tourist, I do believe it is important to recognize that any country you visit won't be perfect, and witnessing the real lives of the people of Marseille gave me a more well rounded perspective of the whole area of the South of France. This being said, I hope that the city of Marseille is able to combat some of these issues in the future and give the people of Marseille better lives.

I personally would not visit Marseille again if given the opportunity. That being said, if you are going to be in Marseille, we spent a day taking the ferry out to the Iles du Frioul, and I really enjoyed that.

Hotels

Check out these hotels in each city I visited!

Antibes:

Budget - Hotel de L'Etoile

Mid-range - Hotel La Villa Port d'Antibes & Spa

High-end - The 1932 Hotel & Spa Cap d'Antibes

Monaco:

High-end - Riviera Marriott La Porte de Monaco

Nice:

Budget - Hotel Vendome

Mid-range - The Deck Hotel by HappyCulture

High-end - Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Mediterranee