Alternatives to the French Riviera
Mediterranean coasts with the look, not the bill
The Côte Bleue and Cassis
The Côte Bleue west of Marseille and Cassis and Bandol just east are the affordable corners of the French Mediterranean. Same limestone cliffs, same Provençal villages, same rosé and bouillabaisse, with prices that haven't gone the way of Saint-Tropez. The calanques between Marseille and Cassis are protected as a national park.
The Ligurian Riviera
The Ligurian coast east of Genoa, around the Tigullio gulf, is the Italian Riviera that the Cinque Terre rush passes over. Sestri Levante has two bays, one of them called the Bay of Silence for a reason. Camogli's painted houses face the abbey of San Fruttuoso across the water. Portofino is right next door if you want a glimpse; you can walk to it on the coastal path.
The Costa Brava
The southern Costa Brava (Tossa, Lloret) has aged into a budget cliché. The northern Costa Brava (Begur, Calella, Cadaqués) is one of the most beautiful coasts in the western Mediterranean and stays comparatively quiet. Hire a car. The villages between Palamós and Cadaqués are best discovered slowly.
Where the Riviera still wins
Nice's old town and Matisse museum, the Picasso museum in Antibes, and the specific scene of Cap Ferrat are not replicated anywhere else. If those are the trip, the Riviera is the trip. If the trip is sun, cliffs, swimming, and a Provençal lunch, the alternatives above are honest substitutes.
Suggested itinerary
- Côte Bleue: Marseille to Cassis to Bandol, five days.
- Ligurian Riviera: Genoa to Camogli to Sestri Levante, five days.
- Costa Brava: Girona to Tossa to Begur to Cadaqués, seven days.
Local highlights
- Cassis and the calanques
- Sestri Levante and the Tigullio gulf
- Tossa de Mar on the Costa Brava
- Bandol's harbour and Mourvèdre wines
- Camogli's painted houses
Nearby destinations
Other places worth combining with this trip: La Ciotat, Portofino, Begur, Calella de Palafrugell.
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