Antibes if you want sand and everything on foot. Cannes for long sandy beaches and the big hotels’ kids’ clubs. Nice for free outings and trains everywhere, on pebble beaches. Menton for toddlers. Everywhere, regional trains are free under 4 and half price from 4 to 11.

Which base with kids

AntibesSandy beaches with a lifeguard post (Ponteil, Gravette), a compact old town, Nice 20 minutes away by train. The easiest base for a first trip.
CannesSeven kilometres of sand, a playground across from the Plage du Midi, boats to the Lérins Islands. Avoid May, festival month.
NiceFree parks and playgrounds, city museums free under 18, trains to Antibes and Monaco. The beaches are pebbles.
MentonLes Sablettes: very fine gravel on a gentle slope, with a play area. Quiet, about ten minutes from Monaco by train.
THE SIMPLE RULE

Nice means pebbles. It is still the best base for outings and trains; for a sand-digging day with little ones, Antibes is 20 minutes away by regional train.

Six hotels that plan for children

Every amenity below was checked on the hotel’s own site or its tourist-office listing.

Affiliate links: Mametas may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Selection stays editorial.

In Monaco, the Fairmont Monte Carlo runs its free Little Explorers Club (ages 4–12) from 1 July to 31 August, and the Monte-Carlo Bay has a sandy-bottomed lagoon from mid-May to the end of September. Inland, Le Domaine du Mas de Pierre in Saint-Paul runs a kids’ club for ages 3–12 during French school holidays.

No town in mind yet? All our picks by town, our hotels with a pool, or Hotel Fit if you would rather be guided.

Beaches that make the day easier

ANTIBES · SAND

Plage du Ponteil

Sand, a playground, showers and toilets, a lifeguard post and a large shallow area.

Antibes beaches →

ANTIBES · OLD TOWN

La Gravette

A small sandy beach sheltered from wind and swell, right below the ramparts, with a first-aid post.

CANNES · CENTRE

Plage du Midi

About 700 m of public beach with lifeguards in high season, and the Square Mistral playground just across the road.

Cannes beaches →

MENTON

Les Sablettes

Very fine gravel, a gentle slope and some of the shallowest water on the coast. Play area, showers, underground parking.

In Cannes, the Tétéoù scheme (mid-June to end of September) gives children a wristband so they can be found if they wander off. In Nice, lifeguard posts run from 1 July to mid-September depending on the beach, and ropes help you climb back up the pebbles. Flags and rules: swimming on the French Riviera.

Outings that fit into half a day

Oceanographic Museum · Monaco€22.50 adults, €14 ages 4–17, free under 4. Lifts to every level except −1. Closed on Grand Prix weekend.
Parc Phoenix · NiceFree under 12 (up to three children per paying adult), playgrounds, picnics allowed.
Castle Hill · NiceA 1,600 m² playground with equipment for ages 2–5, plus the waterfall. Free.
Promenade du Paillon · NiceWooden sea-creature play structures by age and a 3,000 m² water mirror. Free.
Little train · Nice€12 adults, €6 ages 4–12, family ticket €30 (2 adults, 2 children). Castle Hill loop: 50 minutes.
Lérins Islands · CannesCrossing to Sainte-Marguerite: €18.50 adults, €13 children (2026 fares). No Sunday sailings from 1 November to 1 April.
Aquasplash · AntibesWater park open 13 June to 30 August in 2026. 2027 dates not published yet.
MuseumsFree under 18 at Nice’s city museums (including Matisse and the Natural History Museum, reopening on 14 October 2026) and at the Chagall museum.

Cross it off the list: Marineland Antibes has been closed since January 2025.

Getting around at child fares

Regional trains (TER)Free under 4, half price from 4 to 11.
ZOU! Mini-Groupe ticket3 to 9 people travelling together: 30% off for three, 40% for four, 50% for five to nine.
Pass SudAzur ExploreTrains, coaches and buses from Théoule to Menton. Under-18s with an adult: €30 for 3 days (€35 adults).
Buses and trams in NiceFree travel under 11 is for residents of the Métropole only. The tram is step-free, which helps with a pushchair.

Heat, pharmacies, gear

  • In summer, go out early, stay somewhere cool through the hottest hours and offer drinks often: that is Santé publique France’s advice for children.
  • Pharmacie Riviera, 66 avenue Jean-Médecin in Nice, is open day and night (Sundays 8am–7pm). Elsewhere, 3237 gives the on-duty pharmacy; in an emergency, call 15 or 112.
  • Pushchair, travel cot, car seat: Yapuk and Co in Nice rents baby gear and delivers it to where you are staying.

To build the days: seven days on the Riviera, or Riviera Fit to find the town that suits you.

Family FAQ

What is the best French Riviera town with kids?

Antibes for a first trip: sandy beaches with lifeguard posts, a compact old town and Nice 20 minutes away by train. Menton suits toddlers well, thanks to Les Sablettes beach.

Are Nice beaches good for children?

They are pebble beaches, with lifeguards in summer and ropes to help you climb back up. For playing in the sand, Antibes, Cannes or Les Sablettes in Menton work better.

How much is the train for a child?

On the region’s TER trains, it is free under 4 and half price from 4 to 11. The ZOU! Mini-Groupe ticket takes 30 to 50% off for 3 to 9 people travelling together.

Is Marineland Antibes open?

No, Marineland has been closed since January 2025. For a sea-themed day out, the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco is the easiest alternative (free under 4).

Which hotels have a kids’ club?

Among our six hotels: the Majestic (free) and the Martinez, in Cannes. Outside the selection, two places mentioned above also have one: the Fairmont Monte Carlo in July and August (ages 4–12, free) and Le Domaine du Mas de Pierre in Saint-Paul during French school holidays (ages 3–12).

Checked on 12 October 2026

Verified sources