Camping by the sea on the Côte d'Azur

The name Côte d'Azur immediately conjures up images of glamorous seaside towns such as Nice and Saint-Tropez, turquoise-blue paradise bays and maritime haute cuisine. However, with coastal mountains full of character and the diversity of the Provence landscape within easy reach, there is much more to discover here. The diversity of the region is a real challenge for a round trip - at the same time, each individual region is an enticing destination in its own right.

Destinations

Thanks to a comfortable density of campsites, every single facet of the region can be enjoyed when camping by the sea on the Côte d'Azur. The pink-coloured rocky masses of the Esterel Mountains reach as far as the turquoise-blue water, and Esterel Caravaning offers excellent accommodation in this impressive setting. After a panoramic hike on the herb-scented slopes of the mountains or a day at the beach in the nearby bays, relaxing in your own whirlpool makes camping here something very special.

On foot or on horseback, the Camargue offers endless sandy beaches or wide salt marshes and swamps where huge flocks of flamingos are reflected in the water. Not far away to the east of Marseille, the Calanques limestone massif rises up, named after its unique coastal inlets. Here, between white cliffs, the Mediterranean shows its most intense play of colours. Camping Monplaisir in Saint-Remy-de-Provence is a lovely place to stay, ideal for day trips to the Camargue and the Calanques as well as visits to the historic cities of Avignon, Arles and Aix-en-Provence.

On the Giens peninsula, halfway between Marseille and Cannes, Camping La Presqu'île de Giens offers sandy beaches and an island feeling that even the little ones will enjoy. A short crossing away, the Île de Porquerolles awaits day trippers. Higher up is the eastern Côte d'Azur near Nice, where the sharp-edged Maritime Alps rise into the sky near the coast. The hinterland impresses from Avignon to the Alps with natural spectacles such as Mont Ventoux or the Ardèche and Verdon gorges.

Top tips

• In addition to the campsite by the sea on the Côte d'Azur, there are sandy beaches as well as pebble beaches and rocky bays. For unrestricted bathing fun, swimming shoes should not be missing from your luggage. Snorkelling equipment is also extremely worthwhile!
• Camping by the sea on the Côte d'Azur turns out to be a gourmet holiday for self-caterers when shopping in the supermarket, where a wide range of regional products promise exquisite culinary delights. Large supermarkets have impressive cheese, meat and fish counters. Not a day goes by without a weekly market nearby and fruit and vegetable stalls line the streets everywhere.
• There are two promising routes to choose from for the journey there and back: on the Route du Soleil, the mighty Mont Ventoux looms on the horizon as the landscape gradually transforms before opening up into spectacular panoramas south of Avignon. The Route Napoléon, coming from alpine Grenoble, leads through the gateway to Provence, the Durance breakthrough near Sisteron, right into the heart of Provençal worlds.

Activities and excursions

Camping by the sea on the Côte d'Azur not only offers the most beautiful beach holidays, but also unique experiences in the footsteps of culture, nature and history.

Out and about in the spectacular Calanques

The most comfortable way to enjoy the impressive sea gorges is on one of the excursion boats that depart from many coastal towns. A canoe trip is a special experience, combined with swimming and snorkelling stops in the crystal-clear bays. Trekking enthusiasts will find a panoramic coastal hiking trail with ambitious detours into the calanques, which are several hundred metres deep. Their steep cliffs are also a climbing paradise.

Îles dHyères: a visit to the golden islands

The Îles d'Hyères owe their nickname to the metallic shimmer of their rocks. Short ferry trips take you to the dream beaches of the larger island of Porquerolles, to the car-free hiking and snorkelling paradise of Port-Cros or to the textile-free bathing bays of the naturist island of Île du Levant.

Highlights of the Luberon

In the hinterland of the Côte d'Azur, the Luberon mountain range kisses the sky with its historic mountain villages, whose houses seem to be glued to the hilltops. An absolute must-see is the photo-loving Gordes. A few kilometres to the west, the orange-red alleyways and spectacular ochre quarries of Roussillon are not to be missed. To the north-west lies the famous Cistercian monastery Abbaye de Sénanque.

Events

Where life takes place outdoors all year round, there is always something to celebrate.

January

• Monte Carlo Rally: The opening race of the motorsport season also passes through Monte Carlo during the transfer stages, with the start and finish in the Principality.

February

• Carnival in Nice: One of the largest carnival events in the world invites visitors to celebrate with parades, colourful processions and artists.
• Mimosa festival in Bormes-les-Mimosas: flower parade and folk festival welcome spring
• Lemon festival in Menton: flower battles, parades, numerous decorated motifs and a night parade followed by fireworks honour the citrus fruit for three weeks.

April - May

• Cannes Film Festival: Top event of the highest order, where the best film and the best actors are honoured each year. The jury is made up of international celebrities from the film industry.

July

• Aix-en-Provence Opera Festival: The international festival honours Mozart's operas in particular, which can be seen alongside other performances in the courtyard of the Archbishop's Palace.
• Festival dAvignon: An amazing artistic spectacle that takes place in the last three weeks of the month. Theatre, dance and song performances thrill visitors in the historic setting of Avignon.

December

• Shepherds' Christmas in Lucéram: Christmas tradition in a quaint village in Nice's hinterland, where animals are still sacrificed in front of the village church.