SOUTH OF FRANCE ITINERARY & RECOMMENDATIONS
We just got back from spending the most amazing week on a once in a lifetime kind of trip in the South of France! Stopping in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Monaco, Cannes, and Saint-Tropez… it was a dream! Think morning workouts on the deck, long lunches, the coolest beach clubs, swimming off the back of the boat, and dancing until 3am in Monaco. It was one of those trips I’ll never forget. Here’s exactly how it went down…
7 DAY ITINERARY
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN NICE + ST. JEAN CAP FERRAT
We flew private from Kansas City into Nice in our friends plane which was unreal! What is life?! We had champagne during takeoff then the most insane sushi spread before we laid down and slept for a few hours on the comfiest airplane bed I’ve ever laid on – actual Hermes blankets and pillows on every seat! When we woke up we had coffees, played music, freshened up and were ready to board the boat! As soon as we landed, the drivers and the captain from our boat were waiting to greet us. We all got into two big black Mercedes SUVs, while the crew loaded our luggage into a third one and we headed off to the port. Off to a great start!
When we got to the marina, the yacht was waiting for us and it was just insane to see! The boat is called ARBEMA (you can check it out here). Our SUVs pulled up one by one (so dramatic looking) in front of the boat and that moment felt like true celeb status or something out of a movie! The entire crew was lined up to say hello and we were greeted with cold towels and champagne. It truly felt like Below Deck! We got a tour of the boat (which was absolutely stunning), found our rooms, and got settled. They offered to unpack for us, but I’m quick, so I did it myself… but how cool is that!? I did give them most of my outfits to steam right away so I’d be ready for lunches and dinners throughout the week and everything in our closet would be ready to wear… such a dream!
I got right into my bikini and started enjoying boat life!
Before dinner, the boys decided to play golf off the back of the boat with biodegradable golf balls – they had a blast! We all just hung out, laughed, and watched the sun go down. The crew ended up putting the golf simulator on the back of the boat and they played for hours.
We then left Nice and cruised over to St. Jean Cap Ferrat for the evening. That first dinner on board was so special! It honestly felt unreal just being back in the South of France! (we did the same trip 2 years ago).
DAY 2: MORNING ROUTINE + MONACO
I woke up around 5am (the jetlag) but actually felt pretty refreshed and I got in a quick workout on the boat. The setup was so nice- I had to be that girl! (see my IG). Then I had breakfast on the deck. I was always the first person awake so each morning felt like I had the entire boat to myself! I always had an almond milk latte or english breakfast tea and then the staff would bring out a bit platter of fruit, fresh juices, wellness shots, freshly baked croissants and the chef would make just about anything you could think of. I always got some form of eggs, avocado and toast with a side of crispy bacon. After everyone finished breakfast, we set off for Monaco! Cruising into the port was gorgeous. Everything looked like a postcard and the water was actually sparkling like crazy!
Once we got settled into the Monaco Yacht Club, we got off the boat and headed into Monte Carlo to shop, take some photos, and grab drinks and lunch at the famous Bar Américain at Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo. Such a classic spot with the best people-watching! A must! You’ll see the most insane cars here!
After lunch, we went back to the boat to get ready for dinner. I filmed a bit of content, we had cocktails on the top deck, and then it felt like a movie…we had cars and bodyguards (yes, really) waiting for us once we stepped off the boat to head to dinner. They took us into town for dinner at Song Qi, which was amazing. The food, the vibe, so, so good.
After dinner, we walked next door to Sass Café, which was such a scene. It started off kind of civilized, we were out on the enclosed patio. I’ve never seen so many mini Kellys in one place in my life! Everyone looked fabulous and gorgeous! Eventually, we made our way inside to the nightclub inside. The music was amazing, we ordered bottles, danced until 3:30am, and I’m pretty sure I saw a group of 18 year olds with their parents credit cards buying bottles of Dom! Monaco is unreal. We finally headed back to the boat around 3:30am. Such a night!
DAY 3 & 4: CANNES, HOTEL DU CAP, AND LA GUÉRITE
The next morning, we made our way over to Cannes and anchored there for two nights. The crew went all out with the water toys! They brought out everything you can imagine and even set up the big slide from the top of the boat. We swam, went on jet skis, and just relaxed on the back deck. It was the perfect chill day.
For lunch, we took the tender over to the iconic Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. We had an incredible lunch, took a bunch of photos, and soaked in the whole experience. It really lives up to the hype and is one of my favorite spots in the South of France. So chic!
That night was Bastille Day, so the entire coastline lit up with fireworks! We came the same time two years ago so we were really looking forward to watching the fireworks on board again. We had the most amazing dinner! It was so funny to me that we had a Mexican fiesta on Bastille day but honestly, it was amazing so I’m not going to question it 😉 It was a casual, wet hair and no makeup kind of night and watched the show from the dinner table. Ended the night feeling so grateful!
The next day was more of the same dreamy routine. Breakfast, sunshine, and boat time. Then in the afternoon, we headed to La Guérite, and honestly, it was my favorite day of the whole trip. The food was amazing, the energy was unreal, and the people were so fabulous. I swear every girl was wearing Pucci or Missoni. It just felt like the place to be. Roman literally had to drag me out. We left around 7:30pm, but I could’ve stayed all night. If there’s one place I’d tell someone not to miss in the South of France… it’s this.
That night we moved to Saint-Tropez and anchored there for the next two nights. We had dinner on board and called it a night. Totally exhausted in the best way possible!
DAY 5 & 6: SAINT-TROPEZ
We woke up and went straight into town to go to the Cedric Grolet bakery and it did not disappoint! Everything was incredible. I got the little dessert (yes, for breakfast 🙂 ) that looked like a mango and it was unreal! So light and the flavors were amazing. I wanted to try all the fruit desserts but they were 19 Euro a piece so I settled for one ha. They even had an iced vanilla matcha with almond milk which was to die for. Highly recommend making this an early morning stop. We then shopped a little and explored Saint-Tropez until it got too hot.
We arrived back on the boat and went swimming, had a proper lunch, and laid in the sun until the late afternoon. The back of the boat was one of my favorite spots! It opened up to the water, had couches, lounge chairs and a full bar. The crew was always around asking if we needed anything and just making sure we were taken care of. This is also where all the water toys were so It was a fun place to hang out and take turns on the sea bobs & jet skis.
Once we were done in the sun, we changed and got ready to go to one of the prettiest restaurants i’ve ever seen. We took the tender into the port, had drivers waiting for us, and they brought us to the most beautiful dinner at Matsuhisa. The food was unreal and the views were stunning! Definitely my favorite dinner restaurant of the whole trip. We went downstairs to the pool area and took photos right at sunset and it was gorgeous! I only wish we showed up a little earlier to catch the light but it was still unreal.
Tip: I would probably come here around 8pm and have cocktails at the bar first, go around the property to take photos and then have dinner at 9pm.
The next morning we went back into town one last time to walk around and then got back to the boat around noon to get ready to head to Bagatelle.
It ended up being another unreal afternoon. We ate caviar, popped champagne, and danced for hours. The music, the people, the vibe… everything was perfect! The bottle presentations were so crazy! The workers never ran out of energy. Roman and I left for about 20 minutes and went for a walk down the beach. There are a lot of beach clubs right in this area so it’s a fun place to be! We got back to the boat just in time to take some sunset photos!
Then I did a quick outfit change to have some drinks on the top deck and fully watch the sun go down. It was our last night on board and we had our final dinner on the boat. The chef was amazing so dinners on board were always something to look forward to!
DAY 7: THE PERFECT SEND OFF
We got up early and had one last breakfast with the most gorgeous view of Saint Tropez. The crew loaded up all of our bags and coordinated our driver and around 8:30am we got on the tender to head into town to meet our car. We were leaving out of Nice airport which was about 1.5 hrs away. Our flight was at 12:45pm and we had plenty of time to buy a couple things at Hermes at the airport 😉
I couldn’t have dreamt of a better trip! It was definitely a once in a lifetime trip and I can’t believe we have done this the past 3 summers!
Now off to Mallorca…
SOUTH OF FRANCE MINI GUIDE
(HOTELS + RESTAURANTS + BEACH CLUBS)
South of France Hotels
Saint-Tropez
Hotel Byblos – A colorful, legendary hotel in the heart of town. Celeb hot spot.
Cheval Blanc – Chic and exclusive with a peaceful beachfront setting. Owned by LVMH.
Lou Pinet – So chic with beautiful gardens and a relaxed, residential feel. I stayed here 2 summers back and absolutely loved it!
La Réserve de Ramatuelle – Ultra-private, perched above the sea, with a world-class spa.
Airelles Saint-Tropez, Château de la Messardière – Quiet luxury in a hilltop setting with standout dining and views.
Cannes
Hôtel Martinez – A Riviera classic with Old Hollywood energy and great beachfront location.
Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic – Elegant and central, right on the Croisette with a great pool.
Nice
Hotel Negresco – Historic and art-filled with Belle Époque charm, right on the Promenade. Iconic!
Hotel Nice Riviera – Comfortable and central, easy walking access to everything.
Èze
Château de la Chèvre d’Or – Cliffside luxury with stunning views and lush gardens.
Château Eza – Romantic and intimate with a magical hilltop location.
Monaco
Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo – Grand, historic, and steps from Casino Square. Iconic Monte-Carlo!
Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo – Elegant with Belle Époque details and a serene atmosphere.
Antibes & Beyond
Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc – Bucket list hotel! Iconic, glamorous, and classic Riviera luxury.
Hotel Belles Rives – Vintage charm and a private beach, once home to F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Les Roches Rouges – Saint-Raphaël – Minimalist, perched over the sea with natural rock pools.
Toile Blanche- Saint Paul De Vence – Boutique luxury hotel in the quiet town of Saint Paul de Vence. Ultimate privacy and relaxation. *I’ve stayed here and absolutely loved it.
South of France Restaurants
Saint-Tropez
Sénéquier – Iconic red terrace by the port, perfect for people-watching and an Aperol Spritz.
L’Opera – Dinner and a show. Expect energy, entertainment, and dancing.
La Vague d’Or – Three Michelin stars and fine dining at its best.
Le Café – Chic and always a vibe.
Cucina by Alain Ducasse – Stylish Italian at Byblos with a warm atmosphere.
Gaïo – Restaurant-meets-nightclub. Fun, flashy, and late-night energy.
Zuma – Sophisticated sushi and cocktails in a glam setting. Current hot spot.
Matsuhisa – Modern Japanese by Nobu, located at Château de la Messardière. Elegant and exclusive with unreal views! *A MUST!
Kinugawa – Upscale Japanese in a sleek, sexy setting. Great for a late dinner. *Love
Antibes
Restaurant Eden-Roc – ICONIC & A MUST!
Cannes
La Guérite – Located on Île Sainte-Marguerite. Chic, beachy, and always a scene.
Bobo Bistro – Trendy Mediterranean plates in a colorful, cozy setting.
Tétou – Famous for its no-frills bouillabaisse. Old-school charm.
Nice
La Petite Maison – Niçoise classics and a fun, celeb-heavy crowd.
Peixes – Fresh seafood with South American flair. Cool and casual.
Le Plongeoir – Perched over the sea. Go for the view, stay for cocktails.
Èze
La Chèvre d’Or – Michelin-starred with panoramic views over the coast.
Château Eza – Refined dining in a cliffside castle. Romantic and special.
Les Remparts – Elegant French cuisine with postcard-worthy sea views.
Monaco
Bar Américain at Hôtel de Paris – Classic cocktails, live music, a must!
Song Qi – Chic and refined Asian cuisine with sleek interiors.
La Tavernetta – Intimate Italian spot with fresh pastas and Riviera charm.
Le Louis XV – Three Michelin stars and Alain Ducasse’s signature Riviera luxury. Very fancy with an incredible tasting menu.
Amazónico – Lush, tropical décor and Latin-American fusion in a party-ready setting.
South of France Beach Clubs & Bars
Saint-Tropez
Club 55 — An institution. Low-key, laid-back glam with a legendary crowd.
Indie Beach House – Boho-chic decor and great music in a relaxed setting.
Loulou Ramatuelle – Fashion-forward, pretty crowd, and stunning setting. *Love
Nikki Beach – DJs, bottle service, and all-white loungers. A party staple.
Bagatelle Beach – High-energy lunches that turn into dancing on tables.
Shellona – Stylish beachfront with Greek flavors and a beautiful scene. *Love
Casa Amour – Bohemian and barefoot luxury. Always vibey.
Cannes
La Guérite – Accessible by boat. Amazing food & music – the place to be! *A MUST!
Plage du Martinez – Beachfront club owned by Hôtel Martinez. Always a scene.
Rado Beach Helen – Casual but chic with great service and views.
Nice
Castel Plage – Dramatic cliffside setting and upscale vibe.
Ruhl Plage – Classic striped umbrellas and great food.
Blue Beach – Laid-back and affordable with crystal-clear water.
If you’re heading to the South of France I hope you have the best time! Feel free to check out my highlights on Instagram to get a better vision of all the places we visited.
xx Maddie
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