Côte d'Azur Attractions  As you might expect the emphasis in this region is on sun, sea and sand.  Amongst our favourite attractions are Aqualand and Aquatica, ideal for those days when you want to have a bit of fun in the water without battling amongst the sun worshippers!  The region also boasts some remarkable scenery with the incredible Massif de l'Esterel, the Lerins Islands and the Gorge du Verdon, the world's second largest gorge, just a couple of hours drive inland.

Cassis

Location: 20km east of Marseille on the D559, or take the D559 from Jcn 8 of the A50 autoroute.
General Info: Office de Tourisme website.

Description: Once a fishing port, Cassis has lots of colourful and bright buildings around the harbour which is overlooked by a delightful castle.  The village is really picturesque with an abundance of cafés and restaurants along the quayside.
Our recommendations: Parking can be really difficult so you are advised to get there early in the day.
For the children: Take a boat trip around the Calanques – really steep “mini fjords” that are only accessible by boat.  There are lovely little beaches where you can disembark and have a picnic and a swim.

       - Aquatica
       - Aqualand
       - Cassis
       - Lerins Islands
       - Massif de l'Esterel
       - Mont Vinaigre
       - Musée de l’Automobiliste
       - Parfumerie Fragonard

Worth a detour inland is the Gorge du Verdon (details in our Provence section).

It's a long time since we visited the Côte d'Azur with the children and they don't remember much about it.  So we can't offer a list of their favourites here.  If you would like to propose some, please send us your feedback.