French Riviera Villages: 8 Must-See Gems Near Nice, France

Just behind Nice, France lies a completely different French Riviera — medieval hilltop villages, ancient Roman ruins, artist studios, glassblowers, exotic gardens, and views that will stop you in your tracks. In this video, we take you through eight of the most beautiful villages and small towns within easy reach of Nice — all of them doable as a day trip, all of them completely worth it. We're Anja & Aila, and we've been living on the Côte d'Azur for over 20 years. Everything you see here comes from real local experience. ⏱️⏱️ VIDEO CHAPTERS ⏱️⏱️ 00:00 Intro 01:07 #1 Mougins — Picasso's Village of Art & Fine Dining 11:22 #2 Biot — The Glassblowers' Village with a Soul 23:33 #3 Tourrettes-sur-Loup — The Village of Violets on a Rocky Spur 30:49 #4 Saint-Paul-de-Vence — Where Art Meets the Medieval World 42:15 #5 Beaulieu-sur-Mer — The Riviera's Most Sheltered Secret 53:08 #6 Èze-Village — An Eagle's Nest Above the Mediterranean 01:04:00 #7 La Turbie — The Roman Crown Above Monaco 01:15:00 #8 Roquebrune-Cap-Martin — Medieval Village, Modernist Dreams 01:27:17 Final Tips & Where to Find Us 📍 All eight villages are located in the hills and hinterland behind the French Riviera (Côte d'Azur), within 30–60 minutes of Nice by car or public transport. This region offers a quieter, more authentic alternative to the busy coastal towns — ideal for travellers looking to go beyond the obvious. Frequently asked questions about villages near Nice: ► What are the most beautiful villages near Nice? → Mougins, Biot, Tourrettes-sur-Loup, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Èze, La Turbie and Roquebrune-Cap-Martin are among the finest. ► Can I visit these villages without a car? → Some are accessible by bus or train from Nice — we explain exactly how in each chapter. ► How far are these villages from Nice? → All are within 30–60 minutes, making them perfect day trips. ► What is the most famous village near Nice? → Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Èze are the best known — but the others are equally worth your time. ► Is Èze worth visiting? → Absolutely — the views, the exotic garden, and the hike down to the sea make it one of the highlights of the entire Riviera. 🐋 Shelltone Whale Project - Respectful Whale Watching 🐋 https://www.shelltonewhaleproject.org... 👉 in Beaulieu-sur-Mer (NICE): https://www.shelltonewhaleproject.org... 📖 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿? Grab our Top 50 Things to Do on the French Riviera Guide! ► 50+ handpicked highlights & hidden gems - your “bucket list”: must-see cities, villages, beaches, best experiences + restaurants ► Interactive: Jump directly from the PDF into our videos ► Google Maps Links: Never get lost looking for the best spots ► Dedicated restaurant & food chapter ► 👉 https://www.riviera-go.com/product-pa... 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗨𝗦! ► Check out our Website (travel tips, guides, real estate): https://www.riviera-go.com/ ► Follow us on Instagram:   / rivierago_   𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗙𝗨𝗟 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗦 & 𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 🏨 Our written HOTEL GUIDE (pdf): https://www.riviera-go.com/product-pa... 🏨 Our favorite hotels: https://www.riviera-go.com/where-to-stay 🏨 Find a hotel via BOOKING.COM: https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-10130... 🧳 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻? We recommend LEVEL8 luggage — a New York-based brand with award-winning designs, a lifetime warranty, and free shipping to the US, EU, UK & Canada: https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-10130... 👉 Use code RIVIERAGO15 at checkout for a 15% discount 🚗 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽? Our trusted partner SIXT offers great deals at Nice Airport (and beyond) – check it out here: https://tidd.ly/491vv71* 🚲 Bike tour in NICE with Alex (“French Riviera Like a Local”): https://bit.ly/3Z8UNdC* 🏞️ Customized tours to EZE, MONACO, MENTON, SAINT-TROPEZ, the GORGES DU VERDON, or any other destination on the French Riviera with Chris: https://letsgonice.com/rivierago/tour... * 👉 Guided (food) tours on the French Riviera via GET YOUR GUIDE: https://gyg.me/6l1IJpfg* 👉 Guided tours via VIATOR: https://www.viator.com/Nice-tours/Day... *Affiliate links: When you book/buy through one of these links, we may earn a small commission - at no extra cost to you. THANK YOU! 𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗧𝗘 𝗗’𝗔𝗭𝗨𝗥? ►    • NICE, France: 10 Unique Day Trips You Didn...   ►    • Monaco & Eze: The Perfect Day Trip from Ni...   ►    • 5-Day French Riviera Itinerary | First-Tim...   ►    • This is Italy’s Secret Riviera 🇮🇹 | Seasid...   𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗖 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗦 https://www.epidemicsound.com/ https://artlist.io/ Music by Citrus Avenue - Cozy Snow - https://thmatc.co/?l=66DA03A0 For business inquiries: [email protected] #FrenchRiviera #CotedAzur #NiceFrance #VillagesOfFrance #DayTripFromNice #Eze #SaintPaulDeVence #Mougins #Biot #BeaulieuSurMer #HiddenGems #MedievalVillages #RivieraGo © RIVIERA GO! 2026. All rights reserved.