A sheltered beach with bar/loungers on St Jean Cap Ferrat. Facing in to the mainland, with a lovely view over the bay to Beaulieu-sur-Mer and just a hint of Monaco to your right. A lovely place to soak up the sun all day, while watching the yachts come and go. If you happen to turn up via yacht, just call the bar (phone number writ large across the second storey) and they'll powerboat out to pick you up.

Walk along the signposted coastal promenade from Beaulieu Sur Mer to St Jean Port, or take the 81 from Nice Gare Routiere (1 euro 30). It's about 5 km out the other side of the Port.

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When I went two years ago with a friend, I decided to dish out the €40 to go parasailing. I went in the afternoon when it wasn't too hot (30 during the day on average) and the sun was slowly beginning to set.

It only lasted a few minutes, but what minutes they were. The views were amazing and I wished I could stay up there forever. Worth every cent and more.

Everywhere along the beach

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Villefranche is a 15-minute ride on the No 100 bus from the Gare Routier.

The views as you leave Nice and curve around the Cap de Nice into the Rade de Villefranche are spectacular.

Loads to do when you get there whatever your tastes. Sightseeing: the Citadel, Rue Obscure, the old Port; culture: four museums/galleries, all free entry; relaxing: two beaches, one coarse sand, the other stony; and loads of bars and restaurants.

There's a food market with local produce on Saturdays, antiques (well bric-a-brac) on Sundays, and above all it's a nice, relaxing, cosy place after the brashness of Nice.

PS don't take a car!

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The beach is lovely of course, and it's just 'there', but because it's pebbles and just plain stones it doesn't half hurt your poor feet! If you plan to go in the sea or walk even a few yards (pretty much essential I'd say), then bring your flip flops or better, invest in a pair of little rubber shoes you can wear in the sea to save your piggies.

You can buy them anywhere in town.

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...on the promenade, which is about 6km long and flat.

Avoid weekend afternoons when it's fine - just too many old folk, tourists and children!

Several hire shops around so no need to roll your own.

Promenade d'Anglais

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Forget Cannes. Get on a train and head beyond Monte Carlo to Menton. It's where the old people go to live! Very sensible. Decent beach, pleasant atmosphere. Fabulous old town, which can be explored in an hour or so. Well worth a day trip.

If you get fed up, come back to Monte Carlo, forget all the usual rubbish about the Casino and Royal Palace and visit the Botanical Gardens. A brilliant collection of cacti and other succulents (far better than it sounds!). It costs an entrance fee but it is well worth it. Also, a superb cave system which you can go down. Very strange; the temperature underground is warm, not cold.

The view from the Gardens over Monaco and out to the Mediterranean is excellent.

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Nice was far too expensive, and I refuse to be ripped off. So instead of going to the clubs, we went to the beach. Busy with young Italians predominantly; the place is buzzing.

Buy a beer from the guys strolling along with coolboxes ... they sell more than just beer. Chill out and watch the skinny-dippers taking on the sea.

This became a nightly thing to do for us. And the highlight of the night: the ferry coming into port every 11pm. Watch, smile and say nothing as the big waves clear the front of the beach quick-smart. Classy.

Nice seafront

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