The Riviera
The coast, in detail.
Where things are, when they happen, and what actually changes year to year.
The year
| Month | What happens | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| February | Nice Carnival · Fête du Citron, Menton | Concurrent. The strongest fortnight of the winter. |
| March | MIPIM, Cannes · Bal de la Rose, Monaco | March is the quietest month on the coast for everyone except MIPIM. |
| April | Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters · Monaco Historic Grand Prix | The Historic runs in even years only. |
| May | Cannes Film Festival · Monaco E-Prix · Top Marques | Around 80,000 hotel nights in Cannes across ten days. |
| June | Monaco Grand Prix · Cannes Lions | The Grand Prix is in June, not May. It moved. |
| July | Monaco Red Cross Gala · peak season | The busiest month of the year on the coast. |
| August | Peak volume | Highest numbers, but June is the higher-value month. |
| September | Cannes Yachting Festival · Monaco Yacht Show · Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez | Three events in four weeks. |
| October | MIPCOM, Cannes | The season’s last commercial week. |
Booking leads are long and getting longer. Grand Prix berths and villas go nine to twelve months ahead. Cannes Lions berths were tight six months out in 2026 because of harbour works. If you are reading this in January about June, you are already late.
JADAMA editorial
The Riviera, shared with context
Private local orientation and practical destination information.
JADAMA editorial
From Roquebrune to Cap d’Antibes
Where people actually stay
Eleven places, and what is true about each of them.
Monaco
Compact and walkable outside major event closures. Monte-Carlo, Larvotto, Fontvieille and Monaco-Ville each suit a different daily routine, so the right base depends on where time will actually be spent.
Cap d’Ail and Roquebrune
Immediately west and east of Monaco, with more residential space and straightforward access outside peak traffic. Border crossings are open, but road time still changes sharply during major events.
Èze and the Corniches
Hill villages and three principal coastal routes at different elevations. The location offers wide views, but practical planning must account for narrow roads and limited parking.
Villefranche and Cap Ferrat
A sheltered bay, established residential areas and direct coastal access. Cap Ferrat is private and low-density; Villefranche provides more day-to-day shops and restaurants.
Beaulieu
A compact seafront centre between Monaco and Nice, with a marina, rail connection and walkable services. It suits members who prefer a quieter base without being isolated.
Nice
The coast’s largest city, with the broadest year-round choice of markets, medical providers, cultural venues and restaurants. Journey times vary substantially by neighbourhood and season.
Antibes and Cap d’Antibes
Antibes combines a working port and historic centre; Cap d’Antibes is more residential. They are close geographically but provide very different daily experiences.
Juan-les-Pins
A seasonal resort with a later evening rhythm and a busy July programme. It is useful for members who want activity nearby and less suitable for those seeking early nights in high summer.
Cannes, La Californie and Super Cannes
The Croisette and Palais form the event centre. La Californie and Super Cannes provide residential space above it, with journey times governed by event traffic rather than distance alone.
Mougins
An inland village with restaurants, galleries and residential estates. It trades immediate sea access for space and a calmer base within reach of Cannes.
Saint-Tropez and Ramatuelle
Demand and road congestion peak in July and August. Location, access route and departure time often matter more than straight-line distance.
JADAMA editorial
Nice, Antibes and the inland villages
JADAMA editorial
Cannes, before and after the event week
JADAMA editorial
Esterel to Saint-Tropez
The Gulf season
From the last week of June to early September, and hardest through July. The pattern is not a seven-night holiday. It is four to eight weeks in a house, with the household travelling together across three generations.
What that requires is different from what a hotel week requires: adjoining or neighbouring properties rather than one villa, a private chef and halal catering arranged in advance, several cars with drivers rather than one, day and week charters, privacy at the gate, medical arranged before it is needed, retail after hours, and kitchens that will serve at midnight.
Ramadan falls in February and March through 2028, well outside the season. One date to watch: Eid al-Adha in 2027 falls on 16 May, inside the Cannes Film Festival. Book six to eight weeks ahead of it.
Casino access — what you need to know
The practical facts, so you are not turned away at the door. Nothing beyond that.
Monte-Carlo
- Minimum age 18. Monaco’s published condition is legal majority plus one day.
- You need an original national identity card (EU nationals) or a passport with a photograph. A driving licence is not accepted. Photocopies and digital documents are not accepted.
- Gaming rooms and bars open at 14:00. The daytime cultural visit runs 10:00–13:00, last entry 12:15.
- Entry is €19.
- Smart attire in the gaming rooms. Shorts, bermudas, ripped jeans, sportswear, running shoes, flip-flops, sandals for men, beachwear and sleeveless shirts are refused. The private salons expect a jacket and tie in the evening. The open-access areas have no dress code.
- If you have a restaurant reservation, there is no entry charge for reaching the restaurant.
- Under Monegasque law, Monegasque nationals and officials of the State, the Commune and public establishments may not take part in the games. This bars participation, not entry — the building, the restaurants and the bars are open to them.
Cannes, Nice and Juan-les-Pins
- Identity is checked systematically at the entrance to the gaming rooms, whether or not entry is charged.
- France accepts a valid French driving licence as well as an identity card or passport. Foreign nationals need a document establishing lawful presence.
- France operates a national gaming exclusion register. Anyone entered on it is refused entry.
- Individual houses set their own dress requirements and may raise them after a stated hour.
What we do, and what we do not
We can tell you what the door requires, arrange the car, book the table, book the room and book the show.
We do not place bets, hold or exchange chips, handle money for play, or hold or use anyone’s loyalty card. We take no payment from any casino, in any form. What happens past the door is entirely a matter for you.