The French Rivera’s       “Nice is Nice”

In the French Riviera, you can count on grand beachfront promenades, world-class museums, spectacular Alps-to-Mediterranean scenery…and thousands of other sun-worshiping tourists. Brace yourself for the biggest crowds in July and August.

A hundred years ago, celebrities from London to Moscow flocked to the Riviera (a.k.a. Côte d'Azur) to socialize, gamble, and escape the drab, dreary weather at home. Yesterday's classy resort is today's budget tourist craze, as this popular fun-in-the-sun destination now caters to everyone. You'll compete with the chicest of the chic and the cheapest of the cheap in the scramble for the beach.

While ritzy Cannes flaunts its film festival and celebrities, I prefer the Nice for its old town, Antibes as a home base, and glitzy Monte-Carlo as a fun daytrip.

Nice is where the jet set relaxes on rocks. Stroll the seafront Promenade des Anglais for its circus-like atmosphere. You can play beach volleyball, Ping-Pong, or boules; rent paddleboats, jet skis, or windsurfing equipment; or snooze on comfy beach beds with end tables. In the evening, join the parade of tans.

Castle Hill sits anchored at the north end of the promenade. Climb or take the elevator up for a 360-degree view of Nice, the Alps' foothills, and the sea—all best at sunset.

Modern-art lovers make time for Nice's Chagall and Matisse museums. A regional museum pass is a good deal for those planning to visit these and other fine museums in the area.

The National Marc Chagall Museum displays the largest collection of the artist's work anywhere. After World War II, Chagall returned from the United States to settle in nearby Vence. Between 1954 and 1967 he painted 17 large, religious-themed murals for this museum. Each painting is a lighter-than-air collage of images drawing from Chagall's Russian-folk-village youth, his Jewish heritage, and Biblical stories.

The Matisse Museum, housed in an elegant orange mansion, hosts a major collection of Matisse paintings, along with models of his famous Chapelle du Rosaire (in Vence), which illustrate the beauty of his simple design.

Wander through Nice's thriving Old City, where Italian and French flavours mix to create a spicy Mediterranean dressing. Shaded streets host simple bars, tattoo shops, and upscale art galleries. The fresh pasta shops (which you'll find nowhere else in France) and many gelaterias remind you how close Italy is.

A daily flower and produce market sets up in Cours Saleya, the Old City's long broad square. Here, in the evening, restaurant tables tangle with market stalls and browsing shoppers. After dark, enjoy the Old City's lively late-night scene to the beat of jazz and rock 'n' roll.

The tiny country of Monte-Carlo, an easy daytrip from Nice by bus or train, welcomes all with open cash registers. This glittering two-square-kilometres country was born on the rocky cliffs in 1215 and has managed to stay independent for most of its 800 years. A medieval castle once stood where the palace overlooks the sparkling harbor today. The castle's strategic setting helped Monaco repel attackers. Palace guards still change every day the old-fashioned way.

Among Monaco's highlights are the palace tour, the somber cathedral where Princess Grace is buried, immaculately-maintained botanical gardens, and a Cousteau Aquarium that's a hit with kids.

Napoleon buffs may want to visit the prince's private collection of Bonaparte's belongings—military medals, swords, guns, letters, and even his hat.

Monaco's famous casino holds court at the edge of the port. In the mid-1800s, Monte-Carlo's Prince Charles began an aggressive economic development plan for his small, isolated country. He built spas and a casino to lure a growing aristocratic class. It worked. Today Monaco has the highest per-capita income in the world.

The lavish casino is designed to make the wealthy feel comfortable while losing money. Count the counts and Rolls Royces in front of the casino. If it's before 8 p.m., strut inside—anyone (even in shorts) can get as far as the one-armed bandits and the sumptuous lobby.

Those over 21 can pay entry fees to dive deep into glamorous private game rooms and rub elbows with the high rollers. The scene is great at night, like a James Bond movie. Travelers who want to keep it casual may prefer the plebeian, American-style Loews Casino next door. Entrance is free to all games. And with the Riviera's sunshine, scenery, and joie de vivre, everybody wins.