The city of Paris is one of the most popular destinations for sightseeing tours in Europe. What if you combine your acquaintance with Paris with a summer holiday on theMediterranean Sea? It is quite possible to organize this within one trip for 10 days. You can walk around Paris for three days and then go to the Mediterranean Sea. Read about the sights of Paris on our website MashaPasha here. There you can find our walking routes around the city and useful tips for tourists. In this article we will only talk about the trip from Paris to the sea.
The best time to go to the beaches of the French Cote d’Azur Mediterranean is from May to September, when the weather is warm and the swimming season is in progress. Although, if you are interested not only in beaches, but also, for example, in cruises on yachts or catamarans on the sea, then you can go even in November. The weather will be stable.
If you want to rent a yacht or catamaran, then it is better to go to Marseille. This is the largest port on the coast.
The main gates of the French Riviera are Nice and Marseille. Accordingly, the fastest way to get from Paris to the sea is to these cities. There are only three options.
- Air travel;
- Railway;
- Highway (regular bus or car rental).
From Paris to Marseille in a rented car you will need to drive a little over 7 hours along good modern highways A6 and A7. But a regular bus will take about 13 hours, although the ticket will be cheap – about 19 euros per person.
The flight from Paris to Marseille will take just over an hour, but keep in mind that it will take a lot of time to get to the airport, go through security and spend time waiting to board the flight. And the ticket is quite expensive – about 110 euros per person. Marseille airport is located outside the city – you will also have to spend time on a transfer. Tickets can be viewed on our website at this link.
According to MashaPasha, the most convenient option for traveling to Marseille is the railway. High-speed TGV trains from Paris to Marseille take just over 3 hours. They depart from the Gare de Lyon in Paris and arrive at the main station of Marseille. And already in Marseille itself you can rent a yacht or catamaran or continue your further journey along the coast. The fare ranges from 50 to 100 euros per person. The earlier you buy your ticket, the cheaper it is. Tickets look here.
High-speed TGV trains run from Paris to Marseille. They travel a distance of 770 km. in 3 hours.
The journey from Paris to Nice will take a little longer. It will take about 9 hours to travel by car. Regular buses from Flixbus and Ouibus take about 13-15 hours, the ticket price is about 40 euros. The train will take about 6 hours and the ticket will be more expensive – from 100 euros. And the plane will fly for about an hour and a half. The price of a direct flight ticket is from 40 euros on low-cost airlines EasyJet and from 110 euros on AirFrance. In general, it is more convenient to fly to Nice by plane.
The sandy beaches of the French Riviera are located west of Nice. These are the resorts of Cannes, Antibes, Saint-Tropez. Further, closer to Italy, the beaches will already be pebbly. The best place to rent a yacht or catamaran is in Marseille. This is the largest port in the region. And from there you can sail to Monte Carlo, Cannes and even Corsica. By the way, the rental price will be comparable to the cost of a good hotel room on the shores of the French Riviera.
