Nice is one of the best jumping-off points for exploring the Cote D’Azur. With an international airport and connections from all across Europe and US destinations, it’s easy to start your trip around the beautiful French Riveria.
There are many wonderful things to do in Nice, but to really immerse yourself in the culture is to spend a day at one of the many beach clubs in the area for a day. Treat yourself to a fabulous lunch or lounge chair in one of the many beach clubs in Nice and beyond.
Quick Tips for Nice
Trains // Take the train & book your tickets via Omio.
Hotels // Book your hotel via Booking.com
Perfume Creation // Create your own iconic scent in Molianard.
Tours // Full-day tour from Nice to Monaco & Eze.
Tours // Nice Old Town Walking & Food Tour
The beach in Nice is a pebble beach but that doesn’t deter you from enjoying the sun or the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. As the days warm up and the crowds increase, you can find a small sanctuary in the many beach clubs in Nice and the surrounding area.
Beach Clubs in Nice
Promenade Des Anglais is one of the defining features of the city of Nice. Its wide esplanade covers 7km along the Mediterranean Sea, essentially you can walk from the airport into the historic old center of Nice if you desired.
Along the Promenade des Anglais you can find the stone beach of Nice and the many beach clubs that have set up residence over the years. With several to choose from, its best to visit a few during your stay before deciding your favorite.
1. Plage Beau Rivage Nice
Easily one of the most popular beach clubs in Nice is Beau Rivage, a private beach club that has a restaurant and sun loungers available. From sunrise to sunset you can enjoy soaking up the sunshine, sampling some of the excellent French cuisine before spending the evening partying on the beach.
It’s operational all year round, with the sun loungers replaced in the off-season months with chairs and tables on the stone beaches as the weather cools off.
Prices for sun loungers start at €35 per day and Beau Rivage also has a half-day rate available. A double sunbed with an umbrella is €85 and there is a small €5 extra fee for anyone who wants a sunbed in the first row.
The Beau Rivage restaurant is a major draw for anyone visiting Nice as it has spectacular views over the sea and the food really is incredible. The highest quality of ingredients is used and with a bottle of Minuty Prestige to help you savor your meal, you’ll soon be in bliss.
Bed Reservations can be made via 0033492004680.
2. Opera Beach
With over 250 deckchairs to choose from, Opera Beach is a nice alternative to some of the more popular beach clubs in Nice. The beds don’t have the soft mattresses like Beau Rivage, but you’re almost guaranteed a bed in the high season thanks to their large area on Opera Beach.
The location is quite spectacular with the backdrop of one of Nice’s most famous hotels, Hotel Negresco sitting nearby. The bed prices in Opera Beach are among some of the best value on the French Riveria and especially in Nice.
Daily lounge chair rentals are priced at €30 and include an umbrella. Some of the hotels in the area even have special deals with Opera Beach that reduce the daily rate.
Dining in the restaurant at Opera Beach you’ll find prices are in line with similar beach clubs with some items being a little bit cheaper than say Anou in Beaulieu Sur Mer.
3. Ruhl Plage
Ruhl Plage is an equally popular beach club a bit further down the Promenade des Anglais. It’s a bit more expensive than some of the other beach clubs in the area, and you’ll find the beds are quite tightly packed together.
The sun loungers have a thick mattress on them, making them incredibly comfortable and easy to spend an entire day laying out in the sun on them.
The price for sun loungers start at €90 for a double sun lounger with an umbrella and towel included in the price. For an extra €23 you can make the sun lounger even more comfortable with a thick mattress.
The restaurant and lounge are worth visiting and are reasonably priced.
Saint Jean Cap Ferrat Beach Clubs
A visit to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, or Cap-Ferrat as it is better known is an absolute must when visiting Nice. It’s one of the wealthiest areas on the French Riveria with luxury 5-Star hotels and homes to the uber-rich and famous.
Set on a peninsula that juts out in the Mediterranean Sea, it’s spectacularly beautiful with cypress trees and small beaches set between opulent homes. Prepare to pick your jaw off the floor when first arriving at Cap Ferrat.
4. Paloma Beach Club
If you watched season 2 of Netflix’s Emily in Paris, you may have actually already seen Paloma Beach which doubled as a beach club in St Tropez. Paloma Beach sits in a curved bay that overlooks Beaulieu Sur Mer & Eze in the distance.
It’s a fantastic spot for people-watching, as well as enjoying the beach and its amenities. The section of Paloma Beach is reserved for the beach club that attracts visitors from all over the world, and offers those who visit a luxury experience.
The restaurant is popular for those who plan on spending the day at Paloma Beach. With fresh seafood and popular dishes from around the area, you can easily spend a couple of hours soaking up the atmosphere. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Sun loungers can only be reserved by calling ahead to reserve +334 93 01 64 71. You can also converse via WhatsApp when you have made a reservation.
The price for the rental of a sun lounger is €50 per lounger. The sun loungers have a thick mattress and super table service so you never have to be worry about the steady flow of cocktails.
Website: Paloma Beach
Beaulieu Sur Mer Beach Clubs
Even if you don’t get the opportunity to spend a day at the beach, a visit to Beaulieu Sur Mer is a fantastic day trip from Nice, taking less than 10 minutes on the train and dropping you right in the heart of the town.
5. Batik Beach Club
Located on Plage Petit Afrique, Batik Plage sits beside one of the most impressive marinas in the French Riveria (which is quite impressive as seemingly the entire South of France has marinas with the superyachts coming out the wazoo).
It’s a semi-secluded beach in the sense that the town is quite a distance from where the beach is actually located. But that adds to its charm and makes the journey worthwhile. When you do arrive, you are greeted with a stunning view of the towering cliffs that dominate this area to the left and super yachts in the marina to the right.
Batik Plage is the perfect balance between chilled beachy vibes and a sophisticated beach club that a lot of places struggle to manage. It’s easily one of the best beach clubs in the French Riveria and makes it increasingly popular. Spend the day lounging on the comfiest sun loungers before heading to lunch and savouring the decor.
Sun loungers start at €40 – €55 and include an umbrella and beach towel. A large double bed sun lounger is €180, and if you want to be in the first line of sunbeds than you’ll need to be an additional surcharge.
As the sun winds down, you’ll find the chilled vibes become more amplified as the evening descends. A house DJ sets the tone most evenings and its the perfect transition from sun-baked days into fun-filled nights.
The restaurant prices are similar to all other beach clubs on the list and in the glamorous French Riveria. Batik is a beautiful experience and a must for beach club lovers who are seeking the perfect beach club on the French Riveria.
Batik reservations call +33493793880
6. Anao Plage
Located on the opposite end to Batik, you’ll find the Anao – a classically traditional French beach club.
Lets start with the incredible views that look back onto Beaulieu Sur Mer, whilst in the other direction you can almost spy all the way to Paloma Beach in Cap Ferrat. It’s a breathtakingly stunning part of the world, which is a reason for why Anao Plage is very popular.
The beach itself is so-so, with much better and cleaner found further down the coastline.
Anao is white tablecloths, bottles of champagne, and not your average clientele. Be prepared to pay a bit more than average in Anao, and in return, you’ll be treated with high-class service and excellent attention to detail.
A day spent in Anao is an experience of how the other half live and there are some excellent people-watching to be had at the beach.
Eze sur Mer Beach Clubs
The famous town of Eze sits high in the hills of the French Riveria and is known for its small alleyways, stunning views and famous residents. Down by the coast you’ll find the long stone beach of Eze sur Mer that sits beside the railway line to Monaco.
It’s a short walk from the train station, follow signs for the beach clubs and you’ll find a path that leads down to the beach.
7. Papaya Beach Club
Hands down my favorite beach club on the French Riveria, I was devastated to learn that Papaya Beach has shut down after 32 years in operation. I’m adding it to this list in the hopes that it finds its way back with new owners or a different name someday soon.
8. Anjuna Beach
Thankfully there is still one decent beach club in Eze that hasn’t shut down and that is Anjuna Beach. Fun and vibrant with a really funky tropical blue decor, it invites a younger crowd to its beach club shack but with the hefty price tag of beach clubs in the South of France.
Anjuna Beach has a stellar partying scene and throughout the summer you’ll find this beach club hopping from dawn till dusk. The restaurant is expensive and I’m not sure worth the price, but with limited options to eat in the area it might be your only option.
There’s also a good chance of spotting Hollywood royalty at any given time during a visit to Anjuna, with a roster of celebrities visiting Anjuna Beach throughout the years. Head here after the Monaco F1 Grand Prix and you’ll see a driver or two.
Sunlounger’s are available to rent and can be reserved by calling ahead to book your space on +336 98 46 48 36.
Cap d’ail
Mala Beach is a hidden gem because of how difficult it is to access it, but the struggle is worthwhile once you arrive. Set in a crescent moon bay with cliffs on all sides and homes built into the sides of the mountains, it’s an incredible sight.
Like many of the beaches in the South of France, Mala Beach is also a pebble beach and has a small public section but the majority of the beach is claimed by Eden Plague and The Mala Reserve.
9. Eden Plage Mala
Eden Plage is the beach club that is extra in just about every way. Starting with accessing the beach club – it requires a rather strenuous 25-minute walk from the train station down a lot of stairs and a cliff. Alternatively, you can organize a water-taxi transfer for €100 which will save your legs a lot of agony.
Eden Plage is all about fun and its one of the most popular beach clubs in the South of France. During weekends when the world’s rich and famous descend such as the Monaco Grand Prix or Cannes Film Festival, you can expect to see a few famous faces milling about.
Lounge chairs start at €100 and include a minimum consumption of €50 (which is similar to beach clubs in Ibiza). A double bed will set you back €300 and includes a minimum €100 consumption. Of course, during the low season, these prices dramatically decrease and are a lot more affordable.
Conclusion
This part of France is really spectacular. It’s the type of destination that makes you want to sell your house back home and start living out your French fantasy, buying a delicious baguette, and heading down to the beach apres a day at work. Maybe it’s just my fantasy!
Make sure to hop on a train and visit nearby towns of Antibes and Cannes, and the small principality of Monaco. The train system on the French Riveria is wonderful and connects you to these towns in less than 30 minutes.
Read More: The 5 Best Antibes Beach Clubs in 2023
Let me know in the comments below which beach clubs in Nice or beyond that you enjoyed!
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