Photo: Didier M via Google
Family Beaches
on the Riviera
Soft sand, gentle water and a glace never far away.
The verdict
- Best forParents who want soft sand, gently shelving shallow water and proper facilities within easy reach, with sunbed hire, shade and somewhere to eat a short walk from the towel.
- Top pickJuan les Pins for the widest soft sand and gentle shallows near Antibes, with Larvotto in Monaco the most polished and supervised town beach.
- One thing to knowMuch of the Riviera is pebble rather than sand, so for young children choose the sandy bays of Antibes, Cannes and Saint Tropez and save the smooth stone beaches of Nice and Villefranche for older kids in water shoes.
Published 9 March 2026. Last reviewed 14 May 2026
The French Riviera reads as one long glamorous coastline, but for a family it splits neatly into two. Some beaches are soft sand with shallow, gently shelving water and full services, which is exactly what you want with young children, while others are the smooth grey pebble the region is famous for, beautiful to look at but hard on small feet and hard work with a toddler. Knowing which town gives you which saves a lot of grumbling at the water's edge.
We have ranked these for the realities of a beach day with kids, the softness of the sand, how gently the water shelves, and how close the shade, food and toilets are. The sandy bays of Antibes, Cannes and the Saint Tropez peninsula come out on top, along with the supervised town beach at Larvotto in Monaco, because they pair easy access with proper facilities. We also flag the lovely pebble beaches of Nice and Villefranche, which are better as a scenic dip for older children than a full day with a pushchair and a cool bag.
Family beaches on the Riviera
Scored on soft sand, gentle shallows, shade and facilities. The pebble beaches to weigh up with toddlers called out.
Juan les Pins
A rare stretch of soft sand on the Riviera, with gentle shallows, a lively resort town and full services a step from the beach. Easy walking access and plenty of sunbed hire make it the most complete family beach on the coast.
Larvotto
Monaco's smart town beach, recently rebuilt with calm supervised swimming, fine gravel and sand and a promenade of cafes. Polished, safe feeling and easy to reach, it is the simplest family day in the principality.
Plage du Midi
A long public sand beach just west of the Cannes harbour, less showy than the Croisette and easier with children, with shallow water and space to spread out. A relaxed, well placed family beach away from the lido crowds.
Salins
A quieter sandy beach on the Saint Tropez peninsula with gentle water and a calmer feel than glitzy Pampelonne. Room to play and a couple of relaxed beach restaurants make it a comfortable choice for a family day.
Croisette
The famous Cannes beachfront, mostly sand and lined with serviced lidos where you can hire beds, umbrellas and find a kitchen. Busy and glamorous, but the soft sand and easy facilities work well for families who book a lido.
Garoupe
A sheltered sandy cove on Cap d'Antibes with calm clear water, reached by a short walk and home to a few smart beach restaurants. Gentler and prettier than the town beaches, though parking and access take a little planning.
Who it suits, who should skip
If you want soft sand and gentle water for children, the Riviera has it, but you have to aim for the right towns. Juan les Pins is the standout, a true sandy resort beach with shallows that stay gentle a good way out, while Larvotto in Monaco gives you a calm supervised swim and a polished promenade. The sandy beaches of Cannes and the Saint Tropez peninsula round out the easy options, all with sunbed hire, shade and food within a short walk, so you can travel light and let the day unfold.
Who should skip what? The classic Riviera pebble beaches are the least toddler friendly, so the smooth stone shores of Nice and the small cove at Villefranche are better as a quick scenic dip than a long day with a pushchair. Pack water shoes if you do head there with older children, and bring shade, because the serviced sand sells out in peak summer. And remember that glamorous does not mean easy, the busiest lido beaches can be cramped and pricey in August, so a quieter sandy beach like Salins or Plage du Midi often makes a calmer family day.
Where to book a daybed
A family day runs smoother with a booked base, and on the Riviera that means a beach club or lido with hired beds, umbrellas and a kitchen on the sand. The serviced stretches at Juan les Pins, the Croisette in Cannes and the Saint Tropez beaches are the easiest places to reserve a front row for the day, and most rent the smaller loungers and parasols that make a long afternoon with children workable. Tell us the beach and your dates and we will pass the enquiry to the club so they can confirm space and any minimum spend.
Book a beach club in French Riviera
Before you go
Which French Riviera beach is best for young children?
Juan les Pins near Antibes is the easiest, with soft sand, gentle shallows and a friendly resort town with full facilities. In Monaco, the rebuilt Larvotto beach offers calm supervised swimming and an easy promenade, which makes it the simplest town beach for a relaxed family day.
Are Riviera beaches sandy or pebbly?
Both, and it varies by town. Nice and Villefranche are famously pebble, while the sandy beaches sit around Antibes and Juan les Pins, Cannes and the Saint Tropez peninsula. For young children choose the sandy bays and bring water shoes if you plan to visit the pebble beaches with older kids.
Can you get a pushchair onto the beaches?
On the sandy serviced beaches at Juan les Pins, the Croisette in Cannes and Larvotto in Monaco you can wheel a pushchair along the promenade and onto flat sand easily. The pebble beaches and the coves reached by steps or a path are harder work, so plan those out with very young children.
Is the sea calm enough for children on the Riviera?
The sheltered sandy bays at Juan les Pins, Garoupe and Larvotto usually shelve gently and stay calm, which suits paddling. Larvotto has supervised swimming in season, but many beaches are not lifeguarded and conditions change with wind, so supervise closely and check before swimming. We describe typical conditions only.
Which part of the Riviera is best for a family beach holiday?
Antibes and Juan les Pins offer the best soft sand and gentle water in one place, with Cannes and the Saint Tropez peninsula close behind for sandy family beaches. Monaco's Larvotto is the most polished town beach, while Nice, being pebble, suits a city break with dips more than a sandy beach day with toddlers.