The Côte d’Azur, famous for its sun-drenched beaches and turquoise waters, is also home to botanical gems that delight the senses. All along this sun-drenched region, enchanting gardens flourish, testifying to Provence’s love of nature.
In this article, we invite you on a verdant escapade through the most beautiful gardens on the Côte d’Azur: exotic, Mediterranean, historic or created by renowned architects…
This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Côte d’Azur’s most beautiful gardens: map and selection
Below you’ll find a map to help you locate our selection of the 10 most beautiful gardens along the Côte d’Azur, so you can decide which ones to include in your road trip.
The Côte d’Azur has no officially defined boundaries. We choose the modern vision that stretches from Cassis to Menton.
At the time these gardens were created, there was already a passion for acclimatizing and spreading rare species from all over the world, made possible by the Mediterranean climate. Thanks to public and private initiatives, some of them are still with us, to our great delight.
1. Gardens of the Villa d’Ephrusi
Why visit?
A visit to the gardens of the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is an enchanting experience that epitomizes the luxury of the Côte d’Azur. The meticulously landscaped gardens are a true masterpiece of landscaping, featuring a variety of magnificent trees, colorful flowerbeds and water features. The whole creates a fairytale atmosphere, with every nook and cranny revealing a new botanical discovery. What’s more, breathtaking views over the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer from the overhanging terraces add a touch of romance to this getaway. This garden and its villa are a symbol of the elegance and beauty that characterize the Côte d’Azur.
How to get there and tips
- In the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
- East of Nice on the Cap Ferrat peninsula
- Nice to La Villa = 30 min drive
- Monaco to the Villa = 30 min
- Cannes à la Villa = 1h15
- Price: 16 euros – details and opening hours on the official website
- Open all year round
- There is a dedicated parking lot, but it fills up in the middle of the day.
- It’s a very popular spot, and we recommend a morning visit and lunch on the premises, where the restaurant serves delicious salads.
- Save time by buying your admission tickets
- Or book a tour from Nice to see the region’s most beautiful villas – see program
2. Jardin Exotique d’Èze
Why visit?
The exotic garden of Èze is a must-see destination for lovers of nature and breathtaking panoramic views. This exceptional botanical garden is home to a superb collection of cacti and succulents, offering total immersion in the world of exotic species. As you stroll through this remarkable garden, you’ll marvel at the breathtaking views of the sparkling Mediterranean coastline on one side, and the mountains on the other. The garden’s location, in the beautiful medieval village of Èze, also makes it possible to combine a rich cultural experience with botanical exploration. It’s a perfect harmony of natural beauty, exotic biodiversity and the region’s historic charm.
A must on the Côte d’Azur.
How to get there and tips
- Between Nice and Monaco
- Nice to Èze = 25min drive
- Monaco to Èze = 15min
- Cannes to Èze = 50min
- Price 7 euros – details and opening hours on the official website
- Open all year round
- There is a large paying underground parking lot, or a parking lot further away from the village with a shuttle bus.
- You can come by bus from Nice or Monaco, or by cab.
- Note that the Eze train station is at beach level, 400m below. If you get there, you’ll have to take a bus afterwards, or hike (but the slope is steep).
- There are also organized tours departing from Nice – see program
OUR TPS FOR RENTING YOUR CAR IN Provence
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is powerful enough (the roads are steep) but compact (some passages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
3. Jardin Botanique de Menton: Val Rahmeh
Why visit?
The Menton Val Rahmeh botanical garden is an oasis of lush freshness in the heart of the Mediterranean heat of the Côte d’Azur. This remarkable garden is a veritable explosion of color and biodiversity, where every corner reveals a fascinating wealth of plant life. We were particularly impressed by the aquatic section, where exotic aquatic plants create an enchanting environment. It’s a place where nature reigns supreme, and where passion for plants and biodiversity conservation are palpable at every stage of your botanical world tour.
How to get there and tips
- In Menton
- Center of Menton at Val Rahmeh = 20min walk, 5 min drive
- Nice to Val Rahmeh = 45 min drive
- Open all year round
- Price 7 euros – details and opening hours on the official website
- Parking spaces are available near the garden entrance.
- If you come on foot, it’s a bit uphill, but the return is downhill.
4. Domaine de Rayol
Why visit?
The Domaine du Rayol, designed by renowned landscape architect Gilles Clément, is a unique destination that harmoniously combines nature and culture. The garden is based on three major concepts: the moving garden, the third landscape and the planetary garden. These concepts allow you to discover a diversity of plants from different parts of the world, in a setting where nature is given free rein. It’s not manicured. The lush gardens of Domaine du Rayol are a veritable adventure playground for nature lovers, with a multitude of trails to explore. Each path holds its own surprises, sometimes with panoramic sea views.
How to get there and tips
- In the town of Rayol, between Saint-Tropez and Toulon
- Saint-Tropez to Domaine de Rayol = 45 min drive
- Toulon to Domaine de Rayol = 1h drive
- Open all year round
- Price 14 euros – details and opening hours on the official website
- Several parking lots more or less close to the entrance
- The park is very steep, so wear good shoes to explore it all, otherwise stay on the main road.
WHERE TO STAY ON THE Côte d’Azur
Our independent picks for the accommodation of your dreams:
5. Villa Thuret garden
Why visit?
Unlike the other gardens, Villa Thruret is a scientific research site. The team has been working on acclimatization since 1857.
It’s a magnificent garden that’s a little less visually oriented for tourists, but allows you to discover some superb trees. Georges Sand wrote in Lettres d’un voyageur in 1868: “…the most beautiful garden she had ever seen…”.
It’s very quiet and a little less visited than the others, allowing you to lose yourself in contemplation and listen to the sounds of nature.
How to get there and tips
- On Cap d’Antibes
- Antibes to Villa Thuret = 10 min drive
- Cannes to Villa Thuret = 30 min drive
- Nice to Villa Thuret = 50 min drive
- Open all year round, except Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays
- Free admission – details and opening hours on the official website
- Parking spaces on the street
- Easy park to explore with a slight slope
6. Garden of the Musée Renoir de Cagnes
Why visit?
This garden is often listed in museums, but rarely in lists of the most beautiful gardens. Yet it was the one that moved us the most.
When you stroll among these enormous olive trees with their twisted, aged roots and trunks, and with the lovely smells of Provence, it’s easy to understand why Renoir was so inspired. We felt the inspiration ourselves.
Admittedly, it’s not a garden full of petrol or exotic plants, but it’s a perfect example of what has inspired so many artists in the region.
And as an added bonus, there’s a view of the village of Haut-de-Cagnes.
How to get there and tips
- In the town of Cagnes, between Nice and Antibes
- Nice to Musée Renoir = 30 min drive
- Antibes to Musée Renoir = 30 min drive
- Cannes to Musée Renoir = 40 min drive
- Open all year round, except Tuesdays
- 6 euros – details and opening hours on the official website
- On-site parking
- Easy park to explore with a slight slope
7. The garden island of Saint-Honorat
Why visit?
The island of Saint-Honorat, a hidden treasure on the Côte d’Azur, is an ideal destination for lovers of nature and tranquillity. On this garden island, monks have for centuries perpetuated the art of caring for magnificent trees, vines and plants, creating a veritable haven of peace. Far from the hustle and bustle of the Côte d’Azur, the island of Saint-Honorat offers a quiet getaway where time seems to slow down. In addition to its peaceful beaches and secluded coves, the magnificent gardens surrounding the monastery add to its charm and invite contemplation and meditation.
How to get there and tips
- Departure by boat from Cannes
- 15min crossing (ferry operated by the monastery)
- Nice to Musée Renoir = 30 min drive
- Antibes to Musée Renoir = 30 min drive
- Cannes to Musée Renoir = 40 min drive
- Open all year round
- 6 euros – details and opening hours on the official website
- It’s easy to walk around the island
8. Monaco’s garden variety
Why visit?
Monaco is also rich in gardens, but what sets the city apart is the variety of garden types you can see. This is not a common occurrence. You can enjoy:
- An exotic garden high above the town, with magnificent succulents and sea and mountain views (as in the village of Èze).
- The Rose Garden, an English-style garden with over 315 species of rose (one of our favorites).
- From the Japanese garden, quite small but beautiful and so different. It’s like being transported to another country.
- The gardens of the Casino de Monte-Carlo in a more landscaped style
- The Saint-Martin garden with Mediterranean plants
How to get there and tips
- All over Monaco
- Nice to Monaco = 50 min drive
- Cannes to Monaco = 1h30
- Open all year round
- Free admission for most of them
- Monaco has some fairly steep cliffs and slopes. The exotic garden, for example, has sloping paths.
9. Jardin Serre de la Madone in Menton
Why visit?
The Serre de la Madonne garden is an invitation to a botanical journey through time and continents. Created with passion by Major Lawrence Johnston between 1924 and 1939, this garden reveals rare species from around the world, meticulously arranged in terraces. At the top of the park stands an old Provencal farmhouse, adding a touch of authenticity to this green oasis.
Far from the hustle and bustle of central Menton, this garden offers a peaceful retreat where you can lose yourself in the heady scents of Mediterranean plants and explore Johnston’s botanical treasures.
How to get there and tips
- In Menton
- Center of Menton to Serre de la Madone = 40 min walk, 10 min drive
- Nice to Serre de la Madone = 45 min drive
- Open all year round, except November and December
- Closed on Mondays
- Price 10 euros – details and opening hours on the official website
- There is a parking lot
- Be careful, the garden slopes quite steeply
10. Garden of the Château de la Napoule
Why visit?
The four gardens of Château de la Napoule form a harmonious whole well worth exploring. These gardens offer a captivating mix of meticulously landscaped areas and wilder sectors, creating a varied botanical experience.
With their breathtaking views over the Mediterranean Sea, these gardens invite you to contemplate and relax. The striking contrast between the verdant gardens and the red-stone château adds a unique visual and architectural dimension to the visit.
How to get there and tips
- West of Cannes
- Cannes to Château de la Napoule = 20 min drive
- Nice to Château de la Napoule = 45 min
- Open April to September, daily
- Price 7 euros (or 4 euros for gardens only) – details and opening hours on the official website
- Several parking lots nearby
- The garden is easy to explore
Remarkable garden” label
France has established a “Remarkable Gardens” label to identify gardens of cultural, aesthetic, historical or botanical interest.
On the Côte d’Azur, the gardens with this label are:
- Villa Thuret botanical garden
- Èze exotic garden
- Garden of the Villa Fort France in Grasse
- Jardin de l’Argelière in La Gaude
- Citronneraie du mas, Flofaro, Val Rahmeh and Serre de la Madonne in Menton
- Gardens of the Musée International de la Parfumerie in Mouans-Sartoux
- Botanical Gardens and Phoenix Park in Nice
- Jardin Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
- Parc Gonzalez in Bormes-les-mimosas
- Garden of the Peyrassol commandery in Flassans-sur-Issole
- Germaine l’Hardy-Denonain garden in Gassin
- Several gardens in Hyères
- Tropical zoological garden at La Londe-les-Maures
- Domaine du Rayol
- Gardens of the Swan House in Six-Fours-les-plages
- Jardin Alexandre 1er and Jardin du Las in Toulon
- Jardin de Baudouvin and Domaine d’Orvès in La Valette-du-Var
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO THE Côte d’Azur
- Inspiration
The most beautiful landscapes in 30 photos
Best things to do on the Côte d’Azur
Most beautiful villages
Best beaches on the Côte d’Azur
Most beautiful gardens
Best boat tours (coming soon)
Most beautiful islands
Secret places
- Practical advice
Successful travel on the Côte d’Azur (coming soon)
Rent a car in Provence – in Nice – in Cannes – in Marseille – in Aix-en-Provence.
Itineraries: 5 days – 1 week – 10 days
Weekend ideas: best-of – romantic – luxury – unusual
- Where to stay
Where to stay on the Côte d’Azur
Best luxury hotels on the Côte d’Azur
Hotels by the sea
Best boutique-hotels
