Are you planning to visit the Côte d’Azur and wondering whether to go to Nice or Saint-Tropez?
We love both destinations. The choice is difficult, but we’re here to help you with our opinions on specific criteria.
Here’s our Nice vs Saint-Tropez battle with tips and photos:
- Atmosphere
- Beaches, monuments and museums
- Location
- Hotels and restaurants
- …
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Nice or Saint-Tropez: summary of the comparison
Short answer
The two cities are very different.
Nice offers a blend of historic charm and modernity, with numerous top-class art museums and an elegant ambience.
Saint-Tropez is world-renowned for its famous port, which has attracted some of the world’s biggest stars. The town is also very popular for its charming, colorful alleyways and Provencal market.
Depending on what you’re looking for…
- for the most beautiful beaches: Saint-Tropez
- for young children / families: Nice
- for the finest hotels: equality
- for a romantic getaway: Saint-Tropez
- for gastronomy: Nice
- for the charm of the city: Nice
- for nightlife: Saint-Tropez
- for the surrounding region: equality (nature vs. culture)
- …
See the top-rated accommodations in Nice.
See the top-rated accommodations in Saint-Tropez.
Access + Location to explore the region
Both towns are located on the eastern half of the Côte d’Azur.
They are both well placed for exploring different parts of the region.
From Nice, you’ll have access to more history and culture, while Saint-Tropez offers access to more nature.
Here’s some road map to help you make a better assessment:
- Nice to Saint-Tropez = 1h45 drive
- Cannes to Nice = 45min drive
- Nice to Monaco = 30 min drive
- Saint-Raphaël to Saint-Tropez = 1h drive
Nice-Côte d’Azur airport is the main international airport serving Nice. Nice airport: 15min drive
To reach Saint-Tropez, you can land at Nice-Côte d’Azur airport (1h30 drive) or Marseille airport (2h drive).
Compare available flights.
Both towns also have railway stations. Nice is easier to get to.
Book your trains.
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.
Best hotel offer: Saint-Tropez vs Nice
Hotels in Saint-Tropez
The range of hotels in Saint-Tropez is vast, especially if you’re looking for 5-star accommodation. There are so many superb hotels that it’s hard to choose.
We recommend..:
- Quiet luxury: Hotel Sezz – see prices, pictures and availability
- Charming: Hotel Pré de la Mer – prices, pictures and availability
- Lively and iconic luxury: Byblos Hotel – see prices, pictures and availability
Read our article on where to stay in Saint-Tropez.
Hotels in Nice
The variety and quality of hotels in Nice are undeniable: luxury hotels overlooking the sea, charming Art Deco hotels, quieter Aparthotels close to attractions…
Here are some of our favorite accommodations:
- Luxury: Anantara Plaza Hotel Nice – see photos and availability
- Art Deco: Hôtel Le Riviera Collection Best Western – see photos and availability
- Poetic: Hôtel Apollinaire – see photos and availability
Read our article on where to stay in Nice.
Our review
Nice offers a wider range of hotels and establishments with sea views.
But the luxury on offer in Saint-Tropez is impressive.
Our winner: Nice
Attractions, museums and monuments
Attractions in Saint-Tropez
The main attractions in Saint-Tropez are..:
- Stroll along the harbour and through the narrow streets of the old town
- Relax on a terrace to enjoy the atmosphere
- Explore the 16th-century citadel and visit the museums. Enjoy beautiful views over the bay.
- Discover the most beautiful beaches in the area, such as Plage de Pampelonne and Plage de l’Escalet.
- Discover French popular culture at the Musée de la Gendarmerie et du Cinéma (in reference to films starring Louis de Funès).
- Explore nearby villages such as Grimaud, Gassin and Ramatuelle
- A walk through the vineyards
Find out more in our article on the best attractions in Saint-Tropez.
Nice Attractions
Nice’s main attractions are..:
- The seafront promenade (Promenade des Anglais)
- The old town with its Italian influence
- The ancient heritage
- Numerous museums, especially art-related: MAMAC, Musée Matisse, Musée Chagall…
- Views from Colline du Château
- Belle-Epoque and Art-Déco architecture
- St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral
- …
Find out more in our article on Nice’s top attractions.
Our review
The clear winner is Nice.
HAVE FUN WITH THESE activities
- Great kayak trips in:
Saint-Tropez to the Ramatuelle reserve
Cassis to the calanques - Helicopter flight from Cannes
- Shuttle service along the coast between Nice and Saint-Tropez
- Bike tours: eBike in Nice – Mountain biking in the Esterel massif
Most beautiful beaches: Saint-Tropez or Nice?
Beaches of Saint-Tropez
In and around Saint-Tropez, you’ll find a host of beautiful public and private beaches.
The beaches in the town center aren’t the prettiest, but on the rest of the Ramatuelle peninsula, you have superb options with golden sands and azure waters.
See our article on Saint-Tropez’s most beautiful beaches.
Beaches of Nice
Nice boasts several magnificent beaches along its coastline. Pebbles, sand, the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea: the choice is yours if you want to swim, stroll or take a break in front of the azure immensity! Restaurants are located near most public and private beaches, but you can also bring your own packed lunch.
Our review
The winner, in our opinion, is Saint-Tropez, even if the most beautiful beaches are further from the city center.
Excursions around the cities
Excursions from Saint-Tropez
From Sain-Tropez, you can visit..:
- The villages of Ramatuelle, Gassin, Grimaud and Port Grimaud.
- Cap de l’Esterel and its hiking trails (1h30 away)
- Hyères and Porquerolles Island (1h15 drive)
Excursions from Nice
From Nice, you can visit:
- The magnificent village of Èze – see our article
- Monaco, Cannes, Antibes and Menton
- Spend a day in the village of Èze, then stop off in Monaco and Monte-Carlo, the must-sees of the Riviera – see photos, details and availability.
- Visit the fortified town with its 16th-century ramparts, opt for a day trip to discover beautiful Antibes and its Fort Carré, then head inland – see photos, details and availability.
- Explore the Gorges du Verdon, its cliffs and transparent waters, then stroll through the lavender fields. A magical experience – see photos, details and availability.
See our article on the best excursions from Nice (coming soon).
Our review
The winner: Nice.
Best gastronomic offer
Restaurants in Saint-Tropez
With its range of luxury hotels, Saint-Tropez is also an excellent place to discover the best of French gastronomy.
Reservations are essential!
Among our favorite restaurants:
- Restaurant Colette: a big hit for its dishes and quality of service
- Restaurant Dior Café: light fare, for the glamorous ambience of Saint-Tropez
- Restaurant Beefbar: for meat lovers
Discover our selection of the best restaurants in Saint-Tropez. (coming soon)
Restaurants in Nice
Nice has a wide range of restaurants to suit all tastes. You’ll discover a cuisine of land and sea, based on local Provencal produce, blended with Mediterranean notes and flavours, but that’s not all! Reservations are strongly recommended for all establishments where possible.
Among our favorite restaurants:
- Restaurant JAN (1 star): a sensory and poetic dining experience
- Restaurant Sweet Sisters: a colorful place to enjoy a healthy meal in Nice
- Restaurant Peixes: for seafood lovers
- Restaurant La Storia: for specialties from Nice
Discover our selection of the best restaurants in Nice.
Our review
We preferred Nice’s gastronomic offering, which is more varied because the city is much larger.
Ease of getting around these cities/regions
Getting around Saint-Tropez
It’s easy to explore the city center on foot.
However, as soon as you want to go out, you need a car, and the main access road to the city is often very slow.
Getting around Nice
Nice is a fairly large city that you can explore on foot (for the old center), by streetcar or by bus.
We found it quite easy to get around.
Nice also has a hop-on-hop-off bus to see the main places of interest – save time, buy your ticket.
Can we visit Nice and Saint-Tropez on the same trip?
The two cities are not very close.
By car, 1h45 drive.
But if you’re staying in Nice, you can simply take the shuttle boat to spend the day in Saint-Tropez – see prices, photos and availability.
And why not other cities/regions?
On the Côte d’Azur, there are plenty of other great towns to discover. You can read our comparison:
Or see our list of the most beautiful towns on the Côte d’Azur.
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
