Best Day Trips from Cannes (by public transport)

Last Updated on 8th January 2025 by Sophie Nadeau

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Cannes is not only one of the most famous towns on the French Riviera, but is also one of the most popular places to visit and stay in. Thanks to its abundance of hotels and eateries, the sparkly settlement makes for a great base from which to explore the wider region. Here are the best day trips from Cannes!

Best day trips from Cannes

Île Sainte-Marguerite

One of the most delightful day trips you can take from Cannes is to Île Sainte-Marguerite. The largest of an archipelago of four islands just off the coastline of the French Riviera, it’s just a fifteen minute boat ride away from Cannes. Check ferry tickets and prices here.

A pocket of natural beauty and home to a fortress famed for its rich historical significance, this gorgeous French gem is well worth a visit! Whether it’s visiting one of the many museums, relaxing on the beach or even scuba diving and discovering the underwater eco-museum, there’s plenty to do on the island.

If this sounds like the place for you, why not read our insider’s guide to the best things to do in Île Sainte-Marguerite for a little more travel inspiration.

Île Saint-Honorat

The second largest island of the four in the archipelago is Île Saint-Honorat, which is most famous for its Abbey, still with an active monastic community, which has resided here since the 5th century!

Île Saint-Honorat is privately owned by the monks of Lérins Abbey, but visitors are welcomed to come and spend half or the whole day enjoying what the island has to offer. Easy to walk around in an hour, this small island is a haven of tranquility and green oasis of unspoilt nature, that alone makes it worth visiting!

Also home to various monuments (most of which are free of charge to visit) a must-see historic site is of course the Cistercian monastery, Lérins Abbey, as well as its impressive monastery tower. Another highlight to see is, Chapelle Saint-Sauveur, located in the northwest of the island, amongst the olive fields, it is one of the seven chapels of the Abbey (six of which remain).

Offering more of a spiritual and peaceful trip from that of Cannes, this small pocket calm is perfect for those who love history and immersing themselves in nature at a slower pace.

Unfortunately there is no cruise/ ferry which will take you to the whole archipelago of the Lérins islands. Instead, you’ll have to travel to/from Cannes to embark on a boat that will take you to each of them.

Antibes

Antibes is a picture perfect town on the French Riviera, a veritable delight thanks to its wealth of history and gorgeous seafront promenade, it makes for a dreamy escape from the hustle and bustle of busy modern day life.

Characterised by its pastel hued maze of cobbled medieval streets, from spying artists’ haunts to the vestiges of the former fortifications, there’s plenty of beautiful angles to enjoy while strolling around this historic town.

Briefly home to famed artist Pablo Picasson, you can visit a museum, located just next to the town’s church and views a collection of his works set within a villa overlooking the sea. The town also has a handful of other museums, as well as the beautiful Antibes Cathedral (which is free to visit).

Home to several beaches that are idyllic to lounge on and soak up the afternoon sun, and there’s even an impressive fort to explore!

Conveniently, Antibes is located just a ten minute train ride away from Cannes, so it makes for the perfect spot to visit for a leisurely afternoon.

Nice

A vibrant and dazzling city situated along the French Riviera, known for its stunning beaches, lively markets, and charming old town. The city is also famed for its spectacular seaside promenade, which is known as the Promenade des Anglais.

Abundant with things to explore, here are just a few top suggestions for your visit:

• Stroll along the Promenade des Anglais – Enjoy the stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea and the iconic blue chairs. There’s even a mini statue of Liberty located along the sea front. 
• Head to the marketplace – Discover local delights at this colourful outdoor market, located in the heart of the old town. 
• Taste the regional delicacy, socca – a Nicoise specialty, this simple dish is essentially a chickpea pancake (making it naturally gluten-free) it’s an absolutely delicious snack to keep you going!
• Place du Palais de Justice – visit the Neoclassical 17th-century palace which has been transformed into a museum.
• Musée Matisse – The former home to the beloved French artist, Henri Matisse, now a museum showcasing a collection of his works.
• Relax at the beach – Of course, if you have time from all the exploring then I highly recommend soaking up some sunshine and taking a dip in the crystal clear waters of one of Nice’s beaches.
• Indulge in a mouthwatering ice cream – It would be wrong to visit Nice and not sample ice cream from their array of ice cream parlours (P.S Fenocchio Glacier is the place to go to!)

You can get to Nice directly from Cannes by hopping on a train, the journey being approximately 40 minutes. And, if you do choose to visit from Cannes, because there’s an overwhelming amount to see in the city, we’ve already put together a guide on how to spend the perfect one day in Nice, to make your travels easier!

Cagnes-sur-Mer

One of the hidden gems of the French Riviera that not enough people talk about is Cagnes-sur-Mer and Haut-de-Cagnes. When visiting, Haut-de-Cagnes, is actually as part of the larger town, Cagnes-sur-Mer.

Haut-de-Cagnes is a perched village, meaning that it presides over the surrounding countryside, this gorgeous medieval town is home to an illustrious fortress turned museum, and boasts of mesmerising views of the French Riviera landscape that stretch far into the distance.

The historic part of the upper town dates back to the Middle Ages, here you’ll find Place du Château, a beautiful square filled with traditional eateries as well as the entrances to various museums.

Also, Haut-de-Cagnes is where acclaimed artist, Renoir, chose to spend the final years of his life! So while visiting, be sure to visit the Musée Renoir, his former home which has been transformed into a museum showcasing over a dozen paintings, as well as some of his personal items.

As you can imagine, several artists have been charmed by this medieval town as it simply exudes inspiration and creativity as you wander through its narrow cobbled streets and stumble across hidden viewpoints.

There are trains which run almost every half an hour along the French Riviera, you can hop on a train from Cannes to Cagnes-sur-Mer, the journey takes between 30 minutes if you get the fast train and up to 1 hour if you get the slower one.

Saint Paul de Vence

Often cited to be one of the most beautiful places to visit in France, Saint Paul de Vence is another town which is famed for its arts scene.

This fairytale village is perched on a hilltop, characterised by its meandering alleyways, centuries-old stone cottages, and panoramic views over towards the glittering Mediterranean Sea. In fact this enchanting spot is often dubbed the ‘second most beautiful village in France’.

Walking around it’s hard not to feel as though you’ve stepped back in a time-warp of the past. Rich with historical intrigue, while exploring the town’s medieval ramparts, be sure to visit the Remparts de Saint-Paul-de-Vence, 16th-century crumbling walls, or the Espéron Tower, found on the corner of the Renaissance Square, this building was once in use as a powder store.

Also worth visiting is the world famous Colombe d’Or hotel. Several decades ago, the likes of Matisse, Braque, Léger, Calder, César and even Picasso would dine at this now chic auberge in exchange for paintings. Now, owned by the Roux family you can be sure to find delicious food in their restaurant!

A little further away, you can get to Saint Paul de Vence from Cannes via a train to Le Taude and then a bus to Saint Paul (journey takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes). Thanks to its proximity, this medieval gem also makes for the perfect day trip from Nice.

Grasse

The perfume capital of the world is nestled within southern France and happens to be one of the easiest day trips you can take from Cannes thanks to direct trains linking the two towns!

This gorgeous historic hilltop town is where fragrance quite literally flows through the air! A must-see while visiting has to be one (or all three if you have time) of the famed perfumeries, Fragonard, Galimard and Molinard and if learning about it isn’t enough, why not book on a perfume workshop and make your own personalised fragrance for yourself!

Perfume aside, there’s also an abundance of various small artisan shops, antique dealers and fashion boutiques to explore as you wander around the colourful back streets of this quaint little town.

Grasse is pretty small so you can discover most of it within half a day, I suggest either waking up early and spending a morning here or taking a slow afternoon soaking up the tranquility of this sweet smelling spot.

You can take a direct train from Cannes to Grasse which takes 30 minutes, or alternatively for the cheapest option you can take a bus which will take approximately 40 minutes.

Saint Tropez

Sunny Saint Tropez overlooks the azure blue sea, this stretch of coastline has become widely known as one of the most glamorous destinations for its chic beach resorts and stunning beaches that overlook the Mediterranean Sea.

Sun, sand and glamour aside, you can also delve into the historical part of Saint Tropez, home to a beautifully preserved fortress in the heart of its citadel, simply wandering around this part is the best way to soak up the town’s cultural heritage.

This coastal town of the French Riviera is also rich with maritime history, which you can explore while walking around the port area as well as visiting the Maritime History Museum of Saint-Tropez.

Of course, an absolute must when visiting Saint Tropez is to go to one of it’s famed beaches, the most popular being Pampelonne Beach. Crystal clear waters and soft white sand inviting you in, also don’t be surprised if you spot a celebrity or two as Saint Tropez is known for drawing in stars!

You can easily take a ferry trip from Cannes to Saint Tropez, the ferry journey one-way takes around 1 hour 15 minutes. Book a boat transfer like this one for a full day round-trip visit to Saint Tropez from Cannes.

Monaco

Monaco is a tiny principality defined by its rocky nature and miniature size, known as the home of the wealthy (around 30% of the population are millionaires) and many of the people who reside in Monaco choose to live there because there’s no income tax.

However, money aside, Monaco is a gorgeous destination to have a peep around! Wandering around the Old Town and visiting the various museums, churches and the cathedral is the best way to experience the history of Monaco.

Also home to the impressive, Prince’s Palace of Monaco, the crowning jewel of the town and the official residence of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco (surname Grimaldi).

Those with a particular penchant for cars will likely know that Monaco is well-known for hosting the Grand Prix! And you can even visit a bronze statue that depicts one of the first race cars which participated in the Grand Prix.

For more inspiration, check out our suggestions for how to spend one day in Monaco.

Personally, a favourite thing to do was wander around the ports and enjoy the ambience of the town, although it’s rather small, there’s lots to see and I definitely recommend visiting as a day trip if you have time! That being said, I would prioritise other places mentioned on the list above Monaco (but that’s just personal preference).

There are several ways to get to Monaco from Cannes, you could opt for a direct train which would take just over and hour or book a roundtrip ferry to Monaco like this one and spend the day there.

Menton

One of the towns which is a little further away from Cannes than some of the others listed here but is still worth a visit is the picturesque town of Menton, which is the last major French town before the border with Italy.

Boasting of over 300 days of sun a year, Menton is said to be the warmest town along the French Riviera. This pastel hued dreamy town is filled with Italianate architecture and surrounded by a sea of lemon groves, and each February it plays host to the prestigious Fête du Citron, where all things citrus are celebrated!

Rich with history and the mix of cultures thanks to its proximity to its neighbouring countries, the best way to truly soak up the ambience of Menton is to simply wander around and stumble across the treasures this town has to offer.

Our top must-see suggestions include:

• Basilique Saint-Michel-Archange – A 17th century basilica dedicated to the Archangel Michael (and also the largest Baroque building in the region).
• Promenade du Soleil – Translated as ‘broad walk of the sun’ this walk spans several kilometres, offering visitors the chance to see the coastline of Italy, the sea, and stunning vistas of Menton.
• La Plage des Sablettes – The main beach of the town, a pebbled beach with crystal clear waters that make for an extremely popular swimming spot, especially during the summer months.
• Visit the cemetery of the old Château – perched high above the rest of the town, this is the final resting place of several notable people, including William Webb Ellis, who was the founder of the game of rugby.
• Follow in the footsteps of Jean Cocteau – best-known for his poetry, though he was also a playwright, novelist, designer, and filmmaker and you can learn about his life and work in various museums of the town.

You can get a direct train from Cannes to Menton and it will take roughly 1 hour 20 minutes. That being said, to truly enjoy and experience this pearl of the French Riviera, I highly recommend staying in Menton for several days if possible.

Villefranche-sur-mer

Yet another pastel hued delight is the town of Villefranche-sur-mer. As if out of a French fairytale, this smattering of brightly coloured houses and quaint cobbled streets that open out onto a harbour are of sparkling blue waters, make this enchanting destination worth visiting, just for a photograph alone!

Simply just beautiful! Jean Cocteau once called Villefranche-sur-Mer “a source of myth and inspiration” and in fact for avid fans of the Rolling Stones, they recorded their  Exile on Mainstreet album in this very town.

Filled with hidden delights, I recommend visiting the fascinating 13th century tunnel, Rue Obscure, which goes under the houses in the heart of the town and was originally constructed in 1260 for military purposes.

There’s also the Chapel of Saint Pierre and Church of St Michel which are both beautiful and ornate in design. But one of the most imposing places to visit is the trapezoid-shaped citadel, which dates all the way back to the 16th-century and once protected the town from would-be invaders and marauders.

To be honest, if you want to discover all that Villefrance-sur-Mer has to offer, you’ll need to set aside around half a day if not longer, especially if you plan to enter the museums, relax on the beach, and spend a leisurely lunch à la française.

You can get either a direct bus or train from Cannes to Villefranche-sur-mer, both of which take around 45 minutes journey time.

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

This tiny fishing town has been nicknamed as one of ‘the pearls on the French Riviera’, renowned for its natural beauty of luscious green vegetation, interesting rock formations and stunning views of the blue azure ahead.

A sleepy town where you can relax in the serene ambience and soak up the ‘good life’ vibes. With gorgeous beaches boasting of stunning views, as well as a small church and beautiful port area. This is definitely the spot if you want some quiet from the hustle and bustle of the busier towns, but still wish to enjoy the beauty of the French Riviera coastline.

You can get to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat from Cannes by train, the train takes approximately 50 minutes.

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