Provence or the Riviera? How to Divide Your Time in Southern France

First-timers often ask the same question: should we spend more time on the Riviera or in Provence? Both are iconic, but they offer very different experiences.

If you’re flying into Nice and leaving from Lyon – or doing any version of a South of France loop – here’s how to split your time.

The Riviera: Coastline, Day Trips, Convenience

If you’re flying into Nice, the Riviera makes an easy starting point. You can settle in without a car, get over jet lag, and start exploring straight from the city.

Nice itself has enough to fill a few days: beaches, markets, museums, and restaurants. But the real highlight is how many places you can reach by bus or train. Day trips are cheap, simple, and scenic.

Top day trips from Nice without a car:

• Menton: Colorful and quiet, close to the Italian border.
• Eze: Small cliffside village. Doable in half a day, pair it with Cap Ferrat and the Villa Ephrussi.
• Villefranche-sur-Mer: Easy coastal walk or lunch spot.
• Antibes or Monaco: Both reachable by train in under an hour.

You can comfortably spend 4-5 nights in Nice and use 2-3 of them for day trips. If you’ve already been before, 3-4 nights may be enough.

Provence: Villages, Scenery, Slow Living

Provence is spread out and best seen with a car. Without one, you’re mostly limited to train-linked towns like Avignon and Arles. But with a car, the whole region opens up: hilltop villages, Roman ruins, quiet roads, and weekly markets.

If you only have 4 nights for Provence, choose your base carefully. You can either split your stay (e.g. 2 nights in Aix, 2 in Saint-Rémy) or settle in one spot for easier logistics.

Popular bases:

• Aix-en-Provence: Lively and walkable, with good food and a stylish atmosphere. Best for people who enjoy cities.
• Saint-Rémy-de-Provence: Smaller, central, and a favorite for village hopping. Good for short drives.
• Arles: Bigger than St-Rémy, with Roman sites and a strong local feel.

Popular day trips with a car:

• Gordes and Roussillon: Two of the most famous Luberon villages. Easy to pair in one day.
• Les Baux-de-Provence: Dramatic setting with castle ruins and immersive art shows.
• Pont du Gard and Nîmes: For Roman history lovers.
• Camargue: Wetlands with wild horses and flamingos (best from Arles).

Try to avoid one-night stays altogether. If you have 4 nights in Provence, it’s usually better to spend all of them in one well-located base rather than splitting the time between two towns.

How to Split Your Time

Here’s a sample breakdown for a 2-week trip:

• Nice: 4 nights (with 2-3 day trips)
• Provence: 5 nights (split or single base, rent a car)
• Lyon or other stop: 3-4 nights (by train after dropping the car)

Shorter trip? Drop a day from Nice or Provence depending on what interests you more: beach towns and coastal walks, or villages and Roman ruins.

Final Thoughts

The Riviera is easy and scenic. Provence is slower and more immersive. If you love the sea, walkable towns, and don’t want a car, spend more time on the coast. If you love driving between villages, local markets, and countryside views, prioritize Provence.

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Cover photo: Berthold Werner (CC BY-SA 3.0)