Discover your perfect Monaco beach
Explore some of the loveliest beaches in Monaco.
Find loads of top tips and local insights in our Monaco Beach Guide.
Plage Marquet is the most easterly of the Cap d’Ail beaches and is right on the border with Monaco.
The easiest of the Cap d’Ail beaches to access and therefore often the most popular/crowded during the busy times of the year.
If you come by car, you’ll find plenty of parking right next to the beach, which makes it a popular option for families. There are ramps leading onto the sand, meaning that access is also easy for those using wheelchairs/pushchairs.
Plage des Fossettes is just a stone’s throw from its neighbour, Plage des Fosses; they are both great family beaches with enclosed waters that are always fairly calm.
Plage des Fossettes is unusual in that it's one of the few beaches along the Riviera that is entirely public; there are no restaurants here and therefore no facilities for hiring deckchairs or parasols.
There are cold showers but no toilets, so come prepared! Snacks and picnics can be bought in Saint Jean Cap Ferrat and there are plenty of restaurants and cafés in the port, which is only a few minutes walk away.
The only parking is along residential streets and it can be very hard to find a space, so you are best taking the no.81 bus to the port and walking from there.
Plage Buse is a pretty and undulating stretch of pebbly coastline tucked away to the west of the Roquebrune Cap Martin peninsula.
It tends to be quiet all year round, perhaps due to the lack of lifeguard, and seems to be used a lot by sun-worshipping locals - elderly retirees with skin like well-worn leather. The beach is mostly pebbles and the sea is usually fairly calm. There are showers but the only toilets are at the Café Le Cabanon at the far west end of the beach.
Eze-Sur-Mer has only one beach but it’s a lovely one; great for swimming as the water comes very high up the beach and it's in a calm bay.
This is a good beach for swimming, dining and sailing, as well as having decent facilities, toilets and showers, there are two restaurants and plenty of watersports activities.
The beach itself is public so showers are provided but you will find two private beach clubs with their own restaurants, sun loungers and parasols.
This family-friendly beach is easy to get to but not so easy to find, which is perhaps why it always stays fairly quiet even in peak season.
At one end of the beach is a designated dog zone; it’s not the prettiest part by a long shot but we’re guessing that as long as they can tear about and chase waves then the dogs don’t care much what it looks like.
The other end seems to be an unofficial nude sunbathing zone; there is a sign at the tunnel saying “naturisme interdit” (naturism forbidden) but as long as they stay discreetly at the far end then the lifeguards seem happy to turn a blind eye.
This is a small and secluded beach with two excellent restaurants and safe swimming. Plage Mala is a little haven.
The two staircases wind down through a cool fragrant forest of palm trees, yuccas and pines before coming out at either end of a crescent-shaped bay. Much of the beach is taken up with deckchairs and sun loungers from the two restaurants but there is still plenty of public beach available, with showers and toilets provided.
Neither of the restaurants are cheap, so if you are visiting “en famille” you may prefer to bring a picnic; there are no shops or snack bars within close distance. Both restaurants offer services such as sunbed rental, massage, boat-taxi (to bring you ashore if you arrive via boat), boutique, etc. Each one has a bar area where there are regular live music concerts.
There is no parking, access is via a lot of steps and hidden from view; but it rarely gets overcrowded.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the Port, Paloma Beach is a delightful little haven with more than a touch of 1950’s Riviera glamour.
The sheltered beach gets the sun early and keeps it all day. Here you are surrounded by beautiful views of Cap d’Ail and Beaulieu, with luxury yachts bobbing in the bay and pine-covered cliffs to the east.
Plage des Fourmis is the long stretch of sand that runs along the main bus route; backed by a shady promenade lined with palm trees and tropical plants, the beach is very easy to find.
This is a good beach for families and also for those who are more cautious swimmers. The shallow waters make it easy to swim a little without getting out of your depth. It's also great for families being so close to the town and amenities.
Plages Fosses and Plage Fossettes are neighbouring beaches that are amongst the easiest to access in Cap Ferrat.
Just a few minutes walk from the Saint Jean Cap Ferrat port, they are both in sheltered coves that provide crystal-clear, calm water that is ideal for swimming and snorkelling.
Neither beach has much in the way of facilities and Fosses is the more basic of the two; there is nowhere to buy food or drink, so you will need to buy your own from one of the shops in Saint Jean Cap Ferrat before you arrive. You are only a short walk from the port though, where you’ll find a ton of cafés and restaurants.
Larvotto is the principality of Monaco's most popular sandy beach and the main one with free public access. Covered in smooth imported fine gravel this man-made beach is made up of both private and public areas of beach.
Despite being a beach in a city setting this is one of the gems of Monaco. Beautiful clear water for swimming, soft pebble beach for sunbathing and plenty of good eateries around to satisfy even the pickiest of foodies.
In the stretches of private beach you can hire a lounger and a parasol from the beach club, plus enjoy a cocktail and some food while you top up your tan.
On the public stretches you will need to bring your own lounger, towel, parasol or whatever you might desire for your trip to the beach.
Plage de la Petite Afrique is, in our humble opinion, one of the best beaches on the French Riviera, surrounded by stunning scenery with plenty of facilities.
This beach has toilets, showers and a lifeguard.
There is a large (paying) car park, or it's a short walk from the train and bus stops.
A kids play area is situated under the shade of the pine trees, beside the beach volleyball court and the beach club, and the rocky outcrop makes for great rock pool exploring with children.
Located just beneath Restaurant La Pinede along the Sentier Littoral, Plage Gramaglia is more a series of rocky coves than a traditional beach.
The views are stunning in all directions and there is a very pleasant Sentier Littoral footpath that runs all along the seafront, linking Gramaglia to its two neighbouring beaches - Marquet and Mala.
It can be a good idea to take a picnic, as well as all the big flat rocks that you can sprawl yourself out on there is also a designated picnic area; it's shaded with plenty of tables and litter bins, not to mention the fabulous view of the bay. There are toilets and showers nearby.
Set to the back drop of Menton's colourful and pretty old town, these beaches stretch eastwards from the Port towards the Italian border.
These are no doubt the best beaches in Menton and, of course, this also make them the most crowded in summer.
Lying on Garavan bay, the beach area begins after the Old Port with the public beach, Sablettes, and then turns into a string of private beach-restaurants before the next public beach, Rondelli.
Plage Sablettes: Just east of the port, this beach is calm, sandy and sheltered. Wide and with the shallow waters this is a great area for kids. Plus you will find a trampoline! For grabbing a bite of food, head east where there are snack places on the coastal road as well as beach-restaurants.
Plage Rondelli: This public beach is at the end of a string of private beach restaurants. Wide and sandy, this beach has a volleyball court but can become crowded in summer.
Tucked away in a little niche on the north-west side of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, Plage de Passable is a glorious secluded sun trap with shallow crystal clear water.
Slightly off the beaten track, this beach is not visible from the road and only one bus route takes you anywhere near it. Add to that the fine pebbles that are small enough not to hurt your feet, the shallow waters that get deeper very gradually, the crystal clear water that is perfect for snorkelling and the relative peace and quiet compared to more well-known beaches and you’ve got yourself a winner.
Made up of a selection of private and public areas, with the most popular stretch being Plage de Fossan to the east.
The beaches are quite similar. All have lifeguards in July and August but if you're looking for some lunch or a snack then there is less of a choice of restaurants here.
The beaches are cleaned every morning during the summer season and at 100m intervals you will find public showers.
Plage du Borrigo: The westernmost beach here is narrow and rocky. Mainly frequented by locals, there is parking nearby and beach showers.
Plage du Casino: Also narrow and rocky, this beach is close to the Menton Casino where there is some street parking. Facilities include wheelchair access.
Plage du Marché: The rocks get smaller on the eastern end of this beach which is an extension of Plage Casino.
Plage de Fossan: This wide beach is on a curve of sand. More sheltered than the other beaches, the water is calm and shallow, making it perfect for kids. Also attractive to families is the park and kids play area on the eastern end which is also tree-shaded. Fossan is a non-smoking beach.