It had been a long, rainy winter in Paris when I first made my escape to the French Riviera, a region in the south of France stretching along the coast from the France–Italy border to the Massif de l’Esterel rock formation. A deep craving for the sun’s warm breath on my shoulders and a longing to drift asleep to the wild crashing of waves pulled me toward my southern sojourn as if by instinct.

Traveling south for winter is nothing new, especially to France’s southern coast, and I was reminded as the train filled with migrating Parisians that winter was once the region’s most popular season.

More than a century ago, many restaurants and hotels actually closed in the summer along the French Riviera, saving their energy and resources for les hivernants (the wealthy Europeans and royals who spent winter seeking the sun). Only in the 1920s did the area begin to gain momentum as a summer hot spot, swapping high seasons after an American couple convinced a hotel to stay open during the summer months for their roaring parties and private soirées.

Saint-Tropez, Nice, Antibes and Cannes quickly became the playground for a new breed of tourist, one who sunbathed and sipped Rosé among the celebrities and jetsetters of summer. In recent years the region began to make its wintery comeback, restaking its claim as the antidote to winter’s dreariness. The French Riviera is, more than ever, a year-round destination where visitors can promenade in the warmth of the sun and bask in the scenery and fishing lore of this coastal region in any season.

© Arev St. Tropez

Between December and March temperatures average in the high 50s during the day and low 40s at night, where an estimated eight hours of sunshine per day warm things up outside as more and more businesses keep their doors open to the next generation of hivernants.

The growing number of shop owners and hotels staying open year-round recently added Arev St. Tropez to its list, as the hotel opened in March 2024 and made the decision to stay open for all four seasons. The luxury hotel’s chic and bold nautical theme features pops of blue, white and red, painting a timeless sense of place that transcends seasons. Riviera glamour drips from each of the 50 individually designed rooms and suites, where French bed linens and locally made ceramics are standard features in each room. The different categories range from spaces with private gardens and fireplaces to poolside suites ideal for entertaining.

The French Riviera enjoys a long history as a wellness destination, where visitors would come via doctors’ orders to soak in the sun and luxuriate in the region’s vast spa options. To honor that tradition, the hotel keeps its pool heated and open year-round as an homage to the thermal baths that once drew visitors south. The ancient remains of the Roman thermal baths in Jardin des Arènes de Cimiez in Nice offer a visual reminder of the Côte d’Azur’s health-centric legacy, but today many people come for bespoke spa treatments and curated rituals that have become the Riviera’s answer to relaxation and rejuvenation.

© Euphotica | Dreamstime.com

Arev partnered with the bespoke Saint-Tropez-based fragrance creator Maison ST to incorporate natural scents into its signature spa treatments. Guests have the exclusive opportunity to create their own signature massage oil blend before treatments, many of which incorporate local products and elements such as sand from Saint-Tropez and algae from the Mediterranean Sea.

The fragrant hills of the French Riviera have inspired some of the greatest perfumers in the world, and they’re the reason the region is known as the land of perfumes. Bright yellow flowers drip from the hillsides and pour over the landscape between January and March, perfuming the air with a honey-scented aroma that stretches along the 80-mile drive known as the Mimosa Route. The scenic drive begins in Bormes-les-Mimosas and ends in Grasse, where visitors can create their own perfumes with hands-on workshops at three of the most prestigious perfume houses in Grasse: Fragonard, Galimard and Molinard.

Ancient olive trees dot the landscape as well, but the highly praised cailletier olive trees — which produce many of the top olive oils and pastes from the region — can only be found in Nice, where their little black gems will always be labeled with a Protected Designation of Origin. Blended into a tapenade with anchovies, the olives make a delicious topping for socca bread, a local specialty made with chickpea flour. In the same way a warm wedge of socca and a lightly chilled glass of local Rosé prove the perfect accompaniment for seaside sunsets, the warm sun and salty sea breezes of the region come together to create truly magical moments, any season they’re savored.

© Arev St. Tropez

LODGING
AREV ST. TROPEZ
Old-school luxury and personality-based hospitality drive the ethos behind this newly opened 50-room boutique hotel, where private gardens are common room features and Champagne trolleys roll all day.
8 Chemin des Vendanges,
Saint-Tropez
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HÔTEL DU COUVENT, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL
This former 17th-century convent recently reopened after a 10-year renovation with 88 rooms, three restaurants, Roman baths and a weekend market featuring local artisans.
1 Rue Honoré Ugo, Nice
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HÔTEL BARRIÈRE LE MAGESTIC CANNES
This iconic property sits right off Cannes’ Croisette, boasting its own private movie theater, numerous celebrated restaurants, and 349 rooms and suites.
10 Blvd. de la Croisette,
Cannes
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DINING
CHEZ PIPO
This Niçoise institution specializes in wood-fired socca served alongside a range of Provençal spreads and regional dishes such as pistou soup and Swiss chard pie.
13 Rue Bavastro, Nice
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LE FIGUIER DE SAINT ESPRIT
Located on the ramparts of Old Antibes, this Michelin star-awarded restaurant by chef Christian Morisset serves haute cuisine with a seasonal focus in a dreamy, historical setting.
7 Promenade Amiral de
Grasse, Antibes
$$$$$

RIVIERA
Enjoy panoramic views from The Maybourne Riviera’s clifftop perch while dining on chef Mauro Colagreco’s interpretation of local, traditional dishes composed of seasonal, regional ingredients.
1551 Route de la Turbie,
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
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INFO TO GO
Three airports welcome visitors to the French Riviera — Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, Cannes-Mandelieu Airport and Toulon–Hyères
Airport — but the airport in Nice is the largest port of entry, with a few direct flights from the United States. Most visitors fly into Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport and take a 5.5-hour train ride from Paris to Nice on the high-speed TGV train, but it’s also possible to drive along the A8 motorway from Paris to Nice in roughly eight hours.