12 Best Things To Do In Cagnes-Sur-Mer, France: Seaside Seduction

things to do in cagnes-sur-mer france
Fadi
Fadi 
Updated
| 4 min read

Situated in southeastern France, west of Nice, Cagnes-sur-Mer is a beautiful town, known for its woods and engaging coastline. This artistic place was frequented by a number of Impressionists and one of the best, Auguste Renoir, settled here, later in his life. An advantage of Cagnes is its proximity to other great places, and you can rapidly reach other extraordinary areas, like Saint-Paul-de-Vence village and the renowned city of Nice.

Let’s check out the seductive town of Cagnes-Sur-Mer:

1. Renoir Museum

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Une route à Louveciennes</div>
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Pierre-Auguste Re... used under PUBLIC DOMAIN

This gallery is situated in Renoir’s previous home and still looks as it did in his day. Large portions of his most renowned canvases are spread all over the world, however, there is still a reasonable selection to be seen, here. Visit his roomy home in Cagnes-sur-Mer and see the photos of Renoir and his family and get a look into his work and his last years.

The home, surrounded by olive trees and extensive gardens, is a standout amongst the most pleasant settings on the Cote d'Azur.

Musée Renoir

Address: 19 Chemin des Collettes, 06800 Cagnes-sur-Mer, France

Opening Hours: Depends on the season, check website for more information.

Website: Musée Renoir

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2. Polygone Riviera Mall

Polygone riviera
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Lulucmy used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Definitely worth a visit - going to Polygone Riviera Mall is pure pleasure and an all-in-one chic new shopping mall. It’s an exceptionally charming and well thought out outdoor shopping center with many of the big names and product lines that impress. There is an extensive variety of the best stores, nice restaurants, and cafes, with outdoor seating, pleasant artwork, a movie theater and a kids area. Very clean and neatly kept.

On top of that the employees everywhere, from the shops to the restaurants and security guards, are very friendly and helpful.

Polygone Riviera Mall

Address: 119 Avenue des Alpes, 06800 Cagnes-sur-Mer, France

Opening Hours: 10 am - 8 pm, daily

Website: Polygone Riviera Mall

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3. Grimaldi Castle Museum

Antibes Museum Picasso
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Clemensfranz used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Grimaldi Castle Museum is a medieval château, built for the Grimaldis of Monaco. This little castle is utilized now as an exhibition hall and it contains an extremely fascinating and particularly modern art collection, in addition to some intriguing olive press artifacts. It additionally highlights works of art from Suzy Solidor and has an extremely pleasant painted roof. Lempicka’s picture of Suzy Solidor alone, deserves a visit.

You can climb the tower to get panoramic views of the hills and coast. The view from the tower is staggering - a full 360 degrees from Nice to Antibes and the mountains. At the base of the castle is a large terrace with five open-air restaurants, a small hotel, and a very good view of the hills. The medieval village surrounding the castle is a wonderful area to explore. Each new street brings a new discovery that is truly a delight!

Château Musée Grimaldi

Address: Place Grimaldi, 06800 Cagnes-sur-Mer, France

Opening Hours: Depends on season, check website for more information.

Website: Château Musée Grimaldi

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4. Haut-de-Cagnes Village

Vue du Haut de Cagnes depuis l’hippodrome au début de l’automne
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Jpchevreau used under CC BY-SA 4.0

If you are searching for a high village with fascinating views, Haut de Cagnes is the right spot. It is a quiet, medieval hill town with a main square, dazzling views and a lot of narrow alleyways to explore. Getting there from Nice is easy and inexpensive. It also takes a walk of just 15-20 minutes, from the city and is well worth the trip.

Haut-de-Cagnes Village

Website: Haut-de-Cagnes Village

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5. Saint-Paul-de-Vence village

Saint-Paul-de-Vence (France)
Source: Photo by user Luc Legay used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a must see. It is a stunningly picturesque, hilltop village with narrow, cobbled old pathways and stairways and amazing views of the coast, sea, and mountains from its vantage points and ancient walls. It is very popular with tourists and it is easy to find a wide variety of art, jewelry, garment shops, cafes, and restaurants, here, during your visit.

Saint-Paul-de-Vence Village

Website: Saint-Paul-de-Vence Village

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6. Tourrettes-sur-Loup village

Tourrettes sur Loup goodbye - panoramio
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Art Anderson used under CC BY-SA 3.0

A beautiful village with natural surroundings, most of Tourrettes-sur-Loup is free of any construction and has an expansive, lush landscape of 22 hectares (54.4 acres), with lakes, an olive grove, and a radiant pine woodland, which highlight the magnificence of the area and gives a natural character to its homes.

The village also has a multifunctional sports complex and the center’s restaurant and its various activities bring together the residents. An Olympic swimming pool, three tennis courts, and a multisport field allows everyone to keep in shape, in a green environment.

Tourrettes-sur-Loup

Website: Tourrettes-sur-Loup (in French)

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7. Racecourse of the Côte d'Azur

Cagnes-sur-Mer racecourse 2
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user historicair used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Situated on the seafront, this excellent place combines the best class of horse races with an all-encompassing view of the sea. It is also the only racecourse in the French Riviera and the second biggest racecourse in France. It can accommodate 6000 observers and has 2000 parking places. Guests can enjoy panoramic restaurants, a snack bar, cafeteria, bar, and children’s playground.

Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur

Address: 2 Boulevard J F Kennedy, 06800 Cagnes-sur-Mer, France

Website: Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur (in French)

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8. Parc Phœnix

Caribbean flamingo
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Martin Pettitt used under CC BY 2.0

Parc Phœnix is astounding as it contains around 3000 animals and exhibits 2500 types of plants. Here, you can find Mandarin ducks, iguanas and flamingos, wandering aimlessly. There is additionally a bamboo grove, Mediterranean and cactus gardens, and animal enclosures for wallabies, otters, and prairie dogs.

Its pyramid-shaped greenhouse, known as the “Green Diamond”, is among the largest in the world and measures 22 meters (72.2 feet) in height and has seven hectares (17.3 acres) of fabulously diverse animals and plants.

Parc Phœnix

Address: 405 Prom. des Anglais, 06200 Nice, France

Opening Hours: 9.30 am - 6pm (25th October - 30th March), 9.30 am - 7.30 pm (31st March - 24th October)

Website: Parc Phœnix (in French)

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9. Le Cros-de-Cagnes

Cros de Cagnes 200 ans 2
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Broenberr used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Previously, a fishermen’s village, Cros-de-Cagnes is a charming little coastline resort. It was established by Italian fishermen in the 19th century, but gradually, fishermen gave way to tourists and Cros-de-Cagnes transformed into a seaside resort.

Blessed with 3.5 km (2.2 miles) of beaches and next to Nice, Cros-de-Cagnes is a guaranteed spot to enjoy a real holiday, far from the crowds, while being slightly less expensive than the rest of the coast. You can still observe fishermen’s boats near the shore but they are mostly of historical value and are no longer used for fishing.

Le Cros-de-Cagnes

Website: Le Cros-de-Cagnes

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10. Cagnes Beach

Cagnes-sur-Mer beach 2
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Tiia Monto used under CC BY-SA 3.0

This seaside resort has 3.5 km (2.2 miles) of beach along its coastline, much of which is open to the public. On the off chance you are searching for extra extravagance, the six private beaches can provide parasols and sunbeds for hire, restaurants, and even waiter service.

Cagnes Beach

Address: Promenade de la Plage, 06800 Cagnes-sur-Mer, France

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11. Watersports

Jetski
Source: Pixabay

The seafront of Cros-de-Cagnes has the option for a wide selection of watersports. From March to December, the sailing centers give individual and group lessons that will give you the chance to sail your own vessel, if you’re qualified. Additionally, you can rent other things, like dinghies, paddleboards, and windsurfing equipment.

Watersports

Website: Nautical activities on Cagnes-sur-Mer Tourist Information Office

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12. Marineland

Jumping Orcas at Marineland, Antibes, France
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Andreas Ahrens used under CC BY 2.0

In spite of the debate surrounding killer whales in captivity, a show of this kind remains the most visited single attraction, in the area. Marineland is one of just four locations, in Europe, that offers shows with killer whales. There are likewise live shows with sea lions and dolphins and a huge number of zoological displays. You can also check out sharks, rays, and penguins.

Marineland

Address: 306 Avenue Mozart, 06600 Antibes, France

Opening Hours: Depends on the season, check website for more information.

Website: Marineland

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The seductive Cagnes-Sur-Mer

As a traveler, you bring home not only tangible mementos tucked in your luggage but also fond memories of your trips. Surely enough, there will be unforgettable and remarkable experiences in Cagnes-sur-Mer.

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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