Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera

Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera

Beaulieu-sur-Mer is a small pretty, seaside resort overlooking Baie des Fourmis on the French Riviera, just east of Nice and at the north-east end of the Cap Ferrat Peninsula. Beaulieu-sur-Mer is known simply as 'Beaulieu' by the locals and is one of the lesser visited towns on the Riviera.

Beaulieu-sur-Mer is charming with palm shaded roads, lush Mediterranean vegetation, sandy beaches, picturesque marinas and luxurious villas. It's a prestigious town and its real estate commands high prices. In fact, it's been recorded that the three towns of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villefranche-sur-Mer (called the 'Golden Triangle') all fetch prices often only second to those reached in Paris.

Beautiful Places to Visit in Beaulieu-sur-Mer

Beaulieu literally means 'beautiful place' and it is such an appropriate name for this Mediterranean town. Here's some of the things you can do in this 'beautiful place'.

There is no old town centre in Beaulieu-sur-Mer but its wonderful seaside location, views across to the peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and harbours are certainly special enough to warrant a visit.

Visit the Villas and Hotels of Beaulieu-sur-Mer

The French Riviera has some of the finest villas and hotels you may ever visit, and the notable ones in Beaulieu-sur-Mer are the Kérylos Villa, the former Bristol Hotel, and the May Villa.

Kérylos Villa

Kérylos Villa is a gorgeous Greek-style property built in the early 1900s by French archaeologist Théodore Reinach. Théodore’s wife, Madame Fanny Reinach, was a cousin of Maurice Ephrussi, who was married to Béatrice de Rothschild. The absolute beauty of the villa, as well as its amazing location, was surely inspiration for the Baroness to build the famous Villa Rothschild.

Kérylos Villa is built on a low rocky peninsula jutting into the sea and truly commands its surrounds. Théodore Reinach was passionate about Ancient Greece and aimed to create a luxurious villa in the Greek style reminiscent of Athenian mansions. With his background in archaeology and the skill of his architect Emmanuel Pontremoli, together they designed a home that beautifully drew together the use of light, space, tiles, mosaics, natural furnishings and metal.

Upon Reinach’s death in 1928, the villa was donated to the Institute of France. Up until 1967 however his children and grandchildren lived in the villa, when it was then opened to the public as a museum.

Bristol Hotel

Originally built in 1899 by H.G. Tersling as a palace, and then converted to a hotel during the Belle Epoque, the 'Bristol Hotel' is now private apartments. As private residential apartments, the building is not open to the public and you can only view it from the outside.

May Villa

The Villa de May was built in 1826 for Gaétan de May and in 1967 the villa was purchased by the city of Beaulieu-sur-Mer. Later on 25 January 1980 is was declared as a historic monument, and the villa is now used as a music conservatory.

Wander the Harbours of Beaulieu-sur-Mer

Where there are beautiful homes and stunning harbours, you usually find marinas with luxurious boats, and it's no different at Beaulieu-sur-Mer. There are two ports in Beaulieu-sur-Mer that boast excellent facilities for the proud boat owner, le Port de Plaisance and le Port des Fourmis.

Our family is a sailing family and we enjoy admiring boats and exploring marinas whenever we travel. Wandering floating marinas and foreshore promenades can be a great way to spend an afternoon in a new place, especially as the sun sets and the sky turns romantic pastel pink and violet. The two ports of  Beaulieu-sur-Mer are home to luxury yachts and family boats and worth seeing.

Le Port de Plaisance

In a paradise-like setting, this large marina has over 700 berths and is highly regarded for its facilities within the international yachting community. Leading in environmental management, le Port de Plaisance was certified in 2008 for its "port environmental management".

You'll find restaurants, bars and shops that cater to the marine community and hungry tourists. 

Address: Bd du Maréchal Leclerc, 06310 Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France

Le Port des Fourmis

This picturesque and charming little port is a true gem filled with smaller family boats that gently bob on the crystal waters of the Mediterranean. 

Address: 7 Rue Gustave Eiffel, 06310 Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France

The Beaulieu Classic Festival showcases both local and international talent set in the most mythical and enchanting surroundings on the French Riviera.

Venues for this event include the Villa Kerylos, the Hotel Royal Riviera and the Rotonde Lenotre. The concerts take place late each evening in the balmy autumn weather of September. To find out more and buy tickets visit the official website of See Monaco.

Have you visited Beaulieu-sur-Mer? Maybe you've stayed at nearby Nice, Monaco or Antibes. If you've missed visiting this small town before, I recommend adding it to your list of travel destinations as I'm sure it won't disappoint.

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