Cagnes Sur Mer, Alpes-Maritimes
Seaside resort and port with lots of popular attractions, close to Nice Airport.
Haut Cagnes is the perched medieval village that overlooks the resort, and is home to the famous Renoir House and the Grimaldi Castle, two of the area’s most popular attractions.
Cagnes-sur-Mer is the largest suburb of Nice and is 15km west of the city, right on the seafront. The town is split into two districts, Cros de Cagnes and Haut Cagnes.
Cros de Cagnes is where you’ll find the beach-life; 3.5km of pebble shore with calm water, beach-clubs, shops, watersports, restaurants and a traditional fishing port - have a look at our beach section to find out more.
A wide promenade with a cycle lane runs alongside the beach, allowing you walk or ride the length of it and enjoy the many events and festivals that take place there throughout the year. Cros de Cagnes is also the home of the Hippodrome de la Côte d'Azur, a horse racing stadium and events venue, which you can find further along the coastline towards Villeneuve-Loubet.
High above Cros de Cagnes is the medieval village of Haut de Cagnes, an ancient settlement that is still inhabited by about 650 people. The narrow streets are full of artists studios and galleries, over the years many famous artists have lived here such as Modigliani, Yves Klein and, of course, Renoir: Cagnes-Sur-Mer is brimming with artistic heritage.
History & Culture in [locality]
Occupation of the area took place at Haut de Cagnes, a rounded hill sitting 91m high. The name Cagnes is originally a Ligurian name meaning 'living place on the rounded hill'. It was initially Celt-Ligurian, and then the Gallo-Romans. From the 16th century Cagnes was considered to be the borderland between France and the States of Savoy, and as such was to play a part in many of the major European wars.
In 1620, under the reign of King Louis XIII, Jean-Henri Grimaldi transformed the castle into a glorious domain, a great era for the residents of the area. However, the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV were marred by wars and invasions.
In more recent history the area has become known for the artists who visited and stayed there. Early in the 20th century, Renoir settled in Cagnes, from 1903 to 1919. This in turn attracted other artists from the impressionist movement who decided to come and settle in the area of the castle calling it the "Montmartre of the French Riviera".
Among all the famous people settled in the Haut-de-Cagnes, some famous names remain: Pierre Auguste Renoir, Chaim Soutine, Foujita, Yves Klein, Georges Simenon, Suzy Solidor (French actress and singer) and even Brigitte Bardot.
Sights & Attractions in [locality]
Renoir’s estate is open year-round and as well as housing many of his personal effects, also has 14 of his paintings and a number of sculptures. The house itself is beautiful; a real period mansion surrounded by olive trees with sublime views of the coastline and surrounding area.
The Grimaldi Castle is a 14th century building that towers majestically over the old town of Haut de Cagnes; inside is a museum and a number of art exhibitions. Music concerts are often held in the square outside the castle during the summer.
Sights in Nice
See all Sights & Sites-
Maeght Fondation Museum, St-Paul de Vence
Located in Vence
Just outside Saint-Paul de Vence lies one of France's most famous modern and contemporary art museums. Surrounded by pleasant gardens, this is a nice place to spend your afternoon.
-
Natural History Museum
Located in Nice
Founded by Jean Baptiste Barla in 1850 (locals know it as Museum Barla), this museum showcases a rich collection of zoological, botanical and geological specimens.
-
Musee Renoir, Cagnes sur Mer
The world-famous painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir lived at La Ferme des Collettes with his family from 1907 until his death in 1919. Renoir moved to Cagnes-Sur-Mer in the hopes that the warm climate would improve his arthritis, which eventually confined him to a wheelchair. The house in which he spent the last 12 years of his life is set in a beautiful estate full of citrus and olive trees, looking out along the coastline all the way to way to the Cap d’Antibes.
-
Sainte Rita Church (Annonciation Church)
Located in Nice
Officially named the Annonciation church, it is popularly known as the Saint Rita church, the patron saint of impossible causes. It is one of the oldest churches in Nice, originally built in the 10th century.
-
Ferrero Gallery
Located in Nice
Founded as a photographic studio in 1958, and opened as a gallery in 1972, Jean Ferrero exhibited works from the School of Nice and the New Realism genre.
-
Parfumerie Galimard, Eze
Located in Eze
Free guided tours of a historic perfume factory in the medieval village of Eze.
Beaches in [locality]
Cagnes-Sur-Mer is fringed all the way along with a safe family-friendly beach that offers everything from plush deckchairs and parasols to every watersport you can imagine, including diving and fishing.
There are plenty of beachfront restaurants and snack bars, or you can pick up some picnic items from the market that takes place every morning near the port. The beach is separated from the main road by a wide promenade that is popular with walkers, cyclists and roller skaters - you can follow the cycle path all the way to the Promenade des Anglais in Nice if you wish.
Beaches in Nice
See all Beaches-
Plage du Cros de Cagnes Beach, Cagnes sur Mer
Located 2.2 km away
Plage du Cros de Cagnes is the main stretch of beach in Cagnes-Sur-Mer, running the length of the lively row of restaurants and bars that line the seafront.
-
Plage des Bouches du Loup Beach, Villeneuve Loubet
Located 2.5 km away
Palm trees, sparkling blue waves and soft white sand make Plage des Bouches du Loup feel like a tropical paradise.
-
Plage de la Batterie Beach, Villeneuve Loubet
Located 3.1 km away
Right beside the marina, Plage de la Batterie (also known as Plage Villeneuve-Loubet) is a pleasant pebble beach with plenty of activities on offer.
-
Plages des Flots Bleus Beach, Saint Laurent du Var
Located 3.4 km away
Saint-Laurent-du-Var has one of the best-equipped waterfronts in terms of barely having to leave the beach all day - everything is right here.
-
Plage de la Pierre au Tambour Beach, Villeneuve Loubet
Located 6.0 km away
Plage de la Pierre au Tambour runs from the port all the way to Antibes and has a busy road and train line running behind it, neither of which you can hear much. If you stand facing the sea and look to your right you can see Antibes and its 16th century fort sticking out from the mainland.
-
Plage du Carras Beach
Located 7.0 km away
Plage de Carras is a well-equipped “handiplage”, which has facilities and lifeguards to enable people with disabilities to enter the water safely.
Events in [locality]
For a taste of something completely different, the Hippodrome hosts regular horse races during summer and winter as well as shows, festivals and markets.
Dining in [locality]
Cagnes-Sur-Mer, like so many of the local towns, is full of restaurants and cafés serving fresh local produce. Seafood is obviously on all the menus down by the port, most of them having a daily special based on the catch of the day.
The town centre has more generic pizza and pasta options, whereas the typical Provençal dishes of ratatouille and socca can be found just about everywhere.
The square at Chateau Grimaldi has a number of good restaurants and is popular for admiring the view and watching the world go by, but there are plenty more smaller restaurants tucked amongst the alleyways of Haut de Cagnes if you want somewhere a little less obvious.
Restaurants in Nice
See all Restaurants-
La Colombe d'Or Restaurant, St Paul de Vence
Located in Vence
Enjoy refined regional cuisine in an iconic setting featuring original works by Picasso, Matisse, Miró and more.
-
La Chevre d'Or Restaurant, Eze
Located in Eze
This gourmet restaurant offers panoramic views across the Mediterranean and gained two Michelin stars in 2011.
-
Le Saint-Paul Restaurant, Saint Paul de Vence
Located in Vence
Laurent Paccini is the chef at this Relais & Châteaux hotel and brings the food of different cultures to his excellent Mediterranean restaurant in Saint-Paul de Vence.
-
Le Cap Restaurant, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat
Located in Cap Ferrat
Michelin-starred chef, Didier Anies, recognised as Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2000, has created a gourmet cuisine at this restaurant; one which is unfussy, full of flavour and low key yet elegant.
-
Hostellerie Jerome Restaurant, La Turbie
Located in Monaco
Chef Bruno Cirino prepares Mediterranean dishes that carefully showcase the flavours of local produce. A light and creative cuisine that you can enjoy in their elegant dining room with vaulted ceilings and frescoes or their shaded terrace overlooking the sea.
-
La Table de Patrick Raingeard Restaurant, Eze
Located in Eze
The Cap Estel gourmet restaurant or "La Table de Patrick Raingeard" as it is known has one Michelin star.
Things to do in [locality]
There are plenty of fun things to try down at the waterfront; you can have a sailing lesson, go windsurfing, ride a jet ski, take a boat tour to a nearby island. For a more laid-back option you can pick up a mask and snorkel from one of the beachfront shops and go fish-spotting in the warm clear waters.
There is also a daily market. Up in the old town of Haut-de-Cagnes you can explore the narrow laneways around the castle and relax in a pavement café, watching groups of old men play boules under the trees.
Cagnes-sur-Mer was once referred to as 'Montmatre of the South' for its appeal to famous artists such as Renoir, and as a result there are many artists' studios and galleries with frequent exhibitions.
Things To Do in Nice
See all Activities & Trips-
One Week Yacht Charter Itineraries
Experience the French Riviera your way with 212 yachts, using one of their sample itineraries or with a specialised itinerary created just for you, based on what you like and don't like, as well as their own expertise.
-
Luxury To Escape Yacht Trip
Take a trip onboard this luxury yacht along the Riviera to any destination of your choosing.
-
Provence self-guided motorbike tour
Located in Nice
A trip for intermediate riders, where you can enjoy some of the most scenic roads in Provence.
-
Sunset Boat Trip
Enjoy a wonderful, peaceful and fume-free journey along the French Riviera on a solar powered motor boat with a professional skipper.
-
-
Luxury Tayarrah Yacht Trip
Take a trip onboard this luxury yacht along the Riviera to any destination of your choosing.
Where to stay in [locality]
The resort has a number of two and three star hotels offering budget accommodation. Haut Cagnes has a smaller selection.
Hotels in [locality]
Hotels in Nice
See all Hotels-
Windsor Hotel
Located in Nice
Charming hotel with a secluded tropical garden set in the heart of Nice within a walking distance to the city's main attractions.
Price: €1,820
-
Eza Chateau Hotel, Eze
Located in Eze
Exquisite and intimate, the rooms and suites of Château Eze cling to the side of the ancient rock walls of Eze, a thousand-year-old Medieval village more than 400 metres above the Mediterranean Sea.
-
Le Palais de la Mediterranee Hotel
Located in Nice
Located on the famous Promenade des Anglais, this contemporary hotel features a casino, an indoor & outdoor pool and spa facilities.
Price: €5,172
-
Jerome Boutique Hostellerie Hotel, La Turbie
Located in Monaco
Former 13th-century Cistercian monastery tastefully renovated offering 5 beautifully decorated en-suite rooms, a Michelin-starred restaurant and a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean.
-
Saint-Martin Spa & Chateau, Vence
Located in Vence
Château Saint-Martin & Spa is a former 12th century Knights Templar Commandery with superb views over the sweep of the Côte d’Azur. A place of consummate natural beauty set in a 32 acre park, a high point on the French Riviera where sea and the mountains unite.
Price: €8,400
-
Le Negresco Hotel
Located in Nice
Famous hotel and site named after Henri Negresco with an equally famous restaurant Le Chantecler, located on the Promenade des Anglais.
Price: €10,192
Directions
Getting to Cros de Cagnes is easy-peasy, either hop on the no.200 bus that runs between Nice and Cannes or take the train. You can even cycle there from Nice along the cycle path that runs all the way from the Promenade des Anglais.