From Boat Charters to Lavender Photo Shoots: A 6-Day Family Trip Through Nice & Provence

We flew overnight into Nice and used the first day to recover rather than making our teens push through on no sleep, checking into Le Méridien Nice and letting the jet lag run its course before venturing out.

The hotel itself struck the perfect balance of modern luxury and coastal decor, and our room was a spacious family layout with two distinct sleeping areas, a terrace, and city views—a room configuration that’s a rare find in Europe. The location couldn’t be beat either: steps from Old Town in one direction, and directly across from the sea and the Promenade des Anglais with its fabulous beach clubs and seaside restaurants. One thing worth knowing: The beaches in this part of Nice are rocky rather than sandy, so water shoes are a smart bring if you plan to swim. If you forget them, there are plenty of little shops nearby selling seaside sundries.

Once everyone was refreshed, we strolled the shops along nearby Rue Paradis and Rue Massena before winding into Vieux Nice (Old Town), losing ourselves in the maze of narrow cobblestone streets and pastel buildings. Dinner was at Chez Acchiardo, a cozy, stone-walled spot for classic Niçoise fare, followed by a stroll down Promenade des Anglais to walk off the meal.

My tip: Don’t fight jet lag on arrival day. A slow start sets the tone for a much more relaxed trip. Often people think ending the trip by the sea is the way to go, but I disagree. Beginning the trip by the coast is the perfect way to ease into vacation mode and French culture!

The hilltop village of Èze is only about a 30-minute drive from Old Town Nice and totally doable to drive on your own, even for my husband, on his first trip to France, who doesn’t speak the language. We started our day early with a goal of making it back to the hotel to enjoy a few hours at the rooftop pool. Worth noting: The closest train station to the village is in Èze-sur-mer, not to be confused with Èze Village. To get to the village from sea level, it is a three-mile walk of steep climbing up the famous Nietzsche Path—not for the faint of heart! Taxis and ride shares are not always easy to get from the train station, so it’s worth considering a car service or a tour if you are not keen on self-driving.

Our first stop in Èze Village began at the Fragonard perfume factory, and this ended up being one of the unexpected highlights of the entire trip—our teens ranked it among their top experiences. Learning about the perfumer’s craft, “the nose,” and just how many flowers it takes to produce the smallest amount of essential oil was surprising and interesting to them. We loved the wide range of scents and picked perfumes for ourselves and gifts to bring home. Insider tip: Parking at the factory is free if you take the tour, and from there you can walk straight up the hill into the village of Èze without ever paying for parking.

Walking through Èze Village itself felt like stepping into a fairy tale, with an enchanting maze of walkways and stone archways. We bought tickets to the Jardin Exotique d’Èze and made our way up through paths lined with flowers, cacti, and succulents (some of the most beautiful gardens I’ve ever seen) to a ruined medieval castle at the summit, with some of the most breathtaking views of the Côte d’Azur we saw on the whole trip.

After a lovely lunch in a tucked-away courtyard in the village, we drove the Moyenne Corniche, the mid-elevation coastal highway between Èze and the hillside principality of Monaco. The drive offered even more stunning coastal views until you entered a tunnel and were greeted on the other side by the glamour of Monaco. High fashion, high rises, and high-end luxury cars at every turn, it was scenery straight out of a Hollywood film. With the kids starting to drag, we skipped parking and instead traced the Monaco Grand Prix route by car, including the Fairmont Hairpin, which checked an item off my husband’s bucket list. After returning to Nice, we enjoyed Hugo Spritzes by the rooftop pool and closed the day with dinner at an outdoor café and a stroll through Old Town.

If there is one splurge I’d recommend without hesitation for anyone visiting the French Riviera, it’s chartering a private boat. We headed to the harbor for a three-hour charter on a luxury 40-foot pleasure craft with Captain Remy, cruising east along the coast past the beaches of Old Nice, with each of us taking a turn driving the boat. We rounded Cap Ferrat into a small, secluded cove where our captain brought out paddleboards and water toys for a swim. The water was the bluest I’ve ever seen, and it was, without question, a perfect day.

Afterward, we had a lovely pizza lunch at GiGi Tavola, adjacent to the harbor, where we watched small cruise ships and superyachts come and go. Nice’s proximity to the Italian border means the culinary scene leans into some of the best Italian and seafood options around. Dinner that night was at Carmela, an upscale outdoor restaurant tucked at the end of a quiet square just far enough from the tourist crowds, with outstanding food, service, and desserts that were almost too beautiful to eat. I had a mousse shaped and shelled like a green apple that felt like more art than food.

The drive from Nice into the Luberon was straightforward, mostly highway, with beautiful coastal mountain scenery along the way and no need for a stop. Get on the road early to ensure you have some time to soak in a relaxed afternoon in Provence upon arrival.

We stayed in the village of Lourmarin at a timeworn former mill turned boutique luxury hotel, Le Moulin. Unlike many hilltop villages of the Luberon, Lourmarin is at the base of the valley. What it lacked in views, it made up for in unmistakable charm and fairytale-like atmosphere.

The real highlight of the day came that evening: We hired a local photographer for a golden-hour family photoshoot in Lourmarin, followed by a session in the lavender fields near Bonnieux. It turned an ordinary travel day into one of the most special ways we’ve ever documented a family trip. We finished with a sunset dinner at Brasserie Les Terrasses in the hilltop village of Bonnieux, where the beef tartare and local rosé wine were outstanding against one of the most stunning landscape backdrops of the trip.

This was our day to explore the Luberon beyond Lourmarin. We drove to the hilltop town of Gordes, where we parked and then journeyed on foot through the village, taking in views and quaint shops at every turn and keeping lunch casual with baguette sandwiches on the go. A practical tip for anyone visiting Provence in summer: Inland temperatures can climb quickly during peak daytime hours, so bring plenty of water and build in time for a cooling gelato stop. We returned to Lourmarin in the afternoon to cool off at the Le Moulin pool, tucked into a lush private garden behind a stone wall. The tourists wandering the village had no idea of the poolside paradise that lay on the other side of the wall.

We used our last full day as a slow one: shopping in the village, more time by the pool, and a self-guided walk up to the château perched above town. There’s no air conditioning inside, but the thick stone walls kept things naturally cool, and the château’s gardens and fountains were stunning.

In the afternoon, my husband and I left the teens poolside and snuck down the road just outside the village to Château Constantin, a warm and welcoming family-owned vineyard. We were greeted by the family patriarch and his daughter, who now runs the operation alongside her sisters. Only one other group was there when we arrived, and soon they departed and it turned into a private tasting for two.

The wines were so wonderful we shipped a case home, and the family made the process simple and reasonably affordable. A week later, it arrived on our doorstep in the U.S. We wrapped up our day at an idyllic restaurant in the village, L’Insolite, featuring a patio tucked away behind the building next to a flowing stream. I enjoyed the most delicious tomato gazpacho that I still dream of today. I never knew one village could have so many secret gardens to enjoy.