Mediterranean France

Visas

France is a Schengen state and citizens of most European countries, USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand do not require visas. All others, including South Africans and those planning to stay more than three months, must obtain a visa from the French consulate in their home country.

Getting There

Montpellier, Marseille, Toulon, Nice, Cannes and Ajaccio are the major hubs with a mixture of international, European charter and internal flights. So many people holiday on the French Riviera that the choice of airline and airport is huge. With as many as 15 different routes to Corsica from France, Italy and Sardinia, serviced by up to 8 different operators, there is plenty of choice with the ferries. SNCM have the most routes to Ajaccio from Marseille, Toulon and Nice, plus an express service and links to Sardinia. Check the websites for availability and vehicle charges. Booking early, midweek and morning or night departures will help keep costs down. TGV services hit Marseille, Perpignan, Montpelier, Toulon and Nice. Cannes and Monaco are connected by one of the many other train services.

Getting Around

Motorway peages shadow the coast from Marseille to Toulon and from Cannes to Nice with decent Route Nationale roads in between. It can be pretty daunting driving on and off the peages looking for surf around the busy cities of Marseille and Toulon, but fortunately the best surf time is low season winter. Parking is metered year-round in the cities and some breaks are hard to find. City buses are an option for bodyboarders.

Accommodation

The Med is awash with every type of tourist accommodation possible, from 5 star hotels to basic pensions, with wildly varying prices depending on season. Because the waves are so unreliable, there are no purpose-built surf camps and most travellers will find themselves transiting the area in a van, en route to somewhere else. Because the coast is so built up in places, finding safe freecamp parking spots for a van near the coast is more difficult, so using the relatively expensive campgrounds is the only option. Look for the cheaper aire de camping car set-ups in towns or use the motorway aires. Fine and fancy dining is possible all along the coast. Expect to pay Paris prices at tourist hotspots and drop €30 per head plus wine for a 3 course meal.

Activities

The west hosts one vast swathe of protected coastline called the Camargue where the wetlands support a huge migratory bird population including pink flamingos, egrets and herons. The plant life is adapted to the windswept marine environment and rushes, glasswort, sea thrift and marram grass can be found amongst the lagoons and low-lying beaches. Port-Cros National Park is another oasis of nature established on the island of Port-Cros, east of Toulon. The coast becomes increasingly built up where there is easy access, although beautiful vistas leap out from the twists and turns of the coastal corniche road. Over on Corsica, the rampant coastal development is thankfully minimal, due to the most rugged, mountainous terrain in the Med, bordering the sea for 1000kms (620mi) and studded by over 200 ivory sand beaches. There’s the Parc Naturel Régional de Corse for stunning hikes through broadleaf mixed forest up to the snow-capped alpine zone from 1800-2700m. In summer, right across the Med region, every conceivable water sport is on offer in the sparkling deep blue waters plus endless coastal hiking, caving, canyoning, cycling and exploring the wild parts that have remained undeveloped.

Hazards & hassles

It is incredibly exclusive along much of the Cote d’Azur, but surfers will be seeking waves out of season and should have the waters to themselves. Parking is tight in the cities and you will need a bag of change to feed the meters, even in winter. Jellyfish are legion in the Med, but usually disperse before the swell picks up. Some of the reefs are undeniably sharp and shallow, demanding respect from blasé ocean surfers. As crowds rise at the banner spots and inconsistency is guaranteed, locals will understandably dominate the line-ups, but short period means more waves for all when it gets big enough.

Handy Hints

Watch the weather forecasts carefully and be ready to drop everything to surf when the waves finally show up. A longboard will double the amount of rideable sessions and remember the water can be surprisingly cold, especially in the strong Mistral conditions bringing air from the snow-capped mountains. Be vigilant when free-camping the motorway aires near cities as thieves target vans while you sleep.

Due to global pandemic, Visas, Getting There, Getting Around or Accommodation information and pricing may have changed. Always check Government Travel Advice before travelling.