The small beach in Portet Cove is just one of the pretty beaches that can be found tucked into the coastline around Saint Marguerite – the small island lying opposite Cannes.

Access to the island is exclusively for the waterborne, so the beaches away from the main port, like Portet on the south coast, are uncrowded.

Portet Cove is the furthest beach and remains the least frequented by day tourists arriving by ferry. Backed by sweet-smelling pine forests and lapped by waters teeming with marine life, the beach itself is pebble stone (beach shoes are highly recommended).

Recommended – A floating beach bar is generally here serving ice cold refreshment and is well worth a visit.

One of the most beautiful beaches, and easily the most stylish of hideaways along the French Riviera, is Plage Mala. This stretch of golden sand is tucked away beneath the cliffs below the railway.

Despite its proximity to Monaco, the public beach areas remain relatively quiet, even in the height of summer, due to its very limited access via the tricky downhill approach from Avenue Princesse Grace.

It rarely gets very busy and is therefore perfect for the waterborne arriving by tender.
 

Recommended – Lunch at La Réserve de la Mala beneath the linen-shaded booths on the sun deck. As cool as they come.

While berthed in the Port of Nice, take a stroll to the town’s small beaches Bains Militaires, Coco Beach, and in between Plage de la Réserve, just visible bottom right in this photo.

The latter is a small pebble beach with views over the Cap de Nice – a great place to enjoy an early morning coffee and enjoy a slice of Niçoise life (locals come for an early morning swim from the tiny beach) as the yachts and boats (and Corsica ferries) come and go.

Recommended – Make reservations for dinner at the iconic Le Plongeoir which hovers on the coastline's most famous pillar of rock. The unique setting first opened as a restaurant in the late 19th century, and has had many faces, including a diving platform. Today the diving boards remain as a symbol of its heritage, while the restaurant gives this stunning setting a new lease of life.

The wide expanse of tiny pebbles at Plage des Marinieres, seen in the foreground here, are far more welcoming than the skimpy strip of sand on Villefranche’s main beach.

Although the beach can be busy during peak season, its sheltered setting protects it from blustery winds, and provides a spot to tender ashore from a stunning anchorage in the bay.
 

Recommended – Active charterers can take the footpath around the peninsula past some of Europe’s most impressive homes.

A short hop along from the exclusive Cap d’Antibes, the perfect bay of La Garoupe has some of the finest sand to be found along the coastline. Boasting more history than many of its neighbouring stretches of sand, the beach was first cleaned up in the 1920s by an American socialite couple in order to attract the wealthy to its shores. It is said that Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Picasso were just a few of the famous people who came to attend glittering parties and enjoy the beach with its charming outlook.

Today it is busy during peak season, with small boats and large yachts anchored in the crystal-clear waters, while ashore a number of sophisticated beach clubs spill onto the sand, their private piers welcoming well-heeled guests to enjoy a long lazy lunch ashore.
 

Recommended – Reserve a table at Plage Keller in La Garoupe and enjoy a long, lazy lunch on the beach.