7 very easy ways to ruin the Riviera

The French Riviera is beautiful enough to survive plenty of bad decisions. There is no need to test all of them.

1. Do four towns in one day

Nice, Èze, Monaco and Menton before dinner. Technically possible. You will gain an excellent knowledge of train platforms and car parks.

2. Reach the beach at 2 pm in August

The sea will be there. So will everybody else. Coming early is not a local secret, just information people enjoy ignoring.

3. Rent a car automatically

For the hills, fine. For Nice to Monaco or Menton, check the train first. A car sitting in traffic remains a car, but its holiday value drops sharply.

4. Pick a restaurant because it sees the sea

The Mediterranean is beautiful. It does not work in the kitchen.

5. Book a hotel without checking the station

A room with a view is nice. A room fifteen minutes from a coastal train can be nicer by day three.

6. Believe a “secret place” is still secret

If it has 2,800 reviews, drone footage on Instagram and a queue, the secret has leaked.

7. Optimise every minute

The coffee that lasts too long, the unplanned swim and the pointless detour are part of the trip. If your schedule resembles a European summit, remove something.