France · Europe
Nice doesn't do sand — the beaches are famously pebbly, and somehow that's part of the charm. The Promenade des Anglais curves along the Baie des Anges for seven kilometers, lined with blue chairs that have become the city's unofficial logo. Behind the promenade, the old town is a labyrinth of ochre buildings, flower markets, and socca stands selling those crispy chickpea crepes for three euros. Take the elevator up Castle Hill for a panoramic view that explains why painters from Matisse to Chagall set up shop here. Day trips to Villefranche-sur-Mer and Eze are twenty minutes by bus, and the train to Monaco takes thirty minutes. Nice is the rare Riviera destination where you don't need a yacht-sized budget — set menus at local bistros run 15-20 euros, and the free public beaches are just as blue as the private ones.
France built the modern naturist movement, and its beaches and village naturiste resorts remain the world's best-developed infrastructure for clothing-optional holidays. Seven destinations from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, with pricing and practical details.
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A guide to Corsica's best beaches, from the famous sands of Palombaggia and Santa Giulia in the south to the remote Desert des Agriates beaches of Saleccia and Lotu in the north, plus the Lavezzi Islands, west coast surf spots, and practical advice on ferries, driving, and Corsican food.
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Northern France's 1,000+ kilometers of coastline include chalk cliffs at Etretat, pink granite boulders in Brittany, D-Day landing beaches, and walled cities like Saint-Malo. Cooler water, fewer crowds, and the best seafood in France.
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From Saint-Tropez's golden sand to Croatia's glass-clear Adriatic and Portugal's cliff-backed Atlantic shores — the definitive guide to Europe's best clothing-optional beaches, with practical info on getting there, what to bring, and when to visit.
Read more about thisNice french riviera beaches trade sand for smooth gray pebbles and spectacularly clear Mediterranean water. Train rides of 6-35 minutes connect sandy alternatives at Villefranche, Antibes, and Cannes along one of Europe's most famous coastlines.
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Madeira's volcanic coast delivers dramatic natural swimming pools, black-sand coves, and Europe's best coastal drives, while Porto Santo's 9-km golden beach offers the sandy relaxation Madeira's cliffs don't. Together they make one of the Atlantic's most complete beach destinations.
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