French Riviera

The French Riviera has spent more than a century perfecting the art of escape. From the Belle Époque villas of Nice and Cannes to the fishing villages, pine-covered headlands and glamorous resorts stretching towards Saint-Tropez, architecture here has always responded to extraordinary light and the Mediterranean. But some of the Riviera’s most interesting chapters are Modernist: Eileen Gray, Le Corbusier and Robert Mallet-Stevens experimented along this coastline, while artists including Picasso, Matisse and Cocteau helped turn the Côte d’Azur into a creative playground. Today, restored icons coexist with a new generation of hotels that reinterpret Riviera glamour with considerably less gold and considerably more personality.

Food and drink naturally look towards the Mediterranean. Provençal markets, harbour restaurants and old-school institutions celebrate tomatoes, olive oil, herbs, vegetables and exceptional seafood, while dishes such as bouillabaisse, socca and pissaladière remain firmly connected to place. Alongside them are Michelin-starred destinations, relaxed beach restaurants, natural wine bars and some wonderfully glamorous hotel terraces. Nearby vineyards—from Bandol to Bellet—provide another reason to look beyond the inevitable bottle of rosé.

The French Riviera has one of Europe’s richest hotel traditions, from grand seaside palaces and legendary artists’ haunts to Modernist retreats, converted villas and intimate hotels hidden in old fishing quarters. At DNA Hotels, we curate the places where architecture, art, food and Mediterranean life come together—hotels that capture the seductive spirit of the Côte d’Azur without relying on superyachts, velvet ropes and Riviera clichés.