When it comes to vacation, I'm choosy. (Picky, according to my husband.) I'm anti-humidity, anti-insects, anti-crowds; my expectations for hotels are sky-high; and my ideal vacation is an activity taster menu of sorts, with space for water activities, fine dining, nap time, hiking, beachside cocktails, and minimal travel. As has been pointed out to me—mostly by said husband—this asks a lot of a single vacation.
Enter: Shoulder season. Defined as the period between slow season and peak tourist season—in the south of France, where I'd been eyeing for my trip, this is April and May—it promises low humidity, fewer crowds, and a more authentic experience. And authenticity was definitely what I was looking for in this vacation—along with hiking trails, beaches, great restaurants, pools, luxurious hotels, and no significant traveling from place to place (I can't be navigating the French railways, I'm in my thirties). Not much to ask, right?
Well, kind of a lot, actually. But thanks to a combination of the right time of year, good planning, and well-placed (and generally excellent) hotels, I'm happy to say it actually worked. Behold, the Shoulder Season French Riviera Vacation of Dreams.
Stop One: Antibes
First, don't balk at "stop one"—there were only two stops on this trip (see: "no significant traveling from place to place"). We designed our aforementioned two stops in the French Riviera to provide multiple touchpoints for activities, and the town of Juan-les-Pins was a perfect start: situated between Nice and Cannes, a delightful combination of charming (winding streets! historic sites!) and urbane (great food, gorgeous boutiques). We stayed in the AC Hotel by Marriott Ambassadeur Antibes—Juan Les Pins, five minutes from the beach and twenty minutes from the heart of Antibes' Old Town.
Hand on heart, I loved this hotel. The food was fantastic, the outdoor pool like something out of a PC screensaver, the service impeccable. I'm a Marriott Bonvoy member, so I've stayed in my share of excellent Marriott hotels, but this one in particular was filled with delightful details: fruit-infused water in the lobby, a glass elevator (perfect for kids), lavender sachets available before bed. Though we only stayed three days, you could easily stay here a week or more, considering everything Juan-les-Pins has to offer within 20 minutes of the hotel: a long, sandy stretch of beach with restaurants aplenty, Michelin-recommended dining spots in Old Town (we loved Nananere!), and atmospheric bars and cafés.
Side Quest: Cannes
Cannes is only 20 minutes from Juan-les-Pins in an Uber, so we of course spent a day there. It's a port city, so after a delightful morning of sightseeing we set aboard on a four-hour LEO boat tour—which was not just a highlight of the trip, but a highlight of my life. Our guide, Paulo, brought wine, snorkeling gear, pool noodles, and an incredible knowledge of the area; we swam through crystal-clear water, visited tiny islands, drank wine, and basked in the sun. 10/10 life experience.
Stop Two: Marseille
Two hours from Juan-les-Pins lies the bustling city of Marseille—we took an Uber there, but you can also jump on a train, bus, or pre-booked car. Smack in the city center is another top-notch AC Hotels destination, AC Hotel Marseille Prado Velodrome—Marriott, an oasis amid the busy city streets.
Marseille is absolutely filled with things to do—museums, wine tastings, incredible restaurants like Figure—but the beachside glory of Juan-les-Pins had left us in a hiking mood, so we ventured to the Calanques for our final day of the trip. Though just 20 minutes from the city center, the Calanques felt like another destination entirely—rugged terrain, local restaurants, staggeringly clear water.
Finally, let's talk about the weather. We traveled in late April, and I worried about a lack of sun—but as it turns out, April and May in the South of France is the perfect amount of sun. 70 degrees, bright and beautiful, with a light breeze; warm enough to bask in sun loungers, not so hot that we couldn't spend the day walking around. Even the center of Marseille, a major city, wasn't especially humid.
Basically: I cracked it. The perfect vacation. Not the off-season, not quite the on-season, but smack in between, in well-placed hotels that can act as bases for your charcuterie plate of activities. Enjoy!
