Tucked into Beaulieu-sur-Mer's eastern flank, Plage des Fourmis curves like a catcher's mitt against a limestone bluff crowned with Belle Époque grandeur. The sand here is blonde and powdery underfoot, warm by mid-morning, and the bay's protection keeps the Mediterranean docile enough that toddlers wade in without drama. Pine trees lean over the promenade behind you, their resin scent mixing with sunscreen and the faint brine of kelp drying on pebbles at the waterline.
“The only Riviera beach where you can swim in view of a UNESCO-grade Greek palace, then tour it barefoot.”
Credit: UnsplashPowder beach beneath limestone cliffs
The real draw is proximity. Villa Kérylos—a meticulous 1908 Greek revival mansion—sits just steps inland, its Doric columns visible between umbrella pines. After a morning swim, you can towel off and stroll through frescoed halls without changing out of your coverup. The beach itself lacks pretension: a handful of private concessions rent loungers, but public access is generous, and locals spread their towels on the sand's eastern edge where the shore bends toward Cap Ferrat's green cliffs.
By late afternoon, shadows from the villa stretch across the water, cooling the shallows and sending families back to the promenade cafés for citron pressé. The beach empties, save for a few swimmers doing lazy laps parallel to shore. This is Beaulieu at its quietest—a postcard corner of the Côte d'Azur that hasn't yet learned to shout.
