Menton Anchorage

Drop anchor just off Menton's sun-drenched waterfront, where the pastel-coloured old town stacks up dramatically behind the sea — it's one of the most photogenic backdrops on the entire Côte d'Azur. The holding is generally good on sand, and you're well-placed to dinghy ashore and explore Menton's famous lemon groves, Belle Époque architecture, and the Jean Cocteau museum. The town has a slightly more Italian feel than its neighbours, sitting right on the French-Italian border, which makes it a genuinely distinctive stop compared to the busier Riviera hotspots nearby.