Roquebrune-Cap Martin, lying between Menton and Monaco, is defined by the cape of Cap Martin that protrudes like a small thumb into the sea. The verdant cape is dotted with Belle Epoque mansions that once hosted the likes of Winston Churchill, Coco Channel and Empress Elizabeth of Austria. There are no beaches here although there is a coastal walk that winds around the rocky cape.

To the west of the cape the beach scenery is stunning. Plage du Buse and Plage du Golfe Bleu lie at the foot of steep cliffs that slope nearly into the sea. Access is via stairs, but once there a sense of peace and tranquility envelopes the beach. Both beaches are an easy walk from the Roquebrune train station where there's free parking. Although the beaches adjoin each other, there is no path connecting them. A good swimmer could easily swim from one to another though!

On the eastern side of Cap Martin is the lengthy Plage de Carnoles, a great family beach and easy to access either by road or from the train stop Carnoles. Here you'll find restaurants, water sports, lifeguards and a relaxing view of Menton in the east. More.

There are a few other minuscule beaches not really worth the trouble to find: Plage des Pirates, Plage du Beach, and Plage Piscine on the eastern end which is open to animals.

Looking for a sandy beach? Sorry, but not in Roquebrune. You can find some patches of sand on the rocky western beaches of Buse and Golfe-Blue but most of the coastline is composed of galets or small pebbles.

The water quality is excellent up and down the cape. They are among the cleanest beaches on the Riviera. Source: baignades.sante.gouv.fr/