Provence & French Riviera EV Self-Drive Journey

Arrive in Nice and ease into the French Riviera after traveling from the airport or train station into the city. Pick up your rental car, a Peugeot e-208 Electric or similar economic ECAR vehicle, available from your departure point to your final destination. 

Nice introduces you to Mediterranean color, palm-lined boulevards, sea views, the Promenade des Anglais, and the pastel façades of the Old Town. Later, board a private 1.5-hour sunset cruise from Beaulieu on a 100% solar-powered boat with your captain. Glide silently within 300 meters of shore past famous villas, magnificent yachts, and crystal-clear waters. The private cruise suits couples, families, friends, and all ages. Your captain, an Ambassador of the Côte d’Azur France brand, shares stories about the site and solar navigation. You may also take the helm for an initiation or photo. 

From Nice, reach Beaulieu by train in around 10 minutes for 2.4 euros per passenger to Beaulieu-sur-Mer plus a 6-minute walk, by bus in around 25 minutes for 1.5 euros per passenger on Lignes d’Azur n°15 or n°607 to Kerylos plus a 5-minute walk, by car in around 25 minutes plus parking time, or by taxi. Beware of rush-hour traffic.

The Côte d’Azur is the French name for the French Riviera, the Mediterranean coastline that includes Nice and Beaulieu.

Leave Nice after a restful night and begin the drive toward the Var region, using the road itself as your first Mediterranean experience. As you move away from the Promenade des Anglais and the deep blue of the bay, the city gradually fades and the light shifts. Provençal hills come into view, covered with umbrella pines and vineyards gilded by the May sun. The Mediterranean appears between valleys, sometimes hidden and sometimes shimmering in the distance. In the Var hinterland, small estates open onto the valley. Even without stopping, the vines express the local terroir, and if you feel like it, some estates welcome you for a confidential tasting with a glass in hand and sea views nearby. You may also pass through a sleepy village, follow the smell of warm bread, pause for coffee in the shade of plane trees, walk a few steps on cobblestones, and exchange a few words with the regulars as the warmth and scent of wildflowers slow the journey.

Continue toward the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, where the sea becomes more intense as you approach. Stop at one of the viewpoints along the road for views of the blue bay, distant islands, and pine forests before the space opens wide around you. You can also discover wild beaches along the way. Plage de l’Escalet in Ramatuelle offers a preserved Mediterranean setting with light rocks, translucent water, and small coastal paths, ideal for a first swim or a quiet moment. Farther along, Plage de la Briande in La Londe-les-Maures brings light sand and crystal-clear water bordered by vineyards, while Plage de l’Argentière offers a discreet stretch suited to an impromptu picnic or calm pause before arrival. Reach Le Lavandou and Bormes-les-Mimosas as palm trees appear, coves reveal themselves around winding roads, and the coast settles into view. A drink facing the sea, feet in the sand, and waves in the background mark the start of your stay, with pine, wildflower scents, and Riviera light all around.

The Var coast links Mediterranean beaches, inland vineyards, and Provençal villages within a compact coastal and hinterland landscape.

Depart Lavandou by boat at 10:00 am for the return trip to Porquerolles, with the return scheduled at 5:00 pm. The crossing begins as you leave the quay, with the Mediterranean stretching ahead and the hills of the Var fading behind you. On arrival, Porquerolles reveals fine sandy beaches, hidden coves, pine forests, and fragrant vineyards. Shape the day around a bike ride on coastal paths, a swim at a wild beach such as Notre-Dame or d’Argent, or kayaking to explore coves from the sea. For lunch, choose between an improvised picnic by the water or a small, secluded restaurant, depending on your mood.

Use your private daily bicycle rental to explore Porquerolles at your own pace, following well-maintained trails with panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea. Cycling is an eco-friendly, accessible way to discover hidden beaches, fragrant pine forests, and the island’s landscapes whether you travel alone, with family, or with friends. You can also explore the seabed independently in the clear waters of Porquerolles. This self-guided snorkeling experience includes daily rental equipment, with mask, snorkel, and fins available, and lets you observe posidonia meadows, submerged rocks, and Mediterranean fish. It requires no technical skills and can fit a half day or full day by the sea, with beach breaks between swims. Return by boat at 5:00 pm, when late-afternoon light turns the sea into a luminous mirror as Lavandou comes back into view.

Posidonia meadows are an important Mediterranean marine habitat associated with clear coastal waters and fish life.

Leave Le Lavandou after a gentle morning, carrying the scent of pines and the sea as the road rises inland from the Var. The route moves away from the Mediterranean and into Provençal hills, with a planned stop at a magnificent estate for lunch and wine tasting. At Château Saint Roux, enjoy a private 1.5-hour guided estate visit with a tasting of three wines and estate-made cheeses. The tasting features two rosés, one white, and one red, paired with cheeses produced on the domain. The seasonal lunch or dinner menu includes a refined starter, a main course prepared with fresh seasonal products, and dessert. Drinks are available at an additional cost.

After lunch, continue through the Provençal hills to a traditional Bastide for a private guided olive oil mill and estate tour lasting 1 hour 30 minutes. The visit includes an educational walk through the olive grove, a guided mill tour with a presentation of extraction methods, and tastings of olive oils, wines, and estate products. The estate story includes Carine and Roland, descendants of winegrowers and farmers, their beach clubs for children in the Landes in the 1980s, their years in Los Angeles from 1985 to 1998, and their son Léo, who took over the mill in 2020 with a Master’s degree in Management from SKEMA Business School, an oleologist diploma, and official taster status from the International Olive Council. Before arriving in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, the road opens onto the Alpilles, with olive fields, vineyards, hills dotted with perched villages, and a final panoramic viewpoint over the valley and the Alpilles. Saint-Rémy then reveals cobbled streets, terraces, and intimate cafes.

The Alpilles landscapes described on this route combine limestone hills, olive fields, vineyards, and perched villages.

Start in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence for a full day of cycling through the Alpilles. With electric bike rental, helmet and equipment, a GPS route or guiding app, and suggested routes included, you can ride at your own pace on suitable secondary roads away from traffic. The route leads through small roads, olive trees, villages, and landscapes around Les Baux-de-Provence, where open views reveal limestone reliefs and garrigue. The format stays flexible and accessible, combining landscape discovery with time outdoors.

During the day, visit the Carrières de Lumières, a cultural and iconic site of the region set inside an old stone quarry. Entry is included. Inside, artworks, music, and monumental projections unfold across the rocky walls, creating an immersive visual and auditory experience. This day links the natural scenery of the Alpilles with heritage and culture, while GPS guidance and suggested routes help you navigate independently.

The Carrières de Lumières uses the stone walls of a former quarry as the surface for large-scale projected exhibitions.

Leave Saint-Rémy-de-Provence on a gentle morning, with the May light on the facades and olive trees, and drive through the Alpilles, where limestone hills are shaped by wind and time, with perched villages and century-old olive fields along the way. Your first stop is Les Baux-de-Provence, a perched village rising like a white stone jewel on its rocky spur. Begin at the Carrières de Lumières, former quarries transformed into an immersive exhibition hall where artworks are projected onto limestone walls with music, light, and images. Temporary exhibitions are noted, and the ticket is not included. Nearby, you can stop independently at a small winery or olive grove for wine or olive oil tasting, also not included, with views of the Alpilles and vineyards.

Continue with time to stroll through Les Baux-de-Provence, where ancient cobblestones, stone houses, shaded squares, and craft workshops shape the village atmosphere. Then drive a few kilometers farther to Arles and follow traces of Van Gogh through the city, including the café on the Place du Forum, the Langlois Bridge, the Alyscamps, colorful facades, and plane tree shadows. Walk freely through the historic center, taking in the colors and light that inspired him, with small galleries and workshops adding context. Finally, leave the Alpilles and Arles for the Camargue, where the landscape opens into rice fields, marshes, reeds, and the first pink flamingos on the horizon.

The Camargue is a Rhône Delta landscape where rice fields, marshes, reeds, and flamingos are part of the regional environment.

Begin with the HD Naturalist trip through the Golden Triangle of Mediterranean biodiversity, covering the Camargue, Crau, and Alpilles. This territory of about 2,500 km2 lies at the mouth of the Rhône River and has one of Europe’s highest diversities of animal and plant species. From the sea to the limestone cliffs of the Alpilles across nearly 40 km, dunes, saltwater lagoons, and freshwater marshes of the Camargue gradually dry into the Crau steppe, which extends to the white cliffs of the Alpilles. During this half-day private exploration of fauna and flora, your naturalist guide explains the management challenges of this exceptional territory, including its history, the evolution of agriculture, nature conservation, and the formation of its landscapes through natural and human factors. In the eastern Delta, in the Salin de Giraud sector, your guide also explains sea salt production and introduces you to flamingos and other seasonal birds. The tour is designed with natural space managers for both discovery and preservation. Binoculars and a spotting scope are provided so you can observe wildlife from a distance without disturbing it. Each visit varies by season, weather, guide, and species present, while your guide helps distinguish a buzzard from a harrier and a frog song from a tree frog song.

Continue with a 2-hour private horseback ride through ponds to the beach in the Camargue, accompanied by a guide. The route can be personalized, with the possibility to gallop on the sand or stop for photos wherever you want in the landscape, depending on your wishes. Your guide also takes time to create personalized photos and videos. Beginners and experienced riders can take part, with the team helping you discover the Camargue’s beauty, its still-wild fauna and flora, and birds seen through the ponds, lagoons, and beaches of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. The cavalry is exclusively composed of Camargue breed horses. For horse welfare, travelers over 85 kg and pregnant women cannot be accepted, and the guide may refuse the ride on the day if these conditions are not met, with no refund possible. Wear long pants and closed shoes. A helmet is provided and mandatory. Handbags, backpacks, and large cameras are prohibited during the ride, and you should leave personal belongings in the dedicated space before departure.

Camargue horses are a local breed associated with the wetlands, lagoons, and beaches of the Camargue.

Return your rental vehicle according to the instructions on your contract. Drop off the car at the rental agency indicated for your trip, either at Marseille airport or at Avignon TGV train station. Keep the return process aligned with the contract details, including the assigned location and required handover instructions.

Please note that you will probably have to return the vehicle with a full tank, as stated in the trip information. This marks the end of your journey in France. The team wishes you a great journey back home and hopes you had a good time. Au revoir et à bientôt!

Marseille airport and Avignon TGV train station are both used as final vehicle return points for this itinerary.