The Côte d’Azur, located on France’s Mediterranean coast, stretches roughly from the Saint-Tropez area to the Italian border. Its cities, towns, and villages each offer different approaches to the Riviera lifestyle. Well-regarded restaurants, a slower coastal lifestyle, access to the countryside, and a variety of residential property types attract residents from across the globe. Nice Airport, the principal regional hub, has seen a strong bounce back from the pandemic-era passenger lows; arrivals last year were just 2% below 2019 levels. Increases in direct flights from European hubs as well as from the US and Middle East have made the region even more accessible.

The French Riviera is not immune to global events, however. The region faced the same challenges during the pandemic as the rest of Europe and was also adversely affected by the global financial crisis. The Riviera’s economy has shown resilience, however, with a total GDP growth in the Alpes-Maritimes region of 9.9% from 2021–2022 (the most recently reported year by INSEE), compared to 3.5% in the European Union (EU) and 2.5% in France overall during the same period.

As with other global markets, recent global economic headwinds have slowed residential sales volumes as many would-be sellers adopt a ‘wait and see’ attitude. However, interest in the Côte d’Azur remains high, with the region’s prime markets truly supported by a global demand base. Between 2013 and 2023, the number of millionaires in the Nice to Èze region increased by 25%, according to consultancy Henley & Partners, demonstrating the ongoing importance of the region to global high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs).

Pricing across the Riviera is as varied as the locations themselves. Prime properties in the region range from €10,000 to €30,000 per square metre. At the highest tiers of prime residential property, prices for certain off-market trophy properties can exceed €80,000 per square metre. In many locations across the Côte d’Azur, stock remains low after a post-pandemic sales surge, while demand for prime residential properties continues to outstrip the number of available properties. These factors contribute to the high pricing seen across the region.

The region has seen more interest from younger age groups in recent years, attracting families with children who are looking to make the Côte d’Azur their primary base from which to travel for work and business. These buyers are prioritising lifestyle, schools, privacy, and access to Nice airport in their property searches.

While much of the Côte d’Azur can be considered prime, there are some notable ultra-prime hotspots. These include Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Cannes, and the Cap d’Antibes in the Alpes-Maritimes region. In the Var region, Saint-Tropez and Ramatuelle are iconic areas for ultra-prime residential.

_{Read the articles within Savills Spotlight on the Côte d’Azur report below}