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French Riviera beaches: 2025 bathing-water quality

French Riviera (Alpes-Maritimes) has 151 official bathing waters in the EEA dataset for the 2025 season. 63.6% were classified Excellent — 10.8 points below the 74.4% across all of France — and 3 were Poor. 41 sites have been Excellent in every season from 2015 to 2025. By area, the Excellent share is highest around Cannes (82.4% of 17) and lowest around Antibes / Juan-les-Pins (48.3% of 29).

Beach in Cannes — Photo: José Luiz, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

151

official bathing waters

63.6%

Excellent in 2025

Poor in 2025

Not live: these are annual official classifications. Check the competent authority for today’s notices before swimming.

Before you swim on the French Riviera

Ministry of Health and the Regional Health Agencies (ARS)

Bathing season in France: Set locally (typically mid-June – mid-September at sea, July – August inland). The national site shows current-season results, closures and pollution alerts in French, English and German.

Annual EEA classes do not show temporary bans, short-term pollution or algae alerts; those are published by the competent authority. National information last checked 2026-11-01.

baignades.sante.gouv.fr →

About French Riviera (Alpes-Maritimes)

This page covers the Alpes-Maritimes coast of the French Riviera, from Théoule-sur-Mer to Menton at the Italian border, including Cannes, Antibes and Nice. Monaco is not part of the EEA dataset, and the Var coast to the west is not included.

How this page is defined: official EEA bathing waters reported by France (coastal and transitional waters) whose coordinates fall inside a boundary drawn around French Riviera (Alpes-Maritimes). Coordinates are reported by the national authority.

Map of official bathing waters

Excellent 96Good 44Sufficient 5Poor 3Not classified 3

How to read this map: Each dot is one official bathing water, coloured by its 2025 rating; select a dot to open that site. Coloured areas are the regions; region names link to their pages. Sea and large lakes are blue, neighbouring countries grey. Positions: official EEA coordinates. Boundaries: Eurostat NUTS 2024, generalised (© EuroGeographics); lakes: Natural Earth. Outlines are simplified, so a few shoreline dots can sit just offshore.

French Riviera (Alpes-Maritimes) by area

Each official site is grouped under the nearest of 7 reference towns, measured in a straight line from its reported coordinates. This is an orientation aid, not a municipal boundary.

2025 EEA classes by area (nearest reference town)
Area	Sites	Excellent	Good	Sufficient	Poor	Not classified
Théoule-sur-Mer / Mandelieu	16	12 (75%)	4	0	0	0
Cannes	17	14 (82.4%)	3	0	0	0
Antibes / Juan-les-Pins	29	14 (48.3%)	14	1	0	0
Cagnes-sur-Mer	24	16 (66.7%)	2	1	3	2
Nice	24	16 (66.7%)	6	2	0	0
Villefranche / Cap-Ferrat	23	13 (56.5%)	9	1	0	0
Menton	18	11 (61.1%)	6	0	0	1

Most consistent Excellent sites

41 sites were Excellent in all eleven seasons. Ordered by the length of the unbroken Excellent run ending in 2025; the first 24 are shown, the rest are in the area lists above.

ANTIBES LES PINS OUEST 11 seasons · around Antibes / Juan-les-Pins
AUBRY LECOMTE 11 seasons · around Nice
BAMBOU 11 seasons · around Nice
BERTELO 11 seasons · around Menton
BON VOYAGE 11 seasons · around Menton
CABBE 11 seasons · around Menton
CENTRE NAUTIQUE (ex poste de secours n°1) 11 seasons · around Cagnes-sur-Mer
CHANTIERS NAVALS 11 seasons · around Théoule-sur-Mer / Mandelieu
COTE OUEST 11 seasons · around Menton
DE L'EGLISE 11 seasons · around Cagnes-sur-Mer
DE L'ENTREE DU PORT 11 seasons · around Cagnes-sur-Mer
DE L'HIPPODROME 11 seasons · around Cagnes-sur-Mer
DE LA SERRE 11 seasons · around Cagnes-sur-Mer
DU PORT 11 seasons · around Cagnes-sur-Mer
EZE 11 seasons · around Villefranche / Cap-Ferrat
FLORIDA 11 seasons · around Nice
FONT DE VEYRE 11 seasons · around Cannes
FONTONNE EST 11 seasons · around Antibes / Juan-les-Pins
FONTONNE OUEST 11 seasons · around Antibes / Juan-les-Pins
FORT CARRE 11 seasons · around Antibes / Juan-les-Pins
GALION 11 seasons · around Cagnes-sur-Mer
GARAVAN EST 11 seasons · around Menton
GOLFE BLEU 11 seasons · around Menton
ILE STE MARGUERITE EST 11 seasons · around Cannes

Rated Poor in 2025

For a Poor site the Bathing Water Directive requires management measures, including a bathing prohibition or advice against bathing, so check the authority before visiting.

LES FLOTS BLEUS Poor in 3 of 11 classified seasons · around Cagnes-sur-Mer
BEACH CLUB Poor in 2 of 11 classified seasons · around Cagnes-sur-Mer
LES VESPINS (ex LIMITE COMMUNE) Poor in 2 of 11 classified seasons · around Cagnes-sur-Mer

Changes from 2024 to 2025

Improved (17)

BORRIGO Good → Excellent
CAP D'ANTIBES Good → Excellent
CAREI Good → Excellent
ESPALMADOR Good → Excellent
GARE MARCHANDISES Good → Excellent
GAROUPE EST Sufficient → Good
GAROUPE OUEST Good → Excellent
LA FIGUEIRETTE Good → Excellent

Declined (5)

GRAND LARGE Good → Sufficient
L'ARME Excellent → Good
LANTERNE Good → Sufficient
LIDO Excellent → Good
NEPTUNE Excellent → Good

How French Riviera (Alpes-Maritimes) rated since 2015

Counts for the sites in today’s 2025 inventory; the Excellent share is calculated over classified sites only.

Season	Classified	Excellent	Excellent share	Poor
2025	148	96	64.9%	3
2024	146	83	56.8%	3
2023	148	64	43.2%	3
2022	149	64	43%	4
2021	149	64	43%	5
2020	148	68	45.9%	6
2019	148	89	60.1%	5
2018	149	106	71.1%	5
2017	149	92	61.7%	5
2016	148	97	65.5%	3
2015	148	92	62.2%	3

All 151 official bathing waters on the French Riviera

Grouped by area, alphabetical within each group. Open a site for its 2015–2025 history, nearby alternatives, weather forecast and the national profile link.

Around Théoule-sur-Mer / Mandelieu 16 sites · 75% Excellent

CHANTIERS NAVALS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
CHATEAU Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
CHATEAU (ex Est Marco Polo) Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
DAUPHINS Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
FUON MARINA Good
LA FIGUEIRETTE Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
LA GARE Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
LA RAGUE Excellent Excellent 4 seasons in a row
LA RAGUETTE Good
POINTE DE L'AIGUILLE Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
ROBINSON Good
SABLE D'OR Good
SUD AVIATION Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
SUVERET Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
TROU DE L'ANCRE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
VALLON DE L'AUTEL (ex. Marco Polo) Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row

Around Cannes 17 sites · 82.4% Excellent

BIJOU Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
CARLTON Excellent Excellent 3 seasons in a row
FONT DE VEYRE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GABRES Good
GARE MARCHANDISES Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
GAZAGNAIRE Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
ILE STE MARGUERITE EST Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ILE STE MARGUERITE OUEST Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
MIDI Excellent Excellent 3 seasons in a row
MIRANDOLE Good
MONDRIAN Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
MOURE ROUGE Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
NOUVEAU PALAIS Good
PALM BEACH Excellent
RIOU Excellent Excellent 3 seasons in a row
ROCHERS DE LA BOCCA Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
ST GEORGES Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Around Antibes / Juan-les-Pins 29 sites · 48.3% Excellent

ANTIBES LES PINS EST Excellent Excellent 5 seasons in a row
ANTIBES LES PINS OUEST Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
BARRAYA Good
CAP D'ANTIBES Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
FONTONNE EST Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
FONTONNE OUEST Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
FORT CARRE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GAROUPE EST Good Sufficient → Good since 2024
GAROUPE OUEST Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
GRANDE PLAGE JUAN LES PINS Good
JEUNES Good
LA GRAVETTE Sufficient
LA SALIS Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
LE PONTEIL Good
LES ONDES Good Sufficient → Good since 2024
LIMITE COMMUNE OUEST Excellent Excellent 3 seasons in a row
MARINELAND Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
MIDI CENTRE Good
MIDI EST Good
MIDI OUEST Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
PASCALIN Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
PLAGE DU CROUTON Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
PONT DULYS Good
PONTON COURBET Good
PORT GALLICE Good
POSTE C.R.S Good
PROMENADE DU SOLEIL Good
SQUARE GOULD Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
TETOU Good

Around Cagnes-sur-Mer 24 sites · 66.7% Excellent · 3 Poor

BEACH CLUB Poor Poor in 2 of 11 classified seasons
CENTRE NAUTIQUE (ex poste de secours n°1) Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
COUSTEAU Not classified
DE L'EGLISE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
DE L'ENTREE DU PORT Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
DE L'HIPPODROME Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
DE LA SERRE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
DU PORT Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
DU TONNEAU Excellent Excellent 4 seasons in a row
GALION Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GRAND LARGE Sufficient Good → Sufficient since 2024
LA BATTERIE (ex pierre au tambour) Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LA FIGHIERE (ex la batterie) Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LANSBERG Not classified
LES FLOTS BLEUS Poor Poor in 3 of 11 classified seasons
LES GROULES Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LES VESPINS (ex LIMITE COMMUNE) Poor Poor in 2 of 11 classified seasons
LIMITE DE COMMUNE EST Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LOUP Good
MARINA Excellent
MAURETTES (ex poste de secours n°2) Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
MOGADOR Excellent Excellent 4 seasons in a row
NEPTUNE Good Excellent → Good since 2024
VAUGRENIER Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Around Nice 24 sites · 66.7% Excellent

AUBRY LECOMTE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
BAMBOU Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
BEAU RIVAGE Good
BLUE BEACH Excellent Excellent 9 seasons in a row
CARRAS Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
CASTEL Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
CENTENAIRE Sufficient
FABRON Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
FLORIDA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
FORUM Excellent Excellent 9 seasons in a row
GALION Excellent Excellent 4 seasons in a row
LANTERNE Sufficient Good → Sufficient since 2024
LENVAL Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LIDO Good Excellent → Good since 2024
MAGNAN Good
MILITAIRE Good
NEPTUNE Good
OPERA Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
PAILLON EPI Good
POINCARE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
RUHL Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
SAINTE-HELENE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
SPORTING Excellent Excellent 10 seasons in a row
VOILIER Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Around Villefranche / Cap-Ferrat 23 sites · 56.5% Excellent

COCO BEACH Good
COTE PORT SILVA MARIS Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
ESPALMADOR Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
EST SILVA MARIS Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
EZE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
EZE EST Good
FOSSES Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
FOSSETTES Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
FOURMIS Sufficient
JEUNES Good
LA DARSE Good
LA RESERVE Good
MALA Excellent Excellent 3 seasons in a row
MARCO POLO Excellent Excellent 4 seasons in a row
MARINIERES Good
MARQUET Good
NOUVEAU PORT Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
OUEST Good
PALOMA Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
PASSABLE Good Sufficient → Good since 2024
PETITE AFRIQUE Excellent Excellent 4 seasons in a row
PETITE AFRIQUE EST Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PISSARELLES Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Around Menton 18 sites · 61.1% Excellent

BEACH Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
BERTELO Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
BON VOYAGE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
BORRIGO Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
CABBE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
CAREI Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
COTE OUEST Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
FOSSAN Good
GARAVAN EST Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GOLFE BLEU Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GORBIO Not classified
L'ARME Good Excellent → Good since 2024
LA BUSE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LES SIRENES Good
ROQUEBRUNE Good
SABLETTES EST Good
SABLETTES OUEST Good
SOLENZARA Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row

Compared with other destinations

#	Destination	Country	Sites	Excellent	Poor
1	Corfu	Greece	66	100%	0
2	Lake Garda	Italy	128	99.2%	0
3	Crete	Greece	177	98.9%	0
4	Halkidiki	Greece	90	98.9%	0
5	Sardinia	Italy	664	96.8%	1
6	Istria (Croatia)	Croatia	217	95.9%	0
7	Costa Brava	Spain	86	94.2%	1
8	Algarve coast	Portugal	106	93.4%	0
9	Lake Balaton	Hungary	148	85.1%	0
10	Menorca	Spain	30	80%	0
11	Corsica	France	223	75.8%	20
12	Rhodes	Greece	52	75%	0
13	Mallorca	Spain	113	68.1%	3
14	Ibiza & Formentera	Spain	48	66.7%	0
15	French Riviera (Alpes-Maritimes)	France	151	63.6%	3

Destinations differ in size, water type and how densely sites are designated, so the table gives context rather than a quality verdict.

Quick answers

How many bathing waters on the French Riviera were rated Excellent in 2025?: 96 of 151 (63.6%) in the official EEA 2025 classification; 44 were Good, 5 Sufficient and 3 Poor, and 3 had no class.
Which sites on the French Riviera have the best long-term record?: 41 were Excellent in every season from 2015 to 2025, for example ANTIBES LES PINS OUEST, AUBRY LECOMTE, BAMBOU. See the full ranking.
Were any bathing waters on the French Riviera rated Poor?: Yes, 3: LES FLOTS BLEUS, BEACH CLUB, LES VESPINS (ex LIMITE COMMUNE).
Where do I check whether swimming is allowed today?: On baignades.sante.gouv.fr (Ministry of Health and the Regional Health Agencies (ARS)). Temporary bans, pollution alerts and closures are published there and on signs at the beach, not in the annual EEA class. Each site page here also shows a weather forecast with heavy-rain context.

France overview · All coastal bathing waters in France · Bathing waters near Nice · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (all region sites) · All destinations · How the classes are calculated

Source

European Environment Agency (EEA), bathing-water data and coordinates reported by France, licensed CC BY 4.0. Areas, counts and rankings are calculated by BathingWaterFinder from those official records.