Nice · With kids

A botanical park near the airport with a glasshouse, aviaries, ponds and a playground — cheap, shaded and good for two to ten.

The water is warm and clear, the stones are merciless. Buy water shoes on day one and rent a mattress rather than lying on shingle.

Twenty-five minutes by train, then a cliff-top aquarium with a shark lagoon and a touch pool. Half a day, from about age four.

A narrow-gauge line climbs from Nice into the hills to Entrevaux, a walled village with a castle. Three hours each way; take snacks.

The Prom has almost no shade — plan for morning beach and afternoon indoors. Trams take strollers; restaurants seat families from seven.