Monaco Driving Guide: Five Riviera Roads by Car
Begin your day at a Monte-Carlo hotel handover, then trace the coastal and mountain roads east to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and west toward Cannes — 140 km of pure Riviera tarmac.
From the port outwards
- 01
08:30 · Pickup at Monte-Carlo
Your vehicle is delivered to your hotel or residence anywhere in the principality. Confirm the full-tank policy, review insurance cover, and collect your route notes. The agency's handover includes printed guidance for the day's roads, highlighting current construction zones and seasonal traffic patterns around the Grand Prix circuit.
- 02
09:15 · Corniche Drive to Èze Village
Take the Grande Corniche — the highest of three parallel roads above the coast — climbing to 512 m with open views across Cap Ferrat and the Baie des Anges. Pull into the small car park below Èze village. Walk the stone lanes to the Jardin Exotique for a 360-degree panorama. Morning light is best; by noon the lot fills completely.
- 03
11:00 · Coastal Descent to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Drop down the Moyenne Corniche toward Beaulieu-sur-Mer, then follow the narrow D25 loop around Cap Ferrat's peninsula. Stop at Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild for its nine themed gardens and Belle Époque interiors. Parking is free and rarely full before midday. The single-lane stretches reward a mid-size GT over a wide supercar.
- 04
13:00 · Lunch at Villefranche-sur-Mer Waterfront
Park along the Quai de la Darse or in the covered lot off the Citadelle. Walk to the portside restaurants for grilled catch of the day overlooking fishing boats and deep-blue anchorage. Villefranche sits just 6 km from Monaco, so the return is quick if plans change. Avoid the Basse Corniche between 12:00 and 14:00 on weekends.
- 05
18:00 · Sunset at La Turbie Trophy of Augustus
Climb back to the Grande Corniche and park beside the Trophée des Alpes in La Turbie, a Roman monument 480 m above the sea. The western-facing terrace frames Monaco's harbour, the Palace, and the open Mediterranean as evening light turns gold. The road surface is well-maintained year-round. Return to the principality in under 12 minutes via the D37.
About Monaco
Monaco commands some of the most coveted tarmac in Europe. The Grande Corniche climbs above the principality through sweeping bends with open views across the Mediterranean toward Cap-Ferrat. Drop toward the coast and the Basse Corniche threads through Cap d'Ail and Beaulieu-sur-Mer, hugging the waterline for kilometres of blue-horizon driving. Head west and you reach Èze village in under fifteen minutes — a cliff-perched stop where the road itself rewards as much as the destination. Few coastlines anywhere compress this density of legendary routes into such a short radius.
The tight streets of Monte-Carlo and the famous Grand Prix circuit favour precise, compact machinery. A mid-engine sports car or an open-top GT handles the hairpins around Fairmont and the tunnel section with confidence and composure. Convertibles let you absorb the salt air along Boulevard Albert Ier, while a luxury SUV earns its place on longer runs toward Cannes or Saint-Tropez, where autoroute stretches open up between coastal detours. Parking in the principality is well-organised — underground garages beneath Casino Square and the Grimaldi Forum accept wider vehicles without issue. Road culture here is calm and respectful of high-value cars.
Monaco suits couples tracing the corniches for a weekend, corporate hosts transferring clients between the heliport and a Cap-Ferrat villa, and dedicated enthusiasts who want to drive the same curves that define Formula 1 legend. A single morning loop — Monaco to La Turbie via the Grande Corniche, down through Èze, and back along the coast — covers roughly 30 km of rewarding, varied road. Browse our car rental Monaco fleet of over 70 curated vehicles, from supercar hire options to chauffeur-driven luxury rentals, and let our team match the right car to your route.