Lunch on the sand, a glass of ice-cold rosé, and nowhere to be until the sun goes down. That’s the French Riviera beach club, and nobody does it better than Cannes and St Tropez.
We’ve been to a lot of them over the years. These are the five I’d book again, what each one is like, and how to actually get a table.
The Best Beach Clubs at a Glance
| Beach club | Where | Best for | How to book |
|---|---|---|---|
| Le Club 55 | Pampelonne, St Tropez | The legendary long lunch | By phone, weeks ahead |
| Jardin Tropéziana | Pampelonne, St Tropez | The best food | Book ahead in summer |
| La Môme Plage | La Croisette, Cannes | Sunbeds and people-watching | Sunbeds in person, the day before |
| Mademoiselle Gray | La Croisette, Cannes | A full day on the sand for less | Book sunbeds ahead |
| Vilebrequin La Plage | L’Ondine, Cannes | A stylish lunch | Book ahead |
St Tropez
Le Club 55: The Original
Le Club 55 started as a simple restaurant on Pampelonne Beach in the 1950s, and it still feels refreshingly low-key. Rustic timber decking, straw umbrellas, tables right on the sand. Celebrities and royalty eat here (the Swedish royal family are regulars in summer), but so do families with sandy toddlers.
The food is simple but well done. You come for the setting, not the menu. After lunch, the beach is right there, with basic mattresses laid straight onto the sand, and there’s a little shop around the corner that’s worth a look.
Two things to know. Don’t wear heels, because you will be walking on sand. And reservations are by phone only, so call several weeks ahead. Here’s my full Le Club 55 review.
Jardin Tropéziana: The Best Food on Pampelonne
A few minutes from Le Club 55, Jardin Tropéziana feels like a secret garden: dappled shade, flowers everywhere and tables dressed properly. It’s a little more dressy than Le Club 55.
This is the one for food. Order the chanterelle risotto. It’s creamy and salty, with that deep, earthy flavour from the chanterelles, and it’s one of the best things I’ve eaten in France. Here’s my full Jardin Tropéziana review.
Cannes
La Môme Plage: For the Atmosphere
La Môme Plage sits on the Croisette with a view across the whole bay, and it’s buzzing from the moment you arrive. Music, chatter, clinking glasses and a crowd that’s very much there to be seen.
Have lunch in the covered restaurant, then move out to the pontoon later in the afternoon when the heat drops. If you want a sunbed, you have to reserve in person, so go the day before. It’s worth it for a whole day of swimming in clear water and drinking very good cocktails.
Mademoiselle Gray: The Relaxed All-Dayer
Mademoiselle Gray has a similar set-up to La Môme, with soft white sand, a Mediterranean menu and a mix of modern and rustic styling, but it costs less for both sunbeds and lunch. There’s usually a DJ playing chilled-out music over lunch.
Book a sunbed, wander up for a light lunch and a glass of rosé, then head back down to the water. Easily a whole day.
Vilebrequin La Plage: The Most Stylish Lunch in Cannes
Vilebrequin La Plage at L’Ondine is the best-looking beach club in Cannes, and everyone knows it, so book ahead for lunch. The setting is gorgeous and the food lives up to it.
Order the truffle pizza. Trust me on this one.
Lena’s Tips
- Book early. Le Club 55 takes phone bookings only, weeks ahead. La Môme sunbeds are reserved in person, the day before.
- Do lunch, then stay. The best value is a sunbed and a long lunch at the same club, not a rushed meal.
- Dress for sand. Flat sandals, linen and a good hat. Heels and sand do not mix.
- Pick Cannes for an easy day. The clubs are a stroll from the town and the train station.
- Hire a car for St Tropez. Pampelonne is a drive from the village, and parking fills up by lunchtime.
- Bring the kids. Le Club 55 and Jardin Tropéziana were both brilliant with our two.
The Verdict
If you only book one, make it Le Club 55 for the experience and Jardin Tropéziana for the food. In Cannes, La Môme is the most fun and Mademoiselle Gray the best value. Planning the rest of the trip? Start with my French Riviera guide.
“A beach club lunch is the best afternoon the Riviera has to offer. Book the table, order the rosé and cancel everything else.” – Lena
