Theoule-sur-Mer South France [Photo courtesy of https://www.instagram.com/travelove.story/]I first came across Théoule-sur-Mer about 30 years ago. We were on holiday just outside Sainte-Maxime. One day we took the coastal road from St Tropez to Cannes. We had passed through some beautiful stops on the way, like Saint-Raphaël and Agay, but then as we climbed up and drove round a headland, Theoule came into view. I will never forget it. It was the combination of the red cliffs, the turquoise waters and the yachts bobbing up and down and the views over to Cannes and the Lérin Islands. It was just really special.
Since that time, I have kept going back to Théoule. Whenever I have business in Cannes, I always drive out to Theoule. If I am feeling flush I have lunch in the restaurant by the harbour. If we are on an economy drive, it is a baguette and some ham sat on the the beach.
La Plage Blanche, Theoule-sur-Mer [Photo courtesy of https://www.instagram.com/chateaudetheoule]
Théoule-sur-Mer is located in an idyllic cove on the French Riviera, in between Cannes and St Tropez. Théoule-sur-Mer provides a number of public and private beaches, together with a Marina, great restaurants and stunning views over the Bay of Cannes and the Mediterranean coastline. It provides the perfect base for a beach holiday in France. The town is a favourite holiday destination for the rich and famous. The French fashion designer, Pierre Cardin, lived in Theoule-sur-Mer for many years, in his iconic Bubble House (see below).
Theoule-sur-Mer is tucked away in a small inlet among the rocks of the Esterel Mountains. It is one of the most beautiful coastal resorts on the French Riviera. Theoule sur Mer is only 10 Km from Cannes and 40 from Nice, and is therefore easily reached by car or boat (and there is even a local train station).
History of Théoule-sur-Mer - from fishing village to 5 star beach resort
Since medieval times, Theoule-sur-Mer was a small fishing village. Over the years, some industry developed, including a soap factory (which is now a 5 star luxury retreat, the Château de Théoule). Then during the late 19th Century the village became an important bathing resort for the wealthy inhabitants of Cannes. A road was carved out of the Esterel mountains providing easier access and a train line was built. Then, finally, with the 'discovery' of Saint Tropez in the 1960's (along with Brigitte Bardot and all of that), the town quickly developed, becoming one of the favourite places for film stars and other wealthy people, in search of some peace and beauty on the French Riviera.
Beach holiday in France
Theoule sur Mer possesses some excellent sandy beaches, often set into small bays carved out of the red rocky coast. You cannot but help to experience the feeling that you are in a special place in the world, with the clear turquoise waters and fine beaches, fish restaurants and truly beautiful private beaches and luxury hotels. Theoule Sur Mer is a great place for a beach holiday in France because it provides you with the peace and tranquility to relax, that can be missing from many of the more crowded parts of the Cote d'Azur.
The main public beach can get quite busy in the summer months (especially after 4.00pm when the inhabitants of Cannes spill out of the city after work). I am not really an advocate of private beaches out of principle, but sometimes it is worth to shell out some money to get a guaranteed spot on the beach during your holiday in france. The views make the entrance price worth the investment.
Le Marco Polo is a private beach situated in a stunning cove in Théoule sur Mer, not far from Cannes. This secluded beach is nestled in amongst the dramatic red cliffs of the Esterel Massif and the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. There is a beach restaurant on Marco Polo beach where visitors can enjoy a light lunch on the beach.
Plage de la Figueirette, Theoule sur mer [Photo courtesy of La Panama restaurant www.facebook.com/restaurantpanama]
La Panama is a long-standing beach bar & restaurant in Theoule-sur-Mer. The place gets absolutely packed during the summer, especially around lunchtime. The restaurant is located on Plage de la Figueirette. The restaurant offers simple, but well-cooked meals, with a lot of seafood and fish. There are a good range of cocktails and the drinks are actually fairly reasonable for a beach bar (on the French Riviera). Certainly what you would expect to pay
An alternative private beach is La Plage de Red Roc. The views from the beach club are wonderful. Every day from the middle of April until the middle of September, for a small fee you can bathe in the warm sunlight on the sun loungers laid out on a series of terraces that lead down to the crystal clear water. There is an excellent beach restaurant open for lunch all season, as well as during the evenings from June to September. The attached hotel offers a luxurious Thalassotherapy spa, which is open to beach visitors for an additional price.
La Joya Beach, is located next to the main port (Port de la Figueirette) in heart of Théoule-sur-Mer. This upmarket private beach club provides a high-standard restaurant and cocktail bar. The atmosphere is relaxed, but you can taste the money in the air. This is definitely not going to be a cheap lunch, but you probably have one of the best views on the French Riviera to make up for the hole in your wallet. The restaurant is open every day 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (and until midnight Thursday to Saturday).
Théoule sur Mer enjoys one of the most beautiful Riviera locations, as it benefits from stunning coastal views out towards Cannes and the Lérins islands, as well as a prime location at the heart of the Estérel forest park. There are a number of walks including a complete circuit of the headland - L'Aiguille - taking about 1hr 15 mins. In Théoule there's a choice of water sports and boat hire.
Theoule-sur-Mer is just a short drive from Cannes and here you will find a wealth of shops, restaurants, casinos and attractions. You can also reach Cannes via train - just 3 stops on the St Raphael train, taking about 12 minutes.
The Bubble House Théoule-sur-Mer
Pierre Cardin's Bubble House, Theoule-sur-Mer [Photo courtesy of https://www.instagram.com/travelove.story/]
The Palais Bulles or Bubble House is an iconic site in Théoule-sur-Mer, near Cannes, France. This stunning architectural masterpiece was designed by the Hungarian architect Antti Lovag. The initial phase of the building work was completed in 1975, but additional extensions were added over the next 10 years. The Bubble House was initially commissioned by the wealthy French businessman, Pierre Bernard, but in 1991 it was purchased by the iconic fashion designer, Pierre Cardin, for use as his holiday home in South France.
The Bubble House extends over 1200 m2 and includes a panoramic lounge, 500-seat open-air amphitheatre, various swimming pools and waterfalls, all set within in extensive landscaped grounds. The 10 bedrooms are each decorated by individual artists.
Palais Bulles Theoule-sur-Mer [Photo courtesy of www.francebleu.fr Maxppp - Frédéric Speich]
Pierre Cardin also owned a huge apartment in Paris and a castle in the south of France once owned by the Marquis de Sade. Although his visits to the Bubble House became less frequent in his later years, he did visit the house in 2019 following the completion of a 5 year renovation programme.
The Bubble House was apparently recently listed for sale with an asking price of €350 million. I suppose when you are as rich and famous as Pierre Cardin and you are the owner of such an iconic house, you can ask whatever price you think people are prepared to pay
Sadly, Pierre Cardin died in December 2020 at the ripe old age of 98. Pierre Cardin is rightly placed alongside the famous group of European fashion designers of the last 40 years, that includes Yves Saint-Laurent, Karl Largerfield, Gianni Versace and Giorgio Armani
Beach holiday France: Theoule-sur-Mer restaurants
There are a number of excellent restaurants in Theoule-sur-Mer. The most famous restaurant in the town in Chez Philippe, which offers an à la carte menu and a 28€ set meal for lunch. At weekends the local beaches are popular picnic destinations and you will often find impromptu games of boules along the beach and pathways. There are lots of restaurants and snack bars to choose from as you walk the coast to the Marco Polo beach and also within the town centre.
Mareluna is a Michelin star restaurant in Théoule, located at the Château de Théoule 5 star resort. The restaurant is run by the Italian chef, Francesco Fezza (who trained at the famous Restaurant Le Meurice Alain Ducasse). Mareluna features a blend of French, Italian, North African and Japanese influences and is described in the the Michelin guide as
In a chic and elegant Art Deco Riviera decor, Italian chef Francesco Fezza, prepares Italian and local products with passion and creativity . . . the recipes feature Thai influenced Osso-Buco pasta; Cuttlefish tagliatelle, Herring caviar, Menton lemons, Wasabi and Kaffir limes . . .
Mareluna restaurant is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 55 Avenue De Lérins Château De Théoule, 06590 Théoule sur Mer France. Mareluna restaurant.
You will also find an array of excellent fish restaurants and luxury hotels with outdoor terraces close to the centre of Theoule-sur-Mer. Among the more popular restaurants in Theoule include Le Coup d'Fourchette, Aux Ingredients and La Rotonde.
Theoule-sur-Mer luxury villa rentals France (sleeps 8)
This private villa near Cannes, South France, comes with stunning sea views, 3 terraces and an infinity swimming pool. The villa is located only a short walk from sandy beaches and is close to the centre of Theoule-sur-Mer village, with its numerous shops and restaurants.
This private villa in South France near Cannes is spread over four floors and comes with 4 double bedrooms, a private lift to all floors, air conditioning, private off-road parking and WiFi internet. The villa is situated in a quiet residential area on a hillside overlooking the Mediterranean sea and the Bay of Cannes. Just next door there is the iconic Pierre Cardin "Bubble House".
Rental prices: High season (July-Aug) €7,350 per week; Mid season (June and September) €4,650 per week; and Spring/Autumn €3,850 per week.
Getting to Théoule-sur-Mer South France
Obviously, the best way to reach Théoule-sur-Mer is by an expensive yacht, kitted out with Supermodels and bare-chested deck hands. But failing that, there is actually a Water Taxi from Cannes to Theoule that runs throughout the summer. The water taxi is called the Navette Maritime Estérel and it operates during July and August. The boat departs from the Quai Laubeuf in Cannes and there are 4 round trip services per day (starting at 9:15, 11:15, 14:30, and 16:30). The last boat back from Théoule is 17.30. The trip lasts about 1 hour and costs €10 for a round trip ticket.
Théoule-sur-Mer is located on the D6098 road, which runs between Cannes (Mandelieu-la-Napoule) and Saint-Raphaël. This is one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the World and is unofficially called the 'Golden Coast Road' (Corniche d'Or).
There is a train station in Théoule-sur-Mer, located just a bit outside of town on Avenue de Lérins, 06590 Théoule-sur-Mer. The station is on the Marseille–Nice line, with stops in Cannes, Antibes, Toulon and Saint-Raphael.
Where to next . . . ?
If you are visiting the South of France this summer, then get the inside track on the best Places to see & visit in the South of France in 2026 (written by people who live in Southern France all year around). Read about the best restaurants to eat at, get local information on the best beaches to visit and discover the best tourist sites, markets and festivals to see during your stay.
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