Rich pickings for paupers ... doubles at Hotel de la Plage, Rayol Canadel cost from just €62 a night. Photograph: PR
Hotel la Marjolaine, Antibes Juan-les-Pins
Chic "JLP" may not be the glamour spot it was when the likes of F Scott Fitzgerald bowled through town, but Juan's art-deco charm pulls in hip holidaymakers from around Europe. One minute back from the 4km sandy beach, la Marjolaine looks out over the swank. Rooms are delightfully old-fashioned, with heavy wooden beds, beams, writing desks and good linen. A long gravel drive ensures that any nocturnal rowdiness is kept at bay. The €5 breakfast can be taken on the south-facing patio.
• +33 (0)4 93 61 06 60, www.la-marjolaine.hotels-antibes.com, doubles €65pn.
Hotel Miramar, Cap d'Ail
Le jet set may be just a few minutes east in Monaco, but staying in the slightly less pretentious village of Cap d'Ail is way cheaper. The Miramar is a glamour-free decompression chamber - unhurried calm imbues this simple hotel. For a few euros extra you can bag a room with a south-facing terrace complete with sun loungers - breakfast in bed looking out over the Med doesn't come cheaper than this. Four-person family rooms are available, too; these tend to book out months in advance. Ten minutes downhill is Mala plage, which boasts a large public beach area, excellent snorkelling and sea kayaks for hire at €10 an hour.
• +33 (0)4 9378 0660, monte-carlo.mc/hotel-miramar-capdail, doubles from €43pn.
Villa Thalassa, Cap d'Ail
An even cheaper option in the village will set you back less than the price of a DVD. Villa Thalassa was converted into a youth hostel in 1952 and welcomes guests of all ages. A coastal path leads alongside public beaches that manage to feel exclusive, and on into Monaco. While it might be surrounded by the million-euro homes of Europe's caviar-chomping elite, you can go full board here for just €32.50. Accommodation is in well-spaced rooms of four to 10 beds, all with panoramic views over the Med. Like many hostels, it has a 10pm no-noise curfew. But party animals can take a key and tiptoe home later.
• +33 (0)4 93 81 27 63, clajsud.fr, B&B €17pp pn
Camping les Cigales, Cassis
Once the stomping ground of Dufy and Matisse, the pretty seaside town of Cassis is an expensive place to bed down. A better option is Camping les Cigales, a family friendly resort shaded by olive trees, one mile from town. There are no studios or mobile homes, just tents and caravans. Cassis's biggest pull are the Calanques, deep gashes in the limestone cliffs that hide turquoise coves and white sand beaches, many accessible only by kayak or on foot. If you don't fancy hiking, rock-climbing or cliff-diving, pick up a free vin et terroir walking map from the Cassis tourist office for an easy trail around the valley's vineyards.
• +33 (0)4 4201 0734, campingcassis.com (French only) €10.65pp pn.
La Villa sur la Plage, Eze-sur-Mer
Sharing a strip of pebbly seaside with Bono's Riviera hideaway, La Villa sur la Plage, midway between Nice and Monaco, offers what few properties in the south of France can claim: the Mediterranean is just a 20ft hop away. Views from the two ground-floor apartments take in sky and sea, with a colourful port to the west completing the postcard scene. Croatian-French owners Meri and Patric, who live next door, will steer you towards the Nietzsche Path, a steep, 90-minute hike up to the perched village of Eze. Each apartment has its own terrace, sun loungers and private parking spot - another rarity in these parts.
• +33 872 249 924, holidaylettings.co.uk (listing no 18357), from €257 pp pw, based on four sharing.
Hôtel de la Plage, Rayol-Canadel
Just west of the Saint-Tropez peninsula, Rayol-Canadel has shimmering sandy beaches, a stunning botanical garden (domainedurayol.org) - and this little 12-room gem. This year, Hôtel de la Plage celebrates its 99th birthday. Its telephone number is no longer the original "22", but its simple, clean rooms, sun-dappled terrace and bargain rates continue to draw perennial guests. Settle into a sun lounger by the pool or cross over the road for direct access to la plage.
• +33 (0)4 9405 6122, rayolhotelplage.com, doubles from €62pn.
La Bambou, Ile de Porquerolles
Porquerolles is a boat ride away from the seaside towns of Toulon and Le Lavandou. This idyllic island is an underdeveloped former naval outpost, and about as unchic as the Riviera gets. Replacing glitz are pine forests, an organic vineyard and a dozen impressive beaches. And the cheapest place to stay? The good ship Bambou, a 24ft yacht moored in the main harbour. It sleeps four and offers such luxuries as an ice machine and a croque-monsieur maker. And if you can sail it, you'll have the island's best bits all to yourself.
• +33 (0)6 2094 0574, desailessurlavague.com (French only), boat from €50pn.
Villa du Plageron, plage du Pramousquier
Slightly more expensive at up to £50 per person, but this final find is honeymoon standard. More of a souped-up chambre d'hôte than a boutique hotel, it's ringed by secluded outside spaces and tropical plants, while guestrooms are all antique tiles and luxury bathrooms. The villa markets itself as pieds dans l'eau ("feet in the water"), though those wanting to laze on proper sand rather than bask on rocks should head to the village of Rayol-Canadel's lovely plage du Pramousquier, a five-minute walk away. Proprietors Virginie and Bruno speak some English, but it's best to email for a booking enquiry.
• +33 (0)4 94 05 61 15, plageron.com, bed and breakfast from €60pp pn.
Hotel la Marjolaine, Antibes Juan-les-Pins
Chic "JLP" may not be the glamour spot it was when the likes of F Scott Fitzgerald bowled through town, but Juan's art-deco charm pulls in hip holidaymakers from around Europe. One minute back from the 4km sandy beach, la Marjolaine looks out over the swank. Rooms are delightfully old-fashioned, with heavy wooden beds, beams, writing desks and good linen. A long gravel drive ensures that any nocturnal rowdiness is kept at bay. The €5 breakfast can be taken on the south-facing patio.
• +33 (0)4 93 61 06 60, www.la-marjolaine.hotels-antibes.com, doubles €65pn.
Hotel Miramar, Cap d'Ail
Le jet set may be just a few minutes east in Monaco, but staying in the slightly less pretentious village of Cap d'Ail is way cheaper. The Miramar is a glamour-free decompression chamber - unhurried calm imbues this simple hotel. For a few euros extra you can bag a room with a south-facing terrace complete with sun loungers - breakfast in bed looking out over the Med doesn't come cheaper than this. Four-person family rooms are available, too; these tend to book out months in advance. Ten minutes downhill is Mala plage, which boasts a large public beach area, excellent snorkelling and sea kayaks for hire at €10 an hour.
• +33 (0)4 9378 0660, monte-carlo.mc/hotel-miramar-capdail, doubles from €43pn.
Villa Thalassa, Cap d'Ail
An even cheaper option in the village will set you back less than the price of a DVD. Villa Thalassa was converted into a youth hostel in 1952 and welcomes guests of all ages. A coastal path leads alongside public beaches that manage to feel exclusive, and on into Monaco. While it might be surrounded by the million-euro homes of Europe's caviar-chomping elite, you can go full board here for just €32.50. Accommodation is in well-spaced rooms of four to 10 beds, all with panoramic views over the Med. Like many hostels, it has a 10pm no-noise curfew. But party animals can take a key and tiptoe home later.
• +33 (0)4 93 81 27 63, clajsud.fr, B&B €17pp pn
Camping les Cigales, Cassis
Once the stomping ground of Dufy and Matisse, the pretty seaside town of Cassis is an expensive place to bed down. A better option is Camping les Cigales, a family friendly resort shaded by olive trees, one mile from town. There are no studios or mobile homes, just tents and caravans. Cassis's biggest pull are the Calanques, deep gashes in the limestone cliffs that hide turquoise coves and white sand beaches, many accessible only by kayak or on foot. If you don't fancy hiking, rock-climbing or cliff-diving, pick up a free vin et terroir walking map from the Cassis tourist office for an easy trail around the valley's vineyards.
• +33 (0)4 4201 0734, campingcassis.com (French only) €10.65pp pn.
La Villa sur la Plage, Eze-sur-Mer
Sharing a strip of pebbly seaside with Bono's Riviera hideaway, La Villa sur la Plage, midway between Nice and Monaco, offers what few properties in the south of France can claim: the Mediterranean is just a 20ft hop away. Views from the two ground-floor apartments take in sky and sea, with a colourful port to the west completing the postcard scene. Croatian-French owners Meri and Patric, who live next door, will steer you towards the Nietzsche Path, a steep, 90-minute hike up to the perched village of Eze. Each apartment has its own terrace, sun loungers and private parking spot - another rarity in these parts.
• +33 872 249 924, holidaylettings.co.uk (listing no 18357), from €257 pp pw, based on four sharing.
Hôtel de la Plage, Rayol-Canadel
Just west of the Saint-Tropez peninsula, Rayol-Canadel has shimmering sandy beaches, a stunning botanical garden (domainedurayol.org) - and this little 12-room gem. This year, Hôtel de la Plage celebrates its 99th birthday. Its telephone number is no longer the original "22", but its simple, clean rooms, sun-dappled terrace and bargain rates continue to draw perennial guests. Settle into a sun lounger by the pool or cross over the road for direct access to la plage.
• +33 (0)4 9405 6122, rayolhotelplage.com, doubles from €62pn.
La Bambou, Ile de Porquerolles
Porquerolles is a boat ride away from the seaside towns of Toulon and Le Lavandou. This idyllic island is an underdeveloped former naval outpost, and about as unchic as the Riviera gets. Replacing glitz are pine forests, an organic vineyard and a dozen impressive beaches. And the cheapest place to stay? The good ship Bambou, a 24ft yacht moored in the main harbour. It sleeps four and offers such luxuries as an ice machine and a croque-monsieur maker. And if you can sail it, you'll have the island's best bits all to yourself.
• +33 (0)6 2094 0574, desailessurlavague.com (French only), boat from €50pn.
Villa du Plageron, plage du Pramousquier
Slightly more expensive at up to £50 per person, but this final find is honeymoon standard. More of a souped-up chambre d'hôte than a boutique hotel, it's ringed by secluded outside spaces and tropical plants, while guestrooms are all antique tiles and luxury bathrooms. The villa markets itself as pieds dans l'eau ("feet in the water"), though those wanting to laze on proper sand rather than bask on rocks should head to the village of Rayol-Canadel's lovely plage du Pramousquier, a five-minute walk away. Proprietors Virginie and Bruno speak some English, but it's best to email for a booking enquiry.
• +33 (0)4 94 05 61 15, plageron.com, bed and breakfast from €60pp pn.
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