March on the Côte d’Azur is no longer a quiet prelude to summer. It’s become the Riviera’s soft launch as some of the most iconic hotels and destination restaurants – from Menton to Saint Tropez – are opening their doors once again. For travellers, investors and residents alike, March now marks the beginning of the season.
With Menton’s Fête du Citron and Nice’s Carnival behind us, it’s goodbye winter, hello spring – arguably one of the most blissful moments of the year.
We’ve toasted the new season at Zuma Cannes (a standout Omakase evening with flawless pairings), and watched the Mediterranean sunset from the terrace of Hôtel Belles Rives as it reopened – two experiences we’d recommend anyone visiting the Riviera this season puts on their ‘must do’ list!
Here is Riviera Edition’s guide to the luxury hotels and top-tier restaurants reopening in March 2026.
Restaurants & Luxury Hotel Openings, French Riviera
Beaulieu-sur-Mer
La Réserve de Beaulieu Hotel
Reopening: 27 March 2026
https://www.reservebeaulieu.com/
This discreet five-star hotel, overlooking the Mediterranean, resumes its season on Friday 27 March. Expect refined gastronomy from Le Restaurant des Rois (also reopening on 27 March), immaculate service and one of the most elegant seafront settings between Nice and Monaco.
Cannes
Fouquet’s Cannes at Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic (Majestic Hotel)
Reopening: 5 March 2026
https://www.hotelsbarriere.com/cannes/le-majestic/restaurants-et-bars/fouquets-cannes
The Cannes outpost of the Parisian institution resumes full seasonal service from early March, aligning perfectly with the Riviera’s gradual return to long lunches and late dinners.
Zuma Cannes
Now open (reopened late February 2026)
https://zumarestaurant.com/locations/cannes/
Zuma has already reopened ahead of March, making it one of the first major names back on the Croisette. For those planning early spring weekends in Cannes, reservations are once again very much in demand.
Cap d’Antibes, Juan-les-Pins
Hôtel Belles Rives
Reopening: 6 March 2026
https://www.bellesrives.com/
An Art Deco landmark on Cap d’Antibes, Hôtel Belles Rives returns on 6 March. We can’t wait. Its waterfront terrace and F. Scott Fitzgerald heritage make it one of the Riviera’s most atmospheric early-season addresses. The sunset view is sublime; the signature cocktails irresistible! (The beach – Plage Belles Rives – only opens 10 April, and the gastronomic restaurant Le Passagere on 29 April.)
Monaco: Restaurants Reopening in March 2026
Unlike much of the Côte d’Azur, Monaco’s grand hotels (including Hôtel de Paris, Hôtel Hermitage and Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort) operate year-round. Here are some of the Monaco restaurant re-openings for March 2026:
Nobu Monte-Carlo at the Fairmont
Reopening: 5 March 2026
https://www.fairmont.com/en/hotels/monte-carlo/fairmont-monte-carlo/dining/nobu.restaurant.html
Located within the Fairmont Monte Carlo, Nobu resumes service from 5 March following its winter closure. The Japanese-Peruvian concept remains one of Monaco’s most recognisable international dining brands — and one of the first major names to signal the Principality’s shift into spring mode.
Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac
Reopening: 8 March 2026
https://metropole.com/fr/restaurant-montecarlo/les-ambassadeurs-by-christophe-cussac/
Situated in the Hôtel Métropole, Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac offers modern, creative cuisine with traditional Mediterranean flavours. Within nine months of opening in 2024, it was awarded two Michelin stars. Head Chef Cussac invites you into an ambience that’s warm with a “choreographed service that comes to life, like a theatrical scene”.
Nice
Le Plongeoir
Reopening: 12 March 2026
https://www.leplongeoir.com/en/home/
This iconic restaurant with its breathtaking view (see main picture), friendly staff, and delicious Mediterranean-inspired menu, reopens on 12 March 2026. (The lounge bar only opens 21 May.) Located on a rocky outcrop, not far from where where James Bond’s Sean Connery used to live, the Plongeoir offers an absolutely unique and glorious experience.
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
The Maybourne Riviera
Reopening: 16 March 2026
https://www.maybourneriviera.com/
Suspended above the sea with cinematic views over Monaco on one side and Roquebrune-Cap-Martin on the other, The Maybourne Riviera reopens mid-March (16 March). Its collection of restaurants and bars – including concepts by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten – signals the return of Riviera dining at altitude. This is one of our favourite picks for a wedding destination or honeymoon.
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel
Reopening: 6 March 2026
https://www.fourseasons.com/capferrat/
One of the Riviera’s most storied palace hotels reopens for the season on 6 March. The heated seawater pool at Le Club Dauphin, panoramic sea views and Michelin-starred dining once again set the tone for spring on the peninsula. March stays here feel particularly special – polished, serene and just ahead of peak season. This is one of the most glamorous hotels on the Riviera with the friendliest, most welcoming staff.
Coming Soon: April & May 2026 Riviera Openings
• COYA Monte-Carlo – reopening 1 April 2026
• La Chèvre d’Or, Eze – reopening 09 April 2026
• Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel & Resort – reopening 14 April 2026
• COMO Le Beauvallon, Saint-Tropez – reopening 24 April 2026
• Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Cap d’Antibes – reopening 20 April 2026
• Zannier Hotels, Île de Bendor – launching May 2026
• La Guerite, Ile Saint-Marguerite, Cannes – reopening 07 May 2026
(We will cover these, and more, in detail in our April edition.)
