Moke Drive on the French Riviera: Routes and Insider Tips
Mini Moke Road Trip on the French Riviera: Our Favourite Routes from Nice to Saint-Tropez
A drive in a Mini Moke along the French Riviera is a truly unique experience. With the roof down, a warm breeze, and the sea in the background – the French Riviera was made for this. And the electric Moke, quiet and convertible, is the ideal companion.
Here are our favourite routes between Nice, Monaco, Cannes and Saint-Tropez.
Itinerary 1 — Nice, from the Promenade to the Hills
Distance: 25 km Estimated duration: 1.5 to 2 hours Profile Beginner, ideal for a first attempt
The Promenade des Anglais is obviously the starting point. But if you don't go beyond the seafront, you'll miss the best part.
From the Promenade, head back towards Old Nice and its ochre alleyways. Then, take the direction of the Lower Corniche, which follows the coastline eastwards. Views of the Mediterranean gradually open up. In a Moke, every bend is an invitation to slow down.
Recommended stop: Villefranche-sur-Mer - one of the most beautiful villages on the coast. The bay is one of the deepest in the Mediterranean.
Practical tip: Leave early in the morning (before 9 am) or late in the afternoon (after 5 pm) to avoid summer traffic and enjoy the golden light.
For tips and events: Nice Tourist Office
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Route 2 – The Coastal Road to Monaco
Distance: 20 km from Nice Estimated duration: 45 mins to 1 hr · Profile Easy, spectacular
Nice → Èze → Monaco. This stretch of the Grande Corniche is one of the most photographed in France. In an electric Moke, silent and open to the landscape, it takes on a new dimension.
From Nice, take the Route de la Grande Corniche (D2564). The bends gradually rise above the coastline. To the left: the Mediterranean. Below: the roofs of the coastal towns. Above: the azure sky.
Recommended stop: Èze Village. This medieval village, perched at an altitude of 400 metres, offers 360° views of the coast. The exotic garden is well worth a visit.
Arrival Monaco: Descend towards the Rock and Port Hercules. The Moke in this setting of yachts and limestone cliffs is a picture in itself.
Autonomy This journey is 20 km – well below the Moke's range (129 km). You can do the round trip and still take your time.
Eze Village - one of the most beautiful hilltop villages
Itinerary 3 — Cannes and the Coast
Distance: 30 km from Nice Estimated duration: 1 hour drive, 2 hour walk Profile easy
La Croisette in Cannes is one of the most famous avenues in the world. In a Moke, with the roof down, sunshine and the sea – that's precisely the setting it deserves.
Join Cannes via the motorway or the coastal road (more scenic, but longer). Once on La Croisette, drive slowly. The palm trees, the facades of the palaces, the beach within easy reach. Park and head down to the Old Port.
Recommended stop: Le Marché Forville, if you are there in the morning. Then the Port, for a coffee facing the boats.
For photographers: The late afternoon light on La Croisette, with the Moke in the foreground, is a visual brief in itself.
Cannes Old Port
Itinerary 4 — Saint-Tropez and the peninsula
Distance: 100 km from Cannes Estimated duration: 1 hour 30 minutes drive · Profile Day trip
Saint-Tropez is the ultimate destination for a Moke. Brigitte Bardot made the Moke mythical there. The Port, the Pampelonne beaches, the vineyards of Ramatuelle — every scene is a postcard.
Suggested itinerary on site
Arrival by the Port of Saint-Tropez — parking and a walk through the narrow streets
2. Route de la plage de Pampelonne (D93) — vineyards, wild lavender and the sea at the end
3. Ramatuelle — medieval village, market if you are there on Thursday or Sunday
4. Return via Croix-Valmer for another perspective on the peninsula
Charging advice: Arrange for a recharge in Saint-Tropez. Several charging stations are available in town. The 129 km range is sufficient for journeys on the peninsula, but the return to Cannes or Nice will require planning.
Note: We occasionally organise free Moke test drives in Saint-Tropez — Port de Saint-Tropez and Ramatuelle.
To prepare for your visit: Saint-Tropez Tourist Office
Saint-Tropez, Brigitte Bardot's village
Our advice for a successful Moke outing
The weather first
The Côte d’Azur offers more than 300 days of sunshine per year. But a Moke without a roof in the rain is another matter entirely. Check the Weather conditions Check Météo-France.fr before you leave. Outside of July-August, mornings can be cool – pack a light jacket.
Departure time
Golden hour in the morning (7-9 am): golden light, clear roads. Golden hour in the evening (5-7 pm): same magic, but check the sunset time depending on the season.
Parking
In the town centres of the Côte d'Azur during the season, parking is a discipline in itself. Arrive early or bet on the peripheral car parks and finish with a walk.
Autonomy
129 km is more than enough for most of these routes. For Saint-Tropez, plan to recharge there. A 2-hour charge is sufficient – enough time for a good lunch.
Think of Calculate your route in advance on ViaMichelin
Ready to hit the road?
At SUNCAR France, we offer free test drives of the electric Moke in Nice, Cannes, Monaco, and Saint-Tropez. Thirty minutes, no obligation, on the roads of your choice.
We also offer the possibility to rent your Moke by the day, to discover the French Riviera, and enjoy a memorable experience behind the wheel of an iconic car.
The French Riviera awaits you. As does the Moke.
Also to read…
Mini Moke France: the electric beach car is back
Mini Moke France: The iconic beach car goes electric
There are cars you recognise at first glance. Silhouettes that belong to the collective memory, to childhood summers, to seaside images. The Mini Moke is one of those. And in France, it's returning – in its best form.
1964. The birth of an icon.
The Mini Moke was born in England in 1964, Designed to be simple, light, and open to the world. A convertible, without fuss, it quickly conquered the beaches of the French Riviera and the Mediterranean. Brigitte Bardot It possesses one. Luxury hotels make it their prestige buggy. Within a few seasons, it becomes the symbol of a certain way of life – sunny, free, elegant.
The Electric MOKE: The icon reinvents itself
Sixty years on, MOKE International resurrect this legend. The same silhouette, recognisable from a mile off. The same convertible spirit, the same wind-in-your-hair sense of fun. But this time, the MOKE is 100 % electric, zero emissions, and quieter than ever.
In France, it's SUNCAR France, official distributor based in Nice, which markets it — logical for a car born for the Mediterranean.
The perfect beach car for summer in France... or anywhere else
This summer, imagine: you're heading down to the beach, the sun already high, the soft-top down, the engine noise replaced by the wind. No windows, no doors, total freedom. This is exactly what the MOKE Electric.
– 4 places — to go away with family or friends
– 129 km range — more than enough to explore a coast, an island, an hinterland
– Recharges in 2 hours — for the duration of a lunch ADEME — Electric Car Guide
– Max speed 80 km/h — ideal for coastal roads
– Convertible — standard, not optional
– 0 emissions — enjoy the eco-bonus
Six colours available Shell White, Palm Green, Wave Blue, Eucalyptus Green, Sunset Orange, Sunlight Yellow. Each colour is an invitation to summer.
From Saint-Tropez to Antibes, from the Île de Ré to the coves of Corsica, the electric MOKE It adapts to all French coastlines. Its compact size is an advantage on winding seaside roads. And its open soft-top naturally makes it the summer beach car – the one they're still talking about in September.
Anyone can buy an electric MOKE in France.
SUNCAR France distributes the electric MOKE in all of France, Monaco and Switzerland. It is available with a finance lease from £449 per month.
It's a real car — road-legal, registered, insured like any other vehicle. It drives all over France, in the city as well as on coastal roads, passes through the low-emission zones of Nice, Cannes, or Paris without any problems, parks easily, and turns heads wherever it goes.
Try the electric MOKE this summer
Want to know what it's like to drive an electric MOKE on the French Riviera? SUNCAR France is offering free, no-obligation test drives. An expert will call you back within 24 hours to arrange your slot. There's no need to travel to a showroom – the team will come to you.
Order your essay on suncar-france.fr
Find all the latest news about the electric MOKE in France on Instagram: @suncar_france
The Mini Moke is back in France. And it's never been better.
Also to read…