French Riviera Helicopter Tours - Sublime Views

By: FORTLOC Staff | Published: 01/31/2024 | Modified: 03/12/2026

The French Riviera, also known as Cote d'Azur is an area of great natural beauty, which is perhaps why so many tourists head to this destination each year.

Covering such a vast area from Cassis to Menton (some may stretch that further west to Marseille), it'll take a while to travel through the whole region while driving or sailing. The next best thing is to see Cote d'Azur from the skies.

Taking advantage of a helicopter tour, you can enjoy panoramic views of France's Mediterranean coast, from the glittering coastline to the stunning Esterel mountains. Experiences offered include flights to epic destinations for gastronomy, wine tasting, and golf at some of the region's most prestigious courses.

Through our exploration of this Mediterranean haven, we've taken advantage of two of the best helicopter tour providers, Monacair and Heli Air Monaco. Both offer tours in a diverse fleet of helicopters, providing group and private tours ranging in distance and time.

Both operators offer private transfers from Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE) for tourists and business travelers heading to Monaco. If you're familiar with the area, you know that the closest airport to Monaco is in Nice. You can either take a chauffeured 30-45-minute ride (depending on traffic) or a tedious train ride.

Neither is particularly ideal, especially for travelers coming in from the other side of the Atlantic. Meanwhile, a helicopter ride with either company will take only 7 minutes, and you'll arrive in Monaco in style. The panoramic views you'll enjoy on the way are an added bonus. You can either take a shared ride or have the helicopter to yourself to enjoy some privacy.

If like us, your aim is to film the sublime aerial views of the region, both companies offer filming services to allow you to get the best shots. Monaco, in particular, has strict drone laws, and depending on your goals, it may be easier to use a helicopter for filming.

Heli Air Monaco

Operating from various locations across Côte d'Azur, Heli Air Monaco offers a wide range of tours. Departing from the helipad in Monaco and Cannes airport, options include short tours to enjoy aerial views of the Lerins Islands and Massif de l'Esterel. Longer tours cover various parts of the French Riviera, other parts of France, and the Italian Riviera.

Heli Air Monaco also offers many custom options, including villa tours in partnership with luxury real estate agency Magrey & Sons. The partnership provides transfers and rentals at some of the most desirable villas on the French Riviera.

Monacair

With a top-notch fleet of Airbus, Bell, and Leonardo helicopters, Monacair offers a wide range of helicopter tours. The Airbus H130 is an excellent choice as its oversized windows provide an immersive viewing experience, giving the illusion of floating through the skies without having a bad hair day. Acquired by Blade Air Mobility in 2022, Monacair operates flights to places like Meribel, Megeve, and Limone in addition to short tours. With the added "muscle" Blade Air Mobility brings to the table, the custom options are virtually endless. Monacair also has a private jet service for longer flight.

If you happen to have your yacht in the area, you'll be happy to know that Monacair has expertise in yacht landing, so maybe you won't need to put that tender to work often.

Helipads in the French Riviera

There are numerous helipads located throughout the French Riviera, which means there's an abundance of opportunities for helicopter tours. However, the most popular places to begin tours are Monaco and Cannes. In Monaco, the helipad, Heliport De Monaco, borders the Mediterranean, and the views, even before you get on the aircraft, are to die for.

In Cannes, the flights operate from the airport. You should note that security is very tight, and having your passport with you is required even for short tours. We needed our passports for the trip from Cannes Airport to the Lerins Islands. Total flight time was about 20 minutes.

Benefits of Helicopter Tours

There are many reasons why you should consider taking a helicopter ride in the French Riviera. Firstly, it allows you to see the beautiful region from a vantage point like no other.

From the glittering coastline of vibrant blue seas and golden sand to the mountainous areas and towns, the views are truly unparalleled. If you enjoy photography, even if it's just from your phone, you'll be able to capture photographs you'll cherish for a long time.

Another major benefit of taking a helicopter ride on the French Riviera is that it is a very efficient way to get to your destination. While traveling down the scenic roads in the region can be a joyful experience, the narrow roads are often vulnerable to traffic jams that take away from the experience. If you're unlucky to encounter stretches of roads with ongoing construction, prepare for a world of hurt.

With a helicopter ride, you can simply sit back, relax, and arrive at your destination on time. This is probably more important to the business traveler. You don't want to be late for that crucial meeting.

Traveling by helicopter combines style, efficiency, and a certain level of bliss that's difficult to put into words. It is one of the more practical modes of transportation if you're planning to cover an extensive area during your trip.