In August 2020, my husband and I traveled to the French Riviera (Côte d'Azur) for a week; we stayed in Villefranche-sur-Mer and traveled to Nice, Èze, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Monaco. This itinerary is based on that experience. Want more visual inspiration? Check out the video from the trip.
Travel and Accommodations: Flying into the Nice Airport, there are multiple public transportation options. We took a combination; took the tram (tickets via machine at the airport), rode a few stops until we were at a train station. From there, we bought tickets (at the machine) and trained to our destination. We decided to stay in an AirBNB, as we wanted to cook a majority of our meals, and a washer/dryer is lovely for a longer stay.
General note: We chose to stay in Villefranche-sur-Mer; this is much smaller than Nice, feels less touristy and is easy to travel to all surrounding areas. It has the best beach in the area (less rocky) and it is a great starting point for hikes. There are public and private beaches - you can easily tell, if there are chairs and umbrellas, those are private areas (you can rent chairs ahead of time). Our AirBNB provided us with a beach bag including towels and a small umbrella, so we had no need to pay extra.
Day 1: Travel & Beach
Checked into our AirBNB early afternoon and had lunch at La Grignotière; after getting our bearings, we discovered the small market was closed, so we took the train to the Super U in Beaulieu-sur-Mer (this was our main grocery store for the week). We finally made it back to our hotel, and ready to get into the beautiful water. We gathered some items and spent a couple hours at the beach. After the sun had gone behind the ridge, we spent the rest of the night drinking wine and having dinner on our balcony.
Day 2: Nice Food Tour & Sightseeing
After a small breakfast, we took the train into Nice. We had spare time before our tour, so we went up to see the Nice Russian Orthodox Cathedral; this historical monument is the most important Orthodox worship building outside Russia. It was worth going a little bit out of the way to see this, as I had never seen architecture like that before. We then caught sight of the Notre-Dame de l’Assomption Basilica as we made our way to our tour meeting spot. We chose the NO DIET CLUB - Best Local Food in Nice on the ‘AirBNB experiences’, and it was fantastic. It was a really nice price compared to other tours, and it was like having a walking tour and eating tour all in one. The majority of the tour took place in Old Town, which is filled with beautiful buildings with colorful facades and shady alleyways.
First stop was Lou Balico where we had an authentic Pan Bagnat (a Salade Niçoise - veggies, tuna, anchovies - in sandwich form); I have to say, it was probably the best thing I ate all day. We also had pissaladière (old-fashioned onion and anchovy tart) and farcis niçois (stuffed vegetables, in this case, a mushroom). After the meal, we stopped in Place Giuseppe Garibaldi; a public square, where our guide gave us a little history. We then headed to Especialites Nicoises for socca (a savory chickpea crêpe). We even got to see the ovens and how it is made! We crossed the main street to Parc de la Coulé Verte (park) to sit and eat.
Next we crossed back over to Le Falafel for hummus and falafel (we also had a less sweet version of limeade, which was odd). Next was a stop at Olio Donato; an olive oil/truffle shop. This was great as we got information from the owner about the production of oils as well as black and white truffles. There were lots of yummy items to buy (we went with a spice mix and truffle salt). We walked by Place Rossetti (square) for a view of Nice Cathedral before stopping at Chez Thérésa for tourte de blettes (swiss chard tarts) and socca (chickpea) beer. For some real sweets, we stopped at Azzurro Artisan Glacier for gelato (get ‘Italian Lover’; white chocolate, pistachio and hazelnut ganache, you will not regret it). Next, we stopped at Angea Les Macarons, for a macaroon. I am confident that the gelato and macaroon were the best I have had. To finish the tour, we stopped at Topaze Bar Nice for a sample of a croissant/pain au chocolat. I am not sure how we ate all of those items, but I am so happy I did.
Although extremely full, we knew we did not want to come back into Nice, so we needed to finish our sightseeing. First thing was getting up to Castle Hill Park (le parc de la Colline du Château). The elevator was not in service, so we walked the stairs up to the Bellanda Tower; a nice observation deck with a lovely view of the Bay of Angels (Baie des Anges). We then walked to the Cascade du Château, an artificial waterfall before making our way back down the stairs. We walked along The Promenade des Anglais; a boardwalk along the water that runs 7 kilometers. The beaches here were crowded here and the ‘sand’ was large pebbles/rocks; I would imagine beach chairs are a necessity. A few other highlights along the way include: Replica of the Statue of Liberty, Fontaine du soleil (statue/fountain in a beautiful square), Jardin Albert 1er (park), Casino Du Palais De La Méditerranée and the Negresco hotel.
By the time we got back, we were exhausted, but as there is nothing better than taking a nap at the beach, that is where we headed. After a few hours of water and sunshine, we had a small dinner and watched the sunset from our balcony.
Distance Walked: 7.6 m /12.2 km
Day 3: Hike to Èze Village & Beach Èze
After breakfast, we hopped the train to Èze; near the station is the start of the Nietzsche Path; going up took about 40 minutes, and it is fairly difficult as it is extremely inclined. Make sure you bring water and proper shoes. If you are smarter than us, you can take the bus (82 from La Corne d'or to ‘Passage Èze Village’) and then only hike down.
After reaching the top, and a break in the shade, we were able to wander the streets and soak in the beauty of the town. I wanted to take pictures of everything; I think it would have been lovely to spend a night here, to soak in the views a little longer. The main highlights include Église d'Èze; a Catholic church and the Exotic garden of Èze; botanic garden, €6.
We chose to skip the garden, as we were able to get a similar view by going to the Château Èza. They have their “Lounge Bar” open from 12pm to 6pm on the terrace with a cocktail & snacks menu that is slightly more budget friendly. We arrived at about 11:45 and they sat us early (for about 15 minutes we had the small terrace all to ourselves).
All I can say is this was possibly the best view I have ever experienced, and most definitely while at a restaurant (not to mention my favorite experience of the trip). Even though the price we paid was the cost of a fancy dinner, it was totally worth it.
After a little more wandering of the town, we were ready for the water, so we started the hike down (took about 30 minutes). Not a moment too soon we were at Èze Beach and in the water. This beach was a little more rocky, but the least crowded of all the beaches we went to on our trip.
On the train ride back, we stopped at the grocery store to stock up, and it was back to the beach for the last few hours of sun. After that, it was another evening of making dinner and drinking wine on the balcony.
Distance Walked: 6.6 m /10.6 km
Day 4: Hiking Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
After breakfast and loading a backpack with supplies, we headed out to hike around Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat; the peninsula of billionaires. We could have taken a bus to get closer to the starting point, but we decided to hike the whole way. We spent from about 10:00 am - 3:30 pm, but you could easily spend the entire day (we only stopped at two beaches).
It was a little over a 30 minute hike to Passable Beach, which we viewed from afar, and continued on to the official trail (it was a little tricky to find, but we found it soon enough, and it was extremely easy to follow from then on). The entire West side of the peninsula is beautiful, the water insanely blue and there are little coves and swimming spots all along the way, so take your time exploring. As you curve to the East side, there is a lighthouse, and eventually you will come to Plage de la Fosse (there are ‘two’, we went to the Eastern one as it was more secluded).
There was also a little food cart where we grabbed a Pan Bagnat, which we devoured before cooling off in the water. Continuing on, we cut through to Paloma Beach, which has a beautiful backdrop of the mountains in the distance (where we hiked yesterday). To start heading back, we cut through the main town, where we passed by Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and the New Port of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. We then angled in back towards Passable Beach, and took the same way home from there.
It should not be surprising that our afternoon looked familiar. We spent a few hours at the beach, reading and hanging out in the water before dinner on the balcony.
Distance Walked: 11.1 m /17.8 km
Day 5: Monaco & Mala Beach
After breakfast, we took the train to Monaco; the second smallest country in the world! After getting off the train, we headed towards the Monte Carlo Casino; if you are so inclined, they do morning tours (17€ and there is a dress code). Built-in 1858, the casino quickly became a beacon of wealth and excess; take note of the cars around, there is a lot of money in this town! Next we passed by the Casino Gardens and the Metropole Shopping Monte-Carlo to get to the Fairmont Hairpin; part of the Formula 1 track.
We then stopped in the Starbucks nearby for a rooftop view of the water. Next, we walked through the Jardin Japonais de Monaco (Japanese garden) on our way to check out Larvotto Beach. We walked back towards town, and passed by the Port Hercules; where you will find huge yachts. Continuing around the harbor, we ‘hiked’ up to Font Antoine Theatre (the huge cliff is Font Antoine); an early 18th-century fort. We passed by the Musee Oceanographique; a world-renowned aquarium/museum which opened in 1910 making it one of the oldest aquariums in the world.
Next we wandered through Jardin St. Martin to Saint Nicholas Cathedral. Near here is the viewpoint Point de vue Port de Fontvieille. Continuing on to the Prince’s Palace; the Prince of Monaco's 13th-century residence and where Monaco’s royalty live. You can see the changing of the guard at 11:55 am every day. As we headed back to the train station, we couldn't help but stop for lunch at the Steak ‘n Shake for a little taste of the midwest.
Once back on the train, we stopped at the ‘Cap-d'Ail’ station, from where we took a gorgeous walk to Mala Beach. This was probably my favorite beach of the trip; although it was fairly busy, the cliffs on the one side were beautiful and the water was incredibly clear, it just felt tranquil. On the way home, there was a final trip to the grocery store, before a few hours at the beach and dinner on the balcony.
Distance Walked: 9.8 m /15.7 km
Day 6: Villefranche-sur-Mer
For our final full day of the trip, we wanted to relax and have no agenda. So, after breakfast, we wandered around town as we had not seen much of it yet. In the Old Town, many of the buildings date back to the 12th and 13th centuries. Don’t miss the Rue Obscure; a passageway under the Old Town’s houses dating back to the 13th century or the Eglise Saint-Michel church; built in the 1750s in the Italian Baroque style, houses one of the oldest operational organs in the area.
We then walked down to Port de Villefranche-sur-Mer; a marina, and checked out the Plage de la Darse; a small, local, beach. Heading back, we walked by the Citadelle Saint Elma, an ancient fort. We then had a drink at Achill's Restaurant Bar Rooftop Villefranche-sur-Mer, before walking by the Chapelle Saint-Pierre. We spent the rest of the day at the beach, soaking in the sun and sounds. We had dinner at Les garçons; a lovely restaurant with amazing staff (they translated the menu to English for us). It was a wonderful meal to end our trip on.
Day 7: Travel
We had a mid-day flight, so after breakfast, we went to the water one last time (just to stand in the water) before grabbing our bags to train to the airport. I cannot express how wonderful this trip was, and I highly recommend that everyone experience the French Riviera for the perfect mix of beach, culture and adventure.
Something I would change: Floaties are common here, because of the rockiness of the beaches/in the water. They sold them for a good price at the big grocery store, and I wish I would have bought one!
If more time:
Nice:
Check out Nice Harbour
Check out Cimiez neighbourhood; roman ruins. Cimiez monastery gardens (jardins du monastère de Cimiez), from which you will have a panoramic view of Nice and the Bay of Angels.
Hiking:
From our AirBNB, walk up to Fort du Mont Alban, 40 minutes each way
To Jardin Félix Rainauxto and Nice Harbour; 1 hour around peninsula or 1.5 hours if you go through Fort Du Mont
General Travel Tips:
Figure out an idea of sites you want to see; this will determine a centralized area for where you should stay.
Utilize Google reviews when looking for something to eat. General rule, stay away from streets with lots of neon signs.
Mark everything on your google maps. Google is also (in my opinion) the best pedestrian and bike navigation app.
Other: Planning for a trip, especially overseas, can be stressful and overwhelming. Hopefully this gave you an idea of things to do during your next trip to the French Riviera. I try to do as many quick links as possible, to send you directly to the website so you can get the most accurate and up-to-date information possible (fees and timetables).
Comment with any questions, and if you found this helpful, subscribe!
Safe and Happy Wandering.
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