Discover the top Nice walking trails and routes
Not many people think of the Rivieria as a hiking destination, but there are some fantastic trails to suit everyone from casual ramblers to adventurous trekkers.
Find loads of top tips and local insights in our Nice Hiking & Walking Guide.
This is a fairly easy but rewarding hike starting from Eze-sur-Mer and finishing in Beaulieu-Sur-Mer, both villages are on the train and bus line.
The town of Eze has been populated for over 4000 years and has been described as an 'eagle's nest' because of its location overlooking a high cliff 427m above sea level. Its high altitude means that it's church, the Notre Dame de l'Assomption built in 1764, can be seen from afar.
Nice’s flagship urban park covers 12 hectares in the heart of the city, just a few minutes walk from Promenade des Anglais. Promenade du Paillon used to be a very congested and rather ugly thoroughfare where the old bus station and multi storey car park were situated. It was demolished in 2011 and a 3 year development project took place to turn it into the oasis of green open space, safe play areas and impressive water features that we enjoy today.
Originally there was a river of the same name that ran through this area; the more serpentine of the paved paths apparently follows where it used to flow. The river separated Old Nice from the more modern part of town but after a series of serious floods it was gradually filled in and built over, being used for markets and trade fairs until the bus station was built in the 1970’s.
The Notre-Dame des Fleurs stands on the site of an 11th century Benedictine Abbey. The building now houses the gallery Beaubourg which exhibits contemporary works of art.
At the top of this hike lies the stronghold destroyed in the 13th century. Along the hike you can still see some sections of the wall that have survived, forgotten in the scrub land. You also pass the medieval Chapel of Saint Raphael. The building is in a bad state of repair and although a small part has been restored it is threatening to collapse.
This circuit starts from Aspremont, one of the famous “perched villages” of the Cote d’Azur, and climbs up to Mont Chauve at 853m to give spectacular views of the Baie des Anges and the “collines”, or hills, surrounding Nice.
Although not extremely tough, the trail takes in all sorts of terrain; from rocky singletrack to set a trail runner’s heart a-flutter, to open plateaus filled with wild flowers and butterflies.
Leave the old town of Villefranche-sur-mer and escape into the wooded hills as far down as Cap Ferrat. Take a tour of the old city via Rue Obscure, a shady path the winds its way through vaulted cellars from the old harbor.
Villefranche's bay is notable for reaching a significant depth only a short distance from shore, and as a result has turned it into an important port for hundreds of years. The US Navy has stopped by since World War I, making Villefranche the home prt of the U.S. 6th Fleet from 1948 to 1966, when French President Charles DeGaaulle withdrew France form NATO and required U.S. forces to leave.
This easily accessible promenade starts at the Port of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and finishes at Plage de Passable, taking you right around the peninsula of this beautiful coastline.
The lighthouse that dominates the tip of the peninsula was originally built by the Sardinians in 1827 but was destroyed during the second world war and then rebuilt in the 1950’s. It’s not the most picturesque of lighthouses but has an interesting past and you can visit it on certain days when they do heritage tours, ask at the Tourist Office in the port for details.
This hike goes through land formally used for agriculture that now is only used for winter grazing, leaving its rich soil unused, due to the lack of a water source.
Cap Martin is a rather exclusive peninsula between Monaco and Menton, which houses a number of large, discrete villas of the rich and famous. Happily, there is also a rather fabulous coastal walk around the headland which allows everyone to access the wonderful views of Monaco and the sea.
The path, also known as Sentier des Douaniers, is very well maintained and allows the public small glimpses of the Belle Epoque villas and 'holiday cottages'. It is possible to follow the coastline all the way from Menton to Monaco - it's about seven miles - or you can just enjoy a stroll around the Cap, starting in Carnoles and ending in Roquebrune Cap Martin - a leisurely two hour walk. Train stations at either end make this walk very accessible for those staying in Nice, Monaco or Menton
This is the shortest and most easily accessible of the Sentier Littoral walks; making it easy to fit into a quiet afternoon when you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Nice town.
The Coco-Beach restaurant was founded in 1936 by Jean-Baptiste Coco. Around 1930, JB Coco was a sponge wholesaler which he imported untreated from Greece and Italy. He would was the sponges in his shack next to the sea where his restaurant lies today. The locals would come to watch him work and he started grilling fish for them, to be washed down with rose.
At the end of the Second World War, English sailors based in Nice and American Sailors based in Villefranche sur mer came to see Coco, who made them pan bagnat, and grilled the fish he had caught. This made Coco Beach very popular and became part of Nice history.
This rugged coastal footpath runs from Villefranche-Sur-Mer all the way to Nice, providing excellent views of the harbour and lots of opportunities for secluded swimming and sunbathing along the way.
There are apparently plans to link this path to the Cap de Nice / Coco Beach walk, which will make a 3km hike in total. There is no information on when this might happen though, so watch this space for further news.
This half day scenic hike circles around the north side of Mont Vial, traversing a deep bowl in the Var Valley.
In the winter months the terraces surrounding the village of Tourrettes-Sur-Soup are coloured purple, while the delicately scented air flatters the nostrils. Roughly 40 families still carry on the tradition that celebrates the 'Festival of Purple' (1st sunday in March) where the town is filled with Violet Victoria and Parma Violet.