Hike from Nice along the Plateau St Michel
A mostly shaded walk along the coast above Beaulieu-Sur-Mer
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.
What to bring
IGN map 3742OT is recommended for this walk
What to see
Sights in Nice
See all Sights & Sites-
Exotic Garden, Eze
Eze's exotic gardens were created after the Second World War, in the ruins of Eze castle. Located on steep terrain, it boasts wonderful panoramic views of the sea, the Esterel mountains and the Saint-Tropez gulf.
-
Parfumerie Galimard, Eze
Free guided tours of a historic perfume factory in the medieval village of Eze.
-
Parfumerie Fragonard, Eze
This factory for perfume, soap and cosmetics, has very modern laboratories and workshops. Discover the secrets of manufacturing perfumes and cosmetics.
-
Kerylos Villa
At the edge of the sea, facing the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula, the villa is a magic place that takes you back in time. Discover this French Riviera seaside palazzo, a luxurious recreation of an Ancient Greek villa.
-
Ephrussi de Rothschild Villa, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
This impressive villa was built in 1906 by Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild. It overlooks the Mediterranean sea from Cap Ferrat and it is full of antique furniture, Old Master paintings, sculptures and a collection of rare porcelain, while the gardens are classified as Notable Gardens of France.
-
Vinaigrier Park
On the eastern outskirts of Nice lies the national park of Mount Vinaigrier. The hillsides are covered in pine and oak trees and a rare flowering ash species that blossoms in May.
Where to lunch
Restaurants in Eze
See all Restaurants-
La Chevre d'Or Restaurant, Eze
This gourmet restaurant offers panoramic views across the Mediterranean and gained two Michelin stars in 2011.
-
La Table de Patrick Raingeard Restaurant, Eze
The Cap Estel gourmet restaurant or "La Table de Patrick Raingeard" as it is known has one Michelin star.
-
Chateau Eza Restaurant, Eze
Château Eza offers a Michelin recommended restaurant serving à la carte French and Mediterranean cuisine against the stunning backdrop of the French Riviera.
-
Restaurant des Rois, Beaulieu Sur Mer
The jewel in the crown of La Réserve de Beaulieu hotel is this gastronomic restaurant which has one Michelin star.
-
Anjuna Plage Beach Club, Eze
Being situated in the small and picturesque village of Eze, the Anjuna Plage is a fashionable restaurant that should not be missed during the summer holidays.
-
Eze Hermitage Restaurant, Eze
Yannick Delaunay is the chef at the Eze Hermitage Art Restaurant and Hotel and offers an inspired Provençal cuisine full of classics as well as new takes.
What to do
Things To Do in Eze
See all Activities & Trips-
Solar Powered Boat Trip
Enjoy a wonderful, peaceful and fume-free journey along the French Riviera on a solar powered motor boat with a professional skipper.
-
Sunset Boat Trip
Enjoy a wonderful, peaceful and fume-free journey along the French Riviera on a solar powered motor boat with a professional skipper.
-
Mediterranean Sport Fishing Trip
Based in Beaulieu-Sur-Mer, this company can offer fishing trips from Beaulieu and also Nice, Cannes and Monaco out into the Mediterranean for all levels of fisher, from complete beginner to expert. They are also family friendly so those who would like an outing with their children can join one of their trips.
-
Cannes & Islands Luxury Motor Boat Trip, Beaulieu
This is a four hour coastal trip departing from Beaulieu-sur-Mer to explore the gems of the Cote d'Azur with opportunities to swim and snorkel in the glistening Mediterranean.
-
Whale & Dolphin Watching Boat Trip
Departing from Beaulieu-sur-Mer, this fantastic boat trip lets you observe some of the most beautiful marine wildlife that live within the Mediterranean.
-
Cote d'Azur Luxury Motor Boat Trip
This boat trip departs from Beaulieu-sur-Mer and can run for 2, 3 or 4 hours - so you can choose whether you want a quick spin along the coast or a more extended trip.
Directions
Assuming you’ve taken the train, turn left out of the station and cross the road. Take the first turning on your right, a small road that leads uphill called Avenue de Provence. You’ll follow this until you come to a quiet junction with a few options, take the Chemin Saint-Michel which is the small path to your far left. You need to stay on the Chemin Saint-Michel all the way until you enter the forest, road signs are scarce so keep your eyes open for the patches of yellow paint that mark the way.
The first section leads you through a quiet and very well-to-do residential area; good opportunity to have a peek through the fences at the beautiful gardens and luxury villas!
After just over 1km the path will leave the road and branch off to the right into a forest, a good portion of this hike is shaded making it a good option for a hot day. The forest path climbs quite sharply in some places, but the steep bits are never very prolonged, walking poles might be useful but are not essential.
The trail crosses small roads at certain points, so you just have to scope out the yellow paint on the other side of the road to see where you pick it back up again. The final stretch of road brings you out by the Hotel Saint-Michel, from here you can walk along the road until you reach the plateau; a viewing point surrounded by botanical garden with stunning views of the bay below. From here you can see Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat jutting out into the bay, with boats coming and going from the ports of Villefranche-Sur-Mer and Beaulieu-Sur-Mer.
The Jardin Botanique doesn’t look too exciting from the plateau, it’s a bit too hot and exposed up here for anything particularly lush to grow. There are plenty of benches amongst the shade of the olive trees though, if you’re looking for a picnic spot. However, follow the path down towards Beaulieu and it soon gets more interesting. As you’re looking out to sea, the path heads off and down initially to the left where you’ll pass an orientation table then swings right, again, just look out for yellow paint and you’ll be fine.
The path descends on a mix of rough stones and occasional paving slabs; depending on the time of year you’ll see cactus, eucalyptus, mimosa, heather and lots of other foliage that looks lovely and smells fragrant but I don’t know the names of. The path twists its way down the hillside towards the bay, giving fantastic views from different angles, while cool refreshing breezes drift up from the sea.
Again, there are a few roads to be crossed but the path continues on the other side until you reach the residential area of Beaulieu-Sur-Mer. From here you simply wind your way down through the bright white villas and vibrant purple bougainvillea to the sparkling blue waters of the Med - with nothing more to do except reward yourself with an ice cream.
Eze-Sur-Mer can be accessed on the SNCF train, direction Ventimiglia, or on Ligne Azur bus 100.
