Hiking
in the French Riviera is a favorite past time of many in the region.
There are a ton of trails throughout all of France but there is something
special about the ones here for either the majestic views near historic fortresses or how
one can hike along the sea and stop for a swim if you like.
One such trail can take you from Cap de Nice on the edge of the city along the
sea to beautiful Villefranche-sur-Mer.
This has to be
one of the easiest hikes around but this still means to wear proper footwear,
remember to take breaks, especially if you are new to hiking in the summer
heat plus bring liquids and other refreshments to keep your energy up. Also
don’t forget your mobile just in case of emergency.
You can either start this
route in Villefranche-sur-Mer or from Cap de Nice. For this guide the start is
in Cap de Nice. As you walk along Boulevard Maeterlinck from Nice above the
sea, you will come across the Sentier Littoral sign just before the boulevard
turns towards Villefranche-sur-Mer.
Simply
take the stairs down to the Pointe des Sans Culottes (Point of No Pants)
towards the sea until you are at the Batterie de la Rascasse, which has an
outstanding viewpoint towards the sea (for obvious reasons) and was occupied by the German and
Italian armies during WWII following the scuttling of the French fleet in the
port of Toulon. It was disarmed in 1945 and has not been in use since then but
is generally maintained as a symbol of that time.
From
here, you can start hiking towards Villefranche-sur-Mer by following the trail
from the Batterie de la Rascasse.
Very easy to navigate, you will come upon
many areas of stairs but nothing overwhelming as you pass below many
extraordinary villas located above you while you move forward and parallel to the Saint Jean Cap
Ferrat peninsula.
This
is one of those trails that keeps you on the same path towards your
destination, so there are no worries about it splintering off into an unknown
area.
Here,
you can find the place of your choosing for a stop for a picnic at the sea on
some rocks or as you get closer to Villefranche-sur-Mer you will come across
more swimming locations. Just keep in mind the area is unsupervised so swim at
your own risk. As
you approach Villefranche-sur-Mer you will start to see areas where more of the
locals both swim and fish, almost like secret spots away from the usual tourist
areas.
This
is also a great way to discover new parts of Villefranche-sur-Mer. To get back
to the Quai/Old Town area, just stay along the sea, follow around the citadel
and you’re there.
