In spring, the weather is mild on the Côte d'Azur, the gardens are in bloom, water sports are back in full swing, and the walks will make you feel like you’re in paradise... Nice, Cannes, Menton and Mandelieu for 4 nature getaways!
Book a train ticket
Book a train ticket
Nice, a city break by the sea
While the sun gently warms the Promenade des Anglais and the tourists have yet to arrive, a getaway in Nice is synonymous with a privileged city break by the sea.
Hiking on the coastal footpath
The star of a weekend in Nice is, of course, the Mediterranean! And the best way to make the most of it is to walk along the sentier du Littoral (coastal footpath), which offers some great views. There are some magnificent beaches and coves you must visit along the way!
From Coco Beach in Nice, allow 45 minutes to reach the pretty town of Villefranche-sur-Mer and its small port. Continue on to the peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, just opposite. This 1 hour, 30 minute walk immerses you in nature, as close as possible to the “big blue sea”. A must-see with incredible views!
You can also follow the Cap d'Ail “Customs Officers” Path’ from Marquet Beach to the superb Mala Beach, which takes just 1 hour. Regularly described as the pearl of the Côte d'Azur, “La Mala” is a cliff-sided cove covered in white pebbles and small cottages. To return to Nice, climb the 153 steps to reach Cap-d'Ail town centre and take the train to Nice (16 minutes).
Terrace dining in Old Nice
There's nothing better than finding a terrace in Old Nice to savour the delicious niçoise cuisine, such as courgette flowers.
The gardens of Nice
Phoenix Park, which has been awarded the "Remarkable Garden" and "Family Plus" labels, is a 7-hectare green setting that is home to more than 2,500 plant species.
Access: by train (Gare Saint Augustin stop), by bus (routes 12, 9, 200, 217, 400, 500 and 720), by tramway line 2, by blue bike (Station No. 10 at the entrance to the park)
405 Promenade des Anglais - 06200 Nice
Nice's botanical garden, which has been awarded the "Remarkable Garden" label, takes you on a journey to discover the splendours of flora from five continents. it’s a veritable open-air museum, with 3,000 plant species, spread over 3.5 hectares.
Access: by train (C3) and bus (route 51)
78, Corniche Fleurie - 06200 Nice
Castle Hill Park is a must-see for its incredible panoramic views overlooking the city and also for its incredible labyrinth of greenery covering more than 19 hectares.
Access: on foot from the old town via staircases and narrow streets, by lift on the sea side (Rue des Ponchettes), by tourist train.
The exhibition to see this spring in Nice
Berthe Morisot à Nice, escales impressionnistes” (Berthe Morisot in Nice, impressionist ports of call) is the exhibition presented at the Nice Museum of Fine Art from 5 April to 29 September 2024, as part of the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition in Paris. The Musée d'Orsay has loaned some works to complete the permanent collection of the Nice museum.
Berthe Morisot, the first woman of the Impressionist movement, stayed on the Riviera in 1881-1882 and 1888-1889. The exhibition explores these two periods, revealing the specificity of Berthe Morisot's work in Nice, compared with that of Renoir or Monet, who were also painting in the Mediterranean region at the same time.
How to get to Nice by train
Cannes, a sporting getaway
Between the Film Festival, the international audiovisual trade fairs, and the Triathlon, Cannes can be an authentic, natural, sunny getaway.
A walk on the Lérins islands
Ile Sainte-Marguerite is the larger of the two islands. Its botanical trails are scented with eucalyptus, Aleppo pine, and holm oak. Batéguier pond is an excellent place to watch migratory birds. Fort Royal, redesigned by Vauban in the 17th century, is said to be the place where the man in the iron mask was locked up! Fort Royal Museum and the Iron Mask in the heart of the fortified enclosure. Take some time out to relax in one of the beautiful coves and enjoy the fresh air and natural surroundings.
Ile Saint-Honorat is a wild pearl, owned by the community of monks of Lérins Abbey. You'll come across an abbey church, a fortified monastery, and a number of chapels between the pine-shaded paths and wild coves. The monks produce seven vintages of wine, which you can taste on the terrace of the island's restaurant.
There are frequent departures by boat to the two islands from the port of Cannes.
Sport in the great outdoors
Cannes is the "capital of outdoor sport" and also the first and only French Mediterranean town to be awarded the "Surf City" label.
A morning jog along the Croisette seafront is practically a must if you want to enjoy the peace and quiet, the palm trees, the sandy beaches, and the colours of the sea and sky. The fitness trail in the Croix-des-Gardes forest park is a great way to warm up in a natural area planted with trees, before setting off on one of the 60 km of signposted jogging or walking trails, which can be found all over Cannes and marked on the ground with road studs.
A stand-up paddleboard or sea kayak tour is a great way to explore the wild coastline of the Lérins Islands.
More than 50 sporting events take place in Cannes every year.
Cycling around Mougins
Mougins is a very charming village 7.6 km inland from Cannes. The surrounding area is a great place to cycle through the beautiful countryside of the Côte d'Azur. You'll pass the Fontmerle pond, the Valmasque Departmental Park, the Siagne Canal and more...
Lunch with your feet in the sand
With deckchairs and parasols set up by beach attendants, and restaurants on private beaches, you can eat facing the sea with your feet in the sand.
How to get to Cannes by train
>> Book your train tickets to Cannes
The Envibus network allows you to travel by bus to and from Cannes, Le Cannet, Valbonne, La Colle-sur-Loup, Mougins, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Vallauris, Saint-Paul de Vence, etc.
Menton, the city of gardens
On the Italian border, Menton enjoys a particularly fertile soil that produces magnificent gardens. It's famous for its lemon, which has a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication)! La dolce vita is an art in Menton, thanks to its gentle way of life and mild climate. Spring is therefore the perfect time to visit the wonders of Menton.
The gardens of Menton
The garden of the Palais Carnolès surrounds the former summer residence of the Princes of Monaco and is home to the largest collection of citrus trees in Europe: orange, clementine, citron, kumquat, etc. There are around a hundred species.
The Madonna Greenhouse garden, laid out in 1924 by Major Lawrence Johnston, creator of the Hidcote Manor garden in England, features terraces, fountains, ponds and statues. 5.5 hectares of gardens, with rare plants and species!
The garden of the Villa Maria Serena, built around 1880 (21 Prom. Reine Astrid) offers an incomparable panoramic view. Palm trees, cycads, birds of paradise, doryanthes, and a remarkable Canary Island dragon tree flourish in its alleys. A veritable open-air greenhouse!
Menton lemon PGI
The lemon tree is thought to be Asian in origin. The Greeks used lemons for wedding celebrations. The Arabs encouraged them to spread throughout the Mediterranean basin in the 10th century.
Where does Menton come in? Here, it enjoys ideal climatic conditions and a marl-limestone soil conducive to its growth. There aren't many producers left. Competition from Mediterranean countries is fierce. Yet, some people talk about the best lemon in the world, and the great chefs from Bocuse to Ducasse and Robuchon have made no mistake in using the king lemon in their recipes...
So we all have a question on our lips... Does the Lemon Festival® still use local citrus? Well, unfortunately not. All of Menton's production would be sold at the festival. The floats are short-lived, so let's not waste a limited production that may one day end up on your plate!
La dolce vita
On the seafront, from the port to the large sandy beach, the promenade is lush and green. Sit back and enjoy the view towards the horizon. Early in the morning, on the Quai Impératrice Eugénie, the return of fishing boats is a moment to behold as the fishermen sell their fish. At Les Halles market, built in the 19th century, the colourful stalls smell delicious: fruit and vegetables, fresh flowers and citrus, of course!
How to get to Menton by train
>> Book your train tickets to Menton
Take the train to Nice and then a coach or TER train to Menton. There are 2 stations in Menton: Menton centre, and Menton Garavan for a walk along the Garavan coast.
Mandelieu, a peaceful family holiday
Mandelieu is particularly famous in winter, as it is considered to be the Mimosa Capital. A coastal town in the heart of the Côte d'Azur, it is set between the Estérel and Tanneron Massifs and the Mediterranean. It is an ideal destination for families and “chill-out” holidaymakers, with 3 km of coastline, 7 Blue Flag beaches, a dolphin-watching spot, diving, sailing, towed tubing, wake surfing, wake boarding, and boat trips... It's also an ideal area for sports enthusiasts.
Sailing
Climb aboard a windsurfer, sea kayak, stand-up paddleboard, optimist dinghy, or catamaran and you'll be whisked along by a warm wind in this idyllic setting.
Les Voiles de Lérins, Avenue du Général de Gaule, Mandelieu-La-Napoule 06210.
Diving
Cape Roux boasts impressive biodiversity. Mandelieu's diving clubs offer you the chance to discover the seabed, which is inhabited for real, in this large, well-preserved nature reserve, marked out on the surface and covering no less than 445 hectares. Groupers, lobsters, moray eels, sea bream, capons, conger eels and dozens of other species swim before your eyes in the Neptune grass and coralline beds. The coaching is professional and the safety is top-notch. In fact, it can be practised from the age of 8.
La Rague diving centre or La Cigale diving centre, port of Napoule, 06210 Mandelieu-La-Napoule
Discover the coves by electric overboat.
Set off on an electric boat for a quiet ride on the sea, close to nature. You'll cruise along the magnificent coves of the Estérel and, if you're lucky, you may even come across some dolphins.
Napoule castle by the water
Perhaps the most romantic spot in the region, Napoule castle is an ancient medieval fortress on the water's edge, restored by American billionaires Henry and Marie Clews in the early 20th century. Today, the castle hosts artists' residencies and works by visual artists are regularly exhibited there. You can also tour the inside and, above all, the charming garden with its view!
San Peyre, Napoule's "sacred mountain”
This 131-metre-high volcanic mountain dominates Napoule. Known as "La montagne sacrée" ("The Sacred Mountain") by Guy de Maupassant for its "admirable view", it is now a departmental forest park with landscaped paths planted with pines, carob trees, Judas trees, cork oaks, and mimosas. You can walk around it or climb to the top.
