The French Riviera evokes images of glitz and glamour. The infamous Côte d’Azur with the designer shops and expensive jewelry of Cannes, the casinos and fast cars of Monaco and the luxurious yachts that adorn the marina of Saint Tropez. But as glamourous and surreal as this may be, we know that there is a more down-to-earth side of the Côte d’Azur, a hikers paradise tucked away in the hills inland, boasting authentic villages and towns and rural hamlets, deep wooded valleys and the high snow-capped peaks of the Alps.
This is the French Riviera that we want to present to you here. Our French Riviera self-guided walking holidays take you on an adventure through this lesser-known part of southern France, exploring the backcountry with its beautiful gorges, perched villages, panoramic hikes and sweeping views of the glistening Mediterranean.
The best places to stay on the French Riviera
The French Riviera is easily accessible due to the close proximity of Nice international airport with many regular and low-cost flights arriving daily. From Nice, you travel by train to either Sospel or Grasse, the former a charming, remote village close to the Italian border, with colourful houses and the latter an artsy town known as the perfume capital of Europe. It is from here that your French Riviera walking tours begin.
We take you as far away as possible from the image of the Côte d’Azur and book you into rustic yet wonderfully charming hotels and guest houses for the first few days of your hiking trip. A night or 2 in Saint Agnès, voted one of the prettiest villages in France, at the hotel Saint Yves is an experience you won’t forget! No bells or whistles, but the rooms are clean and comfortable, and you will enjoy a genuine warm welcome and the heartiest of meals! We also work with some family run guest houses and Auberges that are of timeless charm and refreshing simplicity.
As you approach the end of the French Riviera walking trips, you head down to the Mediterranean to the pretty and colourful towns of Menton and Villefranche sur Mer or the bustling town of Antibes. Whilst the hinterland offers a more rural and relaxed kind of accommodation, you can choose to treat yourself for your final nights with hotel upgrades in the coastal towns and end your walking trip in style!
What to see and do on the French Riviera
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Villefranche has one of the most beautiful bays on the Mediterranean coast. Still very much a fishing town, it offers a wonderful mix of colourful fishing boats with intricate fishing nets moored alongside impressive yachts and private boats. In the surrounding cliffs and hills are beautiful luxurious homes with incredible views of the sea. You can enjoy walking along the quayside, where there are many bars and restaurants, admiring the bobbing boats to reach the large beach at the end of the promenade. The citadel is also worth a visit. Dating back to the 16th century, it was built to protect the harbour and defend against maritime attacks. Today, the citadel is very well preserved with an auditorium, museums and gardens, and a maze of narrow streets and winding stairs leading past old houses painted in warm colours from yellow to ochre red, that reflect the Provencal sun that shines most of the year.
Menton
Menton is a ‘garden town’ with Mediterranean vegetation, palm trees and tropical flowers in abundance. It boasts gorgeous beaches and colourful architecture with a touch of luxury.
Saint Agnès
The village of Sainte Agnès, perched at 780 metres above sea level, boasts a panoramic view you could never bore of; a wide sweeping vista over the bay of Menton and the Mediterranean Sea! It is overflowing with history and is a prime example of a French fortified and medieval village.
Small villages
Take the time to meander through the beautifully preserved cobbled streets of the perched villages of Tourettes sur Loup and admire the array of flowers that adorn the facades of the house and the arsty village of Saint Paul de Vence, with its numerous galleries and exhibitions.
Getting to Italy
The proximity with Italy is noticeable in the small villages of the back country and some of the walks take you right up to the border between the 2 countries. It is possible to hop over for a coffee or lunch in the pretty Italian town of Olivetta, before returning into France to complete the walk!
How to explore the French Riviera
The best way to experience the French Riviera is, without a doubt, on foot. This quaint and peaceful part of the French countryside, nestled between Provence and the Alps is just waiting to be explored with fantastic hiking trails along forested tracks and picturesque plateaus, past ancient chapels & olive groves, with the Mediterranean Sea glistening in the distance.
The walks are moderate, so you need to be in fairly good shape and used to regular exercise. You do not need to be super sporty, but comfortable walking all day at a regular pace. Excellent walking shoes are a must and walking poles are optional but may come in useful on the steeper descents. Our self-guided French Riviera walking trips are available almost all year, although it does get very hot in the height of summer. You should be prepared for some early starts to avoid walking during the hottest part of the day.
No walking holiday in France would be complete without a trip to a local market, ideal for stocking up on provisions for the day and buying local souvenirs to take home. Villefranche sur Mer hosts a typical Provencal market every Wednesday and Saturday morning and a flea market on Sunday. Saturday morning is market time in Menton and Thursday is the day in Antibes.
Exploring the French Riviera with Intura is heading out on an adventure to the lesser-known backcountry, off the tourist radar. It is a peaceful getaway where you can seek refuge from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and experience a silence so rare and breathe air so pure that you’ll feel refreshed and revitalized.
