a walk around the Cap de Nice - le sentier littoral

Cap de Nice coastal walk, July 2009

This circular walk takes you down to the coast line to walk along a rocky path hugging the edge of the sea around the Cap de Nice and then back up to the main road, the Basse Corniche. From there, you can walk back into Nice along the road or take a pedestrian route via interconnecting steps most of the way back.

In 2009, an additional section of the coastal path has been opened that starts further along towards Villefranche and finishes in the Darse Port in Villefranche. I've not tried this part yet although I have walked into Villefranche along the Basse Corniche which passes the Princess Grace Kelly Memorial we passed by the start of this new walk.



















There's the option of a couple of buses, the ligne dazur 81 and the TAM 100, back to Nice from the main road if the last 250 steps up from the coast finished you off, which will save you the walk back into Nice although by that point you will have done the hard bit.

The start of the walk is signposted 'Sentier Littoral' - coastal path from the pavement opposite Parc Vigier on Boulevard Franck Pilatte. From Nice, to reach this point, you need to walk all the way around the Port, past the Reserve beach and Club Nautique de Nice and past Jouni de la Reserve restaurant. Or the lignedazur buses 20 and 30 stop almost by the start of the walk at the bus stop named 'Parc Vigier'. Take the steps down to the path towards the sea and turn left and follow the route all the way around the Cap of Nice. There are some nice views back at Nice. It's not the most exciting walk but it's quiet and a chance to get out of Nice for an hour or two. Along the way, there are some information posters (in French) describing the local flora and fauna you might expect to find.

It's a good place to fish and snorkel but generally it's a quiet walk and there's not many people about. It's a good walk done in the morning as you are protected form the sun but don't go on a windy day - we have been sprayed by the sea on breezy days, it would be easy to be swept into the sea by a wave. There's not much in the way of railings although each year, there have been a couple of nods to health and safety - more railings are up this year. The path is uneven and rocky, it's hard to take in the views and walk at the same time as you need to keep an eye on the uneven surfaces.

Once you are around the corner, you might spot the odd naturist sunbather. Telling your daughter 'don't look' is as about effective as saying don't think about a pink elephant.

Somewhere to park your velobleu?

Once you have reached a newly renovated modern villa, look left and you will see a sign marking the end of the path and some steps. If you miss them, the path comes to a sudden deadend in a further 200 meters and you will have to re-track back to the steps. At this point you can turn around and go back the way you came or take the 250+ steps up to the Basse Corniche - Boulevard Carnot/Boulevard Maeterlinck.

Once here, turn left for Nice back down Boulevard Carnot or cross over by the Champion supermarket and walk along Boulevard du Mont Boron for a couple of hundres metres and look left for the wonderful view point of Nice and then take the steps - the Montee Gurnee, down. There is a park at the bottom, do not take this on a sunday or it will be locked, only they lock the bottom gate not the top gate and you will have to walk all the way back up again. Instead turn right and walk along Boulevard Carnot and then cross over and take the Chemin tordu du Mont Boron and the Montee St Aignan back down to Franck Pilatte.