Easy hiking in the South of France
To get the best out of an easy hiking trip to the French Riviera, you must adapt your schedule to your surroundings and the opportunities they provide: this, after all, is not the Black Forest.
Take it easy: the Côte d’Azur is best enjoyed in small portions – don’t try to wolf it down in chunks of 20 or 30 km a day.
Take a break between the hours of one and three p.m. In the south of France, only legionnaires march under the midday sun, under the point of a gun.
Much better to leave time for a picnic under an olive tree in the fields, or for a leisurely lunch in a restaurant (there is always one near-by).
And, not to forget: bring your swimming trunks or bathing suit because you are sure to find a lovely spot along the coast, a deserted bay with only a few people or even none at all. Yes, these places still exist on the French Riviera, and they are more numerous than you may think.
It should be easy hiking in the French Riviera
Today’s walk between Cap Ferrat and Beaulieu-Sur-Mer (total duration, without breaks: 2 to 3 hours) happens to start at exactly such a spot, at the Anse Liong just outside the small town of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. (Take Lignes d’Azur bus line no. 81 from Nice Central Bus Station, Gare Routière in French, to Saint Jean and walk across town to Avenue Claude Vignon.)
Follow Avenue Vignon eastward until you come to a triangular crossing with Avenue Jean Mermoz and take the path on your left hand side, called the Promenade des Fossettes, which will lead you on a picturesque trail, once around the Saint Jean peninsula and its easternmost point, the Pointe de Saint Hospice back to where you came from, the crossing between Avenues Mermoz and Vignon.
Stay on Avenue Mermoz on your right hand side to walk straight into Saint Jean, one of the prettiest little towns along the French Riviera.
Walk into the public garden and take the path on your left hand side that will eventually merge into the Promenade Maurice Rouvier. This footpath will take you all the way (another 2 km or so) along the coast to Beaulieu-Sur-Mer, past some stunning beachfront properties that range from the sublime, you may notice that the walls around the Fleur du Cap (which was once owned by Charlie Chaplin and later by the English actor David Niven) have been moulded around mature trees so they did not have to cut them down to the surreal.
Just follow the Promenade Maurice Rouvier straight into town and turn left into Boulevard du Marechal Leclerc for the train station. – I leave you today with another shot of the Fleur du Cap: this is what the house looks from behind, facing the beach and Beaulieu town so you have something to dream about tonight.
