Riviera Walking Vacation in France

Explore Nice, Villefranche-Sur-Mer, Menton, Cannes and Antibes by foot and by rail
May 2024 WaitlistSep 21-27, 2025
Colorful tall buildings and bouganvilla overlooking the sea in Villefranche Sur Mer European walking tour vacations in southern Europe sketchbook art vacation in France sketchbook art vacation in France

Coastal Trails, Seaside Towns, Fabulous Food

Dates:
May 27-June 2, 2024   SOLD OUT (waiting list available)
Sep 21 – 27, 2025 NEW!
Duration: 7 days / 6 nights
Location: Nice, France
Cost: from $2595
Single Supplement: $595
Land only, solo traveler roomshares available. All prices in US dollars.

Walking Vacation in Nice, France

Do you love view-filled coastal trails, lively French towns, and amazing food? Then this walking vacation in France is for you. The Blue Walk exclusive morning itineraries of seaside walking trails and urban sidewalk strolls bring you to the Mediterranean’s best-loved towns by lunchtime. Open air markets display the best offerings of the season. Charming bistros welcome our small group of travelers to enjoy their regional specialties. On our morning walks explore the areas of Nice, Cannes, Menton, and Antibes. You have the Riviera as your playground each afternoon. It’s a beautiful, fun, feel-good vacation.

What to expect

smiling ladies at train station in Paris

Walking Vacation in France

Join us in Nice and discover the magic that has drawn visitors to its shores for centuries. Our Riviera walking vacation in France features slow travel and soft adventure. Every half day walk follows a leisurely pace and has options for more or less walking. Our select, 4-star hotel in Nice, France will welcome you home after a day of discovery. We will go at a leisurely pace to take in our surroundings and stop often for photos. Our walking vacation in France includes a one-week unlimited use train pass for our entire route. You can hop on and off whenever, and wherever you like.

How Much Walking?

Woman walking on path Cap Ferrat France walking vacation

Walking Vacation in France

Blue Walk France walking tours feature a variety of routes which can be shortened or extended depending upon each traveler’s interest. Daily, we will enjoy trail walks along rustic paths and urban strolls along paved sidewalks and cobbled streets. Typical days average between 2-4 hours of walking including stops and breaks. Walking on the coastal paths and strolling through beach-side promenades is a great way to enjoy long leisurely conversations, rub elbows with local residents, and just quietly take in the beauty of the Riviera.

What to Expect

Walking Vacation in France

 

Join us in Nice and discover the magic that has drawn visitors to its shores for centuries. Our Riviera walking vacation in France features slow travel and soft adventure. Every half day walk follows a leisurely pace and has options for more or less walking. During the walks, we will take in our surroundings and stop often for photos. Our select, 4-star hotel in Nice, France will welcome you home after a day of discovery. Our walking vacation in France includes a one-week unlimited use train pass for our entire route. You can hop on and off whenever, and wherever you like.

How much walking?

Walking Vacation in France

Blue Walk France walking tours feature a variety of routes which can be shortened or extended depending upon each traveler’s interest. Daily, we will enjoy trail walks along rustic paths and urban strolls along paved sidewalks and cobbled streets.

Typical days average between 2-4 hours of walking including stops and breaks. To best enjoy our walks you should feel comfortable walking at least 2 miles in an hour. The routes are not particularly steep, but there will be some hilly parts and sections with lots of stairs.

Walking on the coastal paths and strolling through beach-side promenades is a great way to enjoy long leisurely conversations, rub elbows with local residents, and just quietly take in the beauty of the Riviera.

 

What is Included?

Walking Vacation in France

  • Six nights at our centrally located 4-star hotel in Nice, France minutes to the beach and Old Town
  • Full hot & cold buffet breakfast daily
  • Welcome dinner
  • Gelato!
  • Snack of a Niçoise specialties
  • Farewell dinner
  • One-week unlimited use TER regional train pass along between Cannes and Menton
  • Visit the towns of Menton, Villefranche Sur Mer, Antibes, and Cannes
  • Visit to Cours Saleya flower market
  • Visit to Antibes’ Marche Provencal
  • Ferry trip to the Lerin Islands and Île Saint-Honorat
  • Guided walks along the coastal sentiers (paths) of the Cote d’Azur
  • Absinthe museum experience (optional)
  • Daily customized itineraries
  • Your English speaking guide
  • Fully hosted and escorted
  • All hotel taxes and service fees

What you’ll love

1. Small groups

With no more than 12 guests, it feels like traveling a fun group of friends

2. Immersive experiences

Step away from your everyday life and fully experience the food, culture, and landscape of the French Riviera

3. Planning with care

We take care of the details. You enjoy your vacation!

Example Itinerary

Walking Vacation in France

Actual daily schedules may differ.

 

Day 1

We will gather at our boutique hotel perfectly located in the center of Nice, France. First a  meet-and-greet and program overview will give a vision of the week ahead. Then, we will have an orientation walk to get to know the neighborhood. Finally, in Nice Old Town we have a favorite place to enjoy a glass of wine and sample traditional Niçoise fare. The remainder of the evening is at your leisure. 

Walking vacation in France

Nice-ville Station Blue Walk France walking tour vacation with group

Day 2

First a quick Trains 101 lesson will get you traveling like a local with your included train pass. Then it is a short ride to the charming harbor town of Villefranche-Sur-Mer. Next we’ll walk along the coast back to Nice. Finally we’ll end upon the famous Promenade des Anglais. During lunch you can enjoy the colors, scents and people-watching at the Cours Saleya Flower Market. Later that evening we will gather for our welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Rothschild Villa at Sunset art vacation in France with Lorraine Bell

Day 3

First, our small group strolls from Beaulieu-Sur-Mer to the harbor of glamourous Saint Jean. Next the wooded sentier trails of Cap Ferrat provide breathtaking views in every direction. Finally we finish with a cool drink back in Saint Jean. Great options for the afternoon include a visit to the Rothschild Villa & Gardens or the hilltop village of Eze. This is truly a spectacular day.

Walking vacation in France

Day 4

Begin the day with a train to Roquebrune/Cap Martin. Next walk the coastal sentier with views of both Monaco and Italy. Then cool your feet with a beachside break and refreshment. Finally, we will end in the seaside historic center of Menton. Afternoon options include an easy walk to the Italian Border and/or a visit to the Principality of Monaco. (Three countries in one day!)

Roquebrun view to Monaco France walking vacation

Day 5

Our walking vacation in France will spend the morning on an urban stroll through historic Antibes. With views of both the sea and the French Alps, we will walk the yacht-adorned harbor, the ancient fortress ramparts and the charming historic alleys. Then enjoy lunch on a sunny terrace near Marché Provençal before visiting an Absinthe museum to discover what so impressed the Impressionists. The afternoon is free. Some great options: a self-guided sentier walk, visit the Picasso Museum, or explore the hilltop artist villages of St. Paul de Vence or Grasse.

Couple walking on Ile Saint Honorat path walking vacation in France

Day 6

We begin with the train to Cannes to meander the pedestrian street of Rue Meynadier and the colorful covered market of Marché Forville. Then our walking tour in France will take a short ferry to the island retreat of Ile St. Honorat. There, after a picnic lunch, we’ll walk the island’s peaceful trails through oak forests, graceful vineyards, and olive groves. Finally, return to Nice at your leisure, taking time for a swim in a private cove or to explore Cannes.

Villefranche sur Mer France walking vacation sketchbook art journal vacation

Day 7

It is time to bid farewell until next time. No group activities are planned on this day. You may depart at your leisure. Breakfast is included. If taking your luggage after checkout time, the hotel will hold your bags. Your rail pass will still be valid on this day.

Walking vacation in France

Walk the coast and visit villages of the French Riviera!

Where In the World?

Our French Riviera vacations are based in Nice, France. Famous for it's perfect weather and seaside lifestyle, the region has a wealth of natural, cultural, and culinary riches. Our small group walking vacations take advantage of the little traveled sentiers, or walking paths, that run along the Riviera coast. Our walking tour in France will focus on the very best of the area as we explore between Cannes to the west and Menton on the Italian border to the east.

The Nice International Airport is the most convenient for our programs. A tram runs between the airport and central Nice. This is by far the most economical and reliably fast way to get to and from the airport.

For those who are interested, a fast train regularly travels between Paris and Nice. The journey takes about 5 1/2 hours.

French Riviera walking vacation Art workshop Nice France area map

Important Notes

Riviera Walking Vacation in France

Maximum Guests: 12. Price based on double occupancy. Solo Traveler Roomshares based on availability. Land only. All prices are in U.S. dollars. Program subject to change.

Deposits

Your place on a tour is secured once we have received and confirmed your deposit payment. Before the final payment date, a non-refundable deposit of $500 for walking vacations and $750 for art vacation workshops is required. After the final payment date, the entire tour amount must be received to hold a space on a program. 

You may cancel for any reason up to 90 days prior to departure and your non-refundable deposit may be forwarded to a future tour. Any balance on your account will be returned. For complete details please see our Terms and Conditions.

Solo travelers and single supplements

For our guests who are traveling solo... We offer a single supplement for an additional fee if you wish to guarantee a private room.

If you do not request a private room, you will share a twin room with another trip participant of the same sex (Roomshare). When you sign up, if no Roomshare is available, a 50% single supplement will be included on your invoice and is due at final payment. However, if a roommate is found before your trip departs, you will be matched and the single supplement will be removed or refunded.

A single supplement guarantees a private room. Whenever possible singles will be placed in the same room type as our double or twin rooms.

Twin / Double Rooms

Please be aware twin beds in Europe may have very little or no space between beds. Also, for double beds, instead of a king or queen mattress, double beds are often two adjoining twin mattresses secured together and made with double bedding.

Fitness

Walking is a part of this program. It is both a means of visiting locations and a way to immerse yourself in a place. Our scheduled walks are usually 1-2 hours long at a casual pace. We provide a general description of our walks here. It is your responsibility to know your own physical and medical condition with respect to the advisability of participating in a chosen trip. We suggest you prepare by doing at least 1 hour of walking several times per week, and a longer walk at least once per week. Ideally, include walks with elevation change and stairs. (There are always stairs.)

As with any exercise program, we recommend you consult with your physician prior to your arrival regarding the suitability of a walking tour.

Some of our guests find trekking poles helpful on steep or uneven terrain. In Europe they are quite common. Before using them on a vacation, please practice at home. We strongly advise you get comfortable using trekking  poles on familiar paths first.

 

For additional information on these topics and more, please see our FAQ page.

Choose Your Walking or Art Vacation

Walking Tours

Are you looking for a leisurely European walking vacation or a travel journal-based art vacation? To learn more, select your destination country or program type below. We will take you there!

To learn more about The Blue Walk difference please read our About The Blue Walk page.

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