Nice
Escape the city and enjoy Southern France for its weather, wine and cheese in a tranquil bliss.
As part of a university reunion, myself and a couple of friends flew out to the South of France to visit one of our friends who lives there. We stayed just outside the city of Nice towards the hills in La Gaude. We rented this nice Airbnb and had a car to run around in and spent our time enjoying the glorious weather, good cheese and great wine.
I only spent an afternoon in the city of Nice before my flight home. The rest of our time was spent in the countryside area visiting old towns, vineyards, and nature attractions. Below are a couple of those spots. We used a car to get to all these places, but I have also detailed public transport options from Nice, although the travel times will be significant.
Trip date: July 2022
Gorges du Loup
Gorges du Loup is a popular wild swimming spot. At the right spot, it’s a slow-moving river, fairly deep, with a couple of pools formed by cascades. I would recommend being a comfortable swimmer before trying to cross it. Some sections along the bank remain shallow. On the flip side, there are also some very deep sections, with people enjoying cliff jumping. Generally, the water is safe, but of course, be careful of rocks and don’t be surprised if you happen across a couple of eels.
It’s very leafy and so pretty shady along the river banks, but if you are to swim your things over to the rocks in the middle of the river you are more likely to get some sun exposure.
To reach the swimming spot, follow Chem. de la Confiserie road until it turns into a dirt path and continue along this river-side path until you reach a section that looks good for you.
How to get to Gorges du Loup: From Nice, take a train to Grasse and then catch the 651 bus from the SNCF Richelieu stop to Pont du Loup. Alternatively, take a train from Nice to Cagnes-sur-Mer and then catch the 9 bus from the same station to Halte Routière de l'Ara, change to the 651 bus at the Pont Royal stop and get off at Pont du Loup. The journey takes about 2 hours.
While you’re in the area, I would also recommend stopping by Confiserie Florian. It’s a confectionary and chocolatier shop / museum which has some really tasty treats and you can watch the process of how some of these treats are made.
Saint Paul de Vence
Saint Paul de Vence is an old medieval town built on top of a hill and sealed with a tall wall. This walled town is a popular tourist destination, and for good reason - it is gorgeous. Its location on a hill means that there are beautiful views across France in all directions and makes it a great spot for sunset ‘apéro’ meaning before dinner drinks and snacks.
Side note: as beautiful as the old town hill location is, it does make for pretty mean parking situations. Think cobbled stones, tight corners, steep inclines, parallel parking…
Saint Paul de Vence is well known for its art scene. Many well-known artists including Picasso, Matisse and Dufy have stayed and created works in this town. Within the walled town, there is plenty to idle your way through. Many art galleries, artisan shops, cafes and restaurants. It is small though, so it won’t take long to cover. I recommend walking the walls of the town, the main street Rue Grande, and then treating yourself to an outdoor terrace drink or meal.
Things to do in Saint Paul de Vence:
For a simple route through the old town: walk through the north entrance gateway, Porte de Vence, and continue along the main road, Rue Grande, to meet the cemetery at the south end.
Walk the medieval walls of the town. You can join onto the walls from the cemetery at the very end of the town, and there are steps leading up to the wall at various points along it.
Watch the old pros at a game of boules on the Place du Jeu de Boules / Place De Gaulle. If you’re able, grab an outdoor table at Cafe de la Place to enjoy the game with a drink.
If art is a real interest, visit The Maeght Foundation art museum.
Before your visit be sure to check ‘what’s on’ to see if anything piques your interest.
How to get to Saint Paul de Vence: You can take a train from Nice to Cagnes-sur-Mer and from here catch the 655 bus to Saint Paul de Vence. This will take about 50 minutes. Alternatively, you can take trams and buses which will take just over an hour and requires multiple changes. Google Maps will be able to direct you, and the Saint Paul de Vence tourism website also details suggested routes.
Saint Paul de Vence and the surrounding area
Saint Paul de Vence town wallsDomaine des Hautes Collines
In France, it is common practice to choose your wine based on the vineyard and the family of growers rather than on the grape (at least so I was told). Domaine des Hautes Collines, a small vineyard in Saint Jeannet, was local to where we were staying, and highly rated.
Their wine is aged in the sun, as per the tradition of Saint Jeannet, and the terrace is lined with these large glass bottles glowing amber, yellow or deep red. The vineyard also has olive trees, and after a little wine tasting, we sat on the terrace with a couple of bottles to ourselves and a plate of olives to pick at. Being located on the hillside it has great views over Nice.
Make sure to call ahead before visiting to ensure that someone is in. You can come to purchase some bottles, organise a wine tasting, or just enjoy a glass or two with a view.
How to get to Domaine des Hautes Collines vineyard: Take the 54 bus and get off at the La Cabergue stop. It is then just a 10-minute walk down the road from here. To catch the 54 bus you will need to take a bus or tram towards Nice airport. Depending on which transport route you take you will change at either Grand Arenas, Centre Commercial CAP 3000, or Saint-Laurent-du-Var. Google Maps has good directions. From the center of Nice, it will take around 1.5 hours to reach this vineyard.
Nice
As mentioned above, I only spent an afternoon in Nice so didn’t get much of a feel for it. However, here are a couple of my recommendations based on what I was able to fit in and what my friend recommended.
Things to do in Nice:
If you have time to kill and need to remain close to the airport, the Asian Arts Museum is within walking distance and free to visit.
Spend time in the Colline du Château hilltop park. It’s a nice leafy area, so particuarly good if you’re looking to escape some of the heat.
Explore the streets of Old Nice. It’s beautiful and picturesque and filled with great places to eat and drink.
On most mornings you can peruse the Marché Aux Fleurs and purchase the fresh produce on sale.
Stop off for a delicious brunch at Marinette.
Stroll through the neoclassical plaza, Place Masséna, or grab a coffee at one of the many cafes lining it.
Sunbathe along the public beaches that stretches across the city. The grey shingle is unlike any beach I have seen before. It’s not very deep and is often covered with bodies, but in the intense heat of the city, having a space to cool off is quite nice.
Admire the grand, luxury and superyachts in Port Lympia.
View from Colline du ChâteauSpecial Recommendations
Food: Local cheese and wine!
Attractions: Saint Paul de Vence
Accommodation: If you’re a group/family, this Airbnb.
R’s take
I always find the south of France a little haughty so feel particularly self-conscious about my skin colour and lack of French, but I had no bad experiences based on my race or gender whilst out here.
Gorges du Loup
Saint Paul de Vence
Our villa
Saint Paul de Vence
View over Nice from Saint Paul de Vence
Our villa
View over France from Saint Paul de Vence
Town walls, Saint Paul de Vence
Gorges du Loup
Gorges du Loup
La Gaude
Saint Paul de Vence
Saint Paul de Vence