With the last section of the trail, it is now possible to reach the shores of Villefranche from Cap de Nice.
If you are in the Côte d’Azur capital, you will love to discover the Cap de Nice footpath which allows you to walk from the Lympia port to the town of Villefranche-sur-Mer.
It starts at the Jardin Félix Rainaud, after the restaurant “la Réserve” and overlooks the famous “Coco Beach”, nicknamed “the pool” by the locals and many regulars …
The view is breathtaking, blue as far as the eye can see, and the trail winds its way along the properties. After passing the Cap de Nice, you can see the Palais Maeterlinck. A long series of stairs awaits you (you’ll remember!) and allows you to reach the Basse Corniche, on Boulevard Maeterlinck to reach the second part of the path.
You just have to walk about 800 meters along the boulevard and the path starts again on your right at the stairs. After passing the blockhouse of the Pointe des Sans-Culottes (restored and secured by the Department), you will go up and down a series of stairs dug into the rock to enjoy the panorama of the famous bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer. Opposite, you can see the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula, a real garden overlooking the sea.
At the end of the road, you arrive in the Lazaret district of Villefranche-sur-Mer and you pass the Paganini Tower (which according to the legend would have sheltered the remains of the violinist) and its glazed earthenware roof, the only existing vestige of the Lazaret. You can continue your walk to the heart of the city by continuing along the port of La Darse (which houses the shipyards and the National Centre for Scientific Research) and then along the Citadel Saint-Elme, a vestige of the 16th century..
Distance : 6 km depending on the starting point
Duration : 2 hours (one way)
Difficulty : medium (stairs)
Pricing
Free access.
Opening periods
All year round.