12 original and green outdoor activities
1 September 2023
Yes! Summer’s coming! Do you feel the need to stretch your legs and experience new activities in the great outdoors?
As a couple or with your family, the Nice Côte d’Azur area is simply PERFECT to entertain you and provide you with thrills, with little impact on the environment, as our selection of activities to do on sunny days shows.
Discover, climb, scale, dare, reach the summits, breathe the pure air, meet chamois, wolves and dolphins, jump or dive into the depths of the Big Blue… Far from the crowded spots, the range of possibilities is infinite… leave room for your imagination!
1 – Fly like Icarus… without burning your wings!
Zip line of La Colmiane – High Land
In solo or duo flight, the zip line of La Colmiane (80km from Nice) will allow you to live a new experience. At 120 km/h, over 2,663 m and 100 m above a grandiose mountain landscape, soar through the sky like a bird and feel the air whipping your face… 3-2-1… Ready for the big thrill?
This activity is accessible from 8 years old for duo or from 12 years old for solo flight.
2 – Take to the air!
Paragliding experience – Valdeblore – High Land (80km from Nice)
Who hasn’t dreamed of flying?
Who’s never dreamed of soaring up to see what it’s like to see from up there?
For an unforgettable experience, treat yourself to a paragliding experience in tandem with a state-certified instructor!
Get your adrenaline pumping and enjoy new sensations as you fly over the Tinée and Vésubie valleys. From Valdeblore, take the rising winds and let yourself be carried away by the magic of the moment…
I believe I can fly…
3 – Challenge the other team, summer camp style!
Auron Boot Camp – High Land
Are you ready to tackle a whole range of obstacles in the forest? Whether you are alone, in a duo, with your family (from 11 years old) or with friends, this 3-hour activity will remind you of your memorable days at summer camp, which were not so long ago… Between nostalgia and memories, cultivate your good mood and fall back into childhood!
Strategy, endurance tests, games and orienteering, balance, conviviality, fun, surpassing yourself and team spirit will be the components of this successful Boot Camp! Laughter and fun guaranteed in the heart of a preserved nature!
3 half-days for adults and children over 11 years old are scheduled each week throughout the summer (2 half-days for the Mini Boot Camp for 6 to 10 year olds).
4 – Walking in the footsteps of Belle and Sebastian
La Gordolasque, Belvedere – High Land (65km from Nice)
Walk in the footsteps of Belle and Sebastien, the heroes of the story written and directed by Cécile Aubry!
A short family hike will lead you to a hut leaning against the rock. This modest shepherd’s hut served as the backdrop for the mythical series of the 60s; a series that moved a whole generation of children. It is from Belvédère, a charming mountain village, that you will start this hike accessible to all.
You will cross the magnificent valley of the Gordolasque and discover natural landscapes of great beauty. For the most willing, the hike can continue to Lac Autier, at an altitude of 2,275 metres.
Its welcoming lakeside will invite you to stop for a picnic and to contemplate its generous flora and fauna.
5 – Climb every mountain!
Via Ferrata – La Colmiane – High Land
Amateur of strong sensations, the via ferrata of Baus de la Frema is made for you!
This route built on rocky walls is one of the most spectacular in the Alpes-Maritimes. With its footbridge suspended between switches, monkey bridges and ladders, this route is sure to surprise you. One of its attractions lies in the ascent of the Baus de la Frema (2,246 m), a remarkable viewpoint over the entire Mercantour massif and the luxuriant Valdeblore valley.
Breathtaking scenery, the Mercantour at your feet and paradise at your fingertips…
Children admitted from 1m45.
6 – Show off your riding skills!
Horseback riding – Vence – Mid Country
See you in Vence, at the ranch!
Novice or confirmed riders, let your instructor and your horse lead you on the hiking trails.
Between the maritime pines, olive trees, cysts, brooms and other Mediterranean plants, enjoy the idyllic setting and the exceptional panoramas. On one side the Mediterranean, on the other the Southern Alps… and you in the middle.
After your horseback ride, take the time to visit the pretty medieval town of Vence. Perched on the Balcons d’Azur and just above the sea, it is a must-see tourist site.
Fresh air, nature, horses, culture, gastronomy and arts and crafts… In the same day, combine all the pleasures!
3 sites offer riding activities:
- Equestrian Centre “Ranch El Bronco”
- Educational farm “Ranch la Cavetière”
- Leisure riding area “Fort Apache”
7 – Cycling free
Cycling – Nice and all the Metropolitan area
The capital of the Côte d’Azur offers cyclists a welcome, rental services and adapted equipment. Ride along the Baie des Anges for miles, cross the tourist centre at your own pace and let yourself be charmed by the panorama and the rich heritage of Nice, a green Mediterranean city. The rest of the metropolitan area also offers an infinite variety of walks and hikes by bicycle, mountain bike or electrically assisted mountain bike.
A new 261-kilometre route has recently been set up. It allows you to tackle, by electric mountain bike, 7000 m of difference in height between the mountain resort of Auron and the mythical Promenade des Anglais. After passing through 16 charming villages and over the impressive Bonette pass (the highest in Europe), you will certainly enjoy a dive into the Big Blue!
8 – Go jogging in a forest park with sea view!
Mont Boron Forest Park- Nice
It is a true place of zenitude, only a stone’s throw from the Promenade des Anglais… The Mont Boron forest park offers all walkers and joggers its 11 kilometres of marked trails and its 57 hectares in the heart of a Mediterranean forest (Aleppo pines, carob trees, wild olive trees and rare species).
In this maze of paths, you will reach the pretty military fort of Mont-Alban. From there, you won’t be able to avert your eyes from the unique panorama that presents itself to you… On one side, Italy, on the other, the Esterel, in the middle of the extraordinary bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer, the peninsula of Cap-Ferrat, Nice and the mountainous reliefs of the Alps. The view is simply sublime… Put on your sneakers right away!
@Ville de Nice
@Ville de Nice
@Ville de Nice
9 – Glide silently on the blue waves
SeaZen – Beaulieu-sur-Mer – Coastal area
Departing from the port of Nice or Beaulieu-sur-Mer, board a small catamaran for a silent and non-polluting sea trip.
Discover the beauty of the Cap de Nice and the coast between Beaulieu and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, admire the sumptuous historic villas Ephrussi de Rothschild and Kérylos as well as the other superb private villas, mostly hidden in green settings.
Glide on the water in complete peace of mind aboard this electric boat equipped with solar panels. In “accompanied” or “self-service rental” formula, your trip will be a real SeaZenitude…
And don’t hesitate to so for a little swim!
10 – Swim like a fish in water!
Initiation to diving and snorkeling – Villefranche-sur-Mer – Coastal Area
Explore the underwater world on a first dive.
Departing from the port of Nice or Villefranche-sur-Mer, board a boat for a short sail to the majestic bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer. Once the anchor is dropped, your equipment put on, throw yourself in the water and let the charm work! Your instructor will help you to spot the wonders of the Mediterranean seabed.
Be prepared to make many encounters: moray eels, lobsters, sars, dentis, shoals of anchovies, girelles, groupers, corbs, octopuses, sea stars and sea urchins… A festival of shapes and colours awaits you… Take the time to enjoy them!
In addition to first-time divers, the specialised centres also offer you shallow snorkelling trips (mask, fins and snorkels). The ideal way to learn about the aquatic environment with your family!
See also : A dive with Rand’eau Evasion, tested for you by Valérie
11 – Meet the dolphins of the Mediterranean Sea
Sea trip aboard the Santo-Sospir – St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat – Coastal Area
Discover the cetaceans of the Mediterranean aboard the Santo Sospir, a 23-metre-long training ship, a faithful replica of a 16th-century Turkish sailing ship.
Destination ? The Pelagos sanctuary, a protected maritime area of nearly 87,500 Km2 between France, Italy and Monaco!
You will observe blue dolphins, rorqual whales, whales, sea turtles in their natural habitat… Each sea trip with the SOS Grand Bleu association is also an opportunity to learn how to identify the different species and understand how they function.
Do your children have the soul of a pirate? Do you dream of taking the helm?
Get on board now!
@SOS Grand Bleu
@SOS Grand Bleu
@SOS Grand Bleu
12 – Take a close look at the stars!
Astrorama – stargazing site – Fort de la Revère in La Trinité – Coastline
Far from light pollution, in the Grande Corniche departmental nature park (a magnificent park with a grandiose panorama of the Mediterranean and which I strongly invite you to visit), hides the Astrorama, a place dedicated to the observation of the planets and the stars.
During an animated evening “A Ciel Ouvert”, raise your head, open your eyes wide and initiate yourself to the observation of the sky and the universe thanks to the explanations of a team passionate about astronomy! The show is there, right above you… You will learn to recognise the stars with the naked eye and the telescope.
Depending on the weather and the ephemeris, the theme of the evening may vary: observing the moon, learning to spot the main constellations, understanding the difference between celestial objects… The Astrorama also offers “Star Show” evenings with conferences and scientific mediation activities.
The “Open Skies” evenings start at 6pm from November to March and at 7pm from April to October. The ticket office opens 20 minutes before the start of the evening.
There is a short meal break in the middle of the evening (the evening lasts 4 hours); you can bring your own picnic and/or take advantage of the services of the Astrocafé (remember to book your snack at the same time as your visit). Bring a jacket… At an altitude of 650m, the evening can be a little chilly, even in summer.
In short, it’s a great time for the whole family (from 6 years old)!
This selection is just a small glimpse of the outdoor activities on offer throughout Nice Côte d’Azur.
The coastline offers you its coves, beaches and seabed which also rhymes with sailing, paddle, surfing or water skiing.
The middle country will charm you with its perched villages, its authentic heritage, its numerous hiking trails and its hilly landscapes suitable for all kinds of water sports.
As for the high land, it is an immeasurable playground, whatever the season. You won’t have enough of your stay to go around it… You’ll only want to… Come back!
Photo credit: Bureau des moniteurs du Pays Niçois, Imagin-air, PureMontagne.fr, OTM NCA, Le Poseidon Nice, SOS Grand Bleu
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