Out and About
Mountain hike: the Mercantour and its ‘Wonders’
Photos still to come This is a serious 5-day hike we undertook earlier this month from our base in Nice. It’s probably not for everybody, but I hope it makes good reading even for anyone not planning something similar. Stats:54km over 5 days;Total climb/descent 5600m Practicalities:Mountain huts or refuges: Refuge de Fontenalbe, Refuge des Merveilles and Refuge de Valmasque.Bus 23… Read on >
Eze Village and Beach
Photos still to come This is an easy day trip from Nice, and it is varied and pleasant if you enjoy both swimming and walking. Practicalities: Take the train from Nice Ville to Eze.Swim on the secluded beach at Eze-sur-Mer.Walk up the Chemin de Nietzsche to Eze VillageReturn to Nice on the 82 or 83 bus. The beach After getting… Read on >
Nice as ‘destination and gateway’
Our favourite train line has made it into the travel pages of The Guardian. The Train des Merveilles, or Train of Marvels, is nicely described by Annabelle Thorpe’s evocative article published on 24th May2026. She also ventures into Nice itself as well as Antibes and Beaulieu, all places that can be reached easily by train while being based in Nice…. Read on >
April 2026: Orange trees and blackcaps
Nice in April is redolent of orange trees in flower. The trees are found on every street corner, in municipal plantings or private gardens in front of buildings. Like the ones in this picture (below), they bear a dense green foliage studded with small white flowers which you can smell long before you see them. Check carefully and you will… Read on >
A stay at La Brigue, with sheep
Nice is situated at the foot of a stunning mountain range, part of the Alps, which is very good for hiking at the right times of year. Getting to the know the mountains around Nice is certainly as rewarding as finding secluded coves to swim in or new restaurants to try. If this sounds daunting to those who don’t bring… Read on >
Public transport in Nice
In a previous blog I kept during my long association with Nice, just about everything I wrote about public transport is now wrong. So much investment has gone into green transport in the past twenty years that this aspect of the town has changed beyond all recognition. Trams prioritised over cars When we made our very first visit to Nice… Read on >