THE CORNICHES
What to do in The Corniches
The Corniches are all about exploring, discovering great views, little ports, wild mountains, historic villages and tucked away beaches. It is a wealth of wonder both natural and man made from the perched villages to the plunging coastline.
There are no shortages of things to see and do along the Corniches. With eight different towns and villages, mountains, beaches, national parks, museums, gardens and astounding natural beauty, you will find, as travellers and visitors for hundreds of years have before you, that this is one of the most beautiful and interesting places in the world to go on holiday.
What to do in The Corniches
for families| Beach hop along the Corniches |
| There are no shortage of beaches along this stretch of the coast made all the more dramatic by the towering mountains and the sheltered coves. Villefranche is a popular beach for families as it is close to the town with restaurants and shops close to hand, an informal feel and sheltered waters. Plage Mala at Cap d'Ail is tucked away and quite in accessible but it has an exciting walk along hanging footpaths to excite older children.
Eze Bord-de-Mer is a narrow strip of beach with a choice of beach clubs or pebbly public areas but it is well protected from the road and is usually quiet. Beaulieu is a also a great family beach close to the Marina and restaurants and with play areas especially for children.
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A lot of the beaches have sheltered water and are perfect for inflatables, body boards and other beach toys and games. |
| Activities for chldren along the Corniches |
| The towns and villages dotted along the coastline are very much geared around water based activities for children. There are a variety of water sports including sea kayaking, fishing, sailing and diving. Villefranche, Eze and Beaulieu are particular centres along the corniches for these types of activities so it is a good place to base your self.
You will also find tennis courts, petanque pitches, outdoor cinemas and plenty of playgrounds provided by the municipality for locals and visitors to the area. |
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Call into the tourist office to make reservations and pick up maps to be sure you get your turn. |
| Take to the mountains of the Corniches |
| The Corniches have some of the most spectacular national parks. Pack a picnic, don hats and sunscreen and head for the hills for an exhausting and exhilarting trip to the mountains. The Parc de la Grand Corniche has 660 hectares of natural vegatation stretching across the communes of Villefranche, Eze and La Turbie.
An orientation table will help you to identify villages and towns and there are detailed maps available clearly marking routes and points of interest. You will find footpaths, ancient forts, information points, parking and picnic tables to help you experience the wilder side of life on the Cote d'Azur. |
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The view is spectacular, the sun blazing and there is a little football pitch near the entrance. |
What to do in The Corniches
for couples | | This may sound completely obvious but the Corniche roads have simply the best views. From the Basse Corniche you amble along at sea level, winding through solid rock tunnels and into the seaside villages.
From the Moyenne Corniche you have more of a vista with the views dropping down ver the Med and into the distance. The Grande Corniche is panoramic and slightly wild with national parks and protected green spaces. |
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One of the greatest pleasures is to drive these roads in an open topped car, explore the villages and gaze on the scenery. |
 | | There are so many contrasts to be found along the Corniches. Have a simple lunch at one of the beach side cafes in either Villefranche or Eze Bord-de-Mer. Watch the world drift by in a pink haze of summery chilled glasses of rosé and siesta on shaded sunbeds afterwards.
For dinner climb the dramatic heights of Eze village for cocktails on the edge of the cliff and dinner in one of the many restaurants hidden in these medieval streets. Go for fine dining in Le Chevre d'Or or choose something more simple. An experience to create lifelong memories.
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French chefs have their reputations for a reason and you will find many michelin starred restaurants along these routes. |
 | | Sightseeing along the Corniches |
| There are a lot of sights to see in this area and they are scattered over quite a wide area. The trick is to chose where and which ones you would definitely like to see and try not to do too much in one day. Traffic and heat will conspire to ruin your day unless you pick an area and stay around it for that day.
Try Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild to see stunning formal gardens and a palatial Venetian villa, the Citadell in Villfranche for a taste of history, the exotic gardens at the summit of Eze village for altitudinous flora with hair-raising views or the many beaches. |
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A footpath that rises in Cap d'Ail and clings to the coast and, in places, the rock face. It's beautiful. Finish at plage Mala for cocktails. |
What to do in The Corniches
for a group of friends | This is simply one of the best activities to do in the this part of the French Riviera. You will need a license for boats of a certain engine size but if you don't have one, you can always hire one with a skipper. This is sometimes the best option as it leaves you all free to jump ashore for boozy lunches, if you are so inclined, without the worry of who is driving.
It is a great way to get around all the cosy coves and bays with hidden beaches and quiet swimming spots. You'll see the best views of the riviera and get to see some of the grandest villas on the coast from the vantage point of the sea. |
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With a group of you the cost is easily shared and the fun is more than doubled. Fishing and diving are also available. |
Go hiking along the Corniches
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| There are stunning national parks in this area. The Grande Corniche park and the Vinaigrier are the two largest. There are lots of shorter walks around the towns and villages but getting up and out into the wilds is really something special.
There are organised guides if you don't feel confident of your own map reading skills and to help you get the most out of the trip but there are very good detailed maps available also, available in most of the tourist offices .
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Get details of them online. Look in the RG directory, under 'Activities - Hiking' to find contact details. |
| There are a lot of beaches along the Corniches some more hidden away than others and some more suitable for children than others. Try plage Mala in Cap d'Ail or Plage Passable on St Jean Cap Ferrat. Both are fairly tucked away and have elegant beach clubs and great restaurants.
They are a great places to while away the hours lanquid on sunbeds with waiter service and full facilities. Often during the summer months you can avail of masseuse services and beach side shops. |
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These are not exclusively adult beaches but they are geared for an elegant beach experience. |
Renting holiday lettings in the Corniches
The wilds of the Corniches has just about every holiday activity available whether your interest is in history, beaches, towns or countryside, you can find it on the Corniches.
To see what holiday apartments and villa vacation rentals are available for your time on the French Riviera then please use the search facility below or click on 'Browse Rentals' in the main menu. Thank you for using Riviera rental Guide for your holiday rental.
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Some of our vacation rentals in The Corniches |
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Beautiful large apartment located in the heart of the Rade De Villefranche on the French Riviera. This beautifully...
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Belle Epoque at it's very best at this beautifully restored jewel-like villa in Beaulieu Sur Mer. With views over Cap...
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With astounding views in the most sought after vista on the Riviera, Villa For Ever is a large 4 bedroom villa that is...
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