Cycling Nice, Côte d’Azur:
your ultimate guide

Why should cyclists visit Nice?

Superb riding

Why cycling in Nice? Routes are varied, and the scenery is mind-blowing: think shimmering azure blue coastline and Alpine foothills that rise quickly from the coast. There are more than enough long hard climbs to test your form and, just like Mallorca, there are some crazy feats of road engineering.

Col de Vence, Col de La Madone, Col de Braus and Col de Turini are some of the region’s big names, but there are any number of fantastic lesser-known climbs and roads. Many have cycling pedigree thanks to the Tour de France, the Paris to Nice “Race to the Sun” and Nice Ironman.

The mild, sunny climate and rain shadow of the Alps, mean the weather is generally good, and most roads are open year-around. Even in winter, you can ride up to around the 1,000 metre mark, which means Col de Vence, Col de la Madone and Col de Braus should be do-able even then.

Pro endorsement

The area was home to one infamous Texan and Trek still name their flagship aero bike after the Col de la Madone. We ran into pro cyclists both on and off the bike during our Easter-time visit to Nice.

Ian Boswell estimated that there are 40 World Tour riders in Monaco and another 25 in Nice. Chris Froome bases himself in Monaco and Team Sky established a performance centre here as early as 2014. It just goes to show how many boxes Nice ticks for road cyclists, and endorses Nice cycling routes as among the very best.

Easy to get to

One of the things we most love about biking in Nice is how easy it is to get there and how quickly you can get out there. Nice is well served by regular flights from most destinations, and it’s a noticeably shorter flight from northern Europe than the Balearics or Canaries.

With the airport just 9 km from the centre of Nice, it’s a very short bus, train, Uber or taxi ride into the city centre. There are even bike stands in the baggage reclaim hall, so you could build your bike and ride into town before you even get to tackling some of the cycling routes in Nice. This all makes Nice a dream to get to, and even realistic if you live elsewhere in Northern Europe and only have a long weekend.

More than just cycling (shock!)

A bike trip to Nice in France has so much more to offer. If you’re looking for a cycling destination with culture and soul, Nice is perfect. This is no tourist shell that only comes alive in season or when the cyclists arrive. Nice is a bona fide, thriving city with superb food, culture and nightlife. The old town is an authentic maze of tiny streets, dotted with butchers, bars, restaurants, art shops, spice sellers and every other local artisan you could imagine. There is a thriving market of local produce and the Promenade des Anglais brings together all walks of life, as well as offering an excellent bike path that is a good option even for serious cyclists (more on that, here).

In Nice port, you’ll find the Café du Cycliste, a mecca for local and visiting cyclists. You can hire a bike, drink excellent coffee or go on a weekend guided shop ride. Their website gives great inspiration, and we found it excellent for planning our itinerary.

If you haven’t done so yet, you really should try to cycle Nice. If you have, you’ll undoubtedly be keen to get back there!

Cycling routes: Nice and Côte d’Azur

The cycling around Nice is brilliant, particularly if you like hills.

For us, a bike trip to Nice is all about discovering the tiny, quiet, winding roads that rise out of busy seaside towns straight into rocky hairpins, flanked by ancient perched villages in pastel colours.

When you’re planning your rides, the geography is relatively simple. Here are some pointers:

South

The Mediterranean – obviously! Ideal for exploring coastal Nice by road bike.

West

A bike path and busy roads until Cannes, after which you get into the Esterel National Nark.

Our Nice to Cannes and Esterel loop rides give full information.

East

The famous three Corniche roads take you to Monaco, Menton and on into Italy. They’re all sheer rock faces, impressive villas and sparkling sea.

If you’re after easier cycling on the Cote d’Azur, choosing to ride alonfg one of the Corniche roads is a good option. There’s less climbing, but you still get amazing views.

Our Col de Braus route includes the Basse Corniche, our Col de Turini route includes  Moyenne Corniche, and our Col de Madone route includes the Grande Corniche.

North

Away from cycling the French  Riviera, there’s the mountains. Access them via the two river valleys out of town: the Var and the Paillon, with busy arterial roads (and cycle paths).

Our routes tend to head out east or west, and then return from the North. We avoid the cycle paths heading north in favour of quieter roads further away from the arterial roads, but see what you think of the Col de Vence and Col de Madone route.

The map below overlays our route suggestions for cycling in Nice, France. Below the map are links to a guide about each route.

 

Cannes and the Corniche de l’Esterel

75km 1770m

Col de Braus loop, Côte d'Azur

111km m

Col de la Madone loop, Côte d'Azur

101km 2570m

Col de Turini loop, Côte d'Azur

133km m

Col de Vence, Côte d'Azur

128km 2710m

Cycling Nice to Cannes (via Baie des Anges and Antibes)

88km 640m

Cannes and the Corniche de l’Esterel

75km 1770m

Col de Braus loop, Côte d'Azur

111km m

Col de la Madone loop, Côte d'Azur

101km 2570m

Col de Turini loop, Côte d'Azur

133km m

Col de Vence, Côte d'Azur

128km 2710m

Cycling Nice to Cannes (via Baie des Anges and Antibes)

88km 640m

Family cycle routes around Nice

Nice and Cote d’Azur cycling is not ideal for a family holiday with young children, since most of the rides involve climbing and/or perilous drop-offs.

However, the cycle path along the Promenade des Anglais is a good option for a one-off ride.

You can hire kids’ bikes, leisure bikes with kids’ seats, skateboards and scooters from Roller Station at the eastern end of the Promenade des Anglais, close to the Castle (49 Quai des États-Unis). Our 2 and 5-year-old had a fantastic time pootling up and down the bike path for a couple of hours.

Tips for cycling Nice

We love to stay in central Nice, for its ambience and restaurants, but as with any city-based holiday, you’ll have to accept a bit of slogging through traffic to reach the most amazing riding. Also be aware of the slightly freestyle driving habits of the locals… short-notice turns, no indicators and crazy car parking are standard. As ever, we recommend getting up early to avoid the worst of the traffic.

Once you’re out of the city centre, biking in Nice is incredible.

Make sure you read our 15 cycling tips for Nice before you go.

If you’re looking to book a cycling tour/guiding from Nice, read this article.

Accommodation

While many other cycling destinations are focused on resorts areas or small towns, Nice is a bustling city. This means there is a wide range of accommodation options: from hotels to self-catering apartments.

Some people decide to stay in the small towns surrounding Nice (think Villefranche-sur-Mer, Menton, Vence, Contes or Carros). However, we love the ease of getting an apartment in the centre of the city and riding straight from there. There’s no hassle with airport transfers and you’ve got hundreds of bars and restaurants right on your doorstep (if you’re feeling really lazy, there’s even Deliveroo)! Plus it’s great for culture and for keeping kids entertained if you’re with the family.

One word of warning if you decide to go for a city centre apartment: lots of the buildings in Nice are five or six storeys with no elevator. Make sure that you don’t end up on the top floor with just a narrow staircase for access – not nice after a long day in the saddle and far from the ideal end to any Nice bike ride.

Our choice: 2 bedroom apartment on Place Garibaldi

This airy, spacious two bedroom apartment has a brilliant location, on the Place Garibaldi in central Nice. The 18th Century building has lofty ceilings and huge shuttered windows. You’re in the thick of it, with the port five minutes walk in one direction and the Promenade du Paillon (aka La Coulée Verte) five minutes walk in the other.

What we loved

• The location. It’s difficult to think of a better place to base yourself in Nice. You’re right on the Place Garibaldi with its wide open space, bars, restaurants, supermarket and bus/tube links. You can easily get out of Nice via the Corniche roads near the port 2 minutes ride away. It’s 5-10 minutes on the tram to the Promenade des Anglais and 2 minutes walk into the Vieux Ville (old town).
• Grand architecture for the 21st Century. Despite being in a centuries-old building in a city centre, you shut the windows, and the double glazing does its job. We didn’t try out the air con, but in summer we imagine that would be welcome to avoid having to open the windows at night.
• White, bright and spacious. The sitting room is the star of the show. It’s a large room with two enormous windows. Painted white, with white sofas and white upholstered dining chairs, it feels fresh and smart. All the rooms are large, and the height of the ceilings lends grandeur and style.
• Car parking space. Parking in Nice is a nightmare, so a car parking space is a great luxury. Be aware that it’s a few hundred metres from the apartment and uses a stacking system.

Things to be aware of

• When we visited, a tube station was being built next door to the apartment block. The work began around 7 am each day and, unsurprisingly, was very noisy, even with the windows shut. If you are sensitive to noise or like to lie in, you may wish to check the work has finished before staying.
• There are a few nice antique armoires and original doors, but the furniture otherwise feels inexpensive. The white palate and original features make up for this in some part, but make sure your expectations are realistic.
• The bed in the master room is a small double. A strange decision by the owners, given the immense size of the room.
• When we visited, there was no smoke detector in the apartment.

Conclusion

This is a charming old apartment on the memorable Place Garibaldi. It’s very well placed for cycling out from Nice as well as Nice’s other many great attractions.

Nice hotels

Palais Saleya

The boutique Palais Saleya is a stylish four-star hotel which guests rave about. If we’re looking for a hotel on our next trip to Nice, this is where we’ll stay.

The hotel is housed in a beautiful 18th Century building and was re-fitted around 2017. Its 26 suites and apartments are sparkling and gorgeous in a contemporary chic style.

• Fabulous location at the entrance to the old town.
• Each suite/apartment has a well-equipped kitchen, with items like a microwave, Nespresso machine and washing machine.
• Breakfast is room-service at an additional charge.
• Tip: we were advised that guests can either keep their bike in their room, or have a maximum of two bikes stored at reception.

Hyatt Regency

The Hyatt Regency is a traditional, iconic, 5-star hotel on the Promenade des Anglais. 187 rooms with views over the terrace and pool or the sea.

• The hotel has a well-regarded restaurant with sea-facing terrace.
• The outdoor pool also has a view over the sea. The indoor pool looks out over the Bay of Angels. These are leisure pools rather than pools that would be of interest to a triathlete.
• Tip: we were advised that there is a secure bike storage room with staff access only. A guest may only keep their bike in their room if the bike is packed.

Malmaison Nice

Malmaison Nice is a four-star, 1920s Art Deco-inspired hotel, a few blocks back from the Promenade des Anglais and west of the old town.

• Many of the 46 rooms have balconies overlooking the terracotta rooftops of Nice.
• Guests appreciate the free smartphone provided with the room, which can be used both within and outside of the hotel.
• Buffet breakfast available at an additional charge.
• Tip: we were advised that there is a secure basement that is kept locked and has staff access only.

Villa Victoria

Villa Victoria is a four-star hotel in a pretty, shuttered building. It’s lovely garden to the rear of the property is a real feature.

• Good location a few blocks from the Promenade des Anglais.
• Bedrooms are traditionally decorated.
• Tip: we were advised that a guest can either keep their road bike in their room or their luggage room.

Bike hire

There are lots of bike shops and options for bike rental in Nice, ranging from the public Vélo Blue scheme, to top end Pinarello hire.

We used Café du Cycliste for our bike hire in Nice – and had the added bonus of Team Dimension Data rider Scott Davies doing the set up (a fluke – he’s not an employee!). They seemed relaxed about hire terms, allowing us to take the bike the night before to maximise ride time. All in all, a good experience that we’d recommend to friends.

There’s more information about bike rental in Nice in this article (see part 2 of the article).

Road bike hire Nice
Bike Trip 21 Rue de Rivoli 0033 493 81 09 41   There are three other branches: Cannes, Menton and Monaco	A bike shop in Nice that rents a large range of bikes and motorbikes.  Scott and BMC road bikes available. Rates start at around 25 euros for a day and go up to about 75 euros (the day rate is cheaper if you have the bike for longer).   Helmet and lock included in the price. Pedals are charged extra, though, and you can choose your type. Deposit payable (varies depending on bike).
Café du Cycliste, Nice 16, Quai des Docks 0033 967 02 04 17	Café du Cycliste bike hire offers carbon Cervélo road bikes (85 euros per day) or gravel bikes (75 euros per day).   Bikes are supplied with saddle bag with puncture kit (spare tube, patch kit, tire levers, frame pump) and two water bottle cages. Pedals were also included when we hired our bike, but this appears to be at the manager’s discretion. Bike computers can be rented separately.
France bike rentals, Côte d’Azur Delivery only 0033 678 845 687 0033 490 244 586	France Bike Rentals is an official LaPierre test centre.   Other makes include Pinarello, Ventum and Trek.   Bikes come with pedals, pump, bike computer, two bottle cages, one water bottle, saddle bag with extra innertube, tyre levers, multi-tool. Helmets are also available on request.   Delivery charges and deposits apply.
Holiday Bikes Nice 6, rue Massenet(Close to the Office de Tourism and the Hard Rock Café) 0033 493 04 15 36   There are four other branches: Nice Gare, Antibes, Villeneuve-Loubet and Cannes.	Holiday Bikes Nice rent all sorts of bikes (including kids’ bikes, e-bikes and motorbikes, plus electric scooters). They have KTM Strada (from 29 euros per day) and Giant road bikes (from 50 euros per day).   Rates include insurance, helmets, lock and maintenance.
La Roue Libre 20 Bd de l’Armée des Alpes 0033 493 89 62 26	Two Giant road bikes available for hire: the Giant TCR Advanced 1 and the Giant TCR Advanced 1 Pro. There’s also e-bikes.   Prices start at 50 euros per day.   Rentals must be booked 48 hours in advance. The shop is shut on Sunday, so for hire on a Sunday you have to collect on Saturday and return on Monday.
Road bike hire Beaulieu-Sur-Mer
Camellini Bicycles (aka Riviera Bike Hire) 36 Boulevard du Maréchal Leclerc 0033 493 01 04 51	Top end Beaulieu bike hire with Trek Domane and a range of Pinarello bikes.   Prices range from 60 euros per day to 100 euros per day with discounts for multiple days. Deposit payable.

Other options for bicycle rental in Nice

For children’s bikes for use on the Promenade des Anglais, we found Roller Station (49, Quai des Etats-Unis) very convenient. They have everything from small kids bikes to rollerblades and skateboards and are directly on the Promenade des Anglais, near the Castle.

If you’re after adult city bikes, consider using the Velo Blue scheme. Alternatively, there’s Holland Bikes or My Urban Motion if electric scooters and skateboards are your thing.

If you’re staying to the west of the Var river, Golden Cycles in Juan les Pins is a good option.

Tips:

• Book your bike in advance, particularly in peak season.
• Remember to bring your pedals, shoes and helmet. This packing list may help!
• Check which way around your brakes are set before you ride away (i.e. whether the front brakes are on the right hand (as is usual in the UK) or on the left (as is usual elsewhere in Europe)). Also, take a look at our list of things to check before hiring a bike.

Undecided on whether to hire a bike or bring your own? Read this now.

When to go

The weather in Nice and the Côte d’Azur is normally temperate all year around. The roads described in our cycling routes section are generally open all year around: even the Col de Turini (though we don’t suggest doing it before May- when we rode in this part of the Cote d’Azur in April, it was cold with considerable snow towards the top, and not as fun as it should have been!).

Between mid-March and mid-October, it’s likely to be warm and settled, though we would recommend avoiding July and August if possible for riding a bicycle in Nice, due to it being the height of the Mediterranean holiday season. The quantity of traffic along the coast roads is unlikely to make cycling much fun.

You may want to time your trip to coincide with one of the most famous stage races in the world: the Paris-Nice. It arrives in March and is a great opportunity to see some early season World Tour racing. While you’re there, how about pitting yourself against the Paris-Nice Challenge Sportive?

January	Snow on the Côte d’Azur is very, very unusual – but 2018 was one of those years! Temperatures generally average 9-12℃ with statistically lower rainfall than the last months of the year. Average highs: 9-12℃ Rainfall: 70mm, 6-8 days per month
February
March
April	Spring weather can be variable in April, but you’re unlikely to get too unlucky with the weather from mid-March onwards. Average high temperatures are 16 in April and hit the 20s from May, all the way through to October. Meanwhile, rain steadily reduces from 11 days (70mm) in April all the way down to 4 days (10mm) in July. Average highs: 16-23℃ Rainfall: 40-70mm, 6-11 days per month
May
June
July	The weather in July and August is likely to be superb. The reason for the orange colour code is the traffic: this is the height of holiday season, and the Côte d’Azur will be heaving. Average highs: 27℃ Rainfall:10-20mm, 4-6 days per month
August
September	The peak summer tourist throngs disappear as people return to work in September. It’s a good time to squeeze in a trip since temperatures in September and October remain high with averages of 25℃ and 21℃ respectively. But be aware that the likelihood of rain increases, particularly in October. Average highs: 21-25℃ Rainfall: 90-140mm, 8-10 days per month
October
November	Temperatures in November and December are cooler (16℃ and 14℃ respectively) and on average November is the second most rainy month (110mm over 10 days). Average highs: 14-16℃ Rainfall: 70-110mm, 9-10 days per month
December

Getting around Nice and the Côte d’Azur

You don’t need a car for a cycling holiday in Nice – many riders get a taxi (or Uber), hotel transfer or the excellent tram and base themselves at their accommodation for their trip. But having a rental car opens lots of options for family, shopping, dining, rest days, a support vehicle, recceing new routes and non-cycling friends/partners. Try to avoid peak times as traffic can be busy in the narrow streets of central Nice.

Use the search box below to search, compare and book the best car rental deal for your trip.

Tips

Highway code and travel information

As ever, it’s a good idea to check current travel information before you book and travel. For UK visitors, the UK government travel information pages for France are here.

You should also read and follow France’s highway code.

Books

We used the Insights Guide to Nice and the French Riviera, which was informative.

The Wallpaper guide to Nice had not been published at the time we visited Nice, but when we next visit, we’ll definitely get a copy.

While in Nice, we bought two books:

1. Alpes Maritimes: 35 parcours velo de route it has route directions and a map extract for each route, with a short description of the route. It’s in French and English, and this means there’s little room for detail. We’re clearly biased, but our guides are better (and free)!
2. Nice – Carnet d’addresses précieux/A precious city guide. It’s not available for sale on Amazon, but it’s a lovely little book and worth buying if you see it while you’re in the city (we got ours at Café du Cycliste). It’s a subjective guide to 74 different places in the city. It’s printed on gorgeous textured paper, and each page has a hand-drawn colour sketch of the place, with a short description in French and English and the essential details. In a big city it’s difficult to know the best places to eat, drink and visit and what you need is personal recommendation. That’s exactly the tone this guide takes, and it helped us out a lot.

Cycle maps

If you’re looking for a cycling map of the Cote d’Azure and Alpes-Maritimes, this is a good bet: 1:150,000 and it shows cycle paths too: Alpes-Maritimes Michelin map

Food and drink

Don’t miss the coffee in Café du Cycliste. It’s excellent.

One of Nice’s speciality foods is socca, a thin pancake made of chickpea flour. It’s crispy on the outside and soft inside. You can perch at small tables at Chez Pipo and munch it with your fingers while drinking a cold beer.

Another speciality of Nice is pissaladière. It’s a thin bread topped with onion, anchovies and olives. You can find it in most boulangeries, and it’s delicious!

Playgrounds

If you’re with kids, there are two particularly good playgrounds in central Nice:

1. The first is in the glorious Promenade du Paillon (known by locals as La Coulée Verte). Town planners took the bold step of concreting over the river that used to flow through Nice and turning it into this amazing open space that leads down to the Promenade des Anglais. It’s bisected by a few roads, and in each section, you find different structures, including some wonderful play equipment at the theatre end of the park. Further south, towards the sea there are also fantastic automated water fountains that our children loved running through.

2. The second park that everyone will love is at the top of the Colline de Château (aka the Castle) – the hill that sits high above the Promenade des Anglais, separating the port from the old town. The views down to the port and the sea are spectacular, and the kids will love the playground. There’s a café near the playground, but you may prefer to take a picnic.

Culture

If you’re into culture, you’re in for a treat in Nice: Musee National Marc Chagall, the Musee Matisse and Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild to name but a few!

Public transport

The railways in France are generally excellent but, if you’re going to be relying on the trains, watch out for train strikes. Download the SNCF app or Trainline EU and check it, before you turn up at the station.

Enjoyed our guide?

We’d love to hear from you – comment below or drop us a line.

Want more? Don’t miss our guides to the best cycling routes in Nice and the Côte d’Azur and other articles, below.

Want to check out some other destinations? Search by the month you want to travel or cycling destination you want to visit, here.