Circuit Sports et Nature on the Côte d’Azur

From the sea to the mountains, water, rocks and forests, the Riviera and its landscapes offer a huge playground to those who love sports, from beginners to the more seasoned athletes. Forget the daily routine and put on your trainers to get a dopamine hit. A sports and nature circuit on the Côte d’Azur you can try by car or train, thanks to the Pass SudAzur Explore.

CircuitDuration3 days

Places visited :

Théoule-sur-Mer and Antibes

Nice and Beaulieu-sur-Mer

Puget-Théniers

Stage 1Théoule-sur-Mer and AntibesDiving, cycling... and bed

The morning is going to be an intense one: you’re off to meet all the underwater beauties of the Riviera. Your base camp: Théoule-sur-Mer. In theEsterel-Théoule Departmental Maritime Park, the exceptional sea bed concentrates a wide biodiversity, such as Posidonia et coralligenous communities, and yellow, red and brown seaweed. With your goggles, flippers and a tank, enjoy the silence and the show which is so rare. Or you can do a gentle outing on a stand-up paddle in Mandelieu-la-Napoule, in the heart of a lush setting on the calm waters of the Siagn. After a good lunch (to get your strength back!), head for Antibes for a bike ride (or on an electric bike, at your own pace…). From Place Général de Gaulle to Golfe-Juan, it takes about an hour to go round the Cap. On the way, you’ll see Port Gallice, the bay of La Garoupe, the Port de la Salice, the old town and the Port-Vauban. A good end to this first day of a sports and nature circuit on the Côte d’Azur.

Stage 2Nice and Beaulieu-sur-MerWater sports, hiking, museum

When you get to Nice, the Baie des Anges will help you forget any aches and pains you may have from the day before. On the morning’s programme: a water sports session. From May to September, several service providers between Hôtel Negresco and the harbour, offer sessions of parasailing, water skiing, flyboarding, tubing… and also, in a smoother modec paddle or kayaking. Take the time to appreciate the view of the Promenade des Anglais from the sea! Back to earth. From the marina in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, the La Petite Afrique coastal hike (1h20), accessible to all, takes you on a trail through pine forests and views of the village. Last stage of the second day of this sports and nature circuit on the Côte d’Azur: a tour of the Musée national du Sport (National Sports Museum), in Nice’s mythical Allianz Riviera stadium. The thousands of items exhibited will have you making the most of the legendary moments of the history of sports.

– To get to Nice and Beaulieu-sur-Mer from Antibes: TER
– To get the the Musée National du Sport at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice: tram ligne 3, bus lines 11 and 59 (Lignes d’Azur network), by train Chemin de Fer de Provence line, Nice-Saint Isidore station

Stage 3Puget-ThéniersVia ferrata, here we come!

Good training always includes a challenge. The third and last day is the opportunity to surpass yourself by trying a Via Ferrata, an athletic itinerary along a rock wall, with ropes and rungs and a guide. In Puget-Théniers, the impressive Via Ferrata des Demoiselles du Castagnet goes along limestone rock. A dizzying experience! If you’re going to Puget-Théniers by train, the railway line is dotted with out-of-the-ordinary structures: 25 tunnels, 16 viaducts and 15 metal bridges, and of course the unspoiled landscapes of the vallée de l’Esteron, with their hilltop villages, forests and gorges.

– To get to Puget-Théniers from Nice: TER, then 20 minutes walk to the Via Ferrata