Côte d’Azur: our selection of the most beautiful villages near Nice
Èze, the most beautiful village along the Three Corniches
This village which you get to by taking the Moyenne Corniche – the middle of the three panoramic roads that hug the coast between Nice and Monaco for almost 20 miles – is incredibly Insta-worthy. Clinging to a rocky spur with plunging views of the sea, Èze, with its maze of narrow lanes interconnected by flights of cobbled steps and its gorgeous stone houses, is so breathtakingly beautiful it’s hard to believe it’s real. Climb up to the terrace of the Jardin exotique d’Èze, the village’s very own botanical garden, to admire the stunning panorama out to the Mediterranean Sea. You can even make out Corsica on a clear day. Sublime!
Peillon, a village bursting with charm above Nice
In the Nice hinterland, about a 30 minutes’ drive from Nice, Peillon seems to teeter on a soaring hilltop that you reach by taking a stunning winding road. This tiny village located in the Alpes-Maritimes department is sure to charm you with its immaculately preserved medieval architecture, typical Provençal houses stacked up the hillside and striking natural cirque for a backdrop. Everything in Peillon seems to be frozen in time, bookended by sea and mountain.
Sainte-Agnès, a picturesque balcony over the Côte d’Azur
Nestled at some 800 metres altitude in the hills around Menton, the village of Sainte-Agnès is home to some of the finest and best preserved built heritage on the Côte d’Azur. If you need convincing, simply go and admire the beautiful period houses around the church, the ruins of the medieval castle or its abandoned fort, the last bastion of the Maginot Line of fortifications dug beneath the village. Our favourite spot? The medieval garden, which forms a wonderful vantage point over the Mediterranean, and Mercantour National Park. This visually stunning site is just over 20 miles from Nice.
Saint-Paul de Vence, a medieval mecca of art and culture
No jaunt outside of Nice would be complete without a detour to this well-known artists’ village. Within its ancient stone walls, Saint-Paul de Vence is an open-air museum, souvenirs of its bygone days everywhere you look: here, traditional buildings bearing the town’s coat of arms housing art galleries and craft studios; there, a tower with machiolations and a church that has survived since the Middle Ages; further along, a 19th century fountain and a lovely example of a former wash house. Above the village, the Maeght Foundation is a centre of modern art on the Côte d’Azur, its collection celebrating artists the likes of Léger, Soulages and Kandinsky. A highlight!
Gourdon, a perched village full of character
This pretty village is as authentic as they come. Clinging to the hillside and towering over the white waters of the Loup Valley not far from the perfume center of Grasse, Gourdon is a living museum. Home to a beautifully preserved ancient castle, handsome stone buildings now taken up by artisan studios and art shops, and narrow streets winding in the shadow of the 12th-century church, this former Saracen town may be small but it’s big on charm. Before getting back on the road, don’t leave without passing by Place Victoria to take in sweeping views of the French Riviera, from the iconic Baie des Anges to the jagged peaks of the Esterel mountains.
