The best day trip you can do in the South of France

- by Isabelle Robertson
Nice is the beating and buzzing heart of the South of France. It is an extraordinary place, where you can explore both the exciting city or the rustic, boutique style old town. 
There are hundreds of things to do like indulging in the many crepe dessert cafes they have, or braving the beachfront and taking part in water activities, including parasailing.
You will never get bored in Nice but it can also become a very crowded place if you are visiting during peak season, which is between July and September.
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My travel buddy and I were there in August and while we loved Nice, we also longed to find the deserted beaches that had filled our idyllic South of France pinterest boards before we jetted off to Europe. 
We were on the search to feeling a little less like sardines on stones and more like we were entering our Nim’s Island era. 
So we began asking friends who had travelled to the French Riviera before for their recommendations of what to see outside the seaside town and we were amazed with what we discovered. 
For a cheap, convenient, and stunning day trip that fulfilled our pinterest fantasies we merely had to venture 10 minutes down the road. And most importantly – it didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Eze and the nearby Paloma Beach, are the two main day trips that are a “must-do” if you are staying in Nice. Here are some details for both to help you start planning.
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In Nice, a light rail tram stretches from one side of town to the other and runs directly through the city making it extremely convenient and close to most accommodations.
Tram tickets only cost $5 to get you to the mountain village of Eze, although it is possible to get a rideshare there as well. 
The mountain’s peak holds a charming little ancient town with breathtaking views of the coast.
You can either choose to visit Eze first and then go down the mountain for a swim or visa versa. I’d personally recommend visiting Eze first to avoid chafing and an uncomfortable wet cossie situation, as it is quite a steep trail to get to the most beautiful panorama views at the top.
Who would have thought that 1400 ft above the French Mediterranean you would find mini markets selling fragrant lavender and spices. 
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Then, as you venture up the cobble stairs of the mountain town you also find jewellery and art stores that hide in hollow pockets of the sandstone walls. 
Finally, the main event – reaching the top and enjoying a well deserved reward. There are all-encompassing views, which can be made even better while sipping a luxurious cocktail made with love at the 5 star boutique hotel, Château Eza, that sits at the top there. Even the name sounds expensive, so the cost of a cocktail isn’t exactly a surprise – it will set you back around 22 euro (approx. $35). 
Don’t sweat (although, you most likely will if you have gotten this far up the mountain!), one treat-yourself cocktail at the hotel can be followed by a delicious and cheap lunch directly next door at La Taverne d’Antan à Ez. 
The restaurant sits in a cobblestone courtyard shaded by a canopy of leafy green trees where you can enjoy pizza and pasta – chef’s kiss! One thing to know about this gem of a restaurant though – it closes at 3pm. If you get there afterwards, there are plenty of other restaurants in the village centre to choose from.
As for that previously mentioned swim spot down the mountain, that’s Paloma Beach in the area known as Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
Finally touching that water after longingly peering down from the top of the mountain is a euphoric experience I highly recommend. 
To get to Paloma Beach, it’s a 20-minute scenic bus ride, which you pick up from the centre of Eze and costs $3.
The bus drops you off at the main port of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and it’s just a 15-minute walk from there to Paloma Beach – or Plage Paloma, as it’s called there. 
I would suggest looking up ‘Paloma Beach’ on Google Maps so you have a sense of direction of where you are heading. The road is quite easy to follow with a footpath but if you ever need any assistance there are shops at the port where you can ask for directions while also having a look at the authentic French clothing and bakeries. 
The old town along the way is all at once exotic and homely. Large and elegant French villas flowered in vines of bougainvillea are sheltered by iron gates while smaller beautiful buildings and homes painted with pastel creams and pinks sit beside them.  
About 10 minutes into the walk, you see the French coastline stretch all the way along the path ahead. The water is so clear you can see the darkened patches of blue where seaweed is scattered under the surface. 
You know you are about five minutes away when you reach a little oasis of park benches and tall trees where you can stop for smoothies and ice creams. A must in my opinion. After refuelling, you will find a magical trail that leads to the rare beauty of Paloma Beach. 
The path is completely off the road and winds around the bushes of the coastline, so you feel as if you are walking on water. There is a staircase crevassed into the natural rock of the island that leads you to the beach. 
We were greeted by an array of colourful umbrellas dotted around the pebbled beach and bronzed families who swam and sat at the water’s edge. Paddle boarders and blow up toys bobbed a bit further out to sea. 
To avoid lying on the rather hard stones (which is unavoidable across most of the South of France) you can hire a spongy and uber-comfortable beach chair but they come with a heft price day of $88 for the day. So, given this was a trip on the cheap, we opted to lay at the far end of the beach where it was more sandy.
And to be honest, we didn’t need to shell out for long because we spent most of our time floating in the salty water, which is the best spot to admire the coastline from, as you get a different perspective of the quaint French villas. 
There is a restaurant at the back of the beach where you can enjoy more delicious food and an Aperol spritz. It takes up each side of the beach and it is divided into two sections. One is more casual where you can grab snacks and drinks on lounge chairs and the other is a sit down lunch. There is no dress code for any part, so you can jump into the sea and take a seat straight after.
Another budget-friendly option is to buy some snacks from Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat port to bring along, so you’re in no hunger rush to leave. 
Soak this all in for as long as you can – swim, snorkel, read, listen to the murmured (or sometimes extremely loud and preformative) conversations of the French locals and enjoy.
Once you’re ready to leave and head back to Nice, you can bus it back from the main port or, if like us you’re feeling lazy after all that swimming, you can also grab an Uber, which costs around $35. 
I highly recommend this day trip to all travellers heading to the South of France this summer!
The writer travelled at her own expense.