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Bucket list experience:

Saint Jean Cap Ferrat lighthouse sitting on cliffs above the path

Saint Jean Cap Ferrat lighthouse

Last updated: 10 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Dana Facaros

Starting at the quarry used to build Monaco’s port, this beautiful 4.8km circular path follows the wild, rocky southern tip of Cap Ferrat, and lasts around two hours. You’ll pass several highlights of the peninsula, including the fabulous Grand Hotel du Cap, the picturesque Cap Ferrat lighthouse, and the wave-splashed Pointe Malalongue.

By the sandy, foliage-framed Plage de Passable beach, cross east over the peninsula onto Avenue Denis Semeria (past the Villa des Cèdres and its botanical gardens, once home to notorious Leopold II of Belgium), and on to St-Jean.

Rolling Stones fans can gaze at Villa Nellcote, where the album Exile on Main Street was recorded: from the Plage de Passable, turn left on Avenue Denis Semeria and walk 1km to Avenue Louise Bordes. For an easier stroll in the area, there’s a pretty 3km walk from Paloma Beach to the 11th-century chapel of Saint Hospice, following the eastern protrusion of the coast just south of St-Jean.

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 8+
When: All year around
Duration: 2-3 hours

Getting there & doing it

Two great lunch stops: known for its affordable fresh fish, the Restaurant du Port faces bobbing boats in St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Or, for a treat, reserve a table for lunch at one of the three elegant restaurants at the legendary Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat, now run by  Four Seasons.

When to do it

The Cap is accessible year-round, but the balmiest walking weather is from March to October. Set off early in the summer months to beat the heat. Avoid busiest July and August if you can.

Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Cote d'Azur, France[0.2 miles]

This iconic hotel is the A-list choice along the Cote d’Azur, in a gorgeous seaside setting between Nice and Monaco.

Official star rating:

Hotel Royal Riviera

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Cote d'Azur, France[3 miles]

The grande dame of the Cote d’Azur, this classic, updated luxury hotel has a sublime seaside location. It comes with pool, lush gardens, and one of the very few private beaches on the exclusive Cap Ferrat.

Official star rating:

Welcome Hotel

Villefranche-sur-Mer, Cote d'Azur, France[3.4 miles]

An inn for over two centuries, this iconic and historic yet charming seaside hotel in laid-back Villefranche-sur-Mer is modern, unpretentious and run by lovely people.

Official star rating:

Hotel La Perouse

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[4.5 miles]

Peaceful hotel next to Old Nice with to-die-for views over the ‘Bay of Angels’. The Cours Saleya market and Old Town are a few minutes’ walk away. Great for a first visit to the French Riviera.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

French Riviera

Cote d'Azur, France

Money, glamour and bombshell looks: this beach-trimmed stretch of French coast offers decadent hotels, lounging in beach clubs, fine restaurants and world-class art.

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Nice

Cote d'Azur, France

The buzzing, art-filled, foodie capital of the French Riviera, with a charming, Italian-influenced historic centre. The ideal base for a first-time visit to the Cote d’Azur, and home to the world-renowned Nice Carnival.

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Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Cote d'Azur, France[2.4 miles]

A remarkable fantasy villa, complete with exquisite exotic gardens, built in 1912 by the flamboyant art collector Baroness Beatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild to house her fabulous collection of 18th-century art and furniture.

Best for ages: 18+ | £13

Lascaris Palace

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[4.9 miles]

An opulent Baroque palace from the 17th century, containing lavish interiors, 17th and 18th-century decorative and fine arts collections, and a collection of 500 musical instruments.

Best for ages: 18+ | £9

View looking down from above to the busy market of Cours Saleya in the centre of Nice City
Experience

Cours Saleya Food and Flower Market

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[4.9 miles]

Nice’s food and flower market, held along the pedestrianised Cours Saleya esplanade, is packed with all the vibrant, sensuous colours, flavours and scents of the south: lavender, marzipan, sugared almonds, spices, herbal teas, takeaway socca and pissaladiere snacks. Held Tuesday to Sunday, around 6.30am to 1.30pm.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

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Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Walk around Cap Ferrat

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[0 miles]

A 4.8km circular coastal walk around the glittering coast of the Riviera’s most exclusive ‘cap’ – a favourite of jet-setting billionaires.

Best for ages: 8+ | Free | 2-3 hours

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View of a pretty curve of beach with a beach club, surrounded by cliffs with trees and villas
Experience

Paloma Beach

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Cote d'Azur, France[1.5 miles]

Sheltered from the wind, this shingle beach in a beautiful, wooded cove is a laid-back favourite of both locals and celebrities. Views across to the Alps are sublime. It’s part public, but best to splurge on a lounger at the delightful Paloma Beach Club – a local institution with an excellent restaurant.

Best for ages: Any | Free

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Large white villa built on a pinnacle stretching out into the sea
Experience

Villa Kerylos

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France[3 miles]

Built in 1908 in an ancient-Greek-style, this villa in a ravishing seaside garden setting features replica 2nd-century AD interiors typical of the island of Delos. The project of two scholars obsessed with the period.

Best for ages: 18+ | £8

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White sand beach with blue waters at Villefranche-sur-Mer
Experience

Marinieres Beach

Villefranche-sur-Mer , Cote d'Azur, France[3.5 miles]

Tucked between chi-chi St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Nice, the charming Medieval village of Villefranche-sur-Mer is the relaxed, boho antidote to the moneybags Riviera. A kilometre of coarse, gently shelving golden sand and crystalline waters, it’s all free and open to the public.

Best for ages: Any | Free

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