Travel bucket list idea:
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France
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.
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.
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.
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Cote d'Azur, France
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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.
