Esplanade de Nice in front of the sea
Credit photo Ville de Nice
Paul Foulonneau 3SO L' Agence-01.jpg
Bikes on arrival in Nice
@ACP / OTM NCA

Nice Côte d'Azur

Between sea and mountains, simply unique!

Côte d'Azur and Mercantour
Departement and Region: Alpes-Maritimes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Main passes : col d'Èze, col de Castillon, col de Turini, col de Vence
Etape sur Route des Grandes Alpes® : Sospel / Nice
Stage on Route des Grandes Alpes® Gravel : Coaraze / Nice
Stage on P'tites Routes du Soleil®: Les Ferres / Nice
 

 

Summary

 

Suggestions for cycling loops around Nice Côte d'Azur

 

Our major mountain passes

  • Col d’Éze, only 5 km from the seaside, 7.8 km long, summit at 461m, elevation gain 447m.
  • Col de Vence, 1020m, 9.8 kilometers and 640m ascent.
  • Col Saint-Martin or Col de La Colmiane, at 1493m, 16.5 km long.
  • Col de la Lombarde at 2347m, border pass with Italy, 20.5km on the French side (south side) and 21.3km on the Italian side (north side).
     
nice
OT MNCA

 

 

Cycling events in Nice

Cycling events in Nice

  • Paris Nice (march)
  • LA FETE DU VELO - NICE 2025 - RANDO D'OR : Sunday June 8 - Start and Finish: Musée National du Sport
    Cyclosportive - Randonnée VTT - VTTAE - GRAVEL - VELO ANIMATIONS.
  • LA HAUTE ROUTE DES ALPES (Megève - Nice)
    Friday 29th and Saturday 30th and August
    Friday 29th: Nice - Cuneo
    Saturday 30th: Nice - Col d'Eze - Individual Time Trial
  • Events UCC SPORT EVENT
    July 19 and 20: Maxiavalanche (Auron)
    October 4 and 5, 2025: Transvesubienne (La Colmiane- Nice)
    October 26, 2025: Bigreen (Nice)
  • Iron Man France June 29
  • Ironman World ChampionshipsSeptember 14
Situation nice
Brice Milbergue www.fivefingers.fr

Cycling in Nice Côte d'Azur

The undeniable assets of Nice Côte d'Azur have seduced and inspired millions of visitors every year, for decades. There's nothing missing here! A must-see destination for many French and foreign visitors alike, Nice Côte d'Azur isn't just about the sea, the beach and palm trees. Cycling in all its forms (road bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes and VAE bikes), hiking, lakes and other outdoor activities are all part of a successful vacation.
For 2-wheeled enthusiasts, Nice Côte d'Azur offers grandiose landscapes and mythical roads, whether in the Mercantour National Park or in the Tinée and Vésubie Valleys, historic passes and green valleys, sporty gradients and gourmet stops, favorable weather as well as a warm welcome, rental services and adapted equipment. In town, 125 km of cycle paths pave the way for discovery and gentle mobility.

Cyclists on Nice's highways
(c) ACP

Summer in Nice Côte d'Azur

Dive into the Côte d'Azur summer with crystal-clear beaches, lively festivals and colorful markets. Discover Mediterranean splendor with water sports or explore the picturesque hinterland on sunny hikes. Follow the GR de Pays Lou Camin Nissart as it winds its way through the hills of Nice. Explore the exceptional architectural heritage (Nice is a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Discover authentic towns and villages. Follow in the footsteps of La Route du Sel and discover the region's countless riches, in the midst of grandiose landscapes. Evenings come alive with open-air concerts and cultural events. Savor local gastronomy in seaside restaurants and let yourself be carried away by the summer magic of Nice Côte d'Azur.

Coming back in winter

An ideal destination in any season, Nice Côte d'Azur attracts visitors from all over the world, drawn by its unique combination of heritage, culture, award-winning gastronomy, coastline, its green spaces, its festivals and Carnival, its extraordinary light and mild weather (even in winter), its 7 winter sports resorts (downhill skiing, Nordic skiing, ice climbing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, dog sledding...).).

Renowned since the 18th century for its winter tourism, Nice is now on UNESCO's World Heritage List as a "Riviera winter resort town".

365 days a year, Nice Côte d'Azur is therefore a prime destination offering unique experiences for couples, friends and families.

Nice
@Agence Médias OT NCDA

 

Other events

Nice Carnival (February)
Indoor XTrial (April)
No finish line (May)
Beach Sport Festival - Saint-Laurent-du-Var (July)
Ultra-Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour (July)
Festival des Nuits du Sud - Vence (July)
Nice Côte d'Azur by UTMB (September)
Marathon des Alpes Maritimes Nice-Cannes (November)
Meeting Hippique d'hiver (December to March)

bord de mer
@OTM NCA_J.kelagopian)

 

Services

Tramway (3 lines)
Tourist information offices
Book your accommodation and activities on www.explorenicecotedazur.com

The map

Accommodation Useful information Leasure Restauration

Accommodation Useful information Leasure Restauration

Check all Uncheck all

Filters

Map options

Caption
Moyen
Difficile
Très difficile

The map

Sospel / Nice

27 Sospel / Nice

52 km
3 h 01 min
Difficult
Now here’s an unforgettable day’s cycling! Coming from the north, with your legs feeling the effects of tackling the Route des Grandes Alpes® (in part or in its entirety), the sight of the Mediterranean, signalling the end of your cycling adventure, can bring out powerful emotions! In contrast, heading north from Nice’s sumptuous Promenade des Anglais, you may feel giddy at the thought of all the cycling adventures to come. On the menu along this maritime stage are two significant rises, taking you to the Col d’Èze (507m) and the Col de Castillon (703m), as well as the resort of Menton and stunning views down on Monaco.
Saint-Martin Vésubie / Sospel

26 Saint-Martin Vésubie / Sospel

51 km
3 h 26 min
Difficult
This Route des Grandes Alpes® stage covering the Vésubie Valley and Haut-Pays Niçois takes you over the Col de Turini pass (1607 m), made famous by the Monte Carlo Car Rally. Also on the menu are: the magnificently colourful village of Saint-Martin-Vésubie; La Bollène Vésubie, a beautifully rounded hilltop village; grandiose landscapes combining gorges and perched promontories; and the small town of Sospel, with its picturesque squares and lanes… not forgetting Roquebillière, the Côte d’Azur’s thermal spa resort, protected from summer heatwaves thanks to its location, at 600m above sea level.
Alternative stage Barcelonnette / Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée

23 Alternative stage Barcelonnette / Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée

56 km
3 h 43 min
Very difficult
A lovely Route des Grandes Alpes® stage crossing the Mercantour National Park, sticking very close to the Italian border and linking Ubaye and Tinée Valleys via one of Europe’s highest roads. At the Col de la Bonette pass, you can take a short 2km tour, via a small road, to the Cime (or summit) de La Bonnette, enjoying the grandiose lunar landscapes around it. Do dismount to walk along the little track to the viewing table, offering unbeatable views of the great Italian frontier mountain, Monte Viso. On the stretch through the northern part of the Tinée Valley, discover its highest pretty villages.
Alternative stage Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée / Saint-Martin Vésubie

24 Alternative stage Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée / Saint-Martin Vésubie

59 km
3 h 45 min
This section of the Route des Grandes Alpes®, linking the Tinée and Vésubie Valleys, runs alongside the mountain resorts of Auron and Isola 2000 and crosses that of La Colmiane (around the Col Saint Martin pass). It allows you to discover extremely beautiful villages such as Saint-Sauveur-sur Tinée, La Bolline, Saint-Dalmas and Valdeblore, plus the lovely, slightly larger perched settlement of Saint-Martin-Vésubie. Also consider the beautiful high-altitude villages of Roure and Roubion close to Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée, although not directly along this section. The Col Saint Martin pass (1503m) marks the point where you switch from Tinée to Vésubie Valley.
Valberg / Saint-Martin Vésubie

25 Valberg / Saint-Martin Vésubie

59 km
3 h 47 min
Difficult
A superb stage on the Route des Grandes Alpes®, with grandiose landscapes, views to the Mercantour’s summits, vast red cliffs, villages either nestling down in the valleys or perched on cliffs. Among them, Roubion, a medieval eagle’s eyrie with narrow lanes, is well worth a detour, as is Saint-Martin-Vésubie, a wonderfully colourful village located either at the start or end of this sporty outing, requiring almost 1600m in shift in altitude. There are two passes to conquer: the Col de la Couillole (1678m), between Valberg and the Tinée Valley; and the Col Saint Martin (1503m), which, with the little mountain resort of La Colmiane beside it, links Tinée and Vésubie Valleys.

 

nice

 

Testimonials

Beautiful Nice ideal for a winter break great restaurants lovely people I'm looking forward to my next visit Maura Markey

Magnificent multifaceted region to admire and discover imperatively. Melie Rose

I love biking on the beaches @deepashri_krishnaswamy

Promise me we'll go back! y_marty

Life is sweeter in Nice @lesescapadesdagnes

 

FAQ

  • Has Nice Côte d'Azur ever hosted the Tour de France?
    Nice Côte d'Azur has been a stage town for the Tour de France 36 times (since 1906) and a starting town twice (1981 and 2020). Nice will host the Tour de France Finish on July 21, 2024 (Monaco / Nice time trial - 34 km)
    + Nice - Col de la Couillole stage on July 19, 2024 (133 km)

     

  • What are the gastronomic specialties? 
    Classified as part of France's intangible cultural heritage, Cuisine Niçoise honors local produce. Look out for the "Cuisine Nissarde, le respect de la tradition" label to be sure you're tasting the best of Nice's recipes (socca, pan bagnat, petits farcis, raviolis daube, beignets de fleurs de zucchinis, pissaladière...).

     

  • How many people visit Nice every year? 
    5 million!
    - 300 days of sunshine a year
    - 10 kilometers of coastline, including 7,5 of which are beaches
    - 300 hectares of parks and gardens
    - 74 buildings protected as historic monuments
     

Access

Nice Côte d'Azur International Airport (2 terminals)
 

Port

  • SNCF and bus stations
    Fast and express trains, daily connections from major French cities and regular connections from abroad.
  • TGV connecting Paris to Nice in 5h30
  • Night train Paris Austerlitz - Nice
  • Chemins de Fer de Provence
  • 1 main station in Nice ( Nice Ville) and 4 district stations: Nice Saint-Augustin, Nice Riquier and Nice Saint Roch and Nice Pont Michel
  • Stations in several surrounding communes (Cap d'Ail, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Eze, Villefranche-sur-Mer...).
  • Bus stations Nice Vauban and Nice Saint Augustin

Road access

  • A8 La Provençale motorway
  • A bypass freeway with five exits provides easy access to the area of your choice.
  • Nationale 7

 

Contacts

Office de Tourisme Métropolitain Nice Côte d'Azur

☎ 04 92 14 46 14  www.explorenicecotedazur.com 

Facebook Instagram Youtube X Linkedin Pinterest

 

"Text and photo contents published under the responsibility of the tourist offices that provided them to us and own them."

 

Découvrez également