A must see village when visiting the French Riviera is without doubt the village of Eze. Here you will find all the information on how to get to Eze from Nice and other destinations, as well as the different options there is including the famous Nietzche’s Trail. It is nice and easy to get to however there are some small caveats that you need to be aware of. I am going to delve into your best options to visit this must on your itinerary and incorporate it into a nice day trip.
How to get to Eze From Nice
IMPORTANT! The most important thing you need to distinguish is the difference between Eze Sur Mer and Eze. If you understand French you would know that “mer” means the sea and hence Eze Sur Mer is the seaside village with a really nice beach when visiting in the summer. However I will go into this shortly. Eze is the actual perched hilltop village that most people tend to visit.
How to get to Eze by Bus
At the risk of sounding a broken record, you must be careful which bus to take as there are buses both to Eze village and Eze sur Mer. The most convenient option on how to get to Eze is definitely by bus and as such I would really recommend to visit Eze by bus and not Eze sur Mer. These buses tend to get quite busy and as such I would recommend to catch the bus from the Nice bus terminus, Vauban bus station.
From the terminus catch bus number 82 which will lead you directly up to Eze and it is the last stop. Alternatively on every day except Sunday there is bus number 602 which passes from Eze and keeps on going all the way to Monaco. Make sure to check the latest route timetables and service updates on their official website here.
Alternatively if you do only want to visit Eze Sur Mer, then bus number 600 is the bus for you. You can then visit Eze village by going up Nietzche’s trail.
How to get to Eze by Train
There are no trains going up to the village of Eze. So be careful when searching for train tickets going to Eze as they are going to pop up but they will take you to the seaside village of Eze Sur Mer and not Eze Village. Trains to Eze Sur Mer tend to run frequently about hourly and even less at times.
You can find the main train station in Nice which is Gare de Nice Ville and you can find it by keep going up the main street in Nice, Av. de Saint Jean Medicin. Keep your phones ready if you bought a mobile ticket to be scanned at the machines before making your way to the platform. Also keep in mind that it is most likely the final destination won’t be Eze. Just peep through the smaller destinations under the board and compare the departure time on your ticket.
If you find yourself in the seaside village and want to visit Eze Village you have 2 options. The first is to catch a bus/train all the way back to Nice and then catch another bus to the village. Unrealistic, I know, but luckily for you our good friend Nietzche has a nice trail for us that we can climb up all the way to the top!
How to get to Eze by Taxi
If public transport is not for you then there is always the option to catch a taxi or Uber. This method is frowned upon on this blog and we try and avoid taxis where we can help it to keep the costs down, but nevertheless if comfort is what you are seeking then this is definitely an option. Costs to Eze from Nice will be in around €25-30.
Hiking the Nietzche Trail (Chemin De Nietzche)
Nietzche Trail is the only path that connects the seaside village Eze sur Mer to the hilltop village of Eze and it is your go to option on how to get to Eze from the seaside beach. This path has been named after the philosopher Friedrich Nietzche who moved to Eze in his later career. His mental health had started to deteriorate and he used to hike this path up and down to clear his head. The route naturally is a freeing one as it has the combination of spectacular seaside views with forest greenery and mountain vistas.
It takes about an hour to reach the top and although it is not easy it is not challenging putting it in the moderate category of hikes out there. Having said that, I opted out of taking this trail uphill and instead I worked out my route to conquer this trail downhill. Keep reading for the details of my day trip to Eze and how to visit both Eze Sur Mer and Eze in one day!
If you opt to take the challenge and climb Nietzche’s trail uphill then you will find the start right across the road from the train station. Once you cross the road head in the opposite direction of driving cars until you reach the start of an elevated ramp off the main road on your left. There is also a sign at the start of the uphill highlighting Nietzche’s trail.
On the other hand if you are done exploring the village of Eze and want to head down to the sea, the entrance is next to the entrance gates of Eze village and the luxury hotel of Le Château de la Chèvre d’Or. Once exiting and going down and out of the village of Eze keep an eye out on signs on your right and you won’t miss the sign pinpointing Nietzche’s trail.
Summary:
- Wear good comfortable shoes and do not think about hiking this trail in sliders.
- A 4.2 km hike that takes about an hour
- Definitely consider taking the route downhill, you will get the same views and less sweat!
Things to do in Eze
Now that you know how to get to Eze, it is time to get to know what to do in this charming medieval village from getting the best views of the French coast to getting lost in medieval streets, going to highlight a perfect half day visit to Eze.
Jardin Exotique d’Eze
This garden is at the top of things to do once you are in Eze and it is not because of the plants. To put it mildly I don’t really care about plants and am not into the different types of plants there is but I appreciate that some people out there do and by all means this garden seems well equipped with different cacti, succulents, and other rare plants.
However what makes this the must visit in Eze and most probably the most photographed place in Eze are the stunning vistas it offers over the French Riviera coastline. It is the only place where you get such clear views for cheap as the alternative is to dine at Chateau Eza.
These views (and plants) can be admired at the mere price of €7 and tickets can be bought from machines just outside the garden’s entrance. Students can buy tickets at the discounted price of €4. If visiting in the off peak season the price is further discounted to €5 for getting access to the garden’s grounds.
Opening hours are from 9am till 4:30 in off peak seasons and 6:30 in peak season. I happened to visit the gardens first thing in the morning and had the whole thing to myself, although that may have been because I visited in January as well.
Once you enter you can follow the trail to check out the gardens and climb up to reach the iconic photo spots of the French Riviera coastline. After you head back down, do a double take and turn right and head down some stairs as it will take you to a panoramic spot where there are deckchairs next to a body of trickling water. I took some time to relax and even though the rain was trickling down, I found the experience and peace and quiet there, combined with stunning vistas of the coast quite therapeutic.
Get Lost in the Old Town
Similarly to other hilltop villages in the French Riviera, getting lost in the old charming streets of Eze is simply the best way to explore this village. You’ll find hidden alleyways and charming arches at every turn, and some of the streets lead to small squares where local artists display their work.
You will also encounter the Chapelle de la Sainte Croix, an old chapel which is in the heart of Eze. Although not as pleasing to the eye it fits quite nicely with the surrounding architecture.
Once you are done exploring and getting a feel of traveling back in time, you can opt and treat yourself to some luxury at one of Eze’s five star hotels. These include Chateau Eza and the village’s most famous hotel La Chevre d’Or. Personally I didn’t go as luxury travel is not for me but if on an occasion I want to treat myself then these definitely are the places to treat yourself.
Having said that there are plenty of alternatives for a more laid back atmosphere in the streets of Eze. Some establishments have some tables outside where you can enjoy a glass of wine or coffee. Be warned that they do not host loads of people so either arrive early or be prepared for waiting times in peak seasons.
Day Trip to Eze Itinerary
I was based in Nice and I started my day nice and early by heading to the main bus station via the red metro line. Once in Vauban bus station, I caught bus number 82 and headed my way up the hills to Eze village.
Arriving around 9 I headed straight to the Jardin Exotique to beat the crowds, and having the place all to myself I just spent a couple of hours taking photographs wandering around and soaking in the views. Then I relaxed in one of the deckchairs in the panoramic view I mentioned above.
After finishing up exploring the whole of the Jardin Exotique I headed out and started exploring the streets of Eze. I did so blindly just walking around and seeing an interesting alley, I head down it to wander around. An hour or so went flying by and I was debating whether to go back to Nice by bus or hike down to Eze sur mer and catch a train from there.
In the end I opted to go down Nietzche’s trail for myself and I am glad I did as the views really are spectacular and an hour hiking simply flew by. I then headed down to the beach relaxed a bit by the sea, albeit I didn’t go for a swim as it was January and the water was freezing. I made my way back to Nice at around 3pm and after waiting around half an hour for a train which was never going to come as they were on strike, I caught bus 602 back to Nice.
More on French Riviera
Hope I answered all your potential questions on how to get to Eze from Nice! If you want to visit other villages in the French Riviera then I would definitely recommend Peille and Peillon. These are 2 not so well known villages and I have written a guide on how to visit these 2 villages so make sure to give it a read as well. Thanks for reading and you can check out other blog posts down below!
