Nice Côte d’azur with your family

3 days

Are you going on holiday with your children? Nice Côte d’Azur offers a wide range of activities adapted to your little ones.

You will particularly appreciate in this itinerary :

The diversity of the family offer
Services set up in towns with the Family Plus label
Nature activities in the Middle East
Visits and discoveries adapted to a young public
Hotel offers for families

You will discover the towns of Nice, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, Cagnes-sur-Mer and Vence.

Find your accommodation with the family plus label

Day 1 – Nice

Nice will be the starting point of this programme rich in activities that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Fun discovery of The Vieux-Nice

The morning is the ideal time to take a walk in the lively Vieux-Nice district, discovering its craft and trendy shops. Fill up on scents and flavours by browsing the fruit, flower and vegetable market on Cours Saleya.

This maze of narrow streets with colourful facades can make some people want to play hide-and-seek… Our budding adventurers could take advantage of this to explore the hidden treasures of the old town! All they have to do is pick up, free of charge, at the Heritage Centre, a playful leaflet specifically designed for them. This map invites them to explore the Old-Nice in the form of a treasure hunt. Your 6 and 12 year-old children will love drawing up the rich inventory of the heritage of this district.

Panoramic view from the top of the Castle Hill

And now it’s time to discover the famous Castle Hill! You saw it from the Cours Saleya and you were wondering how to get there … The more athletic ones will take the stairs … 220 steps all the same! We can suggest a practical and fun way of transport that will please the whole family… The 100% electric tourist train of Nice allows you to explore this exceptional site, comfortably installed in a small wagon. The park is classified and offers a playground for children with free access, pretty undergrowth and a waterfall.

Good deal: A fun and eco-responsible activity, the Petit Train Touristique is included in the French Riviera Pass.

But where is the Castle ?

The roofs of Old Nice with a horizon as far as the eye can see from the Nietzsche esplanade will leave you speechless (and endless “WAHOUS” from the mouths of your cherubs). On the other hand, don’t look for the Château… It was destroyed by the troops of Louis XIV in 1706…

A cannon shot every noon!

BOOM! But what’s that noise we just heard? The people of Nice no longer pay attention to the cannon shot, this local tradition which signals that it’s exactly noon…

See you at the museum

To start the afternoon, go to the museum !

The Museum of Naive Art, housed in the Château Saint-Hélène, is a wonderful discovery. With its large colourful statues, the garden surrounding the building is worth a visit on its own! Inside the museum there are more than 600 drawings, paintings and sculptures by “naive” artists from 27 countries (Louis Vivin, Henri Rousseau, Ivan Generalić, Séraphine Louis, Grandma Moses…). This joyful universe, mixing representations of humans and animals, always very colourful and original, will enchant your children.

The Phoenix Park, a paradise for children… and not only…

After this artistic exploration, head for Phoenix Park, a real paradise for children! The Park, which has been awarded the Family Plus label, offers fun and educational activities that will delight visitors, young and old alike. The 7 hectares of this vast area of greenery are home to all sorts of animals: otters, parrots, iguanas, fish … and nearly 2500 species of plants.

The little adventurers can also let off steam at the Nissaventure tree climbing park (accessible from 3 years old). There are 4 courses, a fun box (a large suspended net “box” accessible without a harness) but also for the more adventurous “THE Quick Jump” with a 10-metre jump into the void!

An outing that your children won’t soon forget!

Good deal: Entrance to the Phoenix Floral Park is included in the French Riviera Pass (Acrobranche activity not included).

Find more information about the french riviera pass

Day 2 – To the West of Nice

There’s nothing like a sporting and fun activity to start the day!

From Cagnes-sur-Mer, go to the Star’s n’ Bikes agency to hire your bikes. (99 promenade de la plage).

Once the whole family is equipped … Saddle up for a ride along the seafront to Saint-Laurent-du-Var, the neighbouring town with the Family Plus label! Don’t hesitate to make a stop at the information office which has the Accueil Vélo brand.

Then head in the direction of the port, past the boats, the beach and the restaurants. What a pleasure to feel the sea air caressing your face!

When you arrive near the Cap 3000 shopping centre, make a stop at the natural aquarium of the Flots Bleus where Daniel Narcy, a volunteer laurentin, educates visitors every morning (from 10am to 12pm) about the fauna and flora, environmental protection and offers to help feed the fish and birds. You may be lucky enough to have the chance to visit swans … an unforgettable moment in perspective!

Next stop, the Rives du Var departmental park, which is home to an ornithological area with 250 species of birds. Depending on the season, you may have the chance to watch migratory birds.

The bike ride, on the Rives du Var trail, offers an educational trail with explanatory panels to familiarise you with the local fauna and flora.

The end of the route turns into an urban walk with a stop (2-wheel car park at the Town Hall) at the Old Village, which is almost 1000 years old, before going for a meal.

Has this walk whetted your appetite ?

Next stop, the restaurant “La Passion des Mets“, labelled “Cuisine Nissarde”, which will delight the taste buds and pupils of the whole family with its menu: pissaladière, gnocchis, ravioli à la daube … Find all the local flavours in your plates!

Marineland Park in Antibes

Enjoy Marineland, Europe’s largest marine park, with your family! This fun and educational area with a dolphinarium, a water park, aquariums… will help you discover and familiarise yourself with the world of marine animals: dolphins, killer whales, sea lions, penguins, turtles and sharks will have no more secrets for you!

In addition to the 4 shows and the numerous activities offered throughout the day, you will be able to get up close and personal with these marine mammals. Become a dolphin “trainer for a day”, enter the world of sea lions, cross the underwater shark tunnel, meet the killer whales and their handlers… These encounters will remain engraved in your memories for a long time!

Good deals:

– With the 72-hour French Riviera Pass, entry to the park is free!
– The Saint-Laurent-du-Var Information Office offers reductions for families who stay less than 72 hours (adult: 28€ instead of 39.50€ / child: 22€ instead of 32.50€).

Hippodrome Nice Côte d’Azur

To end the day on a high note, Cagnes-sur-Mer offers you its horse races, real shows which attract horse lovers and turfists but which are also an opportunity to spend an excellent time with the family.

On the occasion of the night races which take place at the Nice Côte d’Azur racecourse, many activities will keep your children busy throughout the evening: pony rides, inflatable structures, sulky bike rides… Our jockey seeds will love it! Restaurants on site.

Day 3 – Vence

Head for Vence, a town with the “Famille Plus” label, for a programme combining cultural discoveries and sporting activities.

The surrounding nature offers beautiful ideas for walks accessible to all. Get good shoes and go hiking from the village to do the Circuit du Malvan (duration: 3 hours). The starting point of the itinerary is located in front of the Château Notre-Dame-des-Fleurs which now houses the Beaubourg gallery. A break is necessary to browse the works of contemporary art on display, including the monumental “thumb” of the Nice sculptor César.

This loop through forest and garrigue landscapes will plunge you into the legend of the magic hawthorn bush of Queen Jeanne’s Malvans. You will also enjoy contemplating the ruins of the castle and the old village.

After a good oxygenating walk and a well-deserved lunch, rediscover your child’s soul by following an original tour adapted to the youngest and which allows you to explore Vence through the senses, at any age. Touch, taste, listen, but also learn how to sharpen your eyes! This discovery at child’s level is proposed by the Vence Tourist Information Office.

Opening hours and booking: Every Tuesday at 10:00 and every Friday at 16:00 pm, lasting approximately 1h30. Information and booking at the Tourist Information Office (+33 4 93 58 06 38). Villa Alexandrine, place du Grand Jardin, 06140 Vence

4 – The App’s corner !

Your stay in this sublime territory is extended? Here are a few applications to download on your smartphone to explore Nice Côte d’Azur in a fun way with your family!