Activities

For general information on adventurous activities such as canyoning, rafting, and climbing, try the web site of Bureau Des Moniteurs du Pays Niçois.

Just west of Grasse in the village of Saint-Cézaire sur Siagne are Les Grottes de Saint-Céza. Discovered in 1890, you can tour the pretty formations here which are well lit and where you can take photographs.

Ten minutes from Grasse, 30 minutes from Nice, you can race karts on an 1800-meter long racetrack, the biggest on the Riviera. Fun Kart is open every day from 9:30 in the morning until the late evening. You will find them at Bar-sur-Loup just off the Route de Gourdon. There is a bar and restaurant on the premises.

Biking at every age and level is possible along the French Riviera. Most major towns have bike rental options from ordinary pushbikes to the more technical mountain bikes and, of course, bikes suitable for children. Some rental companies even offer racing bikes and tandem bikes too. It is also possible to hire roller blades and scooters from many of the same rental companies. The long car-free flat promenades and dedicated cycle lanes along the coastal towns are ideal for leisurely cycling and drivers tend to be very careful and respectful of cyclists in France.

For serious mountain biking, the mountains inland provide perfect and testing terrain. Look for “VTT@” guides and information to find out the best places to ride. The booklets are free at tourist offices. Ask for the “Guide Rando VTT”, or the information may be downloaded directly.

For bike hire across the Riviera, try Holiday Bikes. They have branches in Cannes, Menton, Antibes, Nice, St-Tropez, and Villeneuve-Loubet.

There is also Energy Scoot in Antibes and Nice. For the Antibes branch call 04 93 61 83 98. For Nice call 04 97 07 12 64.

East of Antibes and just north of Marineland, close to the Biot train station, is Ecolook at 28 chemin des Groules, near Marineland in Antibes. Tel: 04 93 95 26 79 for the sale and short or long-term rental of electric bikes, mountain bikes, city bikes, and electric scooters.

There are several bike rental companies centrally based in Cannes. West of the city centre is Elite Rent A Bike at 32 avenue Marechal Juin with a branch also in Mandelieu. Tel: 04 93 94 30 34 or email.

Just to the east of the Port of Cannes, Mistral Location is open seven days a week all year round at 4 rue Georges Clemenceau. You can call them on 04 93 99 25 25.

West of Cannes in Mandelieu La Napoule is Location 2 Roues at 542 av Mer, Mandelieu la Napoule. Tel/fax: 04 92 97 27 37.

There are several bike rental companies in Nice. Close to the Old Town and handy for cycling the 3 miles of Promenade is Roller Station at 49 quai des Etats-Unis, Tel/fax: 04 93 62 99 05. Roller Station rents bikes, skates and scooters (trottoirs). Another branch of Roller Station is located at 10 Boulevard Risso near the Acropolis Exhibition Centre.

Those staying near the main train station, Nice Ville, or perhaps arriving in Nice by train, may hire bikes, motorbikes, and scooters close by at Nicea Location Rent, 9 avenue Thiers and 12 rue de Belgique, also by the train station. Telephone 04 93 82 42 71 or email.

Other places to hire bikes in Nice include Arnaud, 5 rue François 1er by Place Grimaldi, tel: 04 93 87 88 55 or fax 04 93 88 34 40.

For just scooters and rollers in Nice, try B Cyclette at 43 Promenade des Anglais, Nice. Tel: 04 93 82 31 52. If you want to hire close to the Port of Nice, try Fun’n Roll at 13 rue Cassini, 06300, Nice. Tel: 04 93 55 12 32 or email.

From Juan-les-Pins, take the yellow boat from the seashore of Courbet to discover the fishes and underwater fauna along Cap d’Antibes. The hour-long excursion with Visobulle takes place daily from April to September. You can telephone them on 04.93.6.02.11

For an exhilarating day out at sea, with stop offs wherever you chose, consider hiring a speedboat complete with skipper for the day. Justin, an Englishman on the Riviera, is friendly and professional. Prices start from 600 euros. You can call him on 06.22.64.71.20.

If you would like to view dolphins, then book on a boat trip with Acti Loisirs. Boats depart from Villefranche-sur-Mer from June to September. Please check their website for days of departure, usually Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

At Divazur you can take a full-day trip on a number of boats across the Riviera. When the dolphins come to the boat, you will be invited into the water to swim alongside them.

Visitors to the Côte d’Azur have a choice of 21 golf courses. The courses are spread across the coast from Monaco to Mandelieu and inland as far as the southern French Alps. Take a swing at one of twelve 18-hole courses, six 9-hole courses, two compact 9-hole courses, one Golfing Academy, and three training centres. A round of golf will cost anything from 20 euros to in excess of 200 euros; weekends are the most expensive.

A car is essential for access to most of the courses and some courses require proof of golf handicap and may even set a maximum handicap to be able to play the course. For more information about golf on the Côte d’Azur, try this guide.

Here is a list of the twenty-one courses, and more courses in the nearby Var.

Golf courses close to the main towns along the coast include Golf de Villeneuve-Loubet at Route de Grasse about 2 kilometres from Villeneuve. Tel: 04 93 22 52 25 or email. This 9-hole Par 31 course is not far from Antibes.

Also handy for Antibes is the 18-hole, Par 67 Golf de Biot, one of the Riviera’s oldest courses. This course, with bar, tearoom, and restaurant is found at 1379 Route d’Antibes, La Bastide du Roy, 06410 Biot. Tel: 04 93 65 08 48, fax: 04 93 65 05 63 or email. Attached to this course is the golf school, Ecole de Golf de Biot, which offers two putting greens with bunkers, thirty-two places with fifteen covered, for swing practise.

Golfers staying in or near Cannes have two prestigious courses nearby. The closest is the Cannes-Mougins Golf Club that is about 5 kilometres north of Cannes. This 18-hole, Par 72 course which opened in 1923, rebuilt in 1977, has an international reputation and combines lengthy greens, open fairways, and several water hazards. The address is Golf Country Club Cannes-Mougins, 175 Avenue du Golf 06250 Mougins. Tel: 04 93 75 79 13, fax: 04 93 75 27 60 or email.

The second course, about 7 kilometres west of Cannes, is the Cannes-Mandelieu Golf Course (Old Course) at Route du Golf, 06210 Mandelieu La Napoule. This has an 18-hole, Par 71 course and a 9-hole course. It is a stunning links course, the oldest in the Riviera, first built in 1891 and features a river to cross to reach the third hole. Tel: 04 92 97 32 00.

The nearest 18-hole golf course to Monaco can be found about 12 kilometres north of Monaco at the Monte Carlo Golf Club, Route du Mont Agel, 06320 La Turbie. Tel: 04 93 41 09 11.

The nearest golf to Nice is the compact 9-hole course at The Golf Country Club of Nice which also offers a 32-place (covered) driving range, pro shop, and restaurant. The address is Golf Country Club de Nice, 698 Route de Grenoble. Tel: 04 93 29 82 00.

If you want to combine golf with a tour of Cannes, St-Tropez, Monte Carlo, and Mougins, and take in a wine tasting tour, look at France Golf Tours.

Discover the underwater world of wrecks, caverns, and reefs on a full day trip, half day, or a night dive with Nice Diving. Located at the port at 14 Quai des Docks, there is a fully qualified English-speaking instructor available to cater for the needs of beginners, intermediates, and fully qualified PADI experienced divers. Book through their web site or send an email.

For the biggest diving school across the Riviera, visit divazur.com where you can enroll on any number of diving lessons or group dives.

In Antibes, you can find Côte Plongee whose diving centre is on the beach on the Cap d’Antibes next to the Hotel Eden Roc at the west point. Here dives are possible from ages 6 and up to more advanced night and deep dives.

For a family day out, try Zoo Cap Ferrat. It is the home of over 300 animals with a bear mountain, tiger zone, crocodile beach, and an African plain. There are also farm animals in a setting of lakes, islands, and waterfalls. Open every day, all year round.

Zoo Frejus is a 20-hectare site with wild animals from all over the world including lions and tigers. The scenery is superb and you can watch the trainers with the animals. It is open every day from 10.30 a.m. until at least 5 p.m., later in summer months. You can call their international line on 04.98.11.37.37.

A huge butterfly sanctuary can be found near to Nice airport at Parc Phoenix, 405 Promenade des Anglais. They can be contacted by phone on 04.92.29.77.00 or email. Park Phoenix is a cross between a botanical garden and a theme park where you can see an array of flowers, birds, and iguanas. It is a very popular place amongst young children. Open every day from 9.30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. from April to September, and 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. October to March.

Marine Land in Antibes is open all year round. It claims to be the greatest marine show in Europe with dolphins, Orcas, and seals. In addition, there is a 30-metre long shark tunnel.

Nearby at Antibes Land, kids can enjoy all the fun at the fair with rides and shows. It’s open from June to September, every day. Here you will also find La Petit Ferme, where young children can enjoy a puppet theatre, a children’s workshop, a magic tunnel, and mini-golf, as well as a host of farm animals.

If slides and adrenaline are for you, head to the outside water park also in Antibes. It’s open from mid-June to the beginning of September. If you want to find the location of the attractions mentioned above, and several more, you can click here for a map and more information on all of the parks on the Riviera.

Koaland at 5 Avenue de la Madone in Menton is a cute theme park for children. Set in woodland grounds there are rides and slides, inflatables, mini-golf and go-karting. It is open every day between 10 a.m. to 12 noon and then 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. (from 4 p.m. until midnight July and August). They can be contacted on 04.92.10.00.40.

Near to St-Tropez in Sainte Maxime is Aqualand, a water theme park that is open every day between June, July, and August. You can reach them on 04.94.55.54.54.

Just for the Christmas festivities, the new attraction in Nice is Luna Park. The only indoor attraction park in Europe, this park consists of fairground attractions and adrenalin pumping rides. It will be open from December 2007 to mid January 2008 and you can find it at the Palais des Expositions, just behind the Acropolis. It will be open every day from 2 p.m. until 11 p.m. and until 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Provence Riviera Tours offers full day, half-day, and nighttime tours including tours around Monaco, Province, and the Italian Riviera. The professional drivers are fluent in English, French, Spanish, German, and Russian.

Provençal vineyards are home to a unique array of wines that you will have difficulty finding outside the region. The vineyards are also some of the oldest in France and Bellet and Bandol have been household names for centuries.

France’s smallest AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) is the famous Chateau De Bellet, in Nice to be found on Chemin de Sanquier. You can call on 04.93.37.81.57 or email where local personality, Mr Ghislain de Charnace has been producing Bellet wines for over 30 years. He offers wine tastings by appointment.

Dutch billionaire Cornelis Kamerbeek, also produces Bellet at Chateau de Cremat. You can telephone them to make a reservation on 04.92.15.12.15. There is a small wine tour here where you can discover how the various wines are produced followed by wine-tasting accompanied with small canapés spread with regional specialties such as olive oil, anchoiade, and tapenade.

Off the Chemin de Saquier, a series of narrow rocky lanes leads to Clos St Vincent run by Roland Sicardi and Joseph Sergi whose wines are exemplary, particularly the dry floral rosé, ideal for quaffing in the summer sun and a fantastic compliment to the local food.

Half way between Nice and St-Tropez moving inland will bring you to Chateau de Berne in Lorgues. Here you can take part in tasting, guided tours, and technical tours. You can call them on 04.94.60.43.60

If your enjoy the wines of France, then Wine Tasting in Paris by O Chateau offers wine tastings and wine tours to Paris visitors and corporate clients. A perfect activity for your weekend or holiday in Paris!

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SailTime French Riviera provides an affordable alternative to buying a yacht in France. SailTime offers 12 month all-inclusive memberships on their fleet of Beneteau Oceanis yachts based in Antibes. For a fixed monthly fee, members sail the yacht six weeks per year and don't have to worry about mooring, maintenance. or other hidden costs. In addition, members can make bookings on the yacht up to one year in advance and can cancel their reservations without penalty with just 24 hours advance notice. It's the perfect solution for global nomads.

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