A Guide to visiting Eze, France’s beautiful Medieval village

So much for the 330 days of sunshine out of 365! We’d somehow managed to time our 4 day visit to the French Riviera to coincide with the area’s rare no sunshine days. And even worse it wasn’t just cloudy, it was raining. Again.

After spending a wonderful couple of days in (rainy) Nice, it was time to head for a day trip. There was one top choice for me, beautiful Eze. I’d seen many photos of the beautiful blue sea and incredible views, and whilst in the rain it was undoubtedly not as beautiful as the pictures, I still think it’s one of the prettiest places I’ve ever visited and would highly recommend it as a day trip.

How to get to Eze from Nice

There are three ways to get from Nice to Eze.

• By Car – Eze is easily accessible by car, and the journey provides stunning views along the French Riviera. From Nice, take the A8 motorway, then exit at Eze and follow the signs to the village. You will have to park outside the village in the local car park as it is pedestrianised, and the short walk up is steep. Car parking is limited so if you’re driving it’s important to arrive early (pre 10am).
• By Bus* – There are two bus routes from Nice to Eze – route 112 and 82 which leave from Vauban bus station semi regularly (though there is a less frequent service on Sundays and holidays). Both routes drop you off just outside the village centre.
• By Train* – The nearest train station is Eze-sur-Mer, which is a short 15 minute trip along the coast from Nice Ville train station. However, this option drops you at the bottom of a hill with a 5km, heavy climb in front of you – so you can either get an Uber up to the village or face some strenuous exercise to start the day. Even in low season, the train was packed so full we were squished in, so I do recommend the bus.

*Note: Buying both bus and train tickets in Nice was challenging.

For the bus, it took us a good hour to figure out where the bus stop at Vauban even was and buy our tickets! Please check online at lignesdazur.com for both schedule and departure point maps ahead of time so you don’t get caught out like we did.

For the train, you will need to go to the blue ticket machines at Nice Ville station. They require operation with a circular toggle button, and there are no staff on hand to help. Even in low tourist season, queues were 15 people deep. It took us around 45 mins to buy tickets! (Note, you can buy tickets online however the QR codes did not allow us through the ticket gates and there were no staff to let us through so we had to purchase tickets from the machine anyway).

(Ah Germany, how I miss you).

Stroll the Old Town

Eze is a beautiful hilltop town founded in Medieval times. It’s famous for its location overlooking the French Riviera, between Monaco and Nice. It was fortified in the 1300s by The House of Savoy and over the years the area has passed hands between Italy and France multiple times.

The incredible Old Town streets

Strolling the Old Town is one of the best things to do along the whole Cote D’Azur, and it really didn’t disappoint. Highlights include the ancient Chapelle de la Sainte Croix, peaking in to the luxury hotels in the town like Chateau Eza for a drink, and all the winding streets.

Visit the Jardin Exotique

The exotic garden is located in the original medieval fortress right at the top of the village. Set 450 metres above sea level it provides stunning views out to sea. Even better it’s home to a huge array of cacti and beautiful flowers, all amongst the ruins of the fortress.

Hike the Nietzsche Way

If you come in by train and decide to hike, it’s the Nietzsche Way you’ll be walking. Not ones for scrimping on our steps, we decided to hike up and then get the bus back down. It was brutal – over 5km of pure ascent without much of a path. Even more fun in the rain (not!).

If you want the hike without the exhaustion, I recommend getting the bus up and the hike down. It’s beautiful and provides stunning views.

Enjoy the traditional food and markets of Eze

On Sunday morning, Eze has a small market selling lots of local produce. The region is famous for olives and olive oil, as well as traditional breads, chocolates and flowers. We went to an olive oil tasting to escape the heaviest spell of rain, and it was lots of fun.

See more of the French Riviera

If you have the time and aren’t doing the hike, or have a car so it’s a bit quicker to get around, you can explore more of the French Riviera in the same day. Or choose to stay a night in Eze and explore a bit more widely.

• Villefrance-sur-mer: Just 2 train stops along the coast and a 5 minute walk is this beautiful village, particularly so on a hot day for a visit to the beach.
• Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild: Just one train stop and a 30 minute walk away is the stunning Villa, with its extensive gardens and interesting history.
• Nice: If you’re staying in Eze you could take a trip back to Nice
• Monaco: Only 20 minutes by train is Monaco, another perfect place to spend a day or half a day if that’s all you have.

Other Important Information

• If you’re intending to walk to/from the train station, be sure to wear comfortable footwear. You won’t be able to complete the hike in sandals.
• Arrive in Eze early as it does get busy. Even on a rainy day it was pretty packed so I dread to think what it would be like in summer.
• Eze is not suitable for those with mobility issues. It’s very steep and full of steps with no accessibility support.
• Make sure you have cash with you – the markets and many of the shops/restaurants only take cash.

What do you think of Eze on a grey and rainy day? I absolutely loved it and whilst I wish it could have been sunnier, it was still beautiful. Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!