Walking and Hiking around Nice
 

We are planning to be in Nice over the Christmas holidays and want to do some hiking and walking in that area (nothing too strenuous, since we are with an 8 year old). Can anyone recommend hiking maps, trails, or places to find information? The one guide I have found is written solely in French and I cannot understand it. Depending on the location of the hikes, we may rent a car so we can get to areas that are not easily serviced by public transportation.

Thanks in advance for your help! I've never been to Nice and don't know what to expect for hiking or walking trails.

Hot a hike really, but there is a great promenade around Cap Ferrat. Pull up a google map for the royal Riviera Hotel and you'll see it.

You may load down the hiking map free of charge:
http://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/accueil
click on cartes IGN and enter "Nice" into the field "rechercher une adresse" (top left hand corner).
Zoom until you see the hiking trails (in magenta). The more popular trails are called GR, followed by a number.
Look for GR 52/GR51 from Menton Garavan railway station (arret) to St. Paul - Castellar - Monti - St. Agnes (hotel) - Gorbio (hotel) - La Turbie (hotel) - La Trinite railway station (gare). Check the more scenic trails from La Turbie to Cap d'Ail and Monte Carlo too.
Other nice trails betwen Sospel resp Breil and Olivetta San Michele (all railway stations).

A car should not be a requirement to get some walks in as the train can provide you with an excellent way to get to the start point of your walk and then back to Nice.
Cap d'Antibes can be reached by train to Antibes and a short bus ride.
Cap Ferrat is reachable by train to either Villefranche or Beaulieu (or by local Bus)
Cap d'Ail to Monaco coastal walk is accessed from Cap d'Ail station, returning from Monte Carlo.
Cap Martin can be reached from Roquebrune rail station, returning from Carnoles station.
All these walks are coastal and would be less than pleasant in stormy conditions.

Mont Boron is right outside the city limits that has nice hiking trails. It can be reached by bus.
The Castle area is a nice hike reachable from Vieux Nice. Walk from there to the Port and you can go further than the Port.

The Castle area was very nice walking for us a few weeks ago. But our favorite in Nice was the Cimiez area. This was more walking than hiking but we loved it. We walked around the museums and church, the ancient Roman sites, and all over the park. In the afternoon, the park was filled with families, dogs and kids. I think you son would like it.

The walks around St Jean Cap Ferrat were gorgeous, but as mentioned above, along the sea, so would require nice weather.

You could take the bus to Eze and walk down to Eze sur Mer. Fabulous views along the way. We also really liked Entrevaux, not so much for walking but for the castle, which I imagine an 8 year old would enjoy. There is a train from Nice. Check it on google images.

dreamon beat me to it, but I was about to recommend the little Train des Pignes, which leaves from the Gare du Sud station in Nice and goes back into the mountains north of Nice. Here's a link: http://www.beyond.fr/travel/railpignes.html. The usual turn-around point for a day-tripper is Entrevaux, but you should be able to find lots of possible hikes from the train's different stops. And the train itself is an experience.

Cap d'Ail to Monaco coastal walk is accessed from Cap d'Ail station, returning from Monte Carlo.>

this is a fabulous stroll - flat on paved paths no cars all along the sea - a totally untouched signature bit of Cot d'Azur coast where tall gangly cyypress trees impossibly cling to boulders that seem to cascade right down to the sea - and the water itself a deep azure-hued totally clear water.

Isolated swimming holes and only about two flat miles - finally you round a bend (you start right from the Cap d'ail train station) and voila the fancy yachts of the Monte Carlo Yacht Club! Back to the real world baby!

Bring a picnic but you need no suit to swim - I always see folks bathing au naturel - skinny dipping it you have it - in warm weather along the isolated stretch of coast.

From Monaco take the train back to Nice or wherever or bus up to Eze.

The walk from Eze down can be strenous for a kid I think as it was for me - lots of steep steps - braking can be as tiring as climbing and the ravine was really hot the day I went up and down it - up is a real struggle - called the Philosopher's Way I believe because Nietzcske (sp?P used to ramble up it regularly from Eze-sur-Mer (where the train station is).

If going to Vence and St-Paul-du-Vence (easy by bus) go to Vence first and then you can do a sweet few-mile at most downhill stroll thru bucolic countryside and a forest to St-Paul-du-Vence, coming right out at the famous Maeght Foundation, just out side the walled cities.

Vence and St-Paul-du-Vence are two dreamy hill towns though in high season they can be tourist crushes negating their inherent romantic old-world looks.

I did the walk down from Eze with my daughter and she, being fit and energetic, managed it easier than me. It was a warm day and we swam at the end. It is fairly steep and I wouldn't do it with dodgy knees. As far as I remember, once started you have to keep going to the bottom as it would be too damned hard to climb up again unless you're determined (although we did pass plenty of people doing just that). You'll have cool weather which will make a difference.