Article written by Elisa - Travel Writer & Local in France
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Visit Èze Village
Èze, in Southern France, is one of our favorite villages on the French Riviera and will likely steal your heart too. Located between Nice and Monte Carlo, this commune extends from the Mediterranean Sea (Èze-sur-Mer) to the hilltop with the renowned medieval village (Èze Village).
Èze medieval village is one of the top places to visit in the French Riviera, famous for its beauty, charm, and stunning sea views. The medieval village is tiny, but its picturesque streets and lovely shops will keep you busy for a few hours.
Èze Village – Day Trip or Overnight Stay? While most people visit Eze on a day trip from Nice, others find it worthwhile to spend the night in one of the Èze Village hotels, so they can feel the atmosphere after the day crowds have gone.
Whether you decide to visit Èze during the day or stay overnight, this quick guide will tell you the best things to do in Èze Village and our best tips to plan your trip from Nice or Monaco.
How to Get from Nice to Èze Village
A day trip from Nice to Èze Village is very easy to organize, even if you don’t have a car.
BY BUS
If you decide to take a day trip to Èze from Nice, bus #82 is the easiest and cheapest option. Be sure to take the bus that shows ‘Passage Èze Village.’ The ride Nice to Èze Village is very scenic, so don’t forget to look out of the window!
BY TRAIN
The train Nice – Èze takes you only to Èze-sur-Mer, which is about an hour walk uphill to Èze Village. Èze to Nice by train can be a good option if you decide to take the Nietzche Path from Èze-Village to Èze-sur-Mer, before going back to Nice. We haven’t tested this option by ourselves, though.
BY GUIDED TOUR
An Èze day trip with a guided tour is only interesting if you want to combine Èze with other French Riviera places nearby. This popular day tour from Nice is great because it combines the best of the French Riviera (Èze included) on a day.
How to Get from Monte Carlo to Éze Village
BY BUS
From Crémaillère – Monaco, take bus LR112. Count on taking 21 minutes.
Èze Village Hotels
The real reason we think you should spend one night in Èze is because of how magical it becomes once the sun starts to set. Accommodation in Èze Village is pricey, but at the same time, you are in one of the most beautiful places in France!
There are three hotels in Èze Village, but only two offer the Èze views and fairytale atmosphere that you are looking for:
Château Eza is a converted medieval chateau with an exceptional location and romantic rooms decorated in a Louis XIII style. Guests can dine in the dining room overlooking the French Riviera and enjoy an apéritif on the terrace.
Click here to book your stay at Château Eza
Book at La Chèvre d’Or for an amazing experience. Set in the heart of Èze Village, this luxury hotel has an incredible location with incredible views and lovely rooms. Guests can choose from four restaurants serving different types of cuisine, each with stunning panoramic sea views.
Click here to book your stay at La Chèvre d’Or
Best Things to Do in Èze Village, France
What to do in Èze Village? This list of best things to do in Èze, France, includes sightseeing, hiking, and fine dining.
1. Stroll the Streets of Èze Medieval Village
One of France’s most beautiful medieval towns, Èze Village is like a step back in time. Get lost in this labyrinth of cobblestone streets, and enjoy its particular atmosphere. The village is very tiny, but every corner is worth a stop to take a picture or two.
In Èze Village, traditional houses had the ground floor for keeping the goats and the donkey while the owners slept on the first floor. Today, most ground floors are used as workshops or gift shops.
2. Visit Notre Dame de l’Assomption
Notre Dame de l’Assomption is one of the musts on our list of Èze things to do. This church, built in Neo-Classical style in the 18th century, is listed as French Historic Monument. You cannot miss it: Notre Dame de l’Assomption outstands from the rest of the houses thanks to its ochre color, size, and location on the hilltop.
The current bell tower dates from the 19th century. It has been struck by lightning several times, destroying the dome that originally covered it.
Visit also inside: the richly decorated interior is primarily baroque.
3. Visit Èze’s Jardin Exotique
The Exotic Garden is one of the best things to see in Eze Village, both for its magnificent plant collection and panoramic views.
The garden is built on the site of a medieval fortress, perched 429 meters above the sea. It has the best views of Èze and even the French Riviera’s best views, from the Esterel Mountains to the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
The garden’s most interesting part is the collection of succulent plants and xerophytes from all the continents. The pathways are dotted with information panels about Èze’s artistic and historical heritage and curious facts.
This is one of the best Èze attractions, so don’t miss it! The Jardin Exotique is open every day of the year, from 9 am to sunset.
4. Hike the Nietzsche Path
Le Chemin de Nietzsche is a path that connects Eze Village to Eze-sur-Mer. It seems that Nietzsche (the famous philosopher) used to walk this path during his stays in Nice. His walks through this path inspired him to write the third part of this famous work, ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’ (1883-1885).
The hike from Èze Village to Èze-sur-Mer is 2,1 km downhill, and it has numerous steps in some places. We recommend wearing good shoes and eventually a stick or trekking poles not to stress your knees. It usually takes an hour to walk it downhill. The sea views come after the second half of this path.
If you don’t have time to visit other French Riviera beaches, go swimming at Eze beach. This is a pebble beach, so you’ll definitely want to pack something to lay on when the pebbles get too hot in the summer.
5. A Dinner with a View
Enjoy a romantic dinner (or a special occasion) with the best view in one of Èze’s Michelin-starred restaurants: Chèvre d’Or and Château Eza.
La Chèvre d’Or‘s main restaurant has 2 Michelin stars. Its menus go from 90-260€ per person, and a dinner à la carte costs from 180-290€ per person.
Chateau Eza has 1 Michelin star. Its dinner à la carte costs about 100/150€ per person, and there’s a Tasting Menu of 125€ per person, served during dinner time.
So there you have it, a quick guide on what to do in Èze France and our best tips. Bon voyage!