At the end of the 19th century, wealthy English, Russian, and Belgian families started coming to the peninsula. They made it a well-known vacation spot. Summer tourism grew in the 1950s, and Saint-Jea-Cap-Ferrat became a trendy beach town that politicians and celebrities from all over the world came to visit. Matisse was one of the well-known painters who stayed there. This rich history comes to life in the Alpes-Maritimes by building villas, which are more luxurious homes that are set apart from each other.
Fair Range
From Passage Beach, you can see the Cap de Nice and Villefranche sur Mer Bay, which are both to the west. This makes sure that the sun will shine during the day. Part of the area is taken up by a private beach where you can rent stand-up paddleboards. Passable Beach is noisy because so many families with kids go there, and the kids spend their time jumping off the pontoon into the water (yes, it smells of experience). This is the last place you should go if you want peace and quiet (or during the week outside school holidays).
Maurice Rouvier walk to Beaulieu sur Mer
From the small town of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, you can walk on a beautiful, flat path that is good for strollers and people who have trouble moving around. This area is where Beaulieu sur Mer is. The starting point is on Av. Denis Semeria at the level of the Town Hall (locate the white sign “coastal path”). The path goes across Port Beach and then goes along the east coast of the peninsula toward the north and the beach resort of Beaulieu sur Mer. After the beach, there are many nice places to swim. In the winter, we met people who caught sea urchins there. In Beaulieu, it takes 25 minutes to get to the Fourmis beach.
Visit Beaulieu-Sur-Mer
A small beach town, Beaulieu sur Mer is right next to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Getting there is easy if you walk along the Maurice Rouvier promenade. The beach at Baie des Fourmis, the casino, the Belle Époque-style retonde, and the villa Kérylos are just some of the things to see and do in Beaulieu sur Mer, which is not a popular place to visit on the Côte d’Azur.
Villa Kerylos
The Villa Kérylos, a mansion built between 1902 and 1908 in the style of ancient Greece, is the most popular place to visit in Beaulieu sur Mer. The inside is decorated in a way that makes it feel like a rich Greek villa. If you go to Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, this is something you can do. From the Maurice Rouvier promenade, it takes about 50 minutes to walk to Villa Kérylos. You can also drive there and try to find a place to park near the Beaulieu casino (which is mission impossible in summer). Check out the website to learn more about events at Villa Kérylos and other villas in the area.
Sunset Cruise
For a unique experience and a different view of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, you can take a 1.5-hour sunset cruise that leaves from Nice. The boat will go all the way around the cape to Beaulieu sur Mer before sailing in the direction of the peninsula. You can swim right off the boat, go snorkeling (bring your gear), or just look at the coast.