WHERE TO RUN IN NICE

SAINT JEAN CAP FERRAT.

One of the easier trail courses that you can find on the Côte d'Azur, its 120 metres of vertical provide a playground for novice runners and the experienced athlete alike. How difficult you make it is a matter of what pace you choose to attack. Take the train from Nice to Beaulieu-sur-Mer station. A short warm-up takes you to the starting point on the Baie des Fourmis (‘Bay of Ants’). In the 19th century, the waves washed up seaweed from the sea onto the wild beaches, which regularly transformed into enormous anthills.

Paloma Beach, the first major crossing point after leaving the village, offers a breath-taking view of the bay. Get there early before it gets crowded, plus the morning light and the surrounding silence magnify the beauty of the place. The route is obvious, following the coastline that sometimes offers steep drops and at other times reveals coves carved into the rock.

The natural staircase chiselled into the rock near the lighthouse, at the tip of the cape, will present the main challenge on this route, and a few passages are a little technical before you arrive back in town. Attempting this route under the beating sun or at the end of the day is an invitation to swim that will be difficult to resist.