The 18 things to do in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

If you are on holiday on the Côte d’Azur, don’t miss visiting the peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, a real green setting!

Since the end of the 19th century, the peninsula of Cap Ferrat has established itself as a resort for the Nicaraguan families who come to picnic in calèche. Very quickly, the infrastructures develop and we see the first hotels and restaurants around the port, in order to be able to visit Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Rich foreign families and crowned heads make it a renowned destination in the early twentieth century. Then artists love the peninsula, including Matisse, Chagall, Picasso and Cocteau. Like many celebrities, discover this little paradise nestled between Nice and Monaco . To help you prepare your stay, we have compiled a list of the best things to do in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat!

Go cool down to the beach

1. Beach of the port

As its name suggests, this beach nests near the harbour, in the heart of the village. Also called Cros deï Pin , it was the first beach built in Cap Ferrat in 1932. You will find children’s games and a beach volleyball field in the summer season. A nautical centre located next to it offers activities for the largest. Very popular among families, it is part of the largest beaches of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

2. La Paloma beach

Divided in 2 parts, public and private, the Paloma is one of the favorite beaches of stars like Matisse, Cocteau, Roger Moore or Tom Cruise. Like them, book a transat restaurant Paloma Beach and taste the delicious Mediterranean cuisine served by the chef and his teams.

You can rent a paddle directly on site. Otherwise, try water sports such as mud, ascent parachute and jet-ski in the centre Cap Ferrat WaterSport . For mariners who mock their sailboat off the beach, the restaurant offers a shuttle boat transfer to the farmland.

3. Other beaches of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

• Passable Beach : on the other side of the peninsula, in the rade de Villefranche-sur-Mer, it is one of the best spots in Cap Ferrat to admire the sunsets;
• Beach of the Fosses : mix of sand and small pebbles, the beach of the Fosses spreads south of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, on the tip of Sainte-Hospice. Do not forget your mask and tuba, the seabed is rich in fish;
• Beach of the Fossettes: more confidential than her great sister, she is one of the best options in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat to sunbath in peace.

Hiking

4. Tour du Cap-Ferrat

This hike is seen as one of the must-see walks to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. It begins in the heart of the village, in the 24 avenue Claude Vignon . You only have to follow the signs, the path being well marked. You will first come to an abandoned career from which you can admire the view of Saint-Hospice Point and the beach of Les Fosses.

You will then walk the coast to the lighthouse, then cross the other side of the peninsula, with a beautiful view of Nice and the rade de Villefranche. You will pass through several coves loved at the foot of the cliffs, accessible by stone stairs and perfect for a swim break. The one-and-a-half hour walk concludes with Passable Beach, where you will reach your starting point in the village.

5. Tour of the Pointe Sainte-Hospice

This pleasant walk 40 minutes is classified easily and accessible with family. From the beach of the Fossettes, follow the interpretive path that will lead you to 6 coastal heritage observation stations. Walk along the coast in the shade of the marine pines to the tip of Colombiar.

A little further, a crossing leads you to the chapel of Saint-Hospice, the 11 metre bronze Madonna and the Belgian military cemetery. Come back on your steps and then bypass the tip, where you will see Cap-Martin and the Principality of Monaco. The walk ends at the beach of La Paloma, where you can refresh yourself with a drink, a bath or both!

6. Promenade Maurice Rouvier

This beautiful walk allows you to reach Beaulieu-sur-Mer from Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat in 30 minutes approximately . Fully tarnished, it runs easily with a stroller and in a wheelchair for people with reduced mobility.

On your right, you can admire the beautiful villages of La Turbie and Eze overlooking the Cap d’Ail. Before Beaulieu, you pass through Place David Niven, an unconditional actor of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. The path then runs along the bay of Fourmis, with the Kerylos villa on the right, to reach the beach Beaulieu-sur-Mer .

Visit villas and museums

7. Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

Béatrice de Rothschild, born in 1864, is the daughter of Baron Alphonse de Rothschild , regent of the bank of France and great art collector. She married Maurice Ephrussi in 1883 and became Mrs. Ephrussi de Rothschild. She divorces but continues to be interested in art and begins to create her own collection.

In 1905 she discovered Cap Ferrat and built a monumental villa in which she laid down all the works of art that she had gleaned over the years. Today we visit the showrooms, the apartments of Béatrice and discover the magnificent collection of porcelain. Outside, nine theme gardens await you, all more beautiful than others.

8. Villa Kérylos

A tribute to the Greek civilization, Villa Kérylos stands on the rocky tip of the bay of the Fourmis in Beaulieu-sur-Mer. It reproduces exactly a house of the Greece antique, on the model of the noble houses of the island of Délos .

During your visit, you will marvel at the frescoes and mosaics that embellish the walls of the building. The peristyle, large inner courtyard, surrounds 12 columns in Carrare marble . Listed as a historic monument in 1966, Villa Kérylos is one of the best things to visit in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and its region.

9. Villa Santo Sospir

The story of Villa Santo Sospir began in 1950, when Jean Cocteau came to stay there on the invitation of Francine Weisweiller. This is the main actress of the film Les Enfants Terribles, adaptation of the poet’s novel.

During this stay, Cocteau gets bored and starts painting the charcoal on the walls of the villa. What was to be a simple drawing of Apollo turned into many frescoes. They gradually cover the walls and ceilings and we discover their beauty today during a visit to the villa.

10. The shell museum

Opened in 2004, this museum presents more than 7000 shells or the largest collection of the Mediterranean! This is accompanied by many exotic specimens brought back from all over the world. The museum represents a real journey around the world and an immersion in the fabulous underwater world.

Small and large will be marvelled in front of the 33 displays of the exhibition, including the micro shells that are observed through binoculars. Certainly one of the best activities to do in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat with family.

Water activities

11. Discover the underwater path

During your tour of the beaches, don’t miss the underwater path of the Bay of Fossettes, one of the best things to visit in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Equipped with your palms, mask and tuba, you will follow a marked course of about 200 metres in clear and clear water.

Five buoys guide you, below which are hooked with immersed tablets. They describe the fauna and flora present. Sandy, rocky flaws, Posidonie herbaria, sars, saupes, redberries... The Mediterranean will have no secret for you! This activity is accessible to all, and the swimming is monitored from the relief station.

12. Scuba diving

To further explore the Mediterranean seabed, try subaquatic diving! Local dive centers offer all kinds of exits. Choose a baptism for beginners, or deep dives for the most experienced. The topography of the funds allows you to find spots suitable for all levels.

The clubs Cap Ferrat Diving and Cap July both provide quality benefits. You can go with your eyes closed, but you'll have trouble watching the fish!

13. Observe whales and dolphins

L’ association SOS Grand Bleu work for the protection of cetaceans and other marine species in the Mediterranean. You will embark on the Santo-Sospir, an authentic replica of the Turkish seculars, traditional sailboats of the sixteenth century.

The goal? Go to meet the marine mammals present in the area. If it is common to cross dolphins, the lucky ones can see common whales or even cachalots!

14. Rent a boat

To spend a day exploring the coastline is one of the best things to do when you visit Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. You can rent a boat and explore the coast in the direction of Nice and Antibes to the west, or to Monaco and Italy to the east. Some renters even offer skipper services. They will tell you all the secrets of this part of the French Riviera.

To find the boat adapted to your needs, go to Samboat . With or without a permit, captain, number of places: return your criteria and find the best offer for your wishes, for a holiday at the top!

15. Make a cruise at sunset

Several providers offer to take you at the end of the afternoon sailing in the rade de Villefranche. Go to the port or book your excursion online to be sure to have room on D-Day. You can choose between a sailboat, catamaran or even a yacht, often with an aperitif on board, to start the evening in beauty.

16. Taste water sports

Close to the beaches, you will find water sports centres offering a host of activities suitable for the whole family. Whether you’re passionate about strong sensations or looking for an afternoon discovery, there’s something for all tastes. The adrenaline fools will try the ascensional parachute or the stirred buoy. The others will be able to explore the hidden creeks in kayak or paddle.

Other good ideas

17. Walking in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

Some of the best things to visit in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat can be discovered by a stroll. Do not miss the chapel of Saint-Hospice on the tip of the same name. Not far, the marine cemetery offers a superb view of the sea below.

The lighthouse and the semaphore are also essentials of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. The first is classified as a historic monument since 2012, while the second is 153 metres high. Finally, go for a ride to the port and sit on the terrace. You will enjoy a delicious seafood dish by observing the ballet of sailboats and yachts that borrow the fairway.

18. Visit Beaulieu-sur-Mer

Beaulieu-sur-Mer was able to preserve the assets that made him known by the crowned heads who stayed there in the beautiful era. Casino, beaches, shops, hotels and quality restaurants: all the ingredients of a luxury resort are combined. With its palm gardens and olive trees and its pleasant marina, Beaulieu-sur-Mer remains a city where it makes good living. Not to be missed if you are visiting Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat!

How to get to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat?

By car

To visit Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat by car, take the Bass Corniche ( route M6098 ) to the place-dit Pont-Saint-Jean in Villefranche-sur-Mer . You will then go along M25 which will take you to the center of the village, where several parking spaces are available. Attention, in summer the places are expensive, and it can be better to take the bus from Beaulieu-sur-Mer!

By bus

To reach Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat by bus, you will first have to go to Beaulieu-sur-Mer. Buses also connect from Monaco and Nice, but the simplest way is to take the TER. From Beaulieu-sur-Mer train station, take the line 15 until Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

By train

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat has no station. Meet in TER until Beaulieu-sur-Mer and then borrow the line 15 Bus network.

By plane

The nearest airport is Nice-Côte-d’Azur Airport. You will then have to take it TER then. bus no.15 to reach Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat in an hour. If you rent a car, the journey takes about 30 minutes.

Do not hesitate to visit a flight comparison such as Skyscanner to find your flight.

Where to stay in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat?

As the Cap-Ferrat peninsula is relatively small, accommodation can be stormed quickly during the high season. The course houses three 5-star establishments, the Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat , the Golden Sail and the Royal Riviera . If you are not looking for such luxury, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat hotel establishments have high-end services, and the rate is often in proportion, as is the rate of accommodation Airbnb .

For those who wish to visit Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat at a lower cost, we recommend staying in the cities of Nice or Monaco, whose city centres are less than 15 kilometres away. Another solution is to discover the hinterland during a stay in a guest room in Provence. In any case, use one Compare hotels to find the nest casing where to put your suitcases. In just a few clicks, you get the best offer for your wishes and budget!