In the summer season, a lot of tourist visit Cote d’Azur, and it is a lot of traffic. Our bike tours have therefore been in October to April. Many hotels are closed in winter, but the climate is pleasant, and good accomodations and restaurants are still quite easy to find. We have hired bicycles from Holiday bikes.
Day 1: Nice to Miramar (49 km, map link)
Let us start on Promenade d’Anglais near the world famous Hotel Negresco (who offers a less expensive half board price in winter).
There is a nice cycling path along Promenade de Anglais, continuing along the main road through Cagnes-sur-Mer to Antibes. The speed limit for cyclists on the promenade of Cagnes-sur-mer is 10 km/hour.
From Antibes to Golfe-Juan, roads are shared with cars. After Golfe-Juan, a nice cycling path takes you to Cannes, where beautiful paths for walking and cycling are found along the sea.
Out of Cannes towards Mandelieu, Theole-sur-Mer and Miramar there is a narrow cycling path along the main road, or the road is shared with cars. Hotel Tiara Yaktsa or Hotel Tiara Miramar can be recommended for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2. Miramar to Beauvallon (50 km, map link)
Continuing from Miramar, we go along the famous Corniche d’Or road to the red cliffs of Esterel, where the view is fantastic and stops must be made.
The road along the coast continues to Bay d’Agay, Saint-Raphaël and Port Frejus. A nice bicycle path can then be followed to Saint-Aygulf.
To use more time in this beautiful area can be recommended. Very nice accomodations can be found in Saint-Raphaël and Frejus.
A bicycle path named ‘Avenue du Train des Pignes’ is going south from the parking of Hotel Van der Valk Saint-Aygulf. Continue parallel to the main road (D559) on ‘Boulevard Lucien Boeuf’ and ‘Avenue Alexis Carrel’ down to the cycling path along D559, which continues into ‘Allée Ancien Train des Pignes’ to Les Issambres.
From Les Issambres to Sainte-Maxime, cyclists have to share the main road with cars, utilizing sidewalks when suitable. Please be careful – do not come too close to the cars.
From Sainte-Maxime, take the cycling path on the seaside of the road to Plage Les Gabians. Then go uphill to Hotel Villa Les Rosiers, which can be recommended for overnight stay.
To use more days in this area can be recommended. Saint-Tropez, as well as the villages Ramatuelle, Gassin and Grimaud and the beaches near by, can be reached within a few hours of cycling.
3. Beauvallon to Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer (40 km, map link)
Take the cycling path at the seaside of the main road (D559), which turns left towards Saint-Tropez on smaller roads and continues along the left side of the main road. In Saint-Tropez, you may continue along the sea and then turn south along Rue Sibille, Rue Gambetta, Chemin de Sainte-Anne and Route des Plages.
Before reaching Ramatuelle, take left along Route de Collebasse (D93) over the hill, go west along Route de Ramatuelle and turn south along Boulevard de Sylvabelle to Boulevard du Littoral. Then continue on D559, to find a bicycle path on the seaside (Ancienne Voie du Chemin de Fer de Provence) ending in Cavalaire-sur-Mer,
After passing west through Cavalaire-sur-Mer, turn left from D559 on Chemin Pierre Foncin, which goes through an old railway tunnel and continues as a bicycle path (marked ‘Toulon-Ste.Maxime’ on Strava). Go on to Rayol-Canadel, where Hotel Bailli de Suffren or Hotel Terrasses du Bailli can be recommended for overnight stay.
Day 4. Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer to Toulon (57 km, map link)
On the western side of Rayol Canadel, the ‘Toulon-Ste.Maxime’ bicycle path continues to Le Lavandou, parallel to and crossing D559.
Towards west from Le Lavandou, ‘Chemin du train des Pignes’ reappears on the right side of D559 after a roundabout, continuing along D98 and D559A to La Londe des Maures. After Les Salins de Hyeres, take D12 to the left and find a new bicycle path parallel to the sea going to Le Port de Hyères. Continuing west across the peninsula, and leave Hyéres on the cycling path along the main road (again D559).
From Hyéres to Toulon, there are several ‘Pistes cycleables’ marked with entrance and exit portals close to the main road. The last piste into Toulon passes through the forest, and ends up in a street with a marked bicycle path going towards the centre of Toulon.
There are many options for accomodation in Toulon (OKKO Hotel Toulon Centre might be a good choice). Among several other cycling and sightseeing options at the present part of the coast, the islands south of Hyéres may be mentioned.
We would recommend to go back to Nice the same route. It is also possible to go back by train.