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Nice is Nice.

Sorry, I had to say it. But seriously, it is.

Nice, France is a beautiful coastal city in southern France featuring bright blue skies and water. When we visited Nice, we only had one day in Nice, so we made the most of it! Southern France is known for its wine and beautiful countryside so during our one day in the Blue Coast of France, we went on a bike and winery tour excursion through the rolling hills of Nice. But it wasn’t any old bike tour. It was an electric bike tour, with a wine tasting. The bike did 80% of the work for us and wine was involved, so what could be better than biking the French coast and having a drink to reward yourself? This excursion was an extra for our trip with EF Ultimate Break. If you’re looking for things to do in Nice, France, consider doing this bike tour! It’s well worth it. Since we only had one day in Nice, we made the most of it by going on the bike and winery tour and doing some exploring! Here is how you can spend one day in Nice too!

A Day Trip to Nice: Top Things to Do in Nice

Go on a Winery Bike Tour Through Nice

During our visit to Nice, we stayed in another nearby town called Antibes. So in the morning, we took the train from Antibes into Nice, where we met with our bike tour guide and got fitted for our bikes. We toured with eBike the French Riveria. You can see the details of our bike tour here.

Along the way to the winery, our guide pointed out some interesting facts, landmarks, and attractions in Nice. One of them being where Coco Chanel “discovered” her logo. Coco Chanel visited the Château de Crémat in Nice, France, a castle where the local wealthy would go to indulge during the summer. Here, there is an interlocking design in an archway that closely resembles her logo! You can see the castle in the distance of the photo below! Of course of all the people in our Nice bike tour of 25 people, I got the flat tire halfway to the winery… Thankfully our bike tour guide was very helpful and was ready for the flat tire mishap!

Collet de Bovis: Winery in Nice

This was one of the most informative winery tours I’ve ever been on. The winemaker at Vin de Bellet, Collet de Bovis, explained to us how their grapes are grown, harvested, and made into the different types of wine. Interestingly, he pointed out how the taste of the grapes is rooted in where they were grown. And Americans have it all wrong, you shouldn’t call wines by there type, like Merlot or Rose, you should designate them by where they were made. For this winery, their wines are bellet wines. These wines are exclusively made in the Nice region, giving the wine distinct flavors.

For French wines, the “official” wines are wine designed with an AOC or appellation d’origine contrôlée, which geographically tags French made wines, cheeses, and other agricultural products. We were offered a tasting and the chance to purchase some of this wineries award winning wines! Having tried so many wines around Europe, this wine had the most distinct and bold flavors. All of the wines at Collet de Bovis are harvested, fermented, processed, and bottled on site!

Our excursion also included a picnic lunch from a local bakery in Nice. It was such a dreamy moment to have a picnic lunch in a French Riviera vineyard. If you’re in Nice and looking for something different to do, definitely consider this bike tour in Nice. You’ll get to see parts of Nice you might not have otherwise visited, and you get an exclusive vineyard experience.

The Beach in Nice

After our tour, we took some time to explore Nice. Since the tour took up most of our day and the wine made us sleepy, we decided to hit up the beach. To our surprise, the beach in Nice was a rocky beach! Either way, we took advantage of the sun and fresh air. The beach is probably one of the top things to do in Nice, France. If you visit, take some time to visit the #ilovenice sign too!

Explore Old Town and Cours Saleya Market

In these older areas of Nice, you can easily get lost among the cobblestoned roads, open-air restaurants, and colorful markets and buildings. Exploring Old Town is one of the many fun cheap and free things to do in Nice!

Visit One of Nice’s Museums

If you’re a fan of the arts or if you’re spending a rainy day in Nice, consider visiting the Museum of Matisse. Matisse is one of the many famous Impressionist artists during the dawn of Impressionism. There is also a National Archeological Museum nearby.  The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nice is another beautiful art museum in Nice with the works of Monet and Rodin.

Visit Castle Hill

Castle Hill Park is a beautiful, historic park with sweeping views of Nice. For centuries, the Castle that was once here served as a military stronghold and now it is a beautiful public space.

Tour a Church

Nice is full of beautiful churches worth visiting! Interestingly, there is a Russian Orthodox Cathedral if you’re looking to see some 19th century Byzantine church. Nice Cathedral is also another beautiful place to visit. The Notre Dame de Nice is of the same Gothic style as the Notre Dame in Paris.

Who’s ready to visit Nice France?

Where to Stay in the Blue Coast of France

If you’re planning a trip to the French Blue Coast and you’re thinking of Antibes, the Hotel le Collier is a wonderful option. The hotel is family run with their own restaurant/pizzeria!

This Antibes hotel has very spacious double rooms with private bathrooms. Each room has a small balcony, which was a first for us in Europe. There is free wifi! The breakfast was delicious with pastries, cereal, and bread.

Antibes, in general, is a vacation spot for the French, so the town is mostly a marina with restaurants and shops. In terms of location, the hotel is located a short walk from the town center. And literally across the street from the local train. The train can take you anywhere along the Blue Coast!