Chemin de Nietzsche — Attraction in Nice

We walked down this trail from Eze village in early August 2025. Our group of 8 had an age range from 9yrs to 65yrs. We completely underestimated the challenge of this hike. We did have good walking sandals on thankfully. We had some water but nowhere near enough. It was very hot and there was little shade after the initial 15 mins of walking. We have read since that the trail is an old goat trail and is a 2:1 gradient over 450 metres. It was arduous for us all. Took 2 hours. The ‘path’ is extremely uneven, rough, unstable, rocky, tricky, dangerous even. Our knees and legs were like jelly at times as it was so strenuous managing the uneven height gaps between rocks and boulders as you descend. Doing this in 35 + degrees in full sun is tough. As a fairly short, reasonably fit 65yr old I found I was pushed almost to my limit and it was a struggle to keep going - having no option to do otherwise was a motivating factor. Yes there were lovely views, but none any better than from Eze village itself. Did we feel we achieved something by walking this trail - not really other than we can say we completed it (we looked very hot & sweaty and fatigued to the point of almost collapsing) and we survived just! The children in the group coped very well although they laid on the pavement to rest when we reached the road! Walking poles would be useful on the hike. Not recommended for anyone with even a slight leg/hip/foot issue, or heart probs etc. You need to be in good health and robust. Only attempt in good walking shoes (it’s not doable in anything other than good walking shoes/sandals), with plenty of water, hats, suncream, with a walking partner ideally, and in the early morning or later afternoon in high summer to avoid the blistering heat. Completely impossible at night - it would be highly dangerous. Most locals we spoke to afterwards at our hotel etc said that they had walked the trail once and would never repeat it! We won’t ever forget it...

I don't care how beautiful the views were when walking from this path. I was scared for my life when going down from Eze Village to the sealevel from Chemin de Nietzche so much so that I couldn't care about the views but be concerned about my survival, and was surprised how no one warned me how dangerous this path can be, especially if you're not a hiker.

Before coming here, I didn't see any warning signs, the videos and comments said just to wear appropriate shoes and not going up the path but everyone said going down was much easier - if this was easy, i can't imagine how hard going up must be.

The issue is, the path is rocky and its slippery at certain points - and these are not few and far between - and you have the risk of falling down at several points during the path if you're not very careful with your steps, and you're about 450 meters above the sea level and abyss is right next to you - so for me it was very dangerous, and if you're an anxious person like me who has moderate fear of heights, I'm warning you because no one warned me, don't go down this path and use the bus or uber instead. I had a mental breakdown when going down.

Google Maps said it was a 43 min walk but with the risk of falling down you need to always watch your step and it took us near 1 hour and 15-30 mins to go down the sea level safely, in the sweltering summer heat. If you're a tourist and not a hiker, i wouldn't recommend going either down or up. I felt the need to comment this as I see not many people talking about how risky...

I can’t recommend this hiking trail enough! The distance is relatively short at just two kilometers, but the ascent of 400 meters in elevation makes it quite challenging. What truly sets this hike apart is the breathtaking view of the ocean. It’s like walking on a postcard!

The trail is dotted with large rocks, which add a level of difficulty but also contribute to its unique charm. Good footwear is definitely recommended.

The highlight—quite literally—is reaching the charming village of Eze. After completing the challenging part of the hike, you can relax and explore the local culture here. Cafés, small shops, and historical buildings make it a perfect place to unwind.

Getting There: Access is incredibly straightforward. From the center of Nice, take bus 607 directly to Gare Eze station, which serves as the starting point for the hike. The ride takes approximately 30 minutes. The best part is that once you reach Eze, you can catch a direct bus back to Nice.

Plan for about 50 minutes to an hour for the hike—the time will fly by. I recommend to start down and hike up to Eze. Going down from Eze could be a bit cumbersome.

In summary, this is an absolutely must-visit trail that offers both natural beauty and the charming village of Eze. A must for any nature lover and hiking enthusiast!

Discovering this wonderful trail is absolutely worth it. Five stars are most...