Open-Top Electric Car Guided Riviera Tour Nice

The port of Nice

The tour starts at the port of Nice, also called Port Lympia, dug in the 18th century at the foot of the Colline du Château. Around its basins stand tall Italianate facades painted ochre, red and yellow, the church of Notre-Dame-du-Port with its classical columns, and rows of traditional pointu fishing boats beside larger yachts. It is one of the most colourful corners of the city and a short walk from the old town.

Your meeting point is on Rue Lascaris, on the eastern side of the harbour. Here the guide explains how the cars work, checks driving licences and sets up the convoy. The cars are simple to drive, with an automatic gearbox and modest speed, so even drivers who have never driven abroad feel confident after a few minutes.

Mont Boron and Fort Alban

Mont Boron is the green hill that separates Nice from the bay of Villefranche, covered in Aleppo pines and holm oaks and protected as a forest park. On its summit stands Fort Alban, a compact 16th-century fortress built to watch over both bays, with four corner turrets and roofs covered in glazed tiles. The road climbs through hairpin bends with glimpses of the sea between the trees.

The photo stop at Fort Alban is the highlight of many guests' day: from the viewpoint you see the whole of Nice and the Baie des Anges on one side, and the deep blue bay of Villefranche and Cap Ferrat on the other. If you are wondering how to get to Mont Boron without a car, this tour is one of the easiest ways, since the hill has few buses and steep roads.

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is a green peninsula jutting into the Mediterranean between Villefranche and Beaulieu-sur-Mer, famous for its lush gardens, pine-shaded villas and turquoise coves. At its heart is a small former fishing village with a harbour of bobbing boats, waterfront cafés and a pretty church. A coastal path circles much of the cape, and the lighthouse stands at its southern tip.

The convoy drives around part of the peninsula and stops in the village for a break, giving you time to stretch your legs, buy a drink or an ice cream and photograph the harbour. A Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat day trip from Nice usually takes a bus and a long walk; here it fits neatly into a two-hour drive with a local guide.

Villefranche-sur-Mer and its bay

Villefranche-sur-Mer sits on one of the deepest natural harbours of the Mediterranean, a sheltered bay where large ships drop anchor in front of the old town. Its pastel houses climb the hillside in steps, linked by stairways and the vaulted Rue Obscure, a covered medieval street. Above the harbour stands the Citadel of Saint-Elme, a 16th-century fortress that now houses the town hall and small museums.

The tour drives through Villefranche and along the waterfront, past the only sandy beach in the area, the Plage des Marinières, ideal for a swim after the tour. Your guide shares the story of the bay as a naval anchorage and points out the best spots to come back to on foot later.

The coast road back to Nice harbour

The last part of the tour follows the coastal road back towards Nice, high above the water. Bend after bend, the view opens over the port, the Colline du Château and the long curve of the Promenade des Anglais. In the afternoon the sea sparkles and the city glows in golden light, a perfect final image of the Riviera.

The best time to visit the French Riviera is from April to October, when the roads are dry and the sea is bright blue, but the tour runs all year and winter days are often sunny and clear. The 09:00 departure has the lightest traffic, while the 14:00 departure gives the warmest light for photos. The tour ends back at the port.