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Southern France Route

This route leads through the beautiful wine and costal regions in the south of France, starting at the Côte d'Azur and ending close to the pyrenees mountains.

map with the route

The marked route is available here for online viewing and download in the gpx format.

  1. Nice
  2. Marseille
  3. Nimes
  4. Carcassonne
  5. Toulouse
  6. Bordeaux
  7. Bayonne
Start Nice
End Bayonne
Length ~ 1100 km
Duration 2-3 weeks

Route Description

Nice

A popular vacation spot that feels both relaxed and energetic at the same time. Starting here creates much excitement for the rest of the trip.
The main attraction is the 5km long Promenade des Anglais going from the Colline du Château (a hill with great views) all the way to the airport.
Possible excursions:
  1. The small and pristine Principality of Monaco is reached by train in 30 minutes. It contains enough attractions to spend a whole day there, particularly inside the Oceanographic Museum.
    Another interesting thing to do here, is to hike up to La Turbie for spectacular views down to Monte Carlo. At the upper end of the route lies an imposing ancient roman monument (Tropaeum Alpium).
Continue: By train to Marseille

Marseille

Currently the second largest city of France with a history spanning back over 2500 thousand years.
In the museums and monuments in the old harbour area some of that history is still visible.
Comparatively recent additions are two mesmerizing Neo-Byzantine churches. First the cathedral of Marseille near the harbour and second the basilica Notre Dame de la Garde which sits on a hill overlooking the city.
For relaxing try the park Borély in the south or the nearby beaches.
Possible excursions:
  1. The charming Aix-en-Provence can be reached by bus in about an hour.
Continue: By train to Nimes

Nimes

A comfortable town with a large roman amphitheater and one of the best preserved ancient temples anywhere (Maison Carrée).
A good method to discover this place is to walk from the arena to the temple and then along the tree lined canal to the fountain park (Jardin de la Fontaine).
The park is built on the hillside with stairs and monuments on the way and at the top there are great views from an old watchtower.
Possible excursions:
  1. Take a bus to Remoulins to visit the Pont du Gard, a part of the Roman aqueduct that used to supply the town with water.
Continue: By train to Carcassonne

Carcassonne

An amazing example of a walled medieval city set in largely rural surroundings.
If you have the time it is certainly worth to spend a night here, to experience walking around this place at dusk when everything quiets down. Otherwise day trips from Toulouse (less than 100 km away) are possible.
Something to keep in mind when booking accommodation, the walled area (called Cité) is about 20 minutes away from the train station up on a small hill.
Continue: By train to Toulouse

Toulouse

A big city with a large student population. Sights include both old (mostly churches) and new (mostly space themed) attractions.
Possible excursions:
  1. Albi a pretty town famous for its cathedral and episcopal palace can be reached by train in about 1 hour
  2. Travel along the quaint Canal du Midi either on bike, boat or on foot. The canal was built originally in the 17th century as part of a project to connect the mediterranean sea with the atlantic ocean, and goes down all the way to the mediterranean coast (about 240 km in total).
Continue: By train to Bordeaux

Bordeaux

A great spot to taste and learn about the regional wines. For beginners the Musée du Vin et du Négoce is a perfect starting place.
Besides that, the spacious river promenade along the meandering Garonne features a nice ensemble of monumental buildings.
If you are looking for a space to lean back for a while take a look at the botanical garden on the eastern shore.
Possible excursions:
  1. Many of the vineyards around Bordeaux can be visited as part of organized tours or independently.
    These visits are worth it even for non drinkers because of the stunning chateaus.
Continue: By train to Bayonne

Bayonne

Travelers have a choice to stay either in Bayonne or Biarritz.
Bayonne is prettier and better connected to the surrounding area.
Biarritz is the goto place for swimming and surfing.
Both are part of the Basque region.
Possible excursions:
  1. Going by bus to Biarritz or back takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Continue: Possibilities include crossing the border to northern Spain, staying in the french Pyrenees region or going up along the Atlantic coast.