Top sights and attractions near Nice, France. One day outside Nice

Top Sights Near Nice

A lot goes on in Nice, but also outside the city, you'll find plenty of opportunities to spend an interesting day. First of all, other resorts of the French Riviera such as Saint Tropez and Cannes are definitely worth a visit. If you'd rather leave the city and enjoy nature for a while, you can go to Ardeche region with one of Europe's larger canyons and many caves and cliffs formed by the Ardeche River, where rafting and camping await the adventure seekers. Also, trips to the turquoise Lake St Croix, the Regional Park of Auvergne Volcanoes with unique geological forms or the mountainous Cevennes National Park are recommended. If, however, you don't want to lose the sea from sight, visit Sainte-Marguerite island, which is only a 15-minute boat ride from the shore. There, you'll find the famous Fort Royal where the Man in the Iron Mask was kept.

Arles


Website: http://www.tourisme.ville-arles.fr/

Arles is a city located in Southern France, not too far from Nice between Marseille. It is located in the Bouches-du-Rhône department. Arles was initially established by the Greeks, as early as the 6th Century BC. Then, it went under the name Theline. Later it was taken by the Romans and it was then that the city gained considerable importance. It also began to construct a new canal link to the Mediterranean Sea in 104 BC. Until then, it had always struggled to steal the limelight from Marseille. But Arles’ chance came when it sided with Julius Caesar against Pompey and was victorious. Arles was magnificently rewarded and you can see her success today in the trails of the past.
more about Arles

Avignon


Website: http://www.ot-avignon.fr/

Avignon is a small city located in Southern France on the route from Lyon to seaside. The climate of the town is Mediterranean, temperate and sometimes windy with nearly 300 days of sun a year. The city is usually associated with Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes), which happened to be the residence of the Popes for most of the 14th Century. Avignon is thought to be quite an old site as it was where a Celtic hill fort had been erected. The ancient name of Avignon is written 'Avennio' or 'Avenio', taken from the ancient inscriptions from probably the first settlers there, a Gallic tribe. Avignon has a long history from the barbarians till the 21st Century and there are several museums in town, where you can rediscover it.
more about Avignon

Canal du Midi


Website: Http://www.midicanal.fr/

The Canal du Midi is a 240-kilometre long and 10-metre deep canal in the south of France, sometimes referred to as le Midi. It connects the Garonne River to the Etang de Thau (a lake) on the Mediterranean. It runs form the city of Toulouse down to the port Sete. Originally, the canal was to provide a short cut to the Atlantic that was to help lose the Barbary pirates as well as spare sailors some time. It was the idea of Riquet - a tax farmer for Languedoc, who also wanted to join the economies of the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Some say “it is an affair of man, nature and engineering.”
more about Canal du Midi

Cannes


Website: http://www.cannes-on-line.com

The first record of the town Cannes comes from the 10th-century village Canua. The name is thought to mean 'canna' or 'reed'. This mention probably referred to a small Ligurian port and later Roman outpost on the famous Le Suquet hill, which is the older part of the city. Cannes, located on the French Riviera, is the world renowned host of the Cinema and International Film festival, which attracts each year more over than 200, 000 film makers, guests and celebrities to enjoy the première of the best films. During the festival, the city brings together film producers, directors, technicians and actors to pass through the red carpet in front of the Palais.
more about Cannes

Cevennes National Park

Address: Maison du Parc, Château de Florac Phone: +33 4 66 49 53 01
Website: http://les.cevennes.free.fr/

The Cévennes National Park is one of the nine in France today. It is situated in the south of France in the mountainous area of Cévennes. Several rivers pass through the park including Gardons, Lot, Tarn and many more. In the past the park has tried to stop intensive agricultural and chemical treatments, which harm all sorts of fauna and flora that add to the amazing atmosphere of the place.
more about Cevennes National Park

Chateau d'If

Address: 1,Quai de la Fraternité Phone: +33 4 91 59 02 30
Website: http://if.monuments-nationaux.fr/

The castle, once a stable, later became a prison. It is located on the small island of If, probably the smallest in the Frioul Archipelago. It is located approximately one mile from the bay of Marseille in Southern France. It is largely known for being one of the settings in Alexandre Dumas’ adventure novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. The island measures about 30,000 square metres. The castle is square shaped, three-stories high and 28 metres long. It has three towers equipped with large gun embrasures. The island itself is heavily fortified with high ramparts and gun platforms.
more about Chateau d'If

Corsica


Website: http://english.visit-corsica.com/grand_public/

Corsica is often called L’ile de Beauté literally meaning island of beauty. Maybe that’s why Balzac once described the island as a “French island basking in the Italian sun,” basically an island with a unique charm. It is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean waters and has belonged to France every since 1768. It is located off the shore of southeast France.
more about Corsica

Dentelles de Montmirail

Address: Tourist Information: 13 rue Roux de brignoles Phone: +33 4 91 13 84 13 e-mail: cdt13@visitprovence.com
Website: Http://www.visitprovence.com/

Between the Rhône valley and Ventoux Mountain, you will discover a place with a magnificent panoramic view. The massif, a chain of mountains, was created where the Pyrenees-Provence folds and the Pre-Alps cross, thus forming this complex, probably the oldest grounds of the Vaucluse department of Provence. More clearly, the Dentelles extend west from the Ventoux Mountains. The name dentelle means lace and was given to the mountain chain since its form resembles lace. The jagged edges of the limestone cliffs in this area make it a perfect place for rock climbers to enjoy a nice ascent. Some of the abrupt cliffs may reach up to 100 metres in height. The Dentelles de Montmirail chain of mountains is highest at the Saint-Amand peak at 730 metres. The peak is visible from afar in this particular region of Southern France.
more about Dentelles de Montmirail