Èze is a place that almost everyone has on their French Riviera itinerary, and for good reason. The tiny medieval village sits high above the Mediterranean with winding stone streets, ridiculous views, and one of the prettiest gardens we visited on the trip.

Most Èze day trip itineraries pair it with Monaco, but we did something a little different.

After spending the morning exploring Èze, we headed down to Plage Mala in Cap-d’Ail, one of my favorite beaches near Nice. And after doing it this way, I honestly think Èze + Mala is such a good day trip from Nice, especially if you’re visiting in the summer.

You get the cute hilltop medieval village and all the sightseeing in the morning, then spend the afternoon swimming in one of the prettiest coves along the coast.

It also never felt like we were trying to squeeze too much into one day. We had plenty of time to wander around Èze, visit the Exotic Garden, spend a few hours at Mala, and take the coastal path back to the train.

If you’re deciding how to spend one day in Èze from Nice, this is exactly how I’d do it.

Also using Nice as your home base? My 3-Days in Nice Itinerary covers exactly how I’d spend a first trip there, including where to eat, what to see, and a few day trips.

Quick Deets

• CAN YOU VISIT ÈZE AND PLAGE MALA IN ONE DAY?
  • Yes. They’re really easy to pair together, and you’ll still have plenty of time to spend a few hours at the beach.
• HOW LONG DO YOU NEED IN ÈZE?
  • I’d give yourself around three to four hours to wander the village, visit Jardin Exotique, shop a little, and stop for lunch or a drink.
• SHOULD YOU TAKE THE TRAIN TO ÈZE?
  • Not if you’re going straight to Èze Village. The train drops you at Èze-sur-Mer down by the water, not in the medieval village. You can get from there to the village by bus or hike the Nietzsche Path, but I think it’s much easier to go directly to Èze Village for this itinerary.
• IS PLAGE MALA EASY TO GET TO?
  • Yes, but you’ll have to walk a little. We took a Bolt from Èze and were dropped at the top of the hill in Cap-d’Ail, then walked about 10 minutes downhill to the beach.
• IS PLAGE MALA PUBLIC?
  • Yes. There are private beach clubs at Mala, but there’s also a public section where you can bring your own towel and swim for free.
• DO YOU NEED A CAR FOR THIS DAY TRIP?
  • Nope. We used public transportation, Bolt, and the train and found it really easy.
• WHAT IS BOLT?
  • Bolt is basically the European version of Uber. We used it several times around the French Riviera and usually found it just as easy to use and cheaper than Uber. Definitely suggest trying it out!

Èze & Plage Mala Day Trip at a Glance

• Morning: Head from Nice to Èze Village
• Late morning: Explore Èze + Jardin Exotique
• Lunch: Château de la Chèvre d’Or or grab something to bring to the beach
• Afternoon: Bolt to Plage Mala
• Late afternoon: Swim + relax at Mala
• Evening: Walk the coastal path toward Cap-d’Ail and take the train back to Nice

Morning: Head to Èze Village

The biggest thing to know before planning an Èze day trip is that Èze Village and Èze-sur-Mer are not the same place.

Èze Village is the medieval hilltop town you’ve probably seen all over Instagram. Èze-sur-Mer is down along the coast, which is also where the train station is.

You can technically take the train from Nice to Èze-sur-Mer and make your way uphill from there, but I wouldn’t do that for this itinerary unless you specifically want to hike the Nietzsche Path. It’s about 2.5 miles uphill and can take around 1.5 hours, which sounds pretty brutal in the middle of summer.

There are buses connecting Èze-sur-Mer with the village, as well as buses that go directly from Nice to Èze Village.

I’d go straight to the village in the morning and slowly work your way back toward the water throughout the day. You’ll get most of your walking and sightseeing out of the way before the afternoon heat and be at the beach when you actually want to be in the water.

Wander Around Èze Village

Èze is tiny, so you really don’t need much of an itinerary once you get there. The best thing to do is just wander.

The village is almost entirely pedestrianized, with narrow stone passageways, little staircases, galleries, shops, and restaurants tucked into the hillside.

We popped into shops, wandered through the streets, and slowly made our way up toward the Exotic Garden of Èze, Jardin Exotique.

I’d definitely try to get here earlier in the day. Èze is one of the most popular day trips from Nice, so it gets busier as the day goes on, especially during summer.

Visit The Exotic Garden, Jardin Exotique d’Èze

If you only pay to do one thing in Èze, make it the Exotic Garden.

The garden sits all the way at the top of the village on the ruins of the former castle, and the views are insane. Honestly, they might be some of the best we saw anywhere on the French Riviera.

There are succulents, cacti, sculptures, and little overlooks throughout the garden, but you’re really coming for the view.

You can buy tickets online on their website HERE or in person. If the ticket line at the bottom of the hill is super long, just make your way up to the garden entrance. You can also buy tickets there, and we found that line to be much shorter!

I’d leave around 30 to 45 minutes to walk around without rushing.

And yes, there are a lot of stairs. Between the cobblestones in Èze, the garden, the walk down to Mala, and the coastal path later, this is definitely a comfortable-shoes day.

Stop at Château de la Chèvre d’Or for Lunch or a Drink

If the timing works out, I’d try to stop at Château de la Chèvre d’Or while you’re in Èze.

We actually got there too early to stop ourselves, but it’s supposed to be amazing for lunch or even just a quick drink. The hotel is built right into the hillside and has terraces overlooking the Mediterranean, so it would be such a pretty place to take a break before heading to the beach.

If you don’t want to do a sit-down lunch, there’s also a little deli, literally called Deli, around the corner from the entrance to the Exotic Garden where you can grab sandwiches to bring to Mala.

That’s essentially what we did for our beach lunch, and I honestly loved having sandwiches with us once we got down there.

Stop at the Fragonard Perfume Factory

Another optional stop is the Fragonard Perfume Factory right near Èze Village.

They offer free guided tours that take around 30 minutes and walk you through how their perfumes and skincare products are made. You don’t need to make a reservation for an individual visit, so it’s pretty easy to add if you have some extra time.

Or you can just pop into the shop for perfume, soaps, candles, and other Fragonard products without doing the full tour.

I definitely wouldn’t consider this a must-do, but it’s a fun little add-on if you’re interested in perfume or have extra time before heading down to Mala. Their candles and perfumes also make such a cute souvenir or gift!

Head From Èze to Plage Mala

Once you’re finished in Èze, head toward Plage Mala in Cap-d’Ail.

We took a Bolt from Èze, which I think is the easiest way to do this part of the day.

If you put Plage Mala as your destination, your driver will drop you near the top of the hill in Cap-d’Ail, and from there it’s about a 10-minute walk downhill to the beach.

Just know that Mala is tucked all the way down below the cliffs, so no matter how you get there, there’s going to be a little walking involved.

Another option is to take the train to Cap-d’Ail and walk the Sentier du Littoral coastal path to Mala, which takes around 15 to 20 minutes.

We liked doing it the opposite way: Bolt down to Mala, then take the coastal path back toward the train station when we were ready to leave.

Spend the Afternoon at Plage Mala

Mala was easily one of my favorite beaches we visited on the French Riviera.

It’s tucked into this little cove between huge cliffs, and the water is insanely blue.

There are two private beach clubs here, Eden Plage Mala and La Réserve de la Mala, although La Réserve was closed while we were there. But there’s also a public section where you can put down a towel and swim for free.

We spent a few hours on the public beach and kept it super simple. We had brought sandwiches with us, so we basically just ate lunch, swam, and hung out by the water.

It was exactly what I wanted after spending the morning walking around Èze.

Mala takes a little more effort to get to than some of the beaches right off the train, but I think that’s part of what makes it so good.

Looking for other beaches in the French Riviera? Plage Mala is also included in my guide to the Best Public Beaches Near Nice, along with a few other swimming spots that are easy to reach from the city.

Walk the Cap-d’Ail Coastal Path

When you’re ready to leave Mala, take the coastal path back toward Cap-d’Ail station instead of walking back up the way you came.

This ended up being one of my favorite little parts of the day!

The walk itself is only around 20 minutes, and it’s really easy. The path stays right along the water almost the entire time, so you’re basically just following the coastline back toward town.

We stopped a few times along the way to watch people cliff jumping and take a million pictures, so it definitely took us longer than 20 minutes.

But there was nothing strenuous about it. It was just a really pretty walk and such a nice way to end the beach portion of the day.

Take the Train Back to Nice

Once you get to Cap-d’Ail, you can hop on the TER and take the train straight back to Nice. The station is right off of the path, you’ll just go underneath the railroad tracks to get to the station side.

You don’t have to go back through Èze, which is another reason I like doing the day in this order.

You start up in Èze Village, work your way down to the beach, and end right by a train station that takes you back to Nice. Super easy!

Should You Pair Èze With Monaco or Plage Mala?

Most people pair Èze with Monaco, and that definitely makes sense if Monaco is high on your list.

But if you’re visiting in summer, I personally loved doing Èze + Mala instead.

The two stops are completely different, which I think makes the day more fun. You get all the cute medieval streets, shops, gardens, and ridiculous views in Èze, then spend the afternoon swimming and hanging out at the beach.

It also felt less like we were trying to check off multiple towns in one day.

If Monaco is a must for you, do Èze + Monaco. But if you have a few days along the Riviera and want to mix sightseeing with an actual beach afternoon, I’d pick Mala and combine Monaco with Menton on a different day.

It was much more our speed.

If you’re still deciding which Riviera towns to prioritize, my guide to the Best Towns in the French Riviera breaks down the ones I think are most worth adding to your trip.

What to Bring for an Èze & Mala Day Trip

You really don’t need much for this Èze day trip, but make sure you leave Nice with everything you need for the beach since you probably won’t want to go back once you’re out for the day.

• Swimsuit
• Towel
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Water shoes
• Sunscreen
• Water
• Sunglasses
• Small beach bag
• Portable charger

Definitely wear shoes you’re comfortable walking in. Between Èze, the stairs down to Mala, and the coastal path, you’ll get plenty of steps in.

Is an Èze & Plage Mala Day Trip Worth It?

Absolutely.

If I were planning our French Riviera trip again, this Èze day trip is one of the days I’d keep almost exactly the same.

Èze is popular for a reason, but adding Mala afterward made the day feel so much more balanced. We spent the morning sightseeing and wandering through the village, then basically switched our brains off for a few hours and went swimming.

And despite doing quite a bit, the day never felt rushed.

Èze in the morning and Mala in the afternoon is pretty much my ideal French Riviera summer day.