Hiking Nietzsche’s Footpath
Nietzsche’s footpath is a short day hike that connects the medieval village of Eze to the seaside town Eze Sur Mer. Eze sits at an altitude of about 430 meters and is accessible from Nice by bus or car. Eze Sur Mer is at sea level and is very easy to reach via a 15 minute train journey from the main train station in Nice.
Depending on your fitness level (and how much wine you had the day before) you may want to take the bus to Eze, explore the town, then hike down to Eze Sur Mer. The hike down takes 45 – 60 minutes and is full of beautiful viewpoints to take in the landscape. While it is generally easier to go down than up, walking downhill can take a toll on the knees. The path going down is well signposted near the gate to the walled village. Near the top, the footpath mainly consists of stone steps and lots of loose rocks. Near Eze Sur Mer, it is completely paved.
To hike up to Eze Village from Eze Sur Mer, once you exit the train station you’ll see a sign pointing to the right (east) along the road. After about 5 minutes there’ll be a road going up the hill leading to a chateau. There are large signs for Nietzsche’s footpath here too. While it is possible to do the path in flip flops, it’s recommended to wear closed toe shoes to protect your feet and to lessen the risk of injury. That, in addition to water and sun protection is pretty much all you need. After about one hour, you’ll reach the village. There are several cosy (but not cheap!) restaurants in town where you can reward yourself with food and a cold drink after the sweaty hike up the hill.
