Feeling like a walk on the French Riviera? Where runners, dog owners and families mingle. A haven of greenery right in the city center: ideal to recharge your batteries. The Parc des Rives du Loup covers 55 hectares, spread over the communes of Cagnes-sur-Mer, La Colle-sur-Loup and Villeneuve-Loubet.

A walk along the river

Starting from Cagnes-sur-mer – ‘Cannes by the sea’ near the seaside (hippodrome de Cagnes) a small path leads to the shores of the Loup. Le Loup is a river (surprising no?!) surrounded by a large departmental park (52 hectares), ideal for walks. During the week the park is empty and very quiet for the solitary “wolves”. If you have a canine friend, this one will be able to run around without avoiding the usual “obstacles” (frightened children or terrorized adults!) I advise you not to go there on weekends if you are looking for peace and quiet. For families, there are picnic tables and a parking lot on each side of the path of Cagnes-sur-mer.  A nice walk by the ‘wolf river’ is waiting for you.

Route Directions

This walk, along the Loup river, starts in Cagnes sur mer’ and leads to the town of Villeneuve Loubet. By taking the seaside path of Cannes you will arrive at a footbridge, take it, and you will reach the pretty village of Villeneuve Loubet (village of my childhood). A small coffee stop in the sun at the village. And hop, take again the path of the banks of the wolf, very shady, a happiness in the summer! For runners it’s a great place to train because of it’s dirt on the ground (think about your little feet!).

Les Gorges du Loup

In the summer, I strongly advise you to go to the Gorges du Loup located at la Colle sur loup. Take with you your bathing suit, towels and some sneakers so you can jump in the water just like children do. Bring your picnic essentials because there is no refreshment bar or restaurant. The water is very cold; it is a real pleasure to swim in it and to find freshness in the middle of summer. Far from the crowded beaches of tourists on the coast, locals appreciate the natural landscapes of this coastal river. Be careful, chose pools with calm waters because too fast currents can be dangerous!

Gourdon

The village of Gourdon is perched on a vertiginous peak of 760 m and overlooks the Loup valley. This location has earned it the nickname “Eagle’s Nest”. It is one of the 149 most beautiful villages in France. The commune of Gourdon, at the top of Bar-sur-Loup, has created a tourist circuit that allows you to discover the site of Le Saut du Loup. For 1€ (symbolic indeed!) you go on a pedestrian route to reach an extraordinary point of view on all the valley of the Wolf. Have a nice walk!

Opening hours & Acces:

• From April 1 to October 31: from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• From November 1 to March 31: from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

You can reach the ‘Bord du Loup’ through:

• Nice : take the “Bouches du Loup” freeway exit and head for the parking lot at the entrance to the racecourse.
• Villeneuve-Loubet : Take the exit of the highway “Bouche du Loup, n° 47, take the departmental road (RD) in the direction of Grasse. From Grasse, follow the RD 2085 in the direction of Nice until the entrance of Villeneuve-Loubet.
• Cagnes-sur-Mer :Take the “Bouche du Loup” highway exit, take the RD 2 towards Grasse, until the bridge at the entrance of the village. Cross the bridge in the direction of Cagnes-sur-Mer then join the parking lot at the end of the Avenue des Ferrayonnes.
• La Colle-sur-Loup : exit of the freeway “Cagnes-sur-mer”. Follow the RD 336 then the RD 436 and finally the RD 6 after La Colle-sur-Loup, until you reach the place called the Saint-Donnat chapel.

Plan of the ‘rives du Loup’

Download the map !

Don’t forget to read my article on Antibes.

(Peace, love and fantasies ❁ )

Océane