Sentier Littoral walk near the Monaco Border
Hiking around the coast with a multitude of variations available
One of the most varied of the Sentier Littoral routes, this starts at Plage Marquet right on the Monaco border and heads west to finish at Plage Mala going via volcanic rocks, blooming Mediterranean flowers, Belle Epoque villas and three fantastic beaches.
What to bring
IGN map 3742OT is recommended for this walk
What to see
Sights in Monaco
See all Sights & Sites-
Le Jardin Exotique de Monaco
Located 1.5 km away
Monaco's exotic garden was opened to the public in 1933. In its prestigious, open-air setting, it brings together a wide variety of succulent plants.
-
Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology
Located 1.6 km away
The area around the Cote d'Azur is rich in prehistoric artefacts, many of which can be found in this fascinating museum.
-
Fontvieille Park & Princess Grace Rose Garden
Located 1.6 km away
These well-manicured gardens contain a variety of beautiful plants, trees and flowers as well as being home to the wonderful Princess Grace rose garden.
-
Collection des Voitures Anciennes (Vintage Cars Collection)
Located 1.7 km away
Prince Rainier III was a huge car enthusiast and amassed a vast collection of vintage cars.
-
Museum of Stamps and Coins, Fontvielle
Located 1.7 km away
There are rare philatelic specimens from the postal history of the Principality, as well as related documents used in the stamp-printing process dating back to Monaco's Prince Charles III in 1885.
-
Parc Princesse-Antoinette
Located 1.8 km away
Created in 1917 when Prince Albert I saved the area from industrialisation and created the park to protect the olive groves.
Where to lunch
Restaurants in Monaco
See all Restaurants-
Le Grill Restaurant
Located in Monaco
Situated in the luxury Hotel de Paris, this restaurant serves modern Mediterranean cuisine qith great panoramic views of the sea.
-
Le Vistamar Restaurant
Located in Monaco
Orchestrated by Chef Joël Garault, this chic restaurant offers delightful gourmet seafood.
-
La Maree Restaurant
Located in Monaco
'Fish chic' restaurant in Port Hercule that is located on the sixth floor of the Port Palace Hotel, overlooking the marina.
-
Nobu Restaurant
Located in Monaco
Recognized worldwide for his amazing cuisine, mixing traditional Japanese dishes and South American spices and aromas.
-
Hostellerie Jerome Restaurant, La Turbie
Located in Monaco
Chef Bruno Cirino prepares Mediterranean dishes that carefully showcase the flavours of local produce. A light and creative cuisine that you can enjoy in their elegant dining room with vaulted ceilings and frescoes or their shaded terrace overlooking the sea.
-
Metropole Monte-Carlo Restaurant
Located in Monaco
Located in Hotel Metropole, this restaurant is lead by Executive Chef Christophe Cussac. It holds two Michelin stars.
What to do
Things To Do in Monaco
See all Activities & Trips-
One Week Yacht Charter Itineraries
Experience the French Riviera your way with 212 yachts, using one of their sample itineraries or with a specialised itinerary created just for you, based on what you like and don't like, as well as their own expertise.
-
Sunset Luxury Motor Boat Trip
Located in Monaco
This two hour cruise departs from Monaco to take you on a stunning sunset cruise on the Cote d'Azur.
-
Cannes & St Tropez Luxury Motor Boat Trip
Located in Monaco
Departing from Monaco, on this trip you'll enjoy a full day of cruising along the French Riviera, visiting Monaco to Cannes to Saint Tropez and the beautiful bays and coves.
-
Monaco & Monte Carlo by Night, from Monaco
Located in Monaco
Witness the glitz and glamour of Monte Carlo after dark.
-
Private Sightseeing Tours
Located in Monaco
A wide selection of guides and tours of the French Riviera covering famous destination such as Monaco, Antibes, Cannes, Nice and Saint-Tropez. You can also experience the Italian Markets in San Remo and Ventimiglia as well as enjoy wine tasting and culinary tours.
-
Cannes & Islands Luxury Motor Boat Trip
Located in Monaco
This is a coastal trip departing from Monaco to explore the gems of the Cote d'Azur with opportunities to swim and snorkel in the glistening Mediterranean.
Where to stay
Hotels in Monaco
See all Hotels-
Metropole Monte-Carlo Hotel
Located in Monaco
In 2004, the Hôtel Metropole Monte-Carlo was refurbished to keep it in tune with its time, but has kept all its spiritual qualities to uphold its concept of luxury.
Price: €15,906
-
Hermitage Hotel
Located in Monaco
Overlooking the Mediterranean, the Hôtel Hermitage cultivates elegance at its highest level.
Price: €10,290
-
Eza Chateau Hotel, Eze
Located in Eze
Exquisite and intimate, the rooms and suites of Château Eze cling to the side of the ancient rock walls of Eze, a thousand-year-old Medieval village more than 400 metres above the Mediterranean Sea.
-
Columbus Monte-Carlo Curio Collection by Hilton Hotel
Located in Monaco
The Columbus hotel's style is Riviera chic, where beautifully glamorous and barefoot elegance sit easily side by side. The service is graceful, genuinely friendly and always attentive. The feeling is cool, exclusive and laid back. An excellent choice.
Price: €3,120
-
Le Chateau de la Chevre d'Or Hotel, Eze
Located in Eze
Boasting remarkable sea views of St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, this luxurious hotel is listed among the 500 World's Best Hotels.
Price: €21,700
-
Fairmont Monte Carlo Hotel
Located in Monaco
The Fairmont Monte Carlo hotel is a unique four-star luxury resort. The hotel is one of the largest in Europe with its 602 guest rooms, residences and suites, two restaurants, a bar and a new pool space on the roof which integrates a contemporary touch.
Price: €8,158
Directions
Leaving Plage Marquet from its most westerly point, head to the car park nearest the Cercle Nautique. As you continue round the headland you’ll come to a signpost marked “Sentier Littoral” and indicating places such as Cap Rognoso and Plage Mala.
As you leave the beach behind you’ll find yourself on a well-kept even footpath that hugs the coastline, high walls with plants creeping up them to your right and waves crashing against rocks on your left.
After about an hour you’ll go slightly inland behind a few very ritzy villas before heading left down a staircase and back onto the seafront at La Pinede, a rugged rocky headland with dramatic scenery. You can actually swim here in the little coves in between the rocks and there are either ladders or steps in some places leading down to the water - but be careful of the conditions as it can be very choppy.
There is a good restaurant here by the same name with a fabulous terrace overlooking the sea. It’s not cheap, a simple moules frites will set you back 24€, but the fish is as fresh as it gets and the views are magnificent.
If you prefer to bring a picnic there is a great shaded area with tables and benches, free to use and very picturesque. Toilets are nearby too.
You can improve your local knowledge on this walk, as there are lots of handy little information boards about flora, fauna and geology. For example, did you know that the rocks along the waterfront are formed by chunks of the cliffs that fell during a mudslide way back in the Jurassic period and contain loads of fossils…? No? Neither did we until recently.
This section of the Sentier is a very smooth well-maintained path that could easily be done with little ones and maybe even with a pushchair (too narrow in sections for a pram though). Splendid villas line the way, including The Rock which was a favourite hideaway of the famously-reclusive actress Greta Garbo.
Continue west and when the path meets a locked gate follow the blue hiking signs up the staircase and on to the road above. Keep a keen eye out for the slightly overgrown path after 100m or so on the left that drops down to another staircase leading to Plage Mala. This is one of the Cote d’Azur’s best kept secrets and I’m loathe to share it… Small and secluded with gentle waters and two excellent restaurants, Plage Mala is a little haven tucked away beneath the Pissarelles cliffs.
After a dip and maybe a bite to eat at Plage Mala, there is the small matter of 100-or-so steps to climb to get back up to the main road where you can pick up the 100 bus back to Nice from Edmond’s.
You can do the Sentier Littoral in its entirety in about an hour and a half, or you can do it in sections. Cap d’Ail train station is just a couple of minutes walk from La Pinede, so you could use that as your start or end point and just do the Plage Mala or Plage Marquet section.
We recommend you do both at some point though, as it is a truly beautiful walk from beginning to end!