Train Exp. through the Alps (Royal Baroque Route from Nice)

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Meeting point at 7.55am in front of the main entrance of: Gare de Nice Ville ("boulangerie Paul" terrace, next the main entrance), 12 avenue Thiers, Nice (2mn walk from Tramway (line 1) stop "Gare Thiers", follow up the black modern building during 2 minutes until the big square. The guide will be waiting for you at Boulangerie Paul terrace with a blue sign "Train Experience through the Alps". Don't be late, the train doesn't wait!

   30 minAdmission included

2. Baroque jewell unique in France, a very surprising monument! Its peaceful location, spectacular and breathtaking panoramic views and atmosphere, the courtyard, the rooms, spaces, church and amazing gardens. A heaven of peace…

   45 minAdmission included

3. Classified Village : One of the most beautiful medieval village of France and the best of Nice countryside, with a Castle which was a natural and manmade stronghold of the Italian Kingdom. A must-see! The village offers spectacular views of the Alps and surrounding canyons. Possibility of walking uphill to the Monastery (very recommended for view and monument - Quite sporty 150 meters uphill) and short hike downhill Stories of wars & great history of borders and medieval monuments The main church is magnificent! The itinerary could change depending on weather, unforeseen transports problems or temporarily closed monuments (possibility to change for the beautiful village of Breil-sur-Roya)

   1.3 h

4. Historic Trainline passing through the southern Alps along 3 main valleys connecting Nice & French Riviera with the highest peaks of southern Alps and northern Italy (Piedmont). Great French civil engineering of the beginning of the XXst century through see spectacular artworks, bridges, surprising tunnels and canyons. Brand new trains. A must do! Beautiful scenery and landscapes. 1:15-hour uphill + shuttle bus by spectacular roads to the 2 villages ; 2-hours downhill

   Passes by

5. Beautiful medieval village nestled in a small valley of the Alps (historical wool & shepherds center) with its 7 wonders: ruins of the castle, spectaculars baroque monuments and its surprising cathedral, medieval engraved doors and labyrinth of tiny paved streets. We will take a minivan to visit a Temple dedicated to the sources and a chapel with unique XVth century frescoes. Optionally a short hiking will lead us to a breathtaking panoramic point. A village which became recently French (strong Italian heritage). Delicious Lunch in a typical local Restaurant Good physical conditions required for the uphill (stairs). The itinerary could change depending on the weather, transports unforeseen problems or monuments temporarily closed (may change for the beautiful village of Tende)

   4 h

6. We will be just at the entrance door of the Mercantour National Park, depending on the day and season itinerary can change for other villages as nice as Tende, could change if we have the chance to take you in nature or beautiful monuments & chapels. Possibility to visit a Museum about bronco Age engraving stones (depending on the day and season)

   Passes by

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 774 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5Not to be missed!

  Very interesting in depth talks. I felt as if I really had insights into the area, its history and geography. Samuel was friendly and interactive with his guests. A surprising gourmet luncheon.

  Barbara_MSeptember 2026via Viator

• 5Definitely Recommend !!

  Had an amazing time on this tour all thanks to Cyril. Unfortunately there was an accident on the tracks so we couldnt do the original planned tour and had to leave much later than expected but Cyril made sure to keep us occupied with other sights to see and still got us to the alps using different trains. He took us through a village that his grandfather lived in and it was amazing and shared so many fun facts about the history along the way. Absolutely recommend this tour we all had an amazing time.

  Hannah_SSeptember 2026via Viator

• 5The tour was excellent and our Guide Cyril was so much better

  This was the most looked forward to event of our trip as my wife loves train rides. You get your money's worth on this tour. This review will have a lot to say about the sights and our tour guide Cyril. The actual tour. The villages were beautiful, the train ride was so scenic and just kept getting more beautiful the farther we got into the French Alps. We visited three different towns and spent 1 to 2 hours in each so there was plenty of time to take pictures, shop a little, and explore each place we went. Our guide Cyril narrated and provided information about each town we visited and provided back story to how each town existed hundreds of years ago when travel was all on foot or donkey. Much of the detail was truly fascinating as I love history and learning about other cultures. I would highly recommend this tour just for the places it goes and the things you see. We met at the train station and Cyril was there and greeted us warmly. He went into the cafe and got us both a beverage to drink without even a thought. On the train ride portions he provided narration and historical background of where we were and our next stop. Cyril was so warm and personable. He made the day just wonderful. He magically had things and offered us stuff all throughout the day. I was amazed at the things he brought with him in his backpack....it was kind of like a magic hat that just kept producing wonders. If we had trash....he took it and made it disappear, every place we went he was prepared. if we were thirsty, he made bottles of water or soda magically appear. I know this all sounds funny but it happened a dozen times throughout the trip for all the people on our tour. In Saorge, in a garden of an old monastery, Cyril produced a bottle of wine and a homemade Pissaladière which is an onion tart that he made himself and brought for us to try. It was delicious. We all took a break and enjoyed what he made and sipped a delightful white wine. it was a long walk to the top where we were at and we needed the rest. Again Cyril was a magician. Cyril is very French and not in snobby way. He was proud of his home in Nice and the surrounding countryside but was also hilariously funny and open to questions. He had lunch all ready for us and helped the restaurant serve us. Then brought us ice cream afterwards. Again he was just everywhere helping us all and being the most excellent host. On our return to the station we had part of our tour trying to get on the correct train to go to Ville la Franche and he helped them get the tickets and got them on the right train before escorting the rest of us out of the station. If you get Cyril, expect an excellent day with tons of knowledge, humor, and local color on the Nice region. Tip him well as he deserved every cent.

  Montgomery_BSeptember 2026via Viator

• 5Well-guided Views, Culture, and Cats

  Awesome experience seeing places I never would have found on my own made even better by the friendly and knowledgeable guide Sofia. Especially loved Saorge with its monastery and cats!

  674canekaSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Great Day Out

  We loved our tour to the French Alps, would highly recommend booking with Sofia if you can! Sofia was an excellent guide throughout our trip. She is extremely knowledgeable about the area and so so friendly! During our excursion she answered any questions we had and even went out of her way to show us hidden gems. The excursion is a full day of sightseeing and stories about the history of these small towns. We also had a true French lunch with some of the best food from our trip, the group espresso at the end was wonderful! You can tell Sofia wants you to enjoy the excursion and learn new things along the way. We would recommend this trip for anyone looking for a beautiful day in the French Alps with a great guide. Thank you Sofia, you were a true highlight of our trip!

  blakemK97UISeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5French alps and history

  Very memorable tour. Beautiful scenery. Cyril was our guide extraordinaire. So knowledgeable about French alps and history. He was especially cordial with our comfort and experience. We did not go home hungry ;) the homemade snacks was a nice addition! Very personal.

  Donna_PSeptember 2026via Viator

Know before you go

How it compares in Nice

• Its from-price is 61% below the median of the 266 day trips we list in Nice.
• It is longer than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 3 of 266.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Nice

Nice is the sunny capital of the French Riviera, where a palm-lined promenade curves along a blue bay and a pastel old town buzzes with markets.

The Promenade des Anglais follows the Baie des Anges for kilometres, with pebble beaches and the turquoise sea on one side and grand hotels on the other. Vieux Nice, the old town, is a maze of narrow lanes, Baroque churches and ochre façades, and the Cours Saleya hosts a flower and produce market.

Top-ranked sights in Nice: Promenade des Anglais, Eze, Nice Old Town (Vieux Nice).

See all 1011 experiences in Nice