The Cote d’Azur is the perfect destination to be as active or as lazy, or relaxed, as you like. 

While you could easily spend a week relaxing on the beaches up and down the coastline, or sipping wine from a restaurant with views to die for, there are also plenty of activities on offer for those with itchy pants. 

Here are a few things to do throughout Nice and the Cote d’Azur away from rugby, restaurants and beaches. 

Get lost in the old town

The old town of Nice is a hive of activity at any hour of the day. The narrow, winding streets are packed with art galleries, antique stores and restaurants while residents still live in apartments above. 

You can find and purchase just about anything in the old town, which sits at the foot of Mont Boron. It’s also where you’ll find the best Socca in Nice. Socca is a street snack made with chickpeas famous to the region and is a cross between a flatbread and a pancake.

Learn about the works and life of Henri Matisse

Famous French artist Henri Matisse fell in love with Nice on his first visit. He also spent most of his life and produced most of his work in the city. 

He also built the Chapelle de Vence in the region. There are many museums and exhibitions throughout the Cote d’Azur dedicated to the incredible and slightly bizarre artist. 

Learn how to make beer with chickpeas and other local produce

La Brasserie Artisanale de Nice is proudly the only craft brewery to produce their beer in Nice and they rely almost exclusively on produce from the Provence and Cote d’Azur regions to do so. 

You’ll find a blond chickpea beer, an amber ale, a witbier, a cacao stout and a pumpkin beer on the menu and the friendly owner told us he’s looking forward to welcoming Australians for a taste and a tour during the World Cup.

Create your own perfume

This one took us by surprise and deserves a visit from both the males and females of the touring party. 

Molinard, the famous French perfume house based in Provence offers a perfume workshop in its store in Nice. Similar to a wine blending class, the experts from Molinard help you create your very own personalised scent by combining your choice of over 100 essences. 

Cruise along the Cote d’Azur coastline

You could easily spend weeks exploring up and down the Cote d’Azur coastline. But if you’re short on time and would like to see as much as possible in one day, then it’s well worth giving Sandra from Inspiring Cote d’Azur Tours a call.

Sandra will pick your group up from your hotel and take you to the best spots along the coastline, all from the comfort of her minivan. 

It’s the ideal way to enjoy the drive up and down the coast, without hiring a car for the day or having to find a park. Plus you see the best of the region and pick up plenty of tips from a local. 

Visit the National Sport Museum 

France has an extremely proud sporting history, which they like their chances of adding to at Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, October 28.

The National Sport Museum was relocated from Paris to Nice when the Allianz Riviera Stade de Nice was built. The museum contains more than 100,000 items documenting sports from the 16th century to the present day and is well worth a visit for any sports nut.