French Riviera boat tours from Nice put you on a shared boat along the coast, for an hour's sightseeing or three hours with a swim. You book a place, not the boat, and most stop to swim.
Two hours on a RIB of up to 12, with 45 minutes swimming and snorkelling at the Mala cave. Masks, snorkels and life jackets are provided; towels are not. Nobody under 5 or over 75, and no shade aboard.
From $74 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
One hour on a scheduled boat at 11:00 or 15:00, daily except Monday, with live commentary in French and English. It crosses to Villefranche bay and back. There is no swim stop, and it sails until 1 November.
From $33 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Half an hour along the coast on a wooden boat, then about 90 minutes at a swim stop off the cape with snorkel gear and a wetsuit when the water calls for one. Age 12 and up; you must swim unaided.
From $56 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
A maxi-catamaran from 9:20 to 12:30, with a crew who talk you along the coast and a stop at anchor for paddleboards and snorkelling. A planter's punch and soft drinks are served. Late arrivals are not refunded.
From $84 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Three hours on a 12-seat RIB: ten minutes at the Mala beach, a 45-minute swim off Paloma beach, then 45 minutes ashore in Villefranche-sur-Mer. Snorkel gear is in the fare; bring water and a towel.
From $87 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
This one leaves Cannes, not Nice: three hours on a catamaran of up to 12 from the jetty on Pointe Croisette, anchoring off the islands to swim, paddleboard and snorkel. Getting to Cannes is up to you.
From $125 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Two hours on a RIB of up to 12, with 45 minutes in the water at the cave and a guide aboard. Masks, snorkels and life jackets are provided.
See this tripThese are the shared trips along the coast east of the city: you book a place, not the boat. They run from an hour's sightseeing on a scheduled boat to three hours with a swim, a paddleboard and a landing in Villefranche-sur-Mer.
Most leave the Port of Nice, from different quays. The scheduled cruise sails from the Trans Côte d'Azur desk, the RIBs from the tram stop at Port Lympia, and the catamaran from the pontoon below Quai Amiral Infernet. One catamaran leaves Cannes instead, about 25 minutes from Nice by train.
You pay for your own seat. The shared trips cost $56 to $125 a person, and the 1-hour cruise $33, where a charter runs to hundreds.
The RIBs stop at the Mala cave or off Paloma beach. The snorkel boat anchors for about 90 minutes off the cape, and the catamarans stop with paddleboards and snorkels.
The RIBs and the Cannes catamaran take 12 at most. A crew member or guide talks you along the coast on most of them.
The three-hour RIB gives you 45 minutes ashore in Villefranche-sur-Mer. The other shared trips sail or anchor in the bay without landing.
The biggest choice on the coast is the boat itself. A RIB is fast, low and open. A catamaran is slower, with more deck to move about on.
| RIB, up to 12 | Maxi-catamaran | Scheduled cruise | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 2 or 3 hours | 3 hours in the morning | 1 hour |
| Swim stop | Yes, about 45 minutes | Yes, 30 minutes at anchor | No |
| In the water | Masks and snorkels | Paddleboards, masks, snorkels | Nothing |
| Shade and toilet | Neither | Not stated | Not stated |
| Who is refused | Under 5, over 75, pregnant | Late arrivals | No limits stated |
| Price | $74 to $87 a person | $84 a person | $33 a person |
See the Mala cave RIB from $74
For the cave and the fastest ride, take the RIB. For children under 5, or a calmer deck, take the catamaran. For an hour's look with commentary and no swim, take the scheduled cruise.
From 9:20 to 12:30, with a crew who talk you along the coast, a stop for paddleboards and snorkels, and a planter's punch.
Check availabilityPlanning more than one trip? Our day on the coast by boat puts a morning catamaran, an afternoon RIB and a sunset boat into one day. The map of the departure points shows every quay.
Rather have the boat to yourselves, or a day in Monaco? Every boat trip from Nice is compared on Nice Boat Tours.