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Tour with the Mountain Train, Trek to Mystic Forest and Castle

5.0 Excellent 102 reviews
|
8h–13h
|
Portuguese, English, Italian, French, Spanish
Free cancellation · up to 24 hours before Instant confirmation Live guide

Ratings & Reviews

5.0
102 reviews
5
99
4
3
3
0
2
0
1
0
Ratings collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor

Overview

Guidekin summary

A day on the Train des Pignes into the Alps above Nice, with hill villages and an optional hike through sandstone blocks and old chestnut forest. Return train tickets, lunch and an all-day guide are included; the single early start is at the Provence railway station, with no hotel pickup. 4.97 from 102 reviews at €150 per person.

From the guide

⚠️ GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITIONS REQUIRED

A great breath of fresh air!

The Mountain Train Experience through the Alps to discover a historic and emblematic train line.

The opportunity to visit 2 amazing villages shaped by a singular history and natural wildlife with a very surprising hike (optional) through sandstone blocks ("rain of meteors" effect), rock shelters, a unique geological site, the "King's Room", a forest of hundreds years old chestnut trees. The wonderful diversity of landscapes is stunning and surprising.

The 2nd Village is a must-see too with the Royal Castle and Citadel of Entrevaux, its medieval drawbridge, its majestic citadel overlooking the Var Valley. Many hidden gems to discover during an original a full day off-the-beaten-tracks

⚠️ FROM MID-OCTOBER UNTIL END OF MARCH ITINERARY COULD CHANGE (get dark earlier and cold season):

Annot or Entrevaux + another alpine village and return at 7pm by bus (1H)

Return in Nice possible at 4pm visiting only one village

Compared with other Day Trips from Nice

TourPriceDurationRatingGroup
This tour · #8 of 53€1508h–13h4.97 (102)shared
Eze and Monaco Private Half-Day Tour€670 per group5h4.99 (172)private
French Riviera Dolce Vita Electric Fiat Tour€854h4.91 (501)shared
Provence Wine Tour - Small Group Tour from Nice€1768h4.91 (399)shared

Ranked #8 of 53 in Day Trips from Nice by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €65 to €478, median €125; typical length 8h. 20 of 53 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Compare all 53 Day Trips from Nice

Schedule & Availability

Runs daily
Departs: 07:30
Available year-round

This tour runs daily, departing at 07:30. It runs year-round. These are the operator’s scheduled departures, not a live seat count: availability is confirmed at checkout. Schedule last checked September 22, 2026.

What's Included

Round trip train tickets (4H)
Lunch
Professional guide all-day

What's Not Included

Pick-up or drop off (meeting point at the train Station: Gare des Chemins de Fer de Provence)
Breakfast: Please have breakfast before to come at the meeting point
Dinner: No dinner in the Train backwards

Itinerary

Departure and return point Stop 1
Nearby (2mn walk) the historical train station nowadays transformed in street food market. Very pleasant district with a very popular local food market
Pass by
Southern French Alps Stop 2
Historic Trainline passing through the southern Alps along the main river Var, antique frontier between France and Italian reign of Savoy. Great French civil engineering of the beginning of the XXst century. Small train. A must do! Beautiful scenery and landscapes 2-hours uphill ; 2-hours downhill (or less)
Pass by
Entrevaux Stop 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 French Kingdom. A must-see! The village offers spectacular views of the Alps and surrounding canyons. Possibility of walking uphill to the Castle (Quite sporty 150 meters) and short hike downhill Stories of wars & great history of borders and medieval monuments (Vauban's fortified town) The Cathedral is magnificent!
2h
Cathedrale Notre Dame de l'Assomption d`Entrevaux Stop 4
Baroque & gothic jewell, a very surprising monument!
15 min
La Citadelle d'Entrevaux Stop 5
One of the most impressive perched medieval castle in France, fortified by Vauban (Louis XIVth minister). Optional: good physical conditions required for the uphill (stairs). Unpregnable fortress & wonderful panoramic point! Possibility of short hiking downhill (30 minutes)
1h
Admission included
Entrevaux Stop 6
In Entrevaux or Annot a great Restaurant for lunch will be selected by the guide
1h
Annot Stop 7
Medieval authentic village, troglodyte caves, mystical forests, meteors showers, amazing hikings, nature and panoramic points (hiking option possible depending on weather and season) From Mid-October until beginning of April if the group is not taking the long hiking, the guide reserves the right to modify the itinerary to visit another village in the Alps and return earlier in Nice by bus (1H) with arrival at 7pm
4h
ONLY FOR LAVENDER EXPERIENCE OPTION: we will lead you to a secret farm of lav... Stop 8
ONLY FOR LAVENDER EXPERIENCE OPTION: we will lead you to a secret farm of lavender with blooming fields (and more aromatic plants) for a special moment introducing you all the properties, uses in gastronomy, cosmetics, adapted to your kind of skin and necessities. ONLY during the blooming season every Monday and Thursday from June 12 until July 17 The Farm is not in Barrême and is kept secret 4hour stop including lunch
Pass by

Departure & Return

Start point

In front of the big gate of Gare des Chemins de Fer de Provence, 4bis Rue Alfred Binet, Nice (2mn walk from Tramway (line 1) stop Libération, the beautiful building on the square Place Charles de Gaulle is "Gare du Sud". The train station is just behind

End point

In front of the big gate of Gare des Chemins de Fer de Provence, 4bis Rue Alfred Binet, Nice (2mn walk from Tramway (line 1) stop Libération, the beautiful building on the square Place Charles de Gaulle is "Gare du Sud". The train station is just behind

Additional Information

  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • The guide will send you a text message the day before the tour with the final details (temperature, weather, advises for clothing). If you want to check meteo forecast by yourself type on google: meteo Entrevaux + day of tour)
  • There is only time departure at 7.30am from Gare des Chemins de Fer de Provence, 4bis Rue Alfred Binet, 06000 Nice (the big blue gate) (we don't organize pick-up at the hotel)
  • Hiking option not recommended if you suffer vertigo

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

1+ daysFull refund
0-1 daysNo refund
From € 150 / person