Article written by Elisa
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The postcard-perfect medieval village of Entrevaux is one of the most beautiful hilltop villages in the French Riviera. Located on the banks of the Var River, Entrevaux is one of the most beautiful day trips from Nice.
Entrevaux means “between valleys” in French, and it’s surrounded by a pristine nature, which is the perfect setting for the village’s superb medieval architecture. If you are fascinated by ramparts, winding alleys, squares with majestic fountains, and fairy-tale-like landscapes, you will have a blast visiting Entrevaux!
Entrevaux is one of the easiest places to visit near Nice without a car. An original way to get to Entrevaux from Nice is to take the iconic Train des Pignes. This quick guide to Entrevaux is all you need to organize a top-notch visit to this medieval hilltop village on this famous train. Go on reading for the best things to do in Entrevaux and my top Train des Pignes travel tips!
TIP: this full-day tour from Nice combines the most surprising hike in the Southern Alps with the visit to Entrevaux
The Train des Pignes
This iconic train line, which belongs to the Chemins de Fer de Provence (NOT SNCF), celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2017!
The Train des Pignes runs on a narrow (1 m wide) single lane from Nice to Digne-les-Bains. You will enjoy spectacular views as you cross about thirty villages, pine forests, bridges, viaducts, and tunnels, culminating at an altitude of 1000 meters in Digne-les-Bains.
The origin of its name, Train des Pignes, is uncertain. My favorite hypothesis is that the speed of the train was slow enough for passengers to get off to pick up pine nuts (pignes in Provençal language) along the track and to go back up!
The Train des Pignes departs from the Chemins de Fer de Provence train station in Nice, which is different from the Nice-Ville train station. It is located at 4bis Rue Alfred Binet, on the other side of Voie Pierre Mathis.
The train has three daily round trips from Nice to Digne-les-Bains. Along the line, about fifty stops are possible, some fixed and others optional. Entrevaux is one of the fixed stops. The journey from Nice to Entrevaux takes 1 hour 20 minutes.
Tickets to the Train des Pignes are only sold on-site, the same day, 40 minutes before the train’s departure. Because everybody needs to buy the tickets on-site, and there’s usually only one person selling, I recommend arriving at the train station at least one hour before the train’s departure.
You can only buy one-way tickets—you buy the ticket from Nice to Entrevaux at Nice’s train station and the ticket from Entrevaux to Nice at Entrevaux’s train station (super weird, I know!). I recommend buying the return ticket as soon as you arrive in Entrevaux.
GOOD TO KNOW: Le Train des Pignes Historique (steam train) runs from Puget-Théniers to Le Fugeret, stopping in Entrevaux and Annot. From Nice, you can take a regular Train des Pignes to Puget-Théniers, then hop on the Historical Train. Click here for the Train des Pignes Historique’s times and prices.
Things to Do in Entrevaux
After a pleasant journey (get ready to take lots of pictures), you will arrive at your destination. Here’s what to do in Entrevaux.
Porte Royale
Porte Royale is the main entrance to the village. It was built in 1658 and consists of a fortified building with machicolations to attack the enemy. Just behind it, there’s a drawbridge flanked by two towers and a defense system. Once inside, there’s the Tourism Office on your left and a small prison on your right.
Visit the Citadel
Entrevaux’s medieval Citadel was built on a rocky outcrop 156 m above the village. The village was part of the fortified line that marked the border of Provence and France with the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia (to which the County of Nice was attached). At that time, the Citadel of Entrevaux was only accessible through a small path through the mountains plus a ladder, which was not very handy in the event of a siege.
In the XVIIth century, Vauban, Louis XIV’s engineer, considerably reinforced the Citadel, connecting the village to the castle on top by ramps. You can see a statue of Vauban in front of the Porte Royale but on the other side of the road.
To reach the Citadel, you have to climb the 800 m path spread over nine ramps (about a 25-minute walk). Before taking the first ramp, on the left, don’t miss the old powder warehouse converted into a museum about Entrevaux and the Citadel.
I visited the Citadel as soon as I arrived in Entrevaux, to avoid the hottest hours and the crowds. The view from the top was spectacular!
GOOD TO KNOW: There’s a fee to visit the Citadel. Children under 12 years pay half-fare. Access to the Citadel is via an automatic gantry at the top of the village. You can buy the tokens directly from the automatic distributor at the entry (credit card and coins accepted) or in the Tourism Office. Half-fare tokens for children are only sold at the Tourism Office.
Medieval Town
Although medieval in appearance, the village dates mainly from the seventeenth century. You can either follow the map with the main sites available at the Tourism Office or wander randomly through the alleys. Interesting buildings to see include an ancient public bread oven, a medieval shop, residences of lords and officers, and towers.
Notre-Dame de l’Assomption Cathedral
The Notre-Dame de l’Assomption Cathedral has a Provençal Gothic architecture. Even if the exterior seems sober, I strongly recommend you to enter because the interior is quite different. In baroque style, it is an explosion of colors and has beautiful details.
The Cathedral was integrated into the ramparts in the 17th century. Behind the religious building is the Porte d’Italie, while on the opposite side of the town is the Porte de France.
Musée de la Moto
Entrevaux is also known for its Motorcycle Museum (free to visit; tips are much appreciated). Moreover, it is common to see groups of bikers stopping in the village for a quick visit followed by a long meal.
This museum is run by a motorcycle enthusiast who has gathered more than 70 old models. There were a couple from the 1910s!
The Entrevaux Motorcycle Museum is open every day from 1 July to 30 September and only on weekends from April to June.
Chemin de Ronde
This path along the walls’ patrol path that linked the Porte de France to the Porte d’Italie has been equipped with several exhibitions about the traditions and customs of the inhabitants of Entrevaux. The access is through the Tourism Office.
I didn’t find it super interesting, but it only costs 3€ —or 6€ if you buy the walkway + citadel pack. Beware that the Tourism Office is closed for two hours at lunchtime, so plan your visit to the Chemin de Ronde accordingly.
Circuit des Moulins
This short walk on the other side of the road will make you discover two mills, oil and flour, one of which is still in operation and dates from the 18th century. You’ll find the map of this picturesque path in the Tourism Office.