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Voykit pocket guide · France
Cagnes-sur-Mer
Half a day for Haut-de-Cagnes and the Grimaldi castle; a full day if you add the beach and the horse track. Skip if you only have time for one Riviera hill town — Èze or Saint-Paul-de-Vence are more dramatic.
Cagnes-sur-Mer is a three-part town on the French Riviera: the medieval hilltop Haut-de-Cagnes with a Grimaldi castle, the modern centre and the seaside Cros-de-Cagnes with a fishing harbour. It is quieter than Nice or Cannes and works as a half-day stop or a budget base for the western Riviera. The medieval village is well preserved and the castle has good views, but the beaches are pebbly and the modern parts are unremarkable.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowded, hot), late Dec–Jan (some restaurants close)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–80 excl. bed · Mid €80–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18 · European emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (café crème) | €2–4 |
| Pizza (Le Jimmy's) | €10–15 |
| Beer (draught / bottle) | €5–8 / €3–5 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | €15–25 |
| Train to Nice (one way) | €3.50 (check) |
| Bus from airport (one way) | €1.50 (check) |
| Castle museum entry | €6 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NCE · Nice Côte d'Azur
- About 10 min by car; bus 620 (Lignes d'Azur) to Cagnes-sur-Mer, about 30 min
Typical fares
- Nice airport → Cagnes-sur-Mer, bus 620
- about €1.50, about 30 min (check)
- Taxi Nice airport → Cagnes-sur-Mer
- €30–50
- Train Cagnes-sur-Mer → Nice
- about €3.50, 10 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Free shuttle #44 connects Haut-de-Cagnes, the centre and Cros-de-Cagnes. The train station (Gare de Cagnes-sur-Mer) links to Nice (10 min), Cannes (15 min) and Antibes (20 min). Walking is fine within each part but the hill to Haut-de-Cagnes is steep.
See and do
Known for
- Haut-de-Cagnes medieval village
- Château-Musée Grimaldi
- Hippodrome de la Côte d'Azur (horse racing)
- Cros-de-Cagnes fishing harbour
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Nice | Train from Gare de Cagnes-sur-Mer, about 10 min | About 30 min |
| Cannes | Train from Gare de Cagnes-sur-Mer, about 15 min | About 35 min |
| Antibes | Train from Gare de Cagnes-sur-Mer, about 20 min | About 40 min |
| Èze | Train to Èze-sur-Mer then bus #83 up the hill, about 30 min total | About 1 h |
| Vence | Bus #9 from Cagnes-sur-Mer, about 30 min | About 50 min |
| Menton | Train from Gare de Cagnes-sur-Mer, about 40 min | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Haut-de-Cagnes
- Medieval hilltop; small hotels and villas, quiet, limited dining options.
- Cros-de-Cagnes
- Near the beach and harbour; more restaurants and bars, flatter walking.
- Cagnes centre
- Modern part near the train station; practical for day trips by rail.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Good day | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| Excuse me / Sorry | Pardonpar-dohn |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-byen sa koot |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-syohn, seel voo pleh |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ?oo son lay twa-let |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- The free shuttle #44 runs every 30 min; check the timetable at the tourist office.
- Haut-de-Cagnes is a steep climb on foot; wear comfortable shoes.
- The castle keep may close for events; check the official site.
- Beaches are pebbly (galets), not sand.
Cagnes-sur-Mer is a safe town. Watch for pickpockets on the train to Nice and Cannes. The hill in Haut-de-Cagnes is steep and uneven; take care after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Cagnes-sur-Mer yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Haut-de-Cagnes medieval village
- Château-Musée Grimaldi
- Hippodrome de la Côte d'Azur (horse racing)
- Cros-de-Cagnes fishing harbour
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Cagnes-sur-Mer official website: www.cagnes-sur-mer.fr
- Wikivoyage: Cagnes-sur-Mer, revision 5225633 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5225633
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Cagnes-sur-Mer
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US has a consulate in Nice (check address); most other countries have embassies in Paris or consulates in Marseille.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cagnes-sur-mer). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.