Pointe de Saint-Hospice
A 30-minute coastal walk from Paloma Beach leads to the rocky southern tip of the Cap Ferrat peninsula, where a 19th-century bronze statue of the Virgin Mary stands sentinel over a sweeping 180-degree panorama stretching from the Italian Alps to the Esterel massif. It is the kind of view that makes you stop mid-sentence and simply stare.
The Walk There
The path begins at the small car park on Avenue Jean Mermoz near Saint-Jean village and hugs the shoreline past ancient olive trees and wild rosemary — the scent alone is worth the trip. The terrain is easy, mostly flat coastal scrubland, and takes about 25 minutes at a gentle pace.
Keep your eyes on the water: the clarity here is extraordinary, and in summer you can spot sea urchins and octopus in the shallows below the limestone ledges.
The Chapel and the Statue
At the point itself stands the Chapelle Saint-Hospice, a modest Romanesque chapel that has occupied this headland since the 12th century and is still used for occasional services. The iron tower beside it was built by Napoleon III as a coastal signal station.
The bronze Virgin, erected in 1904, is visible from passing ferries and superyachts alike. Locals bring flowers on feast days, and the small offerings left around the base give the spot an unexpectedly moving, lived-in quality.
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