The 11 Snorkelling Trips in Nice That Earn Their Price

1.Snorkeling Speedboat Tour in Villefranche Bay

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 448 reviews · from $68Our pick

From Nice’s Port Lympia, Chris, Adrian, Aurelie, or another certified instructor takes you by speedboat to Villefranche Bay. You get a wetsuit, mask, fins, and snorkel, then about an hour to swim among fish, sea urchins, and possibly octopuses.

“It was absolutely worth it, adrenaline kick with the speedboat and then you have 1 hour to explore the whole area. On top our tourguide Aurelie was gorgeous.”

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2.French Riviera Swimming and Snorkeling Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 424 reviews · 2 hours · from $58Best value

Join Le Poseidon at its Nice diving center for a short wooden-boat cruise to Villefranche Bay. You get about an hour in the water near Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, with snorkel gear, crew supervision, and a wetsuit if needed. You must swim without a life jacket.

“It was very fun, I was scared at first but i slowly realized that the water pulls you up so you don’t drown. I’m not that great of a swimmer but I loved it very much and it’s was worth it”

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3.French Riviera Villefranche Bay Snorkeling Tour from Nice

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 211 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $60

Cruise from Nice to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, fit a mask, snorkel, fins, and possible wetsuit, then spend up to an hour swimming near the boat. This English-language tour suits confident swimmers aged 12 and older, but no life jackets are provided.

“A must-do activity in Nice! The snorkeling experience was wonderful. There was plenty of time to explore, and the staff were very friendly.”

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4.Villefranche Bay Swimming & Snorkeling Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 130 reviews · 2 hours · from $58

Meet the Le Poseidon team at Nice harbor, fit your mask, snorkel, and fins, then cruise by boat toward Villefranche Bay or Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. After a safety briefing, you get about 90 minutes to swim and spot fish, octopus, starfish, and sea urchins in calm, shallow water.

“Such an amazing experience! The guides were funny and helpful, and we got to see some amazing fish :)”

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5.Boat trip and snorkeling in Villefranche – sur – Mer

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 86 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $72

Meet at 14 Quai des Docks in Nice for a two-hour outing toward Cape Nice or Cap Ferrat. Guides such as Chris and Benoit provide fins, masks, snorkels, and wetsuits when needed, then allow about an hour to explore calm Mediterranean water and spot fish, octopuses, and other sea life.

“Saw tons of fish and enjoyed the freedom to explore. The guide was kind and helped make sure everyone felt comfortable.”

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6.Secret Riviera Boat Tour to Mala cave with Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 61 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $78Top rated

Set out from Nice with a small group of up to 12 on a fast coastal boat. Guides such as Paul, Leo, and Jean-Baptiste point out Riviera sights before stopping near Mala Cave for about 30 minutes of swimming and snorkeling. Expect music, humor, sea spray, and no onboard toilet.

“Said 11:30. They texted randomly 11:15. Got there at 11:20 which I informed them of and they left without me anyway. 11:30 Is 11:30. Total waste of money and inconsiderate host.”

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7.Lerins Islands Boat Tour with Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 26 reviews · 4 hours · from $123

Join a skipper-led speedboat trip from Nice to the Lérins Islands, with snorkeling gear, a 75-minute stop at Jason deCaires Taylor’s underwater sculptures, time on Sainte-Marguerite, and a cruise past Antibes. English and French commentary is provided.

“The whole trip/ experience was great. The boat leader, Leo was amazing and knew everything about the sights we passed. He always joined us on the guided snorkeling swim. 10 out of 10.”

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8.Boat tour guided from Nice to Monaco with snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $102

Join Nissa Croisières for a three-hour coastal cruise from Nice toward Monaco. Guides such as Lucas, Leo, Antoine, and Jean Baptiste lead the trip with commentary and music. You’ll see Port Hercule, Mala Cove, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and Villefranche, with time to swim and snorkel.

“Excellent way to see the coast of the French Riviera! Enjoyed the sites and swimming in the beautiful water! Léo was an excellent guide - great and fun personality and explained a lot of sites along the way. Highly recommend:)”

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9.Lerins Islands Boat Excursion with Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $120

Join Nissa Croisières from Nice’s Port Lympia for a four-hour speedboat outing to the Lérins Islands. Captain Leo may lead your small group of up to 12 to clear swimming spots, an underwater Ecomuseum, Sainte-Marguerite, and Billionaires’ Bay. Masks, snorkels, insurance, and life jackets are included.

“My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed this tour! It was an excellent way to see the French Riviera, do some snorkeling and make some new friends. A special shoutout to Leo our captain who is an absolute legend. Thank you for looking after us mate, you definitely deserve a bonus and a raise!”

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10.VIP sea tour with snorkeling & discover scuba

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8 reviews · 3 hours · from $288

You’ll cruise from Nice to selected sites near Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat for guided snorkeling and a first scuba experience with an English- or French-speaking instructor. The boat offers deck space, water, syrups, and wine, while the underwater time brings fish, reefs, shelves, and drop-offs within reach.

“Absolutely brilliant day out. Went with my wife and two daughters, all first time divers, and couldn’t have had a better experience. All the staff were really friendly and talked us through everything before we got to the dive spot. We all felt really safe and enjoyed the experience immensely. Highly recommend for families who want a taster of scuba.”

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11.Stand-Up Paddle & Snorkeling with Local Guide near Nice

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $120

Spend about three hours paddleboarding through Villefranche Bay toward Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat with a local guide, easy instruction, snorkeling, and a traditional picnic. Guides such as Sam, Maria, Carmela, and Moze have led recent outings, with morning, afternoon, and sunset options.

“My daughter & I had a really fun time paddle boarding with Samuel & Maria. It was picturesque, great local food for the sunset picnic. I highly recommend this tour.”

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