Parc Vaugrenier – Villeneuve Loubet

Parc Vaugrenier is a park that we visit regularly and it’s easily accessible for many people visiting the region who may be staying in Villeneuve Loubet/Baie des Anges, Cagnes sur Mer, Biot, or Antibes.

Vaugrenier : A past Roman site

Located off the RN7, the park is around 100 hectares of grass areas, forests and a lake with a number of outdoor activities possible there such as walking, picnicking and bird watching.

In the 12th century BC, Romans occupied the site and archaeological discoveries by the Nice-Sophia University have found remnants of a Roman village and a temple dedicated to Mercury.

Family-friendly park

We like going there because it has a mix of things to keep kids entertained including a playground zone with various play equipment for different ages, a bird watching hut, nature trails and picnic tables. There are also lots of trees which is a god send on hot days in summer!

The park has many dirt pathways for nature walks, and it’s accessible with baby strollers. Visitors in electric wheelchairs can also access the park and pathways though some of the ground surfaces are small gravel chip.

Pros

• Lots of free carparking
• Fenced playground zone with various play equipment for different ages. This play area also has swings (very hard to find on the French Riviera!)

Playground zone at Parc Vaugrenier

• Wooden confidence course with balancing beams – suitable for 2 years upwards with adult supervision, and even my 5-year old son still enjoys it.

Wooden confidence course at Parc Vaugrenier

• Nature trails with information plaques about animals and plants, and treasure hunts; really educational for kids
• Bird watching hut to see herons, ducks etc.  There are tortoises there but they are a pest in the lake and you are not permitted to feed them!

• Lots of grassed areas and picnic tables
• A 1.9 kilometre fitness trail with around 20 wooden fitness structures
• Accessible toilets near the carpark on avenue du Logis de Bonneau
• If you arrive at the park via Avenue de Vaugrenier you may see Château de Vaugrenier, located off the main road.  It’s not very well known and unfortunately is not open to the public for walk-in visits.   The Château is only open to be visited by the public between 01 July and 30 September by booking directly with the Château or by arrangement with Villeneuve Loubet Tourism Office; it is also open on the Heritage Days.  You can also rent it for a special event, for example a wedding or private party.

Cons

• Irregular and badly timed maintenance at the playgrounds – I understand if there are safety issues or things need to be replaced, however this is the 3rd year in a row at least one of the playgrounds has been closed and fenced off during summer when its the optimum time for families to want to use it! (see photo above).  The playground zone also has very little shade and some sizeable pot holes in the dirt which have caused a few sprained ankles for kids.
• Only one toilet block  so if you park via the other entrances there’s no toilets nearby.

How to get to Parc Vaugrenier

By car:  Parc Vaugrenier is situated on the RN7 in between Antibes and Baie des Anges at Villeneuve Loubet.  There are free carparks accessed by Avenue de Vaugrenier, Boulevard des Groules or Avenue du Logis de Bonneau.  (The main carpark near the playground area is off Avenue du Logis de Bonneau).  We visit this park regularly and have never had issues finding carparking.

By bus:  The 200 bus passes by the park – the closest stops are called ‘Parc Vaugrenier’ and ‘Les Groules’.  Be aware on the RN7 road though as it is always extremely busy with traffic and there are no pathways.  The bus timetable is here: https://www.departement06.fr/documents/A-votre-service/Deplacements/transports-en-commun/dpt06-cadredevie_lignes_200.pdf

By train:  The Villeneuve Loubet train station is the closest station to the park and a 5-minute walk away and much safer to walk from than the Biot train station along the main road.