* SPOC
111 Avenue Léon Bérenger, 06700 Saint-Laurent-du-Var
Our first stop -- 2nd-hand sports equipment/parts, accessories and sportswear! Also lots of new clearance items (kind of like the Marshall's of sportswear). Mostly cycling and winter sports.
* Decathlon / Chalunka (chain)
Get affordable equipment here (not as cool as REI -- but great philosophy: sports accessible to everyone):
Chalunka is Decathlon's higher-end outfit (carrying less Decathlon's own brands and more brand names like North Face, Salomon, etc.).
I usually check for events here:
https://www.angloinfo.com/riviera/events
Lots of festivals and open-air stuff happening during the summer! Usually see billboards up around bus stops etc. and flyers
(MTB, downhill or road cycling)
where to begin!!! anywhere
@ Palm Beach in Cannes (where we would usu set off with the kayak)
http://pbks.free.fr/default.php
but also elsewhere -- overview:
https://www.activeazur.com/kitesurfing/south-france
ÎLES DES LÉRINS (islands off of Cannes)
You can only visit two of them -- Île Sainte-Marguerite (picnic, nature) and Saint Honorat (the one with the abbey)
Kayak from Palm Beach (we have an inflatable, as you know, that you are welcome to borrow! Friends who borrowed it blew out couple of the compartments of the floor, so it's not as comfy but still floats)!
Or take a boat:
Saint Honorat = the one with the abbey:
http://cannes-ilesdelerins.com/site/index.php/en/
the ski resorts in the area:
http://www.cotedazur-snow.com/skiing/map-of-resorts-06_1297.html
Théoule-sur-Mer is the place we were telling you about with the southwest-US-type red rocks -- great for mountain biking, hiking and snorkeling.
This isn't the snorkeling spot we were telling you about but gives you some info about Théoule:
http://www.theoule-sur-mer.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=39
On one of your trips to Théoule, you could swing by the museum for the arts (and architectural visit)
http://www.chateau-lanapoule.com/en/
http://www.laviaferrata.net/liste-via-ferrata-Departement-Alpes-Maritimes.html
http://www.viaferrata-fr.net/pdf/06%20-%20Alpes-maritimes/via_ferrata%20(CG06).pdf
* find out when the market days are where
http://www.jours-de-marche.fr/06-alpes-maritimes/
The Friday one in Valbonne is nicer than average (good mix of local produce and handicrafts...a bit high-end, though as Valbonne is where many of the British and Swedish expats live)