Peillon is a small perched village in the hills north of Nice and Monaco, set on a rocky spur above the Paillon valley. It is close to the coast on the map, but the mood is inland and old: stone houses stacked on the slope, vaulted passages, steep stairways, and no traffic in the old village.
The reason to come is the vieux village, a compact medieval knot that still feels lived-in rather than polished for buses. Just below it, the Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs holds 15th-century frescoes attributed to Giovanni Canavesio. The chapel is small, but it gives Peillon a real art-historical anchor beyond pretty-lane wandering.
Peillon works best as a slow half-day or day trip from Nice, Monaco, or Menton. Come by car if you want the easy version, or take the train to Peillon-Sainte-Thècle and climb up through the trees if you want to earn the view. There are almost no services in the old village itself, which is part of the point; plan food and water before you start walking.