sunsethill

We are visiting Nice France in October. Do you recommend visiting Eze during our visit? I have heard it's very touristy, but a nice place to visit.
Thanks!

kappa1

You would want to avoid crowd. The streets are narrow there. I was there one sunny day in October and in the afternoon like 15h00, visited the tropical garden at the top then had a glass of champagne at the terrace of Hotel Chevre d'Or with a magificent view of the mediteranee and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, stayed till sunset that was beautiful. The crowd was not bad then. I was there other times, November and January all sunny day but thanks to low season, there were few people and I enjoyed the visit and view even more. The only time I wanted to leave the village early was in June last year, busier time and the timing was bad. A big Chinese group arrived right after me that was escorted by French guides, that was so noisy and made the streets so crowded. It was like before noon. Perhaps you want to arrive quite early or late. The village itself is nice and the view is gorgeous.

Sooosally

It is beautiful. But, I was there off season so it wasn't crowded.

sunsethill

Thanks! Is October considered off season?

thursdaysd

I was there in early April this year, and while Nice mostly wasn't too crowded Eze certainly was. Plenty of good views around - I'd pick somewhere else.

TPAYT

Yes, it is touristy, but we,ve been there 3 times in Sept. and loved it every time.

Another great town in the area is Villefranche-sur-mer----very picturesque.

MichelHenri

bonjour
it is of course a tourist area, but october should be easy, and anyway you will enjoy the views, the area, the sidestreets, etc; defintely go there; if you do not have a car, public buses are only 1 euro by bus from Nice to Eze
enjoy...
michel

greg

MichelHenri,
Finally, someone from Nice.

Are Multi+ or Pass 1 jour cards usable on EZE-Monaco (112), Monaco-Nice buses (100)?

The fare explanation seems to allow using these cards on these routes.

http://www.lignedazur.com/tarif/inde...=7&thm_id=1178

thursdaysd

I bought the Pass 7 at the airport, and it was good on all routes as far east as Menton (I didn't go west). I used it to go to Eze and through Monaco to Menton. It comes with a good map showing valid routes. Note that even in April some of the buses (the airport bus and the bus to Eze in particular) were very crowded.

sunsethill

Thanks for the transportaion info. We are thinking of staying in Villefranche. I hear we can take a quick bus ride to Monaco and to Nice. Is there a bus from Villefranche to Eze as well? Has anyone stayed here before? Anyone stayed at Hotel Villa Vauban?

thursdaysd

I stayed in Nice, so I had great transport connections. I did visit Villefranche, and I thought you might easily get bored if you stayed there, not to mention running out of places to eat. I didn't keep the bus map, but try www.lignedazur.com/ftp/FR_plan/Nice CANCA.pdf and www.lignedazur.com/ftp/FR_plan/Nice Centre21(770x570)05BAT (2).pdf

traveller1959

When I am in the area, I usually stop in Eze, but spend never more than 15 minutes there. Yes, you have the view, but you have the view everywhere between Nice and Monaco and the view from La Turbie is even more impressive. And, yes, it is a picturesque village, but there are more picturesque villages in the region, and Eze is spoiled by tacky shops (Fragonard) and hordes of cruiseship passengers, so I always recommend other villages. And Eze is so tiny that it is hard to imagine to spend there more than 15 minutes unless you spend your time in one of the shops or in one of the overpriced restaurants there.

EastBayer

I love the tropical garden in Eze and especially the views from the garden which change as you walk around the garden. The first time I went it was wintry and many of the plants were covered in plastic and they reduced the admission fee. I would go even if all the plants were covered. It was breathtaking to see a hangglider land on the tiny beach way below us. If you go, be sure to find the wooden chaises (single and double ones) that are great to lie on--and which have a great view, too.

kappa1

> the view from La Turbie is even more impressive.
> And Eze is so tiny that it is hard to imagine to spend there more than 15 minutes unless you spend your time in one of the shops or in one of the overpriced restaurants there.

I don't know about that. I have been to both. The view from La Turbie is great too but and actually I prefer that from Eze. And if somebody wants to stay no more than 15 minutes it's his choice. I wonder why feeling so rushed though. Maybe no worth stopping by at all only for 15 minutes stop. Each his own I guess. When I'm there I stay at least 1 hour, visiting the tropical garden and lying on one of the wooden long chairs. Those chairs are in the area called "meditation" I think. When I'm there I don't feel rushed. And I don't visit the parfume shops, nor eat at one of the restaurants. But I must say, I have been there usually when there was not much crowd.

EastBayer

oops, it's the exotic garden, not the tropical garden

sunsethill

Thanks! Where do you recommend we stay in Coere d azur? We will visit Eze during our visit.

selkieNice

The ligne d'azur 7 day pass and one day pass are vaild on the TAM 100 buses but only as far as Cap d'ail.
You can also use the passes on the TAM 112 bus to Eze village [and cap d'ail].

The extent of the ligne d'azur tarif zone is all of Nice , to the west of Nice :cagnes sur mer , Vence/St jeannet and Plan du Var but NOT St Paul de Vence ,
In the East the zone covers : Cap d'ail, Eze village/Plateau de la Justice, St jean Cap Ferrat , Levens . The passes can be used on the airport Express buses 98 and 99 , unlimited use on the trams and buses within the ligne d'azur tarif zone.

Outside the Zone are Monaco, menton, St Paul de Vence, Antibes, Villeneuve loubet etc =to go to these places its also one euro on the bus but you need to buy the ticket from the driver or buy a special 'ticket azur in advance from the ligne d'azur offices if you want to go from a ligne d'azur bus /tram to a TAM bus.

ethrush

There's a local train that's very easy and cheap up and down the coast. The ride from Villefranche to Monaco is only about 10 minutes.
Unfortunately, Eze, like other old towns in France, has been turned into a shopping mall. But the gardens at the top and the view are well worth a trip there.

thursdaysd

Menton and Villefranche are NOT outside the zone covered by the ligne d'azur pass. I used the pass to travel there just this past April. Please consult the maps I linked upthread.

selkieNice

Sorry i live in Nice and use the buses all the time
The ligne d'azur bus region does not extend past Cap d'ail

if you go to this map you will see it does not extend to Monaco or menton - i did not mention villefranche because villefranche is within the ligne d'azur tarif zone.

http://www.lignedazur.com/ftp/FR_plan/Nice%20CANCA.pdf

A person can validate a pass on entering the bus inside the ligne d'azur region and stay on the bus outside the region but they will be in breach of the conditions
If caught by inspectors using a 7 day pass or one day pass ticket past cap d'ail, the bearer will be fined on the spot and required to produce valid ID etc