Yup can do both Antibes, a compact town with only the Picasso Museum, in an old seaside fort to 'have to see' and then take a bus up to St Paul-du-Vence - may have to take the train from Antibes to a station like Biot to connect with the bus - not sure of that but easily done IMO

Unless you are severely incapacitated here is my favorite day trip and it involves Monaco, which most folks would NOT list as a favorite day trip but i do - if for the novelty if not much else

Anyway take a train to the Cap d'Ail train station, right on the sea in a pristine area of the Riviera that you rarely see today as the coast is really built up in most places

anyway from the station go down to the sea and turn left (east) on the paved footpath that in about two miles leads you smack into Monaco, right by the yacht harbor.

And this flat stroll - perfect for a picnique if weather is nice- takes you by the signature Riviera landscapes etched in your minds' eyes- boulders tumbling down to an azure - yes - deep azure-hued sea - cyrpess trees cling to the rocky inclines and there is no development here - just the path - the rocky coast tumbling into the sea - from Monaco return by train to Nice from the Monte Carlo train station.

Hi kiethanderica,
Did Nice first 2 weeks May last year with no car. Bus is excellent. 1 euro each way for your day trips. Menton and Monaco easy in 1 day trip. Lunch in Menton along the water if temp allows. Depends how long you want, but St Paul was a nice day for us. Antibes and Juan les Pens can be combined. We found it easier to catch bus at main terminal to get nice seating and view along way. Sit opposite side of driver on way to Menton. Enjoy the view.

Palenque, Could you do Antibes, then Biot and then St. Paul-du-Vence in one day? I thought Biot looked interesting, too.

nicerue50, thank you for your post, too. How long is the bus ride from Nice to Menton?

To all of you - Any idea what the temps will be like in late March - Early April? Everything I've seen is around mid-50s. Is that accurate?

Since you've mentioned the Picasso Museum, you'll be interested in knowing that the building which houses it is worth seeing for its own sake.

Eze-le-Village would be an obvious choice. It's the most visited hilltop village in France. You can get there by bus from either Nice or Monaco.

That time of year the temps vary wildly. I was once in Nice in February; it was pissing with rain one day and the next in Menton I was sunbathing on a rock by the harbor.

Palenque's suggestion is exactly what I'd do, and I also like the Antibes/Juan les Pins idea of nicerue50.

I think if you haven't been to Monaco, it's great to spend a few hours there, keeping in mind that except for the free walking, it's not cheap. It is also fun to go into the Casino and play the slot machines, just to say you've done it!

If I were going to both Monaco and Menton in one day, I'd prefer the train. It's 20 minutes from Nice to Monaco and another 15 minutes to Menton. If you buy a regional train ticket from Nice to Menton, you can get off in Monaco, pay a visit, and get on another regional train to Menton, all on one ticket. Or do the reverse and stop in Monaco on your way back from Menton.

Palenque, Could you do Antibes, then Biot and then St. Paul-du-Vence in one day? I thought Biot looked interesting, too.>

Yes i think the bus may go thru Biot en route to St-Paul-du-Vence but not sure. Biot is a gem but smaller so even a quick look would be fine - not much to 'have' to see - i'd leave it to after St P d V - on the way back down.

Nice to Menton is fine by bus but it is quicker by train - the Cote d'Azur Metro or shuttle train that trundles along the coast frequently from St Raphael (another possible day trip 0 take a boat or bus from St Raphael to St Tropez) via Cannes, Antibes, Biot (though station is well below the hill town of the same name) Nice, Cap d'Ail, Monte Carlo, Menton, Ventimiglia, Italy - yet another interesting possibility if you want to see an Italian Riviera town - quite nice and so so Italian - border town near Menton.

But the bus one way is nice as you go along one of the high up Corniche drives and can easily also this say stop off at Eze-sur-Mer and take in the raved views and perfume 'factory' tours - factory is Ersatz - for the real deal go to Grasse, by train via Cannes for the Perfume Capital of France and actual factories to tour and not a boutique thing in Eze.

Pal, Eze Village?

Ventigmila and San Remo in Italy are two easy day trips. Big market every Friday in Ventigmila.

Tende is a very beautiful place and getting there is possibly one of the most scenic rail journeys in Europe.


http://www.beyond.fr/villages/tende.html

Grasse, the perfume Capital of the world is one hour by bus and has perfume factorys and perfume museums. Nice view of the Med from Grasse.

WOW - Keep the suggestions coming! It's so nice to see everyone's input.

Is it easy to buy train tickets and/or bus tickets once we get there? We're staying at the Univers hotel in Nice. They should be able to help us, right?

Pal, Eze Village?

Yup Eze the village not the train station Eze-sur-Mer (Eze on the sea) - the village is hundreds of feet above its train station

but if you are into a hardy hike then you can do like the philosopher Nietzsche did - hike up a staircase-like path from sea to cliff top - it is now called the Philosopher's Path - i have done it and the path/stairs goes thru a wild ravine - but it is steep - maybe walking down a better idea.

I have never done that hardy hike, but I spoke with a couple who did. They vowed next time to take the bus.

s it easy to buy train tickets and/or bus tickets once we get there? We're staying at the Univers hotel in Nice. They should be able to help us, right>

There are two types of trains that track along the coast - mainline trains like TGV trains that come from say Paris to Nice/Menton - these trains require reservations and cost a ton more - they do not stop only at main towns like Nice and Monte Carlo, Menton, etc.

No reason to take these trains, which do require advance planning and ticket purchase to guarantee a seat

But with what i call the Cote d'Azur Metro - the commuter trains that shuttle along the coast and stop at practically every station - those trains you just buy a ticket at the train station - no big deal and the ticket should be good on any train except mainline trains - there may be some kind of day pass to ask about - hotel desk should know that. buses are also easy to use - just buy ticket at the bus station.

Now about train tickets - be sure to cancel them in the 'Composteur' (sp?) machines at the entrance to the platforms - if you do not cancel your ticket yourself then you are riding without a valid ticket - so do like everyone else and just stick them in the machine and date cancel them before boarding - then the ticket is used and cannot be used again as if you did not cancel it and on these trains it's the honor system often with no ticket checks but with spot checks and imposing fines.

I am also looking for information on day trips from Nice but by car instead of bus or train. We will have come up the coast so are interested in the destinations to the East. We will already have the car and enjoy driving. (I wasn't sure if I should start a separate topic for this but the subject is essentially the same.)

I was tentatively thinking that one trip would be to Cap Ferrat (Ephrussi Villa) and Beaulieu and the other would be Monaco and Eze. Should I add Menton to one of these? Any preferred routes or itineraries?

By car (or train) another neat day trip goes from Nice into the Maritime Alpes and to a Provence of old - roads pretty much follow the tracks of the Train des Peignes (sp?) a nickname of a narrow-gauge train - the Ligne Digne - that follows river valleys high up into the hinterlands - i'd go about an hour or so to a sleepy place like Annot - a Provencal town of old - really sleepy and in an area of nice beauty - hikers love the train and do hikes from one train station to another. By car this would be a whole different world than the coastal area.

This tiny train, officially called Chemins de Fer de Provence, departs from an old train station just north of the main Nice-Ville station - it is very popular with French folk.

Train touristique des Pignes : Chemins de Fer de Provence (liaison ... - [ Translate this page ]
Découvrez la Provence et la Côte d'Azur avec le train touristique des Pignes. Une balade à travers les Alpes Maritimes et de Haute Provence : Nice - Digne ...

Horaires et Tarifs de Nice à Digne - Horaires de la - Plan de la ligne
www.trainprovence.com/

Chemins de Fer de Provence - Interactive map
Logo des Chemins de Fer de Provence. Train en gare de Fugeret. Horaires et Tarifs de Nice à Digne · Commuter service · Nice - Digne-les-Bains ...
www.trainprovence.com/pages/en/161/carte-interactive.html -

Chemins de Fer de Provence. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Jump to: navigation, search. Chemins de Fer de Provence ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemins_de_Fer_de_Provence

You might find my TR for Nice of use - I spent six nights there at the beginning of April last year. I included a trip on the Chemins de Fer de Provence and to Ventimiglia. http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/nice-to-paris-on-not-taking-it-easy-in-eastern-france.cfm

We took a one-day bus tour and saw quite a lot then returned by train to places that attracted us. Bus also fine. Don't have my notes but we saw: Old Nice, Monoco, St. Paul de Vence, Eze, Cannes and a perfume factory (not Grasse though). Check with your hotel. Tour picked us up.

Agree with Palenque about the "tiny train," which makes a very pleasant day trip to the old village of Entrevaux and its perched fortifications. There are pictures in our phototravelogue at http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=f363d0s.bbea6n2g&x=0&y=-run25, and of Monte Carlo, Vence, and St Paul also.

http://www.beyond.fr/villages/tende.html

Great day trip and fantastic scenery as the train climbs the Alps.

thursdaysd - loved your trip report. How much time did you spend at Ephrussi and Kerylos?

Thanks kfoster - at least a couple of hours at each, maybe three at Ephrussi - one in the morning, then lunch, then one in the afternoon, followed by Villefranche sur Mer.

Another scenic mountainous train ride goes from Nice to Sospel - an interesting market town near the Italian frontier - if you go into the first Italian station (on this line Nice-Cuneo-Torino) you can then take a scenic train ride plunge back down to the coast near Ventimiglia and return that way.

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I was surprised that I enjoyed Monaco and Monte Carlo. Super clean, super rich with gorgeous views and lovely buildings.

Eze was interesting and fun climbing to the top from the village.

Palenque - the hike from Cap D'Ail to Monaco sounds great. We will be on a cruise that arrives into Monaco - will it be easy to find the path for this hike? any landmarks by the yatch harbor we should look for to get us on the path that we want? And I assume we could also take a bus (#100?) from Cap D' Ail on to Nice? Thanks! SueC1

Well yes the path is easy to find - just follow the coast to the west from Monaco's yacht harbor - the path hugs the coast and as i remember you would go round a point before going west - i've only taken the walk from the Cap-d'Ail train station and, going east, you round a point and voila the Yacht harbor and Monte Carlo are in the near distance

Not sure about buses but the Cap-d'Ail train station has trains about twice hourly to Nice. The train station is not in the town - at least there is little around it so i do not know where the buses would run - by the train is a snap. Bring coins as the station may be unstaffed (or buy a Cap-d'Ail to Nice-Ville (main station in Nice) ticket in Monaco's train station ahead of time - and yes cancel the ticket yourself in the composteur machines before boarding the train.

My daughter and I spent three nights in Nice and loved it. Here are my travel notes:

"We arrived in Nice in the early afternoon on Friday, via train from Venice (in early May 2006).

Our Hotel le Grimaldi (http://www.le-grimaldi.com/) was a short cab ride from the train station. It was 10EUR for myself, my daughter, my gargantuan bag, and her two small ones. We were greeted graciously at the hotel, which immediately struck us as a good find.

For our first dinner, I had brought the name of a restaurant I’d found on Travel Talk, and the front desk agreed it was a good one, a local favorite in old Nice. It’s called Acchiardo, at 38 rue Droite in Vieux Nice. We headed over for their opening at 7p.m., and were very happy with it. Really friendly and attentive service, very quaint and casual atmosphere, with a good menu. I had a steak dinner, which actually included vegetables on the side. My daughter had two different salads. We had bottled water and a half-liter of house red wine. When the bill arrived for 28.50EUR, I thought they’d made a mistake because it was so much less than I’d been accustomed to paying in Venice, Florence and Rome. But, no, it was correct. (We would have maybe eaten there another night, but found out it closes on weekend nights, believe it or not.)__

We walked all over old Nice, then through the pedestian area to the promenade and took that way back to the hotel. It’s such a beautiful walk at night. The Chateau hillside is all lit up, the palm trees are lit, and the waves look so pleasant. It was how we ended each of our Nice nights, with that walk back to the hotel. __

The next day we decided to take the short bus ride on the #81, to visit the Villa and Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild, near Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. (The bus is just 1.30EUR each direction, which you pay in exact change on the bus.) __

It was a nice visit, especially to see the views of the sea down below on both sides of the hillside. I thought the price was a bit steep, at 9.50EUR for an adult, because the Villa isn’t really all that interesting (sorry!), but the gardens are pretty. There’s also a nice little café there, for a light snack or drink or meal, which was a welcome break from all our walking.

From the Villa, we did the easy walk down to the port of St. Jean to walk around and check it out. There are nice boats in the little harbor, with cute restaurants and shops. It’s very tiny, so doesn’t take long to walk from end to end of St. Jean. We spent just about an hour and a half there, then caught the #81 back to Nice.__

That evening, we returned to old Nice for dinner. We loved that neighborhood’s little streets, overall atmosphere, and cute shops. We found the Restaurant la Tapenada, 6 rue St. Reparate and had a very nice dinner. It was probably about 60EUR for the two of us, on their fixed price menu, with a bottle of house wine. Very nice little place, with friendly and attentive service. They even let my daughter trade her dessert for a salad. So she had two salads to start, one after the other, and they timed the arrival of our main courses perfectly. We were perfectly happy with our meal there.__

The next day we decided we’d stick to the coast and see Antibes, which is a short 20-minute train ride from Nice. We were glad we’d chosen Antibes, as it’s beautiful. The sea wall makes a nice walk, and the Centre Ville is very charming. __

We wandered its streets, shopped in a tiny clothing boutique, found a little place for omelettes (nothing special, but nice enough), then headed back to Nice by train after about 4 hours total. It was a good choice for a quick day-trip.__

That evening we weren’t very hungry, so opted for the simple Pasta Basta, once again in old Nice. It was a nice meal, although not extraordinary. Good prices and decent service.__

All in all, we were very impressed with Nice and the surrounding area. It’s a very pretty city, with a friendly attitude, sitting on a lovely shore. There are many options for things to do near Nice. We’d considered St. Paul de Vence and Digne, but with the beautiful clear weather, we were drawn to stay at the seaside, and were glad we did."

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If you are looking for a nice beach (as opposed to a Nice beach, which is covered in rocks, literally) Cannes is right up the road, and doesn't have to be a separate day trip. There is a free beach at one end, with lovely sand, and affordable food if you avoid the main stip -- just a few blocks back from the beach. And lots of people watching... Cannes is one of my favorite places in the world... I haven't taken the train, but I have taken the bus which was a piece of cake...

Have a great time!

Not new to France

IN12

indianewbie12 - this post is 2 years old. I believe the OP has already taken the trip.

bookmarked. tnx