JudyADenver

I love Nice and go yearly with my husband (at least 10 different trips). Next trip in September, I am meeting friends and we will rent a house for a week in Vence.

I am considering going a few days early to spend time in the city(without a car), basically to justify my $1110 airfare. I could be in Nice 3 to 6 nights before my friends arrive. (I am somewhat reluctant to be alone, especially at night/Vieux Nice) The only possible activity I have thought of is a 1 or 4 day cooking school called Les Petits Farcis (Rosa Jackson).

I basically feel I "have been there done that" but still want to go--any suggestions of activities or places I may have missed?

hopscotch

You are the self proclaimed expert so why are you asking? Send us a trip report, please.

NeoPatrick

Whoa, somebody's been hitting the eggnog too heavy. In a bad mood are we?

Underhill

The cooking school sounds like a very good idea, assuming that you enjoy cooking. Otherwise, do you have to stay in Nice? Cannes might be a good alternative if you haven't spent much time there yet, and it, like Nice, is well located for public transportation for day trips.

As for being reluctant to be alone in Vieux Nice at night, we've never felt unsafe until last October--and that was only because of a large gathering of rollerboarders that made us flatten ourselves against the street wall until the happy group had passed.

nytraveler

If you've already been to Nice so many times why not take the 3/6 days and do something else? Hop a train and see Arles and Avignon - or perhaps Lyons - if you've never been there.

Christina

I'll be honest that I liked Nice for a couple days but it certainly isn't a city that I would care to travel to dozens of times. If you've been there 10 times, you shoould know more than anyone what to do, it's like any city I suppose -- you either like the city and the time you are there, even repeatedly, or it's just another city, so why bother. I'd spend my time elsewhere if I felt that way. There are plenty of cities where you could spend a couple days and be in Nice in short order. After all those times there, just about anything sounds better -- Antibes, Cannes, whatever. Becuase you have so much extra time, you could be about anywhere for that time (3-6 nights) in Provence, Lyon or even Paris, or west of Marseille. I'd take the opportunity to visit some other area for a change.

donnae_b

How about the flower market. Breakfast and dinner in that area would be nice.
Wondering around the shops. Art, Food, etc.
Exploring the beach.
How about visiting Monaco during the day and evening, then catching the last train back to Nice.

beaupeep

I love Nice too! My husband and I live in Switzerland and fly easyJet there at least once a year if not more often. I have even gone by myself once or twice when we have run out of our favorite long bars of olive soap (well, that was an excuse to go). I had no problems being alone walking through Vieux Nice. Stayed on the Promenade des Anglais in the Hotel Swiss that is right at the bend in the road before you get to the old port. A good bright location for walking alone, lots of people always around. I also make sure to always go on a Monday so that I can go to the brocante (flea market) on the Cours Saleya. And I sometimes buy pasta, cakes, and other goodies that we can't get here in Switzerland. I've been to Monaco once and once was enough. Unless you like concrete.

Viajero2

Honestly, I think you need to get "out of the box" and "spread your wings" a bit. I suggest a home base in Italy and travel into Nice when your friends come in to further explore from there. There are very charming Italian towns within the border. If that is not appealing, then home base in Menton. I found the ambience, beach, food, and shopping in this town very deserving of time.

mclaurie

I agree if you've been to Nice so many times, why not stay some place else? What about a few days at a spa? Or, some other locations like St. Tropez, Antibes, Eze? You could also go to Paris for a few days via easyjet.com for under 75 E roundtrip.

walkinaround

>>>>>
After all those times there, just about anything sounds better -- Antibes, Cannes, whatever.
>>>>>>


why the need to go somewhere else just for the sake of going somewhere else? i've been to nice a lot and never feel like i should be going somewhere else. i really like the atmosphere there and enjoy it more each time i go. if you want to go somewhere quieter, i can understand. but to go to cannes (for example) just because it is not Nice is silly. cannes is rubbish compared to nice.

there are advantages to finding a location you enjoy and going there again and again. some people go on holiday to relax, not just to claim another destination visited.

JudyADenver

Wow--what a vast array of opinions and interesting ideas. This forum is so helpful.

I must admit that day tripping from Nice on the train never occurred to me. Marseille is the only TGV destination that is reasonable close and city I never never seen. I will keep researching other cities in the area too. Great idea!

Nice is the city for me--I have a strong dislike for Cannes.

It doesn't sound like there are any hidden, undiscovered gems in Nice for me. With the Euro so high, shopping (my passion) is not fun if everything is unreasonable expensive. So I will reduce my time alone to a max of 3 days on my own. That should be enough time for me to recover from jet lag before I meet up with my friends.

I have tried so many hotels in Nice and decided my favorite place to stay in Le Grimaldi (not the Mercure Grimaldi which was only ok). I will check out the Hotel Swiss (it must be near

Thanks again to everyone.

SeaUrchin

The desk at the Grimaldi can book day tours for you with one of their recommended companies. They will pick you up in the morning and drop you back in the late afternoon. I think it would be a good way to see the surrounding area. We took one to a winery up in the hills, it was a very interesting afternoon.

THERESA10

Hey Judy! Merry Christmas.

I was lost in Nice for like 5 hours, I mean in tears turned around and couldn't remember the name of my hotel.
Anyway, I didn't feel unsafe for a moment. I walked down some dark streets too. It was the kindness of a front desk clerk in a hotel that helped me to calm down and go through the phone book for hotel names, it did jog my memeory for the name of my hotel. His gentle way and broken english helped me beyond words.

The next day after touring with the group I was with I had an entire afternoon of free time (in the daylight) and I had the best time just walking up and down the main ave. eating and spending money. I was in a Zara clothing store for 2 hours and bought one thing but had a blast just checking out the French twist on style. I had lunch at a internet/coffee shop and talked to my waiter for an hour about Detroit sports team, I was shocked how much the french love the detroit pistons. I told Him how I was lost the night before, and asked me if I was scared? No, I'm from Detroit, I'd would have kicked anyone butt who messed with me

Go and have a good time and there is so many good little places to eat and shop at and the view of the sea is fantastic. Some from our group took the train to Monte Carlo and had a blast.

Travelnut

I do think the question is a little odd... I've been to Paris a dozen times with my husband, and trust me, I could fill a MONTH-long visit by myself! If Nice doesn't have as extensive a list of attractions/interests as Paris, then I would certainly try a new place. (espec. if I felt I needed to justify the expense -and- I had the free time). Lyon might be a good place to spend the extra 3-5 days, then TGV tp Nice (4 hrs).

Viajero2

Trvelnut-- your Lyon suggestion rocks!!

PalenqueBob

TOP TEN THINGS TO DO OUT OF NICE
1- hop the Train des Peignes (sp?) aka Ligne Digne into the hinterlands of Provence - narrow-gauge toylike train - go to Entrevaux or Annot, two sleepy Provencial towns.

2- take buses to hilltowns like St Paul de Vence (of course next to Vence) or the dramatic bus ride from Grasse overland to Nice.

3-hop the train to Grasse and tour the perfume factories.

4-hop the train to Antibes, a wondrous old world town and home of Picasso Museum

5-Hop the Sospel train ride into the Alps - Sospel is a neat market town about an hour from Nice.

6- take the train to Cap d'Ail station, on the water and walk a wondrous two miles on flat paved paths to Monaco and take train back to Nice - one of the most gorgeous easy walks anyway - along signature untouched riviera coast which has largely vanished elsewhere in favor of high rise hotels.

7-Hop train to Saint Raphael from where you can get boats or buses to nearby St Tropez.

8-Hop the train to Ventimiglia, Italy, which is of course very Italian and has a popular market many days. Rather suave seaside area.

9- Hop the train to Beaulieu-sur-Mer, a classy old seaside resort town

10- Explore Cimiez' several great attractions - Cezanne (?) Museum and Roman ruins and swell view of Nice below.

Underhill

Consider the Mercure Promenade des Anglais, a hotel in a very good location--especially if you opt for a room with a sea view. We stayed there last October and liked it better than the much-more-expensive La Pérouse.

JudyADenver

Underhill--I've never stayed at the Mercure Promenade des Anglais. The single rate is very reasonable--it is quiet (despite the location) and are the beds comfortable? That street is very intense and I am a very light sleeper.

I could start my trip in Lyon and take the train to Nice. An interesting possibility. Thanks