Hi wonderful Fodorites!

Well, the college grad/daughter has been in Europe for three weeks. Tomorrow, she heads to Paris. While in Paris, she wants to take a side trip to Nice and spend two long days/one night. She said she misses the beach and needs a fix.

Chic, hip, safe and near the sites and/or water - any and all suggestions will be most appreciated. Thanks, thanks!

La Perouse, overlooking the water and a short walk to the old town

Hi,
Try the Hotel Windsor. Great garden with pool, close to beach, and very interesting decor. 120euros a room per night. I hope she has a great time.

Yipper

I loved La Perouse (about 8 years ago) but recent reviews on TripAdvisor have been mixed. It is pricey but I think your GD would like it better than one of the grand hotels on the front. Assume your GD is flying if she plans to get in two long days and one night?

My daughter (GraD, not grand, although she is mighty grand) said she wants to take the train, no?

I believe the direct train takes more than 5 hours but it is city center to city center.

With a flight, you of course factor in all the extra time spent getting to the airport, security, etc. However, Nice airport is virtually in the city so very little travel time on that end.

There is a a very fast train that doesn't take too long.

Le Perouse was wonderful, but perhaps a bit stodgy for her. I wouldn't call it chic or hip. It is close to the beach and town.

The Hi Hotel is definitely hip and only a couple of hundred metres from the beach.

Not particularly cheap and I guess it's up to you to decide if it's chic, but seems to fit your criteria...

Another vote for the Hotel Windsor. Loved the whole Zen thing they had going on, and each room was decorated pheng sui (sic). Nice pool area, close to all.

Kellibellie,

Please tell me more about the fast train--I was looking for my DH the other day and didn't see any morning trains out of Paris on sncf or raileurope sites under five hours. Thanks so much.

I'm pretty sure 5 hours IS the fast train (we took the slow train years ago and it was about 12 hours). Google the phrase "train paris to nice tgv"

Yes, the 5 hours is the fast train. It is really far. To drive according to mapquest would take you 8.5 hours. They are 580 miles apart.

Train line:

http://www.tgv.com/


She could probably fly on easyjet cheaper and faster.

http://www.easyjet.com

Yes, I just checked. I think it is cheaper to fly.

The TGV does not extend all the way to Nice, as the high-speed rails stop at Marseille or Aix-en-Provence. As a result, the trip from Paris can take a good 6 hours--I'd go for flying.

People who like rooms done in contemporary style would like the Beau Rivage hotel, close to Vieux Nice and the beach. The hotel has a very good private section of the beach, but there's a fee for using it. The hotel itself is a short walk from the Promenade des Anglais but does not rooms with sea views.

I can highly recommend Hotel Garibaldi as a relatively economical choice. It is a short walk from the beach - 10 minutes max- and is close to restaurants and half way between the train and the beach, easily walkable with luggage.

The beach is pebbly, but she can rent a lounge chair, umbrella and towel through the hotel and enjoy the Côte d'Azur in style. She can easily walk to Old Nice and enjoy the markets if she so desires.

Thank you so much one and all. If there are any other suggestions, please feel free to pass them along.