cote dazur eating
 

OK got the City, Nice, got the dates, 3-31--4-7-2000 got the hotel, gounod, got the tickets and now need the touristy stuff, food, restaurants, museums, transportaion without a car, bars, things and places we absolutely must do or must not do. Your help will be appreciated. is Grasse worth the time?

I'm sure you will enjoy the Hotel Gounod. We stayed there last year and will be back again this month. (They are owned by the Hotel Splendid.) My favorite restaurant was down the street, kind of touristy but good, the Barracuda. I had the best seafood pizza there one night and a great Choucroute another.There is enough to do just roaming the pedestrian zones. Take little day trips by train or bus to Monte Carlo, Eze, or Vence, and yes, Grasse is worth the visit. Have you checked into renting a car? There are so many interesting places to go, and since it's off season when you will be there the traffic is bearable. Also, the hotel has it's own parking. Check out AutoEurope (www.autoeurope.com). Hope you have a great trip.

I responded to a similar message about a week ago on the great art to see around Nice. Do a search on this site by plugging Nice into the exact phrase box and clicking on Italy in the other box (topic?) E-mail me if you can't find it. <BR>

Sorry, I meant to say France, not Italy, in the Topic box. <BR>

Sue: Make sure you take a day-trip or even just a morning or afternoon and go to the Picasso Museum in Antibes. It is a don't miss. Spectacular setting overlooking the Mediterranean and a superb collection. It's only a few minutes' train ride away and a very cute town.

If your interest is in perfume, then Grasse is worth the visit. There are two factories in town, Frogonard and MOlinard (another one near, but not quite a walking distance.) It is a pretty hillside town. We visited Frogonard on Sunday, so while there was a tour, we could not see the factory in production. There is approximately an hourly bus service from Nice (from central bus station.) Get the bus schedule from the bus office at Nice airport (if that is how you are arriving there.) From Grasse we took another bus to Cannes, which was not worth the visit as told by many (more modern, much like large US coastal cities.) <BR>Let me add that the Picasso museum in Antibes was quite a way from the train station (contrary to what guide book seem to say, it was neither near nor easy to find.) <BR>Monaco is another pretty place to visit. It is a snap from Nice. We regretted not having time to check out those numerous stores and restaurants at Monaco Ville between bus stop and the palace. In retrospect, we should have foregone the changing of the guard and just walked around in Monaco Ville.

I have a dinner recommendation for you - Le St Paul in St. Paul de Vence is an excellent restaurant, with a charming outdoor courtyard setting. It is on the expensive side.

Hi - <BR>Agree with Mary above, Barracuda and Milo's were very good, a little touristy. Reasonable prices, good service, and very good seafood for me, veal and steak for my husband. <BR>

We just returned last night from our trip to France. I can second my own recommendation for Barracuda. We had dinner there a week ago Friday, and the owner, who is from Switzerland, remembered me and my husband from January, and we were treated like royalty. We shared a huge bowl of bouillibaise for six, as well as an appetizer of mussels, followed by our entrees. Fantastic and priced reasonably. <BR> <BR>Saturday night we had dinner in Eze at the Troubadour. Excellent!

Hi Sue: <BR> <BR>Nice has some great museums, and of course, has a wonderful old town (la vielle ville). Don't miss the Matisse museum or the Chagall museum. One of the museums has a wonderful collection of modern artists who painted the Riviera (like Dufy)--it's either the Musee de Beaux Arts or the Museum of Modern Art. Don't miss the Matisse chapel in Vence and try to visit Cagnes-sur-Mer where Renoir had a home which is now a museum (You can get to both places by bus or train). Try to get up for sunrise over the ocean--spectacular! Things to eat in the old town that I loved--socca (a hot snack that you hold in your hand--kind of like a rolled up crepe but not), and incredible fresh tiny sardines quickly fried and eaten in a sandwich. There are quite a few little food bars with tables outside, with limited menus but great food which I highly recommend. Definitely get up early for the flower market on the Cours Saleya.

I forgot to mention--the old port area near the opera house is supposed to be a really charming area with a bunch of good restaurants, it's on my list of things to see on my next visit. I think I read about it in the Insight guide.