We are planning on dropping off our rental car in Nice. We have the option of dropping it off at the airport or near the railstation in Nice. What would be the easier option? Thanks!

By the way, we'll be staying in Villefranche.. if that makes any difference.

I recently dropped off a rental car at the Nice airport. It was easy to get a taxi there and very convenient to my hotel on the Promenade.

How do you plan to get to Villefranche, which is on the main Nice-Monaco-Menton-Ventimiglia rail line? If by rail, then a drop-off near the railstation might make more sense.

I guess it depends on your definition of "easier" and where you are going next, once the car is turned in. The train station drop-off will save you money, if you're going to get a cab... and go right back in to the city of Nice (or especially if you're going to get on a train!)

But it is a moderately nerve-wracking place to return a car. The <i>bureaux</i> are all small, and impossibly shoehorned into one city block where there is no place to park the car, and hardly anywhere to even stop. You can just about guarantee that you'll have to double park, while someone runs in, gets the guy from behind the counter to check your car for damage, and then lug your stuff to the curb, while he drives it off.

Thus, wherever you're going next... load off all your stuff to that place (hopefully, you are three passengers), have someone stay there with it, and then two others go to the car renal place by Gare SNCF, to drop it off (and cab or walk onward), thus rejoining your other passenger(s) and your stuff.

Best wishes,

Rex

Oh, I see. You're dropping off to stay in Villefranche. Then the airport is the wrong way the other direction. Since you'll need a cab (or would your hotel shuttle you back - - maybe even follow you to the train station when you go to the drop off?) - - it will cost you twice as much from the airport.

Our other option is to keep the car and drop it off when we go to the airport at the end of our trip.

Do you think having a car around Nice will be too much hassle -- parking and getting around? I hear the rail/bus transportation down there is very good.

I would keep it, personally... but then that's my style. I don't think that parking is difficult anywhere in the PACA (Provence-Alpes Maritimes-Cote d'Azur)...

...not even near Cours Saleya, which is frequently congested.