France Itinerary Help
 

Thank you in advance for any and all suggestions. I am trying to plan a last minute trip to France in the first week of August. We have about a week. My wife and I have both been to Paris separately (but only together as a short stoppover). My wife has never been to the Riviera. I was initially thinking the following:

Paris: 3 nights

Cannes: 2 nights

Nice: 3 nights

I realize Nice and Cannes are 30min apart, but thought that they lent themselves to slightly different day trips. Among others, I figured we would see St. Tropez, St. Paul du Vence, Monico and antibes. Open to any other suggestions (from either Cannes or Nice)

I had planned on flying into Paris and out of Nice. I would travel to Cannes by flying into Nice from Paris and taking the train to Cannes. I was not planning on renting a car and would just take bus/trains to get around.

I am open to any and all suggestions. Please let me know if anyone thinks this itinerary is too much in the Cannes/Nice area and/or if we should spend 2 nights somewhere else in France, either in Provence or perhaps Bordeaux. Thanks in advance!

You are really quite late both in terms of airline tickets and lodging. In addition, August is the month many French people take their own vacations. Third, you say you have "about a week," but then list 8 nights which equates to 9 days. IF you can get an open-jaw ticket (flying into Paris and out of Nice, or vice versa)and IF you can find accommodations that suit, I recommend staying in Nice for all your time in the south and taking day trips. This will save you at least one-half day checking out of your hotel in Cannes (by noon usually) and checking into your hotel in Nice (by four if you are lucky). Trains/buses are a reasonable way to get around - a car is rather a liability unless you want to visit inland villages/towns (which are quite beautiful).

Although you state you have both been to Paris, you could do much worse than spending the entire time in Paris and taking day trips to Versailles, Chartres, Giverny, etc.

Remember, it will be very warm to very hot even in Paris in August and

So start making air/hotel reservations ASAP. Availability may decide your itinerary for you and bonne chance!

The Côte d'Azur will be terribly crowded in August.

I can not recommend a day trip to St. Tropez, especially not in August. There is not much to see there and the drive will be most pleasant with the August traffic on the coastal road.

Also, I do not see the point of changing hotels between Cannes and Nice. You may base yourself just in the middle between both cities which means Antibes or Juan-les-Pins.

As said, many accomodations are already booked. Start with accomodation search and decide on location after you have found some deals. But in any case, avoid Villeneuve-Loubet and Cagnes-sur-Mer.

I always have a car at the Côte d'Azur. The hinterland is so beautiful and you will enjoy the scenic drives on the coastal roads!

Based on responses, I have thus far booked 3 nights at the Park Hyatt Vendome in Paris and 5 nights at the Hyatt in Nice (I am diamond and had points). I will book the open jaw tonight. Thank you for the feedback thus far. Let me know if anyone thinks that is too much time in Nice. I assumed we would spend a day or so Nice proper and the rest of the time with side trips: half day to monaco; half day to mountain villages (St. Paul du vence); one day to Cannes, Antibes, etc; and perhaps a cruise to St. Tropez to see the shoreline. Let me know if anyone has a strong reaction to my rough plan. Thanks again for the advice!

Your plan sounds right, given that you both have already been to Paris and one day there will be taken up with recovering from jet lag, checking in, retrieving luggage, etc. Don't forget Eze village, the Picasso Museum in Antibes (especially the "back yard") and Chateau Ephrussi de Rothschild near Nice.