French Riviera Honeymoon
Oct 17th, 2010, 11:18 AM
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French Riviera Honeymoon
My fiance and I are starting to plan our honeymoon for September 2011. At this point we're still open to a lot of places (Caribbean, Mexico, Europe) and one place we've been interested in lately is the French Riviera. We don't know a lot about it though and aren't sure where to start. Here are a few basics:
1. Probably going to have 8-12 days
2. Prefer not to rent a car but it's not totally out of question
3. Prefer sea view from our room (balcony/terrace would be nice)
4. Would like a nice beach within walking distance (sandy not rocky)
5. We'd like to stay under US $6000 including roundtrip flight (from the U.S.), lodging, meals, other transportation, etc. but is that even possible?
One of our biggest concerns with the French Riviera is we think that it may not be as relaxing as Mexico or the Caribbean. We feel that there will be so much that we want to see (since we probably won't be going back anytime soon) that we won't be able to relax.
Another question we have is should we try to stay in hotels in a couple cities or find weekly villa rentals and stay in on spot most of the time?
If we're flying in from the U.S. what is the best (and cheapest) airport to fly into? Should we fly into Paris and then take a train or something to the French Riviera?
I know our questions are very broad, but we're just trying to get an idea if the French Riviera is a possibility for us or not so let us know what you think! Thanks
1. Probably going to have 8-12 days
2. Prefer not to rent a car but it's not totally out of question
3. Prefer sea view from our room (balcony/terrace would be nice)
4. Would like a nice beach within walking distance (sandy not rocky)
5. We'd like to stay under US $6000 including roundtrip flight (from the U.S.), lodging, meals, other transportation, etc. but is that even possible?
One of our biggest concerns with the French Riviera is we think that it may not be as relaxing as Mexico or the Caribbean. We feel that there will be so much that we want to see (since we probably won't be going back anytime soon) that we won't be able to relax.
Another question we have is should we try to stay in hotels in a couple cities or find weekly villa rentals and stay in on spot most of the time?
If we're flying in from the U.S. what is the best (and cheapest) airport to fly into? Should we fly into Paris and then take a train or something to the French Riviera?
I know our questions are very broad, but we're just trying to get an idea if the French Riviera is a possibility for us or not so let us know what you think! Thanks
Oct 17th, 2010, 11:28 AM
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If your instinct is that you will want to relax, without the guilt of foregoing sightseeing, go with it.
There are a few European destinations that provide that remoteness, but in September your choices are more limited, due to the possibility of rain (or lingering, enervating humidity).
That said, selected spots in the Italian, French, Greek and Spanish islands have crystal clear waters and indulgent hotels, but little compelling sightseeing.
One advantage of European destinations over American destinations (central and Caribbean) is no hurricane season.
There are direct flights from America to many convenient jumping off points to Mediterranean islands. Airport in Nice, Genova, Pisa, Rome and Barcelona can make for easy transit to other flights and ferries.
If beach lounging and suntanning isn't your thing but good food is, consider San Sebastian in Spain and the beaches of Belgium. Delicious and fun and no "must-see" museums or monuments, but unpredictable temperatures.
There are a few European destinations that provide that remoteness, but in September your choices are more limited, due to the possibility of rain (or lingering, enervating humidity).
That said, selected spots in the Italian, French, Greek and Spanish islands have crystal clear waters and indulgent hotels, but little compelling sightseeing.
One advantage of European destinations over American destinations (central and Caribbean) is no hurricane season.
There are direct flights from America to many convenient jumping off points to Mediterranean islands. Airport in Nice, Genova, Pisa, Rome and Barcelona can make for easy transit to other flights and ferries.
If beach lounging and suntanning isn't your thing but good food is, consider San Sebastian in Spain and the beaches of Belgium. Delicious and fun and no "must-see" museums or monuments, but unpredictable temperatures.
Oct 17th, 2010, 11:43 PM
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If you want sandy beaches and French Riviera you need to look towards the west. Saint-Tropez and its environs feature sandy beaches. Beaches in the east feature rocks/pebbles or import their sand for small patches in front of hotels...
The airport in Nice is the gateway by air, though you can certainly take a TGV train from Paris and be on the riviera within hours.
Enjoy your trip.
The airport in Nice is the gateway by air, though you can certainly take a TGV train from Paris and be on the riviera within hours.
Enjoy your trip.
Oct 17th, 2010, 11:56 PM
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Having just returned from the area, let me make a few suggestions for you to consider. I know what you mean about the relaxation aspect of your trip and this is important. We stayed for a week and had each day planned at a different location. That gave us absolutely no time to relax and we are now considering another trip back to do just that.
We stayed in a villa in Antibes and my first suggestion is don't do this. We were in a lovely neighborhood but it wasn't near any transportation so we had to call a cab every time we left the house. This ran us about 500 euros over the course of the week. It also didn't give us the freedom or flexibility to explore spontaneously. All our trips out of the complex had to be planned. In hindsight we all agree that we should have taken an apartment centrally located where we would have had access to shops, restaurants, train, bus - all on foot.
Nice would give you a great home base with access to the beach that you would like. There are dozens of beach front hotels along the Promenade des Anglais which runs along the coast. There are also plenty of holiday rentals which you can rent for your entire stay at a fraction of the cost. Some will have ocean views (these get booked quickly in the season so begin your search now) and others will be located in various neighborhoods offering different sights and sounds of the city. Try NicePebbles.com and Owner's Direct France. You'll have plenty to choose from and both offer reviews from previous guests on the quality of the rental, amenities, furnishings and any unpleasant features.
September is a lovely month to visit. The days were still pretty warm so plan cotton or linen clothes and definitely pack the swimsuits. Sept is also not so over-crowded with tourists as the summer months.
There is much to see in the area but I would encourage you to alternate a day trip and then a day in Nice either relaxing on the beach or enjoying the sights. Monday is especially good as there is a fabulous flea market with loads of antiques and treasures. It's a lot of fun and on either side of the market are tons of restaurants to enjoy a bite or a glass of wine.
Cannes was really underwhelming for me and I wouldn't particularly recommend it but I really enjoyed Eze and Monaco. We took the boat cruise to Monaco and it was beautiful. It takes only 45 minutes but gives you a view of the entire coastline.
On a day trip to San Remo, we stopped at the small town of Ventimiglia to change trains and discovered that they have a huge flea market on Friday. We went back to Ventimiglia to find the biggest open air market we've ever seen. Fruits, vegetables and flowers are a cook and photographer's delight; then move on to the commercial areas and you'll find tables loaded with wheels of parmesean, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, spices - you really do want to take things back to the nearest kitchen and start cooking. There are leather goods, purses and hand sewn gloves along with so many other fun finds - can you imagine seeing fur coats at a flea market!
As for transportation, Nice has train service both east and west to visit the neighboring towns, there is excellent local bus service. Delta has a non-stop flight from JFK to Nice; likely others do as well.
Anyway, I hope this will give you some idea of the wonderful, memorable and relaxing time you can have on your honeymoon in the French Riviera.
We stayed in a villa in Antibes and my first suggestion is don't do this. We were in a lovely neighborhood but it wasn't near any transportation so we had to call a cab every time we left the house. This ran us about 500 euros over the course of the week. It also didn't give us the freedom or flexibility to explore spontaneously. All our trips out of the complex had to be planned. In hindsight we all agree that we should have taken an apartment centrally located where we would have had access to shops, restaurants, train, bus - all on foot.
Nice would give you a great home base with access to the beach that you would like. There are dozens of beach front hotels along the Promenade des Anglais which runs along the coast. There are also plenty of holiday rentals which you can rent for your entire stay at a fraction of the cost. Some will have ocean views (these get booked quickly in the season so begin your search now) and others will be located in various neighborhoods offering different sights and sounds of the city. Try NicePebbles.com and Owner's Direct France. You'll have plenty to choose from and both offer reviews from previous guests on the quality of the rental, amenities, furnishings and any unpleasant features.
September is a lovely month to visit. The days were still pretty warm so plan cotton or linen clothes and definitely pack the swimsuits. Sept is also not so over-crowded with tourists as the summer months.
There is much to see in the area but I would encourage you to alternate a day trip and then a day in Nice either relaxing on the beach or enjoying the sights. Monday is especially good as there is a fabulous flea market with loads of antiques and treasures. It's a lot of fun and on either side of the market are tons of restaurants to enjoy a bite or a glass of wine.
Cannes was really underwhelming for me and I wouldn't particularly recommend it but I really enjoyed Eze and Monaco. We took the boat cruise to Monaco and it was beautiful. It takes only 45 minutes but gives you a view of the entire coastline.
On a day trip to San Remo, we stopped at the small town of Ventimiglia to change trains and discovered that they have a huge flea market on Friday. We went back to Ventimiglia to find the biggest open air market we've ever seen. Fruits, vegetables and flowers are a cook and photographer's delight; then move on to the commercial areas and you'll find tables loaded with wheels of parmesean, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, spices - you really do want to take things back to the nearest kitchen and start cooking. There are leather goods, purses and hand sewn gloves along with so many other fun finds - can you imagine seeing fur coats at a flea market!
As for transportation, Nice has train service both east and west to visit the neighboring towns, there is excellent local bus service. Delta has a non-stop flight from JFK to Nice; likely others do as well.
Anyway, I hope this will give you some idea of the wonderful, memorable and relaxing time you can have on your honeymoon in the French Riviera.
Oct 18th, 2010, 02:52 AM
#6
Anyone going to Ventimiglia would be well advised to avoid the counterfeit items if they are returning to France after shopping. The mobile customs units are looking specifically for that, and the fines are based on the value of the authentic items, not the counterfeit ones.
Oct 18th, 2010, 07:08 AM
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My wife & I have been visiting the Riveria for over 33 years - for a total of around 16 weeks. We've never had problems alternating relaxing days-at-the-beach with active sightseeing days. I would suggest that you allocate a beach day early in your trip. Visit the market (antiques on Monday, food on other days) in Old Nice in the AM, then around 11 go to one of the many private beach concessions (we like "Bleu Beach"), rent a chaise, umbrella, etc and spend the day sunning yourself. Reserve a table for lunch at the concession (if you want to dine after 1:30 - before 1 you probably won't need a reservation). Likewise, in St Tropez - except the "famous" beaches are out of town a bit - you'll have to drive there. We like Tahiti - quite decadent.
There is a lot to see on the Riveria besides the waterfront stuff. The Nice Hinterland (area in back of Nice/Cannes) has lots of nice villages like St Paul, and farther inland you'll find many more cute villages that are less touristy. This area is where the Alps dump into the Med, so there are beautiful canyons, gorges, mountain vistas, etc.
I would suggest splitting your time between Nice & St Tropez. Nice offers all the amenities of a large city and it is a public transportation hub. St Tropez is small - but close to lots of other stuff to do & see. Perhaps for 12 days, 7 days in Nice & 5 in St Tropez. After 5 days in Nice, rent a car & explore the Nice Hinterland. Also explore the area around St Tropez by car.
I wrote a 27 page itinerary for the Cote d'Azur & Provence that I've sent to around 2,000 people on Fodors & aol. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach a copy to the reply e-mail.
We've been to the Caribbean & Mexico several times - and after about 4 days I get really bored. The Riveria offers more opportunities to do lots of stuff, or do nothing.
Stu Dudley
There is a lot to see on the Riveria besides the waterfront stuff. The Nice Hinterland (area in back of Nice/Cannes) has lots of nice villages like St Paul, and farther inland you'll find many more cute villages that are less touristy. This area is where the Alps dump into the Med, so there are beautiful canyons, gorges, mountain vistas, etc.
I would suggest splitting your time between Nice & St Tropez. Nice offers all the amenities of a large city and it is a public transportation hub. St Tropez is small - but close to lots of other stuff to do & see. Perhaps for 12 days, 7 days in Nice & 5 in St Tropez. After 5 days in Nice, rent a car & explore the Nice Hinterland. Also explore the area around St Tropez by car.
I wrote a 27 page itinerary for the Cote d'Azur & Provence that I've sent to around 2,000 people on Fodors & aol. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach a copy to the reply e-mail.
We've been to the Caribbean & Mexico several times - and after about 4 days I get really bored. The Riveria offers more opportunities to do lots of stuff, or do nothing.
Stu Dudley
Oct 18th, 2010, 01:18 PM
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One wonders why Stu Dudley never simply puts up a trip report on Fodor's containing his intinerary, or creates website since he is a computer programmoer. Why the request people give him their e-mail address? Just asking a logical question.
Oct 18th, 2010, 05:01 PM
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I've been to the Ventimiglia market several times and was thoroughly unimpressed. Cheap goods, knock-offs, and just plain junk. None of the markets on the Italian Riviera holds a candle to any in France. Just a fact of life. There are wonderful markets in Italy, but Ventimiglia's not one of them IMO.
Oct 19th, 2010, 12:30 AM
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Will stick to what I said about the Venti flea market - it's a fun market. There are definitely cheap goods from the Asian continent but that's not what interested us and what's the big deal, just walk past what you don't want to look at. We brought back fresh sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms, cheese and sausages.
This market is not the caliber of the Cannes or Nice antiques markets, in fact I don't recall seeing any antiques, but that's not what this market was intended to be. Since StCirq has already decided that the markets on the Italian Riviera don't compare to any in France, it's surprising that he/she would return to a thoroughly unimpressive place several times. In any event, we had a blast and enjoyed our time in Ventimiglia! It's a nice little town.
This market is not the caliber of the Cannes or Nice antiques markets, in fact I don't recall seeing any antiques, but that's not what this market was intended to be. Since StCirq has already decided that the markets on the Italian Riviera don't compare to any in France, it's surprising that he/she would return to a thoroughly unimpressive place several times. In any event, we had a blast and enjoyed our time in Ventimiglia! It's a nice little town.
Oct 19th, 2010, 02:26 AM
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Hi there,
If you are searching for apartments for rent on the French Riviera, try this website http://www.primaryrentals.com.
They offer a great selection of apartments in Nice, Antibes, Cannes and other places. Each of their properties is mapped.In the property description you can find information on how many metres the property is from the major places of interest for example the train station etc.
If you are searching for apartments for rent on the French Riviera, try this website http://www.primaryrentals.com.
They offer a great selection of apartments in Nice, Antibes, Cannes and other places. Each of their properties is mapped.In the property description you can find information on how many metres the property is from the major places of interest for example the train station etc.
Oct 28th, 2010, 08:21 PM
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Thanks for all your responses so far. It sounds like splitting time between Nice and St. Tropez would be best. Would a week in Nice and 3 days in St. Tropez be good? Or is that too much time in Nice and not enough in St. Tropez?
Also, we'd really prefer not to have to rent a car. At the same time we still want to feel like we can see most of the sights. Is it easy to get around Nice and St. Tropez without a car? Is it easy to travel between Nice and St. Tropez? How about getting to other places in the French Riviera? Would renting a car for a day or two be worth it to see sights off the beaten path or to just drive up and down the coast?
In addition to the French Riviera, we're also considering Amalfi Coast for our honeymoon. I'm sure everyone's opinion differs, but what are your thoughts about going there for a honeymoon instead of the French Riviera? I've read in some other threads that some people say Amalfi Coast is "better" so I wanted to see what you guys think!
Also, we'd really prefer not to have to rent a car. At the same time we still want to feel like we can see most of the sights. Is it easy to get around Nice and St. Tropez without a car? Is it easy to travel between Nice and St. Tropez? How about getting to other places in the French Riviera? Would renting a car for a day or two be worth it to see sights off the beaten path or to just drive up and down the coast?
In addition to the French Riviera, we're also considering Amalfi Coast for our honeymoon. I'm sure everyone's opinion differs, but what are your thoughts about going there for a honeymoon instead of the French Riviera? I've read in some other threads that some people say Amalfi Coast is "better" so I wanted to see what you guys think!
Oct 29th, 2010, 08:17 AM
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What makes us return to the Riviera frequently is the Nice Hinterland, the Var countryside around Cotignac, and the small villages and Pampelonne Beach outside of St Tropez. If you want to visit any of these spots - then you'll need a car. A good plan would be to stay in Nice for 3-4 days without a car & visit the coastal towns of Villefranche, Antibes and Menton by train. If Cannes & Monaco interests you - then visit them also. Then rent a car & visit St Paul, Vence, Tourrettes Gourdon, the Loup "loop", Peille, Peillon, Gorbio, Sospel, Luceram, Gorges de vesubie, and about a dozen other spots in the Nice Hinterland.
Then head to St Tropez visiting Fayance, another Tourrettes, Seillans, Bargemon, and Callas before heading south to St Tropez. This is a very scenic drive.
In St Tropez, use the car to get to Pampelonne beach, Grimaud (perched village - not the port), Gassin, Ramatouelle, Bormes, a drive on the N98 through La Mole, and the Corniche de l'Esterel.
I think 6-7 days in Nice & surrounds, and 3-4 days in St Tropez would be fine.
We've visited the Amalfi Coast & Capri on 3 different trips - stayng 3-6 days each time. Unless you want to spend a lot of time driving up & back on the difficult Amalfi drive - there is not and much "other" stuff to do in the immediate area as there is on the French Riviera. If you want to spend LOTS of time sunning yourself at the beach - then 10 days there would be OK - but I would get bored. We stayed in Positano while on the Amalfi coast plus several nights in Capri.
I don't believe you have e-mailed me to ask for my Riviera itinerary yet. Since I posted this idea on Oct 18 - about 20 other people have requested it - in addition to the 2,000 other people over the last 10 years.
Stu Dudley
Then head to St Tropez visiting Fayance, another Tourrettes, Seillans, Bargemon, and Callas before heading south to St Tropez. This is a very scenic drive.
In St Tropez, use the car to get to Pampelonne beach, Grimaud (perched village - not the port), Gassin, Ramatouelle, Bormes, a drive on the N98 through La Mole, and the Corniche de l'Esterel.
I think 6-7 days in Nice & surrounds, and 3-4 days in St Tropez would be fine.
We've visited the Amalfi Coast & Capri on 3 different trips - stayng 3-6 days each time. Unless you want to spend a lot of time driving up & back on the difficult Amalfi drive - there is not and much "other" stuff to do in the immediate area as there is on the French Riviera. If you want to spend LOTS of time sunning yourself at the beach - then 10 days there would be OK - but I would get bored. We stayed in Positano while on the Amalfi coast plus several nights in Capri.
I don't believe you have e-mailed me to ask for my Riviera itinerary yet. Since I posted this idea on Oct 18 - about 20 other people have requested it - in addition to the 2,000 other people over the last 10 years.
Stu Dudley
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