scrb11

Yeah it has the most transport links to all along the coast. It’s not necessarily the most scenic place, like a bay view from Villefranche sur Mer — though you will pay dearly for that view — but if you want to get somewhere by public transportation, you likely will pass through Nice, so you can save some time by being based in Nice.

johnnyX

Eze has a beautiful view and should not be skipped.
If you like beaches you can stay most of the time at Nice.
If you'd like to see nature and go on a small boat trip in a torquise lake (+ You've rented a car, its a 2-3 hours ride), Verdon Gorge is a really cool place.

kerouac

Wow, looks like that week planned for the Med should be extended to a month with all of these suggestions. Have any of you started a crowdfunding site to pay for all of your suggestions? Or are you just feeding your personal fantasies?

I myself was a bit confused in the OP by the reference to a "fiancé" rather than a "fiancée" before the person was identified as a "her." Then again we don't know if the OP is a "him." (Fodor's -- and its posters -- can be a bit confusing sometimes.)

shelemm

Of course (!) we are going to tell the OP about favorite places, but we will also mention what we didn't like.

My first trip was a one night stay at my boss's family villa on St Jean Cap Ferrat. We walked around Nice and we also drove to have lunch and walk around Villefranche.

On my return trip, for a week, Nice was the only place I wasn't thrilled with. The excitement and beauty of the Cote d'Azur rested elsewhere for me. Nice is not bad for a day.

I find it odd you are still giving travel advice to a region you claim is only for "silver haired dowagers."

If the OP has seven nights, I think the OP should rent a car for at least three days to see the beauty of the region. It is totally worth it.

kerouac

That would be a wonderful wedding gift from you.

shelemm

What an odd post! As in all threads, Fodorites give suggestions and it is eventually up to the OP to decide. If everyone's suggestions are different, I see that as perfectly normal and helpful.

It a testament that the region has so many different things to offer and there is more than one way to experience it. I don't get your sourness.

shelemm

According to your initial post, it wouldn't. Perhaps you have already forgotten what you wrote.

I find that most people asking on Fodors have very limited knowledge of the possibilities. So they ask here. They are never under any obligation, obvs.

To the OP, I would also check out Cascade de Gairaut. It's in Nice!

kerouac

I see that irony is not your strong point.

shelemm

You're right, I don't get irony. I wear wrinkle-free clothes.

Ratasnipe

Again, I am sorry because I am new to Fodors. My **Fiancée (I am a guy) and I will be traveling there. The intention of this post was to get a broad view of different experiences and suggestions people had who have travelled to the area before. Even though I am in no place to do nearly half of the things suggested, it still gives me a good overview of various options.

Christina

ok, I'm a bit confused on all the suggestions and am not the kind of person who tells people they can't travel without renting a car. Especially in places with good public transportation.

I also don't consider a 6-7 hr train trip after maybe 8- hours of flight plus the energy of dealing with the arrival, and stopovers, and getting to the TGV station (and building in some hours "just in case" )to be relaxing. Especially when you have only a week. I would not do that (take TGV to Nice from CDG).

By train, I've enjoyed Antibes, and also you can go to Grasse. I also would not stay only in Nice, I could do splitting the stay in Nice and some other part of Provence. Then you could take the TGV back to CDG if you really wanted to but I don't think you have any nonstops to your home from there anyway, so wouldn't be a point to that when you can get nonstops from Nice to JFK or EWR.

There are flights to the US from Nice that do not change in BRU, plenty of them. In fact most of them. I don't know who changes in BRU or where you would be going in the US that that was the best option, but United has flights that go through Frankfurt, of course, as well as nonstop from Nice to EWR. if you take Lufthansa/UAL, you can transfer in Frankfurt and then fly nonstop to Orlando. Or you can fly UAL nonstop from Nice to EWR in the US. KLM flies nonstop from Nice to JFK. If I were doing that from where I live in US (IAD, a big UAL hub), I could transfer in FRA or MUC of course, and if AF/Delta in CDG.

scrb11

It would help if the OP listed interests, like art, food, scenery, history, etc.

How they prioritize them, whether they would enjoy museums vs. outdoor activities like hiking, biking, etc.

gooster

If you are simply connecting, going through Paris and taking the train is indeed inefficient (it takes 5 hours, 40 minutes). It only makes sense if you are stopping in central Paris. You will often find more cost effective flights via a connection, usually through Frankfort, London, MUC, Zurich or other portal city. There are indeed direct flights from JFK, EWR and Atlanta on 3 different airlines-- but they are seasonal. Delta's via JFK last until October, the others end in September. The Delta flight used to be year-round, so eventually we may see the schedule expand back. You can book open jaw itineraries, like fly direct to NCE and then return via Paris (taking the TGV between the two). But with a week breaking the trip into more than two locations can be very inefficient, especially since the OP expressed a desire for a relaxed pace. (I have a place on the Cote d'Azur -- I am very familiar with flights, sights, etc.)

coral22

Congratulations!
What a beautiful, romantic place for a honeymoon!
I also advise you to not take the train down from CDG. I also advise to make your short flight and connection in the States, so when you land from the transatlantic flight, you are in Nice.I hate to land after a long flight, tired and wanting a shower, and having to struggle to a train or another flight, when I just want to already be there.

I do agree that Nice has the best transportation options, more opportunity for budget options, and more to do, but I wouldn't want to spend the whole week there. It is definitely worth seeing.
We stayed in Villefranche and we did LOVE that. We stayed at Hotel Le Provencal, I notice, on their website, this October the rates are $225 for the room we stayed in with the small curved balcony facing the water. They also have a city view room for $175 . I, also, notice on VRBO, there is a small apartment with a sliver view of the water for $129, but I don't have any experience with that. We loved the views, the charm, and the romantic candlelit restaurants on the water. It had the quaint feel we were dreaming of. It has a quiet small beach wIth sand as opposed to a lot of the pebble beaches nearby. It has great train and bus access to the nearby cities. We did have a car, which did make it easy for quick visits for many places in the area, but that is a budget buster, so maybe just for 1 or 2 days?

We loved Eze,Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. We did go to Monaco to do the palace tour and peak in the Casino, which my husband liked more than I did, but if it is on your list, it is worthwhile. Cannes was ok, Saint Tropez again just ok.

We also, loved Aix en Provence, Cassis, and the Calanques but with your desire for a more relaxed itinerary, I don't know that these would fit in. And you would definitely need a car for those.

My advice might be to stay in 2 different locations, Nice and somewhere more secluded, with a view. Maybe more budget friendly in Nice? Then you would have a city energy experience and a peaceful romantic escape. Rent a car for 2 days to cover the area more efficiently. Enjoy!

uktravelover

Hello again Ratasnipe. The suggestions about flights are well worth looking at.
Regarding your time in the Côte d’Azur, I think a lot depends on how you want to spend your time. If you want to spend a relaxing honeymoon then I wouldn’t split the time between 2 locations as you need to factor in packing, moving, unpacking and reorientatation at the new location. There is lots to do and see in and around Nice and the Côte d’Azur without moving hotels. If you prefer more of a road trip and want to hire a car, then I suggest you post a separate question/ thread with a proposed itinerary.

Ratasnipe

This was very helpful. Because of points transfer partners, I am definitely leaning toward UAL, Air Canada, or Air France. I hope this doesn't sound gushy, but especially when it comes to my Fiancée, just the fact that we are in Europe is enough to make her happy. One thought I had as well was the idea of going to Paris early on the day before we leave, stay the night, and head out the next day lol. It would be one of those scenarios where if we had a relaxing week on the French Riviera, and than one crazy fast-paced day where we could see the Eiffel tower, it would be worth it to her. But I'm obviously still in the planning phases.

kerouac

I still vote for Marseille rather than the Côte d'Azur, probably a character flaw on my part. But maybe not.

scrb11

Why?

Value?

Something specific about Marseille or the area around it?

kerouac

Value would be a top reason for the "budget friendly" idea stated in the OP, but I do understand that the allure of the Côte d'Azur for people who believe its myth can be overwhelming. There was also the desire to visit the calanques, which are unique. The replica of the recently disovered Grotte Cosquer is another item that is completely unique. Cave paintings showing penguins! Cosquer Méditerranée - Site officiel de la restitution de la Grotte Cosquer (grotte-cosquer.com)

But Marseille itself has the Mucem, Notre Dame de la Garde, the Château d'If (Count of Monte Cristo) and lots of quirky areas like the Panier and its amazing graffiti art.

And there's the fact that it is only 3h20 from Paris by TGV, city center to city center which makes it much more easily accessible than the Côte d'Azur without leave a huge deadly carbon footprint.

scrb11

I've stayed once in Cassis, loved it.

Missed a chance to go for at least a day trip to Marseille but now want to do it.

I did a boat tour of the calanques from Cassis, looks like it would be the same ones going from Marseille, just a longer trip.

The Marseille port looks spectacular though.