we are flying into nice. our accomidations for the first 6 nights are up in isola 2000. we then have 2 more nights in nice preferably (which we do not have reservations for yet.) before we fly out of NCE. the main things we want to do, besides the obvious, are hike, at least see italy, and venture into the french riviera with the beaches and such. i realize these things are pretty broad, but even pointing me in the right direction would be great.

even things like how long will it take to get from isola 2000 to nice? ive heard 2 hours. also what types of transportation should i try to utilize?

i am very green.

or maybe even a good book that i could be guided to.

First of all, Nice is smack on the French Riviera; so you'll get your first glimpse when you fly into Nice.

Are you going to Isola in the winter? If so, you can enjoy seeing the beaches, but the weather might be very chilly and the water will be too cold for swimming. The scenery along the coastal road is marvelous, however, and you can at least enjoy the beaches as you drive along.

Getting from Isola to Nice should take about 2 hours; as it's 89 kilometres over partly mountainous roads.

I'd suggest getting a copy of Fodor's "Exploring Provence" to get yourself oriented.

we are going next month. i've got alot of work to do.

You sure do! You'll be hitting high season in the area and may have some trouble finding hotels. But the weather for the beach will be great. Keep in mind that the beaches near Nice are pebbles, not sand; for a "real" beach you'll need to go over to Cannes and Juan-les-Pins or perhaps Villefranche-sur-Mer.

i'm going to borders in a little bit. are there any other travel guides i should look for?

Yes; the Michelin Green Guide to the French Riviera, and you might also browse through the Ulysses Guide to Provence if you can find it.

any ideas for hotels that are affordable and by the water in nice?

Exactly what do you mean by affordable? And do you mean a hotel where you can get an ocean view or just a hotel that's along the Promenade des Anglais (right across from the beach)? Hotels charge more (often considerably more) for rooms with a view of the Mediterranean.

The first hotel I'd suggest you try is the Mercure Promenade des Anglais, part of the Accor chain (Mercure, Novotel, Sofitel, and some others; do a search on the Accor site. Someone just asked about the Agata, which has some rooms with sea views. There are quite a few others, but again it depends on what you're willing to pay. Prices get lower as you get farther from the Vieux Nice area; so if you're willing to walk a fair amount you can save accordingly. Since you are evidently hikers, that shouldn't bother you!

the accor hotels are reliable?

Underhill,
Have you actually stayed at Mercure Nice Promenade? I looked at their website and the rooms look pretty basic and unattractive. I know the location is superb but I am wondering if it is worth to pay 60Euro more per night and stay at Westminster that has some character and charm?

No; we had reservations there and at the La Pérouse (sigh) but finally decided to take a good offer from the Beau Rivage. It's one short block in from the Promenade and very close to the Cours Saléya--besides being recently renovated in contemporary style.

The Mercure has a great location, but I agree that the rooms don't look very appealing. Someone on this site posted a comment awhile back that the rooms were nothing special.

Opinions on the Westminster have been mixed; it seems to be the luck of the draw on rooms, depending on whether the room has been renovated or not.

I had never heard of Isola 2000 before your post. Just did a quick search and my first reaction to your queries is:

You'll have 6 days to hike in Isola. Forget hiking when you get to Nice.

To "see" Italy in such a short visit will be a pain. Normally, I'd say get on the train that runs along the coast and be treated to great views and get out in Ventimiglia which is the first stop in Italy. But the train tunnel east of Monaco collapsed a while ago and has not yet reopened to my knowledge. Consequently if you take the train east of Monaco, you have to get out, get on a bus for a while etc. Borders are so arbitrary anyway. Remember a lot of this area has changed hands over the years. Nice IMO is very Italian.

You might consider staying in Villefranche sur Mer-not far from Nice, several hotels with water views. The Hotel Welcome is charming and basic but good with some rooms facing the water. The Versailles also gets decent reviews I think. I haven't a clue about transportation. How are you getting to Isola??