Vignon

Hi,

My boyfriend and I will be arriving in Nice on 24 Feb morning, we are glad that we can make it there just before the carnival ends. Since this is our first time to join a carnival, we need advice on it, and thanks in advance for any of your opinions.

First of all, we'd like to know which kind of ticket will we need. I have checked their official website, there are 2 types of tickets available: standing and reserved seats. Which one is better? Can we get any closer to the parades if we buy a standing ticket? Also, it says free admission for persons with fancy dressing, what is that?

On the same day of our arrival, there will be fireworks at night. Where is the best place to see the fireworks?

After our visits in Nice and Menton, we'll probably be heading to Paris. A 6-hour ride on the TGV from Nice to Paris is a torture for me, so any suggestions for a city/ town in between that I can stay for a night or a few hours? If I'd like to visit another city for a few hours, anywhere in the rail station that we'll be able to store our luggages? Any thought will be appreciated.

Underhill

Fancy dress would be costumes of the sort worn for Carnival (i.e., not for Halloweén).

The 6-hour trip from Nice to Paris by train is indeed a pain in more ways than one. You could break your trip in Aix or Avignon or Lyon and spend the night before heading on the next day, but be sure that doing that doesn't cost you a bunch more euros. You probably know this, but the part of the trip from Nice to Aix, Marseilles, or Avignon isn't on the TGV--it's on a regular train, hence the time it takes.

Vignon

Hi Underhill,

Thanks for taking time to respond. Yes, I know that the part from Nice to Avignon isn't on the TGV. I hesitate to go to Avignon in Mar, 'cuz I think that we won't be seeing any Lavendar fields anyway. Also, we have already been there last July.

Do you think a trip to Annecy or Chamonix will worth it? We would like to visit the Frech Alps. We don't exactly mind the extra travelling, just wanna see something different.

Underhill

The problem is that to get to Annecy easily you first have to get to Lyon; ditto for Grenoble. So you're going to wind up with just as long a trip as going directly to Paris. How about taking the TGV from Aix? That's about a 2-hour drive on the autoroute from the Nice area, and then it's TGV all the way to Lyon, from which you could take the train to Annecy. We liked Annecy very much, but you would really need a car to see much of the nearby scenery, including the Chamonix area.

Underhill

Please let us know how Carnival goes, especially the fireworks--that's something we hope to do ourselves one of these days.

highledge

"fancy dress" is costume dress- not "dressed up. " For example, a man in a suit and tie would be dressed up, but a man in a costume would be in fancy dress. So, if you were to get dressed up in a costume suitable for carvinal you'd be all set. Easy.

Vignon

Now I wonder if I could ever be in the carnival! I tried to make reservations at nicecarnaval.com, there's always an error when it comes to online payment. I have tried it at several different pcs. I have also contacted the hotel in Nice, hope they'll be able to help. I'll start crying if they can't help!

I think I won't be in any fancy dress then, I'll be in down jackets and will pay for the tickets.

Unfortunately we don't drive. We used to drive on the left side, it'd be too stressful to learn to drive 'on the other side' in such a short trip. Also, we don't speak French at all...I'm not sure if this is a main problem, but it often worries me.

If we are not going to any other places mentioned earlier, we'll probably extend our stay in Nice, and will take the time to explore the nearby villages. Is there any excursions available in Nice?

Underhill

Try the Nice Tourist Office; they're very helpful--

http://www.nicetourism.com/GB/som.html

If you don't want to drive, I'm sure there are tours you can take; there's much to see in the surrounding area, and you can reach some places by train.