Yorky

I will be spending a week in the Nice area next month from 20th to 27th Sept. I am hiring a car at Nice airport, as I am travelling with my mother and it is easier for her this way. Will the summer traffic on the main roads have reduced from the usual jams in July and August.

I have booked four nights in Menton and am looking for somewhere for the other three nights within 60 to 90 mins drive of Nice airport. Any suggestions? Realisitically I need a hotel that offers parking.

Any useful suggestions on where to visit will be appreciated. I do plan a day in Monaco (which I will do by train from Menton), a visit to the Rothschild Villa and a day over the border into Italy.

I also assume we should have reasonanbly good weather at this time - perhaps 70F?

Michael

If you like modern art, go visit the Fondation Maeght near St. Paul de Vence. There is also a Matisse Chapel in Vence.

abbydog

I had this dilemma myself and opted for six nights in Vence to travel both west toward St. Tropez and east toward Menton, with three nights at the end, carless, in Nice. Sounds like you could use more of an east-west plan, since you're already booked in Menton. A few years ago I loved staying in Antibes. Traffic can be a little rough getting in and out of the city, but it's well located and there's lots to see right in the city (which is small and walkable). If you'd rather be in a village, I chose Vence because it's lovely in and of itself and also convenient to the A8. Do you want specific hotel suggestions? If so, does the hotel need an elevator?

Mimar

Another vote for the Fondation Maeght and the cute little town of St. Paul de Vence. The only problem is it's west of Nice.

You seem to be avoiding Nice, a charming city with quite a lot to see. And the main part of Nice is flat, which would make easy walking for your mother. Maybe end the trip in Nice, dropping the car after you drive in.

If you're planning to drive along the Italian coast, that part of the Italian Riviera is rather uninteresting. Lots of highrises with cheap holiday flats. If you just want to go into Italy, maybe go inland instead.

ethrush

Driving in that area is not too bad as long as you stay out of Nice. Actually, the problem there is that you can't get a parking space, and end up driving around and around narrow streets with cars parked so that there's only one lane. They were installing a new tram line last time we were there, which should make it easier to get around Nice without a car. Be sure to visit Ville Franche, and there's a Grecian style mansion that you pass by on the way to the Rothschild place that's worth a look.

scatcat

I have been to Menton twice, and I think I may have missed something. I did not like it. Many others on this forum have praised it, so I must not have seen what others have.

So, if this were my trip, I would spend the whole 7 nights in Nice and do day trips. And I have done exactly this many times. I do not rent a car, but I am able to travel by train or bus to so many wonderful places. If you would rather stay in a small town, Villefranche is absolutely beautiful, and it's only about 10 minutes from Nice. You could park your car and take the bus or train to Nice.

As for the weather, I have been several times in mid September and the weather was perfect.

If you like Picasso, the museum is in Antibes. It is a small museum, which I prefer. It has a terrace overlooking the water with beautiful views.

immimi

I'd go to Antibes - delightful non-hilly town with reasonably
ease in parking. And, of course, easy train access.

TPAYT

Another vote for Antibes, Villefranche-sur-mer and also Eze. Also add on the stunning greek house when you visit the Rothschild.

jkbritt

We were in Nice for 3 nights and wished we had booked more. Plaza was very interesting at night. Beach make of stones was interesting and they have a handicapped access ramp, which was nice. We also took a day trip to Grasse, which was 1 Euro each way by bus. Wife did a perfume tour, which she loved. Also bought some there for home use.

TimS

If you like modern art, in addition to the museums already suggested do not miss the Chagall and Matisse museums in Nice. Both are wonderful!

LowCountryIslander

Yorky...

I was in Nice last year for the first week of October and had lovely weather. Yes, you are correct saying temperatures in the 70's. We were blessed with 6 beautifully sunny days, but as we all know, weather is something we can never pin down! I wish you a fantastic trip with good weather!

julia1

So much to do, so little time! Here is a map if you'd like to look at the locations of some of the places I am about to mention, relative to Nice: http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p56361369.html

In an earlier post I wrote:

You can catch the train to Villefranche, then walk 20 minutes around the bay to the Rothschild villa and gardens on Cap Ferrat: http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p56361405.html Of course you can also reach the villa by car, but the walk is lovely.

You can go to Cagnes and visit Les Colettes, the house and studio where Renoir spent his final years when his arthritis became too unbearable in the cold of northern France, and walk through the olive grove he saved from development, with 1,000-year-old trees. http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p56361378.html

Or drive to Gourdon and visit the chateau, with an early garden by Andre Le Notre, garden architect for Versailles. It perches precariously above the Gorges du Loup, hanging out over the void: http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/p56900451.html

You can go west from Nice to Toulon, where there is a funicular that will take you to the top of Mt Faron, http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p51833570.html where you can walk on soft trails through light pine forest, the ground carpeted with wildflowers and thyme and panoramic views to die for http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p51833659.html and http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p51833653.html As you walk you'll hear the roar of lions and tigers who live in the nearby wild cat sanctuary!

Hyeres is one of my favorite places along the Provençal coast, about an hour west of Nice. The town itself rises up a hillside a couple of miles from the sea, with a maze of interesting old streets leading upward and winding through. There's even a 'rue Paradis', which passes through an old stone archway with a ceiling of golden stars painted on deep blue: http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p51833630.html.

Hyeres is very different from most of the other seaside resorts along the côte d'azur, because it's a real town for real people, as well as being a resort, mainly for the French. There's a lovely square with large old plane trees and cafes and a good market - I'm not sure but I think it's on Saturdays. The Place Massillon, another open square, features a Knights' Templars tower from the 13th century http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p51840834.html watching over the small cafes that spread their tables out onto the pavement http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p51833631.html.

Another market, this one for fruit and vegetables and olives, stretches away down one of the side streets http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p51833650.html. At the top of the hill are the remains of an old castle and wonderful views out over the mountains and the sea and islands. Just below the castle is Park St-Bernard, where there is the Villa Noailles, famous for its 1920s/Art Deco/Modernist garden, and also Castel Ste-Claire, once the home and garden of author Edith Wharton. The garden is open to the public and it, as well as Park St-Bernard, have trails and good walks as well as beautiful views over the red tile rooftops of the town http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p51833573.html.

Beyond Hyeres ville is the peninsula Presqu'ile de Giens, connected to Hyeres by a 4-mile-long wide and sandy beach, from Almanarres on the west side and Hyeres plage on the east. Between the two are ancient Salines des Pesquiers, where the 2,000-year-old shallow salt pans shimmer in blue and aqua and violet because of the varying rates of evaporation and salt concentration in the water http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p51840831.html. These and the large Etang des Pesquiers attract migrating flamingos which can often be seen in large flocks along the shallower edges feeding on small shrimps.

On Giens there are a couple of small villages and some good walks, one of which will take you to a large sea-water pool carved out of the rock, where you're welcome to swim sans-suit if you wish http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/p51833592.html. There's also a small port and from here you can catch ferries to the Porquerolles Islands - the islands are another story of their own!

There are also more salines and often more flamingos, a long sandy beach and a couple of small villages about a 20-minute walk to the east of town, near the Port d'Hyeres, with a small restaurant which served heavenly crepes the last time I was there.

Nearby, a short ride on a local bus, Bormes-les-Mimosas is a lovely, but heavily-touristed, small town on the hillside above La Lavendou. Bandol is also a short bus ride away, another pretty but heavily touristed town, but the beach is beautiful and the wine is good.

Here are more of my photos from south of France, if you're interested: http://jmstudio.fotopic.net/c1542303.html If you scroll down about half-way, you'll see Nice. You'll also see images from Hyeres and photos from some of my favorite daytrips from Nice and Hyeres.

TPAYT

julia1----your photos of the south of France are lovely, thanks for posting. It's one of our favorite areas.

We also loved the Renoir studio in Cagnes. I'm wondering if you ventured to the top of Haut de Cagnes and the Grimaldi Museum. This poster mentions parking, and that was the most interesting parking in France.

You get to the top and just when you give up on anywhere to park, you come upon what looks sort like a car wash door. You drive in and there is another door at the front of your car. You get out and exit the garage and the first door closes. Now you can see through a window as the second door opens and what looks like a huge fork lift takes your car down into the mountain and puts it in a drawer. We were sure we'd never see it again.

A man gives you a ticket. When you return and give him the ticket back you can watch as the huge machine retreives your car and puts it in the original garage for you.

They park many, many cars in the mountain with only 1 person running the computerized machine-----AMAZING!

Has anyone ever parked there or elswhere like that?

Yorky

Hi everyone.

Thanks for taking the time to post your informative replies. I've got plenty to consider now. An explanation of why I have left out Nice - I've been here twice, both times for a day as our cruise ship docked in Villefranche. I want to see the rest of what the Riviera has to offer

Cheers - Happy holidays to you all