Where would you spend more time? I'll be in France for 10 days in March, am going to spend 4 days in Paris (I've been before, but there's still SO much to do!!!!) and then splitting the other 6 days between Aix and Nice before heading back home. How should I divide up those days? I'd love your suggestions on what I should do!

I haven't spent much time in either, having visited both as part of cruise stops for the day. Both are beautiful. Aix is a little more upscale looking as far as architecture and streets. Nice has great museums, (Marc Chagall and Matisse) and the Mediterranean! If I had 6 extra days I would probably use each town as a base to do days trips and spend 3 days in each place. I know in Nice we went to Monaco and VilleFranche Sur Mer and there were many hill top villages right above us that would have been a cinch to see, if we weren't so scared we'd miss getting back to the ship on time. In Provence there are charming small towns that have important historic buildings and structures that are very impressive, interesting and close to Aix. Just do 3 and 3, you can't go wrong and I can't believe 1 is really better then the other unless you hate or love being near the sea!

Will you have a car??? It makes a big difference. What time of year?? Will you want to spend some time soaking up some rays in Nice???

Aix will definately not occupy 3 days - 1 to 1 1/2 days max. Some people spend even less time there. Nice will occupy 3 or more days - especially if you plan to spend some time in the sun.

If you have a car, Aix is not really centrally located for visiting Provence. Closer to Avignon would be better. Get a map of Provence, put a red dot next to the sites you want to visit, and then note that Aix is in a corner, and most sites will be northwest. If you don't have a car, train travel to other places will be somewhat limited to places that have a lot of similarities to Aix - Avignon, Nimes, Arles, Montpellier, etc.

In Nice, train travel to other places (Villefranche, Antibes, Cannes, etc) is much better. If you have a car, you can get to lots of cute small villages in the Nice Hinterland, and also further west just back of the coast (St Paul, Vence, Tourrettes sur Loup, Peille, Peillon, Eze. etc).

If you will not have a car, I would spend 1 night/1+ days in Aix, and the remainder in Nice. If you plan to rent a car, then 3 days in St Remy or the Luberon, and 3 days in Nice would be a good split. If you are committed to Aix and have a car, then I would spend 2 nights there, then take the back roads through Cotignac, Tourtour, Ampus, Chateaudouble, Bargemon, Seillans, Fayance, Tourrettes, then hop on the freeway to Nice & spend 4 nights there.

If this were my vacation and if I were going in the summer, I would pass on Paris (you've already been there), and spend 5 days in each southern location (Avignon & Nice). Three days in either Nice or Avignon isn't nearly enough. If I were committed to Paris and if I was going to rent a car, I think I would spend all 6 remaining days in either the Avignon area or Nice if you're going in the summer.

I know this sounds confusing - but a lot depends on whether you will have a car, and what time of year you are going. In summer I would want to maximize the time in the south, and if it's lavender season, I would want to spend most of that time in Provence. If you're going in Winter, then time in Paris would be great, and I would spend more time in the south in larger cities instead of the countryside.

Stu Dudley

I just noticed that your subject said Aix OR Nice, and your text said Aix AND Nice. Which one is it.

Also, which day of the week do you expect to head south from Paris. If it's a Sunday, then that could influence your itinerary sinced most shhops will be closed in Aix on Sunday & Monday morning - openint around 2:30 or 3 on Monday afternoon.

StuDudley wrote:
"Aix will definately not occupy 3 days - 1 to 1 1/2 days max. Some people spend even less time there."

Funny, but last time we were there, in November, we spent a week, didn't have a car, and never left the town. But we like to walk around, explore the markets, sit in cafes, and eat. Plenty of that in Aix, plus concerts, etc.

My sister just returned from Aix last week. She just raved about the food and Hotel Aquabella.

I don't like Nice, especially the Hotel Negresco. The Old Town is worth a look-see.

I really like Monte Carlo, but you have to be posh to appreciate it. Most Fodorites aren't as posh as I am. In fact, Mrs. Beckham isn't as posh as I.

Thingorjus

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts. I'll be there in the middle of March, so no suntanning for me . We won't have a car - we'll just be using public transportation. I'm thinking to arrive in Nice on the evening of the 18th, and spending the 19th and 20th there. I could take a train either the night of the 20th or the morning of the 21st to Aix. I have to leave Aix to head back to Paris on the night of the 22nd as I have an early plane to catch back home on the 23rd. Does this sound ok?

My vote goes to Nice. Aix is interesting, and you could spend a day or so there, but Nice has the Mediterranean--not to mention great sightseeing, fine restaurants, excellent museums and parks, and a branch of La Pizza. I could stay for weeks.

I could stay in Nice for weeks, too, although not at The Hotel Negresco ( beyond snobby and not worth the $$$). There are SO many day trips either by train or bus that are easy to do from Nice: Eze, St. Jean Cap de Ferrat, Monaco, Antibes and St. Paul de Vence.

It won't be beach weather in March, but there's usually great people-watching along Le Promenade des Anglais, and wonderful bistros, patisseries, galleries, and boutiques to explore in the old town. Oh- and don't forget The Chagall Museum, which is definitely worth a visit!!

After a day in Aix, we had nothing to do. If you don't have a car and depend on public transportation Nice is a place to be.

What happened to your 6 days???

You plan to arrive late on the 18th and depart the afternoon of the 22nd. That sounds like 3 3/4 days to me..

Good grief - just stay in one town - Nice - don't waste any time getting from Nice to Aix, with an extra hotel check in & out and 3 1/2 hrs consumed in train travel. You'll lose your 3/4 day so you'll now be down to 3 days to explore 2 towns - not nearly enough time. Just stay in Nice and take a RT plane to Nice & back to Paris CDG. Hopefully you'll be able to catch a very early flight from Nice to CDG so you don't waste the better part of a day getting back to CDG & staying overnight in a bland airport hotel.

Stu Dudley

I think Aix is beautiful but only one great restaurant, so I'd settle for nice where even the lesser restaurants will be better than in Aix.
Plus you have museums that might fill the taste of everyone.



I've listd 15 museums, I'm sure there are more that I don't know. I've yet to see them all/


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Matisse Museum
The Matisse Museum is housed in a 17th century Italian villa that has distinctive red walls. The collection of works housed inside include those lent from the State, his heirs, and Matisse himself, who was a resident of Nice from 1917 to 1954. Everything from his student works to those he did in his later years are displayed here. The museum is located in the heart of an olive grove that is close to the Hotel Regina, where Matisse resided during his time in Nice.
Address: 164, avenue des Arènes de Cimiez Nice France
33 (0)4 93 81 08 08









Fine Arts Museum
The vast collections at the Fine Arts Museum cover the 18th to 20th centuries. A great deal of the collection here focuses on the French 19th century, and both impressionism and post impressionism is covered here. Among the artists works diplayed are pieces by Rodin, Monet, Carpeaux, Chéret, Boudin, Vuillard, and many others.
Address: 33, avenue des Baumettes Nice France
33 (0)4 92 15 28 28








Musée National Message Biblique Marc-Chagall
Musée National Message Biblique Marc-Chagall is devoted to Chagall's treatment of biblical themes. Over 400 pieces of his work are displayed here, and among these are his oils, pastels, drawings, lithographs, gouaches, ceramics, sculptures, mosaics, and more. Several stained glass windows designed by Chagall are also displayed here.
Address: Av. du Dr.-Ménard Nice France
+33 4 93 53 87 20






Prehistoric Museum of Terra Amata
The Prehistoric Museum of Terra Amata focuses on a prehistoric elephant hunters camp. It has been reconstructed using plaster castings, and there is a recreation of a 400, 000 BC Acheulian living quarter. Audio visual displays are also located here, and there are a number of temporary exhibits.
Address: 25, Boulevard Carnot Nice France
33 (0)4 93 55 59





Naval Museum
The Naval Museum is located in the Bellanda Tower, which overlooks the sea and is itself a historic monument. Among the items displayed are navigational instruments, ancient arms, scale models, boats, paintings, and engravings.
Address: Bellanda Tower Nice France







Cimiez Museum of Archeology
A variety of temporary and permanent exhibits are housed at the Cimiez Museum of Archeaology. It is built on the monumental centre of the ancient Cemenelum, which was a country town of the Roman province of 'Alpes - Maritimes', from 14 BC to the 5th century AD. The museum is intended to illustrate this time, and the area's life and history. Among the exhibits are items such as jewellery, sculptures, ancient pottery, coins, tools, models and more. Interactive displays are also located here. The museum closes anually from mid-November until the beginning of December. Guided tours are available.
Address: 160, avenue des Arènes Nice France
33 (0)4 93 81 59 57








Franciscan Museum and Cimiez Monastery
The Franciscan Museum and Cimiez Monastery showcases the Franciscan way of life from the 18th century to modern day. The church displays various documents and works of art, and among these are a large gilded wood Baroque alter piece with a fallen Jesus on it, three paintings by Louis Brea, and a Seraphic Cross from 1477.
Address: Place du Monastère Nice France
33 (0)4 93 81 00 04







Musée d'Art moderne et d'Art Contemporain
Musée d'Art moderne et d'Art Contemporain features French and American avant-garde art from the 1960s to the present day. The different sections of the museum are linked together by glass passageways. The art displayed here includes the works of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Robert Rauschenburg. One entire section of the museum is devoted to French artist Yves Klein.
Address: Promenade des Arts Nice France
+33 4 93 62 61 62







Massena Museum of Art and History
The permanent collections at the Massena Museum of Art and History focus on the history of Nice, and the Earldom from the 11th to 19th century. The exhibits include religious and sacred art including paintings, sculpture, and silver and goldsmiths trade, and these are regional, as well as from Spain, Germany, and Italy. Also here are authentic arms and armours from the throughout Europe from the 15th to 19th centuries; Spanish, Italian, and French ceramics from the 16th to 19th century; Empirical items, including some from the Napoleonic times; and documents from the Revolution, Empire, and Restoration periods. Guided tours are available.
Address: 65, rue de France et 35, Promenade des Anglais Nice France
33 (0)4 93 88 11 34







Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is made up of four rooms, each focusing on a different area of natural history. These areas include the studies of birds, fungi, minerology, and geology. Numerous temporary exhibits are also housed here.
Address: 60 bis, boulevard Risso Nice France
33 (0)4 93 55 15 24







Mark Chagall Museum
The Mark Chagall Museum showcases the artist's life and work. Among the pieces of the permanent collection are a number of his paintings, as well as his stained glass windows, which decorate the concert hall, and a mosaic which he created specifically for the building. His preparatory sketches, engravings, art books and lithographs are also on display, as are a number of works by other artists, which were aquired by Chagall himself prior to his 1985 death, and following this by the museum itself. A cafeteria and gift and book store are located on the premises, and guided tours are available.
Address: Avenue du Docteur Ménard Nice France
33 (0)4 93 53 87 20






Musée International d'Art Naïf Anatole-Jakovsky (Museum of Naïve Art)
Musée International d'Art Naïf Anatole-Jakovsky (Museum of Naïve Art)is located in the Fabron district of Nice. The museum, named for the art critic, houses Jakovsky's personal collection. Over 600 drawings and canvases are located here, and the works are an overview of artists from over two dozen countries, and from primitive to recent pieces.
Address: Av. Val-Marie Nice France
+33 4 93 71 78 33







Photography and Picture Theatre
The Photography and Picture Theatre offers photographic exhibitions, symposiums, and conferences. There are five exhibition rooms present, and these hold everything from photojournalism to portraits to landscapes.
Address: 27, Boulevard Dubouchage Nice France 06000
33 (0)4 92 04 99 70







Museum-Gallery Alexis And Gustav Adolf Mossa
The Museum-Gallery Alexis and Gustav Adolf Mossa is an impressive collection of the artistic works of a father and son. Alexis was a remarkable watercolour painter, and the originator of Nice's carnaval procession. His son, Gustav Adolf, continued in the tradition of his father, and produced some great works of art. Pieces from both of their collections are housed here, and guided tours are available if booked in advance.
Address: 59, Quai des Etats-Unis Nice France
33 (0)4 93 62 37 11







Musée d'Art et d'Histoire Palais Masséna
Musée d'Art et d'Histoire Palais Masséna is set in a villa constructed in 1900. It is a museum that focuses on decorative art and local history. There is a First Empire drawing room furnished with mahogany-veneer pieces and ormulu mounts on the ground floor. In addition, there is a representation of Napolean as a Roman Caesar, a bust by Canova of Maréchal Masséna, a collection of Nicoise primitives, 14th and 15th century paintings, and 16th to 19th century materpieces including enamel-decorated plates and jewellery. Among the galleries are an art display of the history of Nice, and views of Nice during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Address: 65 rue de France Nice France
+33 4 93 88 11 34

Mimi,

Has the Matisse Museum reopened after the year=plus renovations? And does anyone know when the Picasso Museum will reopen (if it hasn't already)?

Jean, the Matisse is open.

Picasso in Antibes is closed until some time in 2008