DH and I will arrive in Nice in mid October, after a long flight, due to arrive around 5:30 pm. Rather than drive immediately to our destination, Aix, we'd like to spend the night and rest. Does anyone have any advice as to whether it's best to stay in Nice or a smaller town away from the city? We haven't booked car rental yet, and I'd love advice on whether there's somewhere better than the airport to rent. We're not thrilled about driving around Nice looking for a parking lot. Perhaps we could take public transit to the hotel, then pick up the car the next day?

Things to keep in mind: we don't want to drive more than 45-60 minutes from airport after arrival...we don't do well with jet lag, darkness and not knowing where we are. Also, at the end of our trip, we will have two nights to stay near Nice, so we will have time then to explore the area. (I will work on that hotel decision after we get this taken care of!)

Thanks to anyone who can give us some advice.

If you pick up a car at the airport, it will take you:
- 20-30 mins to drive into Nice + whatever time it takes to find a place to park
- 1 3/4 hrs to drive to Aix on arrival day + probably less time to find a parking place than in Nice
- 20 mins to drive to St Paul de Vence, and almost no time to find a place to park (stay at Le Hammeau & dine in St Paul somewhere).

If you stay in Nice, I would take a taxi to the hotel. You can pick up a car at the Nice train station in the AM - but there is commute traffic in Nice in the am on work days.

A late evening and a morning is just about the right amount of time to spend in St Paul.

I would stay in St Paul (we've spent 16 weeks vacationing on the Cote d'Azur).

Stu Dudley

Thanks, Stu, and thanks for the itinerary you just sent me!

We will take a look at St. Paul.

The centre of Nice ia approx. 4 miles from the airport. I would take the airport bus for a few euros or taxi to a Nice hotel. Go for a meal at one of the many restaurants, maybe an outdoor cafe and then if you are not too tired go for a stroll along the wonderful Promenade des Anglais. Next day pick up your car. I love Nice at night. Have a wonderful trip.

I would recommend staying somewhere near the beach. After the flight, you will enjoy strolling the boardwalk under palm trees along the beach in the balmy evening. St. Paul is pretty, but has no sea breeze.

You can do that
- in Nice (about 20 min from the airport - but you need a hotel with a parking garage),
- in Cannes (this would be my preference - about 30 min from the airport and in the direction of Aix),
- in Antibes (about 15 min from the airport).

Take the airport bus into Nice for 4€. it travels along the Promenade de Anglais. Walk to hotel.

We stayed here http://www.hotelmassenet.com/ they have undercover car parking or the airport bus stops just near here. the hotel is half a block from the Promenade and very close to some excellent restaurants. Hotel is set back of the side street and is very quiet.