paris and the french riveria
Mar 5th, 2011, 07:01 PM
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paris and the french riveria
i am planning a trip to paris and the french riveria i am traveling with my husband and teenage daughter.i would love to hear some great itinerry ideas we are planning to stay in paris for 4 days then take the train.we want to go to nice cannes st.tropez any suggestions about where to stay and what to do would be great its our first trip there.we will be traveling in july
Mar 5th, 2011, 08:19 PM
#2
I like Cassis is better than St Tropez, it's more like St Tropez before the Briget Bardot invasion.
Nice is wonderful, I didn't care too much for Cannes.
Nice has a great diversions from museums to different parts of town. If money is not an issue, The Perouse overlooking the sea and a short walk to the old nice with the great markets.The Olive oil from there is worth buying.
Nice is wonderful, I didn't care too much for Cannes.
Nice has a great diversions from museums to different parts of town. If money is not an issue, The Perouse overlooking the sea and a short walk to the old nice with the great markets.The Olive oil from there is worth buying.
Mar 5th, 2011, 09:53 PM
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e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll send you my 27 page Cote d'Azur & Provence itinerary. I've sent it to over 2,500 people on Fodors.
Stu Dudley
Stu Dudley
Mar 6th, 2011, 03:25 AM
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I have been doing the same trip for the last few years.
I usually fly from Paris to Nice where I rent an apartment.
I find Nice to be the best option for me because of the fabulous inexpensive public transportation.
I also love the town itself.
From Nice you can go to any town on the French Riveria by bus for 1 euro.
If you want to go to St. Tropez, you can take a 1 day tour by boat. It takes about 2 hours, gives you about 3 hours to walk around the town and then goes back to Nice. You get the flavor ot the town. The boat trip itself is great.
There are so many wonderful places to see and things to do if you stay in Nice.
I usually rent an apartment in the old town , a section of Nice that I love.If you are planning on spending a week or so, it pays to rent an apartment,
Hope this helps
I usually fly from Paris to Nice where I rent an apartment.
I find Nice to be the best option for me because of the fabulous inexpensive public transportation.
I also love the town itself.
From Nice you can go to any town on the French Riveria by bus for 1 euro.
If you want to go to St. Tropez, you can take a 1 day tour by boat. It takes about 2 hours, gives you about 3 hours to walk around the town and then goes back to Nice. You get the flavor ot the town. The boat trip itself is great.
There are so many wonderful places to see and things to do if you stay in Nice.
I usually rent an apartment in the old town , a section of Nice that I love.If you are planning on spending a week or so, it pays to rent an apartment,
Hope this helps
Mar 6th, 2011, 04:02 AM
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I agree with tdk. We rented a fabulous apartment in a lovely building on Victor Hugo Blvd that was convenient to everything. It was nicely furnished and we felt comfortable there but it was also very convenient for drinks or dinner out and a short walk to anything. The kitchen had everything we could possibly want if we chose to stay in. We found our apartment on Ownersdirect.com but also look at Nicepebbles.com for other very good selections. Have a wonderful trip.
Last year we stayed in a villa in Antibbes which was not close to anything including public transportation and we had decided not to get a car. With all the day trips we took, it ended up costing over 500 euros just in taxi to get in and out of the villa. Never again. We stayed in Nice in Feb at the apartment I mentioned and used that as our home base. It was close to the bus lines, walking distance to the train and that's all you'll need. Check Stu's guidance but using Nice as your base, you'll be able to do lots of day trips and see everything along the coast.
Nice has a fabulous flea market with antiques on Mondays at the Cours Salaya. It's lots of fun if you like that kind of thing.
Last year we stayed in a villa in Antibbes which was not close to anything including public transportation and we had decided not to get a car. With all the day trips we took, it ended up costing over 500 euros just in taxi to get in and out of the villa. Never again. We stayed in Nice in Feb at the apartment I mentioned and used that as our home base. It was close to the bus lines, walking distance to the train and that's all you'll need. Check Stu's guidance but using Nice as your base, you'll be able to do lots of day trips and see everything along the coast.
Nice has a fabulous flea market with antiques on Mondays at the Cours Salaya. It's lots of fun if you like that kind of thing.
Mar 6th, 2011, 04:45 AM
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take the TGV to Nice
Citadines Aaprtments are cheap nice
right on the promenade there on the beach
booking.com otel.com other good options
Break up your journey each way if you like
www.beaune.com and/or Arles www.lecalendal.com
both very cute... Happy Journey,
Citadines Aaprtments are cheap nice
right on the promenade there on the beach
booking.com otel.com other good options
Break up your journey each way if you like
www.beaune.com and/or Arles www.lecalendal.com
both very cute... Happy Journey,
Mar 6th, 2011, 04:46 AM
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Mar 9th, 2011, 07:30 AM
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My daughter and I loved our three-night stay in Nice. Here is our trip report, including day trips and restaurants in Nice:
"We arrived in Nice in the early afternoon on Friday, via train from Venice. Our Hotel le Grimaldi (http://www.le-grimaldi.com/) was a short cab ride from the train station. Cab was 10EUR for myself, my daughter, my gargantuan bag, and her two small ones. We were greeted graciously at the hotel, which immediately struck us as a good find.
The hotel is actually two Belle Epoque buildings back-to-back. One side is much prettier to enter, as it faces a nice church. The other side is fine, too, but a bit boring. I think the side on rue Grimaldi is the plain one, and the other side on rue Maccarani is prettier.
The man at the front desk carried my bag to the room, and showed us around. There’s a business center on the ground floor, with free internet use on their two computers, and a free printer to use. (Also wireless in the lobby, I think for a fee.)
Our room was a ‘classic’, twin-bedded room, which was large enough, had a little balcony, a sparkling tile bath with fluffy bright yellow towels, and nice toiletries. It was 150EUR, plus tax and 10EUR per person if we opted for the hot/cold breakfast buffet. They suggested we check out the buffet (served till 10:30a.m.), and if we were interested the next morning, we could sign on for it. Their deal is that you have to buy it everyday to get the 10EUR rate. Otherwise, per day, it’s 15EUR.
So the next morning, we were happy to find hot eggs, proscuitto, yoghurts, cereals, cappuccino, assorted croissants, juices, etc. We thought it a good deal and quite convenient, so we enjoyed it each morning.
For our first dinner, I had brought the name of a restaurant I’d found on Fodor's Travel Talk, and the front desk agreed it was a good one, a local favorite in old Nice. It’s called Acchiardo, at 38 rue Droite in Vieux Nice. We headed over for their opening at 7p.m., and were very happy with it. Really friendly and attentive service, very quaint and casual atmosphere, with a good menu.
I had a steak dinner, which actually included vegetables on the side. My daughter had two different salads. We had bottled water and a half-liter of house red wine. When the bill arrived for 28.50EUR, I thought they’d made a mistake because it was so much less than I’d been accustomed to paying in Venice, Florence and Rome. But, no, it was correct. (We would have maybe eaten there another night, but found out it closes on weekend nights, believe it or not.)
We walked all over old Nice, then through the pedestian area to the promenade and took that way back to the hotel. It’s such a beautiful walk at night. The Chateau hillside is all lit up, the palm trees are lit, and the waves look so pleasant. It was how we ended each of our Nice nights, with that walk back to the hotel.
The next day we decided to take the short bus ride on the #81, to visit the Villa and Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild, near Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. (The bus is just 1.30EUR each direction, which you pay in exact change on the bus.)
It was a nice visit, especially to see the views of the sea down below on both sides of the hillside. I thought the price was a bit steep, at 9.50EUR for an adult, because the Villa isn’t really all that interesting (sorry!), but the gardens are pretty. There’s also a nice little café there, for a light snack or drink or meal, which was a welcome break from all our walking.
From the Villa, we did the easy walk down to the port of St. Jean to walk around and check it out. There are nice boats in the little harbor, with cute restaurants and shops. It’s very tiny, so doesn’t take long to walk from end to end of St. Jean. We spent just about an hour and a half there, then caught the #81 back to Nice.
That evening, we returned to old Nice for dinner. We loved that neighborhood’s little streets, overall atmosphere, and cute shops. We found the Restaurant la Tapenada, 6 rue St. Reparate and had a very nice dinner. It was probably about 60EUR for the two of us, on their fixed price menu, with a bottle of house wine. Very nice little place, with friendly and attentive service. They even let my daughter trade her dessert for a salad. So she had two salads to start, one after the other, and they timed the arrival of our main courses perfectly. We were perfectly happy with our meal there.
The next day we decided we’d stick to the coast and see Antibes, which is a short 20-minute train ride from Nice. We were glad we’d chosen Antibes, as it’s beautiful. The sea wall makes a nice walk, and the Centre Ville is very charming.
We wandered its streets, shopped in a tiny clothing boutique, found a little place for omelettes (nothing special, but nice enough), then headed back to Nice by train after about 4 hours total. It was a good choice for a quick day-trip.
That evening we weren’t very hungry, so opted for the simple Pasta Basta, once again in old Nice. It was a nice meal, although not extraordinary. Good prices and decent service.
All in all, we were very impressed with Nice and the surrounding area. It’s a very pretty city, with a friendly attitude, sitting on a lovely shore. There are many options for things to do near Nice. We’d considered St. Paul de Vence and Digne, but with the beautiful clear weather, we were drawn to stay at the seaside, and were glad we did."
"We arrived in Nice in the early afternoon on Friday, via train from Venice. Our Hotel le Grimaldi (http://www.le-grimaldi.com/) was a short cab ride from the train station. Cab was 10EUR for myself, my daughter, my gargantuan bag, and her two small ones. We were greeted graciously at the hotel, which immediately struck us as a good find.
The hotel is actually two Belle Epoque buildings back-to-back. One side is much prettier to enter, as it faces a nice church. The other side is fine, too, but a bit boring. I think the side on rue Grimaldi is the plain one, and the other side on rue Maccarani is prettier.
The man at the front desk carried my bag to the room, and showed us around. There’s a business center on the ground floor, with free internet use on their two computers, and a free printer to use. (Also wireless in the lobby, I think for a fee.)
Our room was a ‘classic’, twin-bedded room, which was large enough, had a little balcony, a sparkling tile bath with fluffy bright yellow towels, and nice toiletries. It was 150EUR, plus tax and 10EUR per person if we opted for the hot/cold breakfast buffet. They suggested we check out the buffet (served till 10:30a.m.), and if we were interested the next morning, we could sign on for it. Their deal is that you have to buy it everyday to get the 10EUR rate. Otherwise, per day, it’s 15EUR.
So the next morning, we were happy to find hot eggs, proscuitto, yoghurts, cereals, cappuccino, assorted croissants, juices, etc. We thought it a good deal and quite convenient, so we enjoyed it each morning.
For our first dinner, I had brought the name of a restaurant I’d found on Fodor's Travel Talk, and the front desk agreed it was a good one, a local favorite in old Nice. It’s called Acchiardo, at 38 rue Droite in Vieux Nice. We headed over for their opening at 7p.m., and were very happy with it. Really friendly and attentive service, very quaint and casual atmosphere, with a good menu.
I had a steak dinner, which actually included vegetables on the side. My daughter had two different salads. We had bottled water and a half-liter of house red wine. When the bill arrived for 28.50EUR, I thought they’d made a mistake because it was so much less than I’d been accustomed to paying in Venice, Florence and Rome. But, no, it was correct. (We would have maybe eaten there another night, but found out it closes on weekend nights, believe it or not.)
We walked all over old Nice, then through the pedestian area to the promenade and took that way back to the hotel. It’s such a beautiful walk at night. The Chateau hillside is all lit up, the palm trees are lit, and the waves look so pleasant. It was how we ended each of our Nice nights, with that walk back to the hotel.
The next day we decided to take the short bus ride on the #81, to visit the Villa and Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild, near Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. (The bus is just 1.30EUR each direction, which you pay in exact change on the bus.)
It was a nice visit, especially to see the views of the sea down below on both sides of the hillside. I thought the price was a bit steep, at 9.50EUR for an adult, because the Villa isn’t really all that interesting (sorry!), but the gardens are pretty. There’s also a nice little café there, for a light snack or drink or meal, which was a welcome break from all our walking.
From the Villa, we did the easy walk down to the port of St. Jean to walk around and check it out. There are nice boats in the little harbor, with cute restaurants and shops. It’s very tiny, so doesn’t take long to walk from end to end of St. Jean. We spent just about an hour and a half there, then caught the #81 back to Nice.
That evening, we returned to old Nice for dinner. We loved that neighborhood’s little streets, overall atmosphere, and cute shops. We found the Restaurant la Tapenada, 6 rue St. Reparate and had a very nice dinner. It was probably about 60EUR for the two of us, on their fixed price menu, with a bottle of house wine. Very nice little place, with friendly and attentive service. They even let my daughter trade her dessert for a salad. So she had two salads to start, one after the other, and they timed the arrival of our main courses perfectly. We were perfectly happy with our meal there.
The next day we decided we’d stick to the coast and see Antibes, which is a short 20-minute train ride from Nice. We were glad we’d chosen Antibes, as it’s beautiful. The sea wall makes a nice walk, and the Centre Ville is very charming.
We wandered its streets, shopped in a tiny clothing boutique, found a little place for omelettes (nothing special, but nice enough), then headed back to Nice by train after about 4 hours total. It was a good choice for a quick day-trip.
That evening we weren’t very hungry, so opted for the simple Pasta Basta, once again in old Nice. It was a nice meal, although not extraordinary. Good prices and decent service.
All in all, we were very impressed with Nice and the surrounding area. It’s a very pretty city, with a friendly attitude, sitting on a lovely shore. There are many options for things to do near Nice. We’d considered St. Paul de Vence and Digne, but with the beautiful clear weather, we were drawn to stay at the seaside, and were glad we did."
Mar 9th, 2011, 08:23 AM
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I live in Nice, & I'm happy you had a good time, but some of your information is wrong. The entire bus system & the trams operate on a flat fare of 1 euro. (At the present rate of exchange that's $1.30) You can go to Cannes, Monaco, all over the place for 1 euro. You can go a lot faster on the train, which follows the coast road for just a few euros more.
You missed one of the best trips by not going to St. Paul de Vence, only an hour away by bus, a perfect Medieval walled village where
You missed one of the best trips by not going to St. Paul de Vence, only an hour away by bus, a perfect Medieval walled village where
Mar 9th, 2011, 08:30 AM
#10
We've taken the TGV 3 different times and stayed in Avignon, Aix, and Antibes.
IMO, I'd stay to the Esat. As posted above, Nice is a good choice. The towns are relatively close together and easy to drive around.
Loved Monte Carlo(the Palace is terrific) and your daughter would like Stars and Bars restaurant. The inside is cool, but the outside terrace at night overlooking the harbor is outstanding(scroll through the photos to see the outside). Hamburgers and pub food, and you may even see a celebrity or 2.
http://starsnbars.liferiviera.com/
Also loved EZE, above Monte Carlo, The Rothschild House in Cap Ferrat, and Villa Kerylos, The Greek House in Beaulieu-sur-mer, and theRenoir House & The Grimaldi Museum in Haut de Cagnes. Grasse, the perfume factory tour and Tourettes-sur-Loop are also closeby and fun.
Cannes was good for a drive through and brief stop.
We preferred the beaches in Antibes to Cannes or Nice(sand instead of stones), but the Nice beach clubs were fun. This one in Antibes was one of our favorites and it's right next to the Sentinel(sp?) walk along the rocks which was great.
http://www.antibes.co.uk/beaches/garoupe.htm
St. Tropez is way far west and the drive there was difficult and long.
This was afun look back.
Get Stu Dudley's report, and enjoy your trip.
IMO, I'd stay to the Esat. As posted above, Nice is a good choice. The towns are relatively close together and easy to drive around.
Loved Monte Carlo(the Palace is terrific) and your daughter would like Stars and Bars restaurant. The inside is cool, but the outside terrace at night overlooking the harbor is outstanding(scroll through the photos to see the outside). Hamburgers and pub food, and you may even see a celebrity or 2.
http://starsnbars.liferiviera.com/
Also loved EZE, above Monte Carlo, The Rothschild House in Cap Ferrat, and Villa Kerylos, The Greek House in Beaulieu-sur-mer, and theRenoir House & The Grimaldi Museum in Haut de Cagnes. Grasse, the perfume factory tour and Tourettes-sur-Loop are also closeby and fun.
Cannes was good for a drive through and brief stop.
We preferred the beaches in Antibes to Cannes or Nice(sand instead of stones), but the Nice beach clubs were fun. This one in Antibes was one of our favorites and it's right next to the Sentinel(sp?) walk along the rocks which was great.
http://www.antibes.co.uk/beaches/garoupe.htm
St. Tropez is way far west and the drive there was difficult and long.
This was afun look back.
Get Stu Dudley's report, and enjoy your trip.
Mar 9th, 2011, 08:33 AM
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sorry, got cut off 
where Matisse lived.
You didn't mention the other fabulous villa, the Villa Kerylos on the edges of the beautiful little town of Beaulieu with its lovely sandy beaches & warm shallow water, so unlike the beach at Nice with its treacherous drop off and hard stones.
You didn't mention the famous fruit & flower market, every morning except Monday. Or the glorious Russian Orthodox Cathedral, with its magnificent mimosa tree in full bloom. Or the CARNIVAL!!!!!
where Matisse lived.
You didn't mention the other fabulous villa, the Villa Kerylos on the edges of the beautiful little town of Beaulieu with its lovely sandy beaches & warm shallow water, so unlike the beach at Nice with its treacherous drop off and hard stones.
You didn't mention the famous fruit & flower market, every morning except Monday. Or the glorious Russian Orthodox Cathedral, with its magnificent mimosa tree in full bloom. Or the CARNIVAL!!!!!
Mar 9th, 2011, 07:01 PM
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Joma, we were there in '06, so that bus price could have changed. Otherwise, my information is not incorrect. I don't think you take the train from Nice to the Villa Ephrussi. It is so close to town
Mar 9th, 2011, 08:03 PM
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I did stay in Nice, but if I went again I would stay at
Villefranche sur mer...such a cute town..
or rent an apt in Monaco. I did spot a studio for a very reasonable rate. People watching at the restaurant outside the Grande hotel is very interesting even if a tuna sandwich and diet coke is $28.00 :0 and the grounds and parks in Monaco are beautifully kept - with many modern bronze statues - interesting place to sit and enjoy.
I was in Nice years ago, but this last time I was disappointed and would stay at one of the two cities I mentioned.
Loved taking the train in between the cities....fast travel..
I do have an interest in antiques and thoroughly enjoyed the Rothschild estate...and not so much the Greek mansion.
Much more to see - will have to wait til next time when I'm able to go.
Villefranche sur mer...such a cute town..
or rent an apt in Monaco. I did spot a studio for a very reasonable rate. People watching at the restaurant outside the Grande hotel is very interesting even if a tuna sandwich and diet coke is $28.00 :0 and the grounds and parks in Monaco are beautifully kept - with many modern bronze statues - interesting place to sit and enjoy.
I was in Nice years ago, but this last time I was disappointed and would stay at one of the two cities I mentioned.
Loved taking the train in between the cities....fast travel..
I do have an interest in antiques and thoroughly enjoyed the Rothschild estate...and not so much the Greek mansion.
Much more to see - will have to wait til next time when I'm able to go.
May 25th, 2011, 08:07 AM
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Peaceout,
Your report does not say your trip was 5 years ago. The trams didn't exist then, & they have totally changed the downtown part of the new town; a lot has changed in 5 years, including the prices. And yes, you can take the train. You take it to Beaulieu-sur-Mer & walk up from there. Or better, take the bus to the Rothschild Villa & then walk down to Beaulieu to see the Villa Kerylos & take the train back from there (1.8€ at present prices). In summer, the bus back to Nice is often full, so it's good to know about the train option.
Your report does not say your trip was 5 years ago. The trams didn't exist then, & they have totally changed the downtown part of the new town; a lot has changed in 5 years, including the prices. And yes, you can take the train. You take it to Beaulieu-sur-Mer & walk up from there. Or better, take the bus to the Rothschild Villa & then walk down to Beaulieu to see the Villa Kerylos & take the train back from there (1.8€ at present prices). In summer, the bus back to Nice is often full, so it's good to know about the train option.
May 25th, 2011, 08:39 AM
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Yes, J, times have changed. I did not mention a lot of places because one does not have time to see everything in three days. I wrote about the places we did see and our impressions of them. I think that's what a trip report is for.
