happy2travel

I will have time to take one (or possibly 2) day trip from Nice. There are quite a few destinations to choose from and I do not have much experience with the south of France. I would love to read about your favorite day trips from Nice which will help me select mine, and will also allow everyone to read about positive experiences that others have in this part of France.<BR><BR>BTW, I will be in Nice during the early part of June and do not intend on renting a car. I will rent a car though if it seems necessary.<BR><BR>Thanks to all who can help!

Judyrem

Happy2travel. I will be interested in the responses too. We are in Nice, May 6 for 5 days, then onto Italy.

chicgeek

We enjoyed Eze very much. You could do that, and also see the sights in Monte Carlo if you would enjoy that.

happy2travel

Judyrem, I am happy that the answers to this question can help both of us. Aside, from helping me to select my day trips, I always love to read about fellow travelers' special experiences.

angeleno

I have to vote first for Monaco. You can take a casino bus that leaves from the town center (three years ago i paid about $3 for the fare). The views on the ride are absolutely breathtaking, and Monaco is a gorgeous seaside town. It sparkled in the sunshine like a gem.<BR> <BR>My second place vote would be Antibes, because I thought it was charming and I like the little Picasso museum quite a bit.

stevenc

Don't miss St Paul de Vence. Just behind Nice about 30km.

fluffy

I second the vote for st. Paul de Vence, it's one of my all time favorites, be sure to have lunch at the famous restaurant la Combre d'Or( spl?)<BR>It's really worth the $( about $100- for 2 with wine) reserve a table on the out side patio, under the olive trees.<BR>You can drive from Nice, if you do not have a car it's a short(15min.) cab ride.<BR>Viva la France<BR>Fluffy

Weadles

From Nice, you can easily take a bus to St. Paul de Vence,a medieval walled city about 9 miles beyond Cannes. If you go, try to have lunch at L'Columbe d'Or, a small hotel/restaurant that once hosted Picasso and still houses many Picasso paintings. The view from the stone terrace over St. Paul de Vence is not to be missed, and the food was equally spectactular!<BR>I would also highly recommend a half-day trip to St. Jean Cap de Ferrat, which is about 6 miles E of Nice. You can get there and back by bus from Nice. There's a beautiful cliffside walk along the water, which winds along the same road as some of the old villas. Down at the harbor, there are some interesting galleries and boutiques, as well as small seafood restaurants like LE SLOOP. <BR>It might be possible to combine a visit to St. Jean with a visit to Monaco. You could do this by grabbing a taxi to the Beaulieu train station. Beaulieu is the next town over from St. Jean and has service ( as I remember?) to Monaco. Obviously check all this out first at the Office de Tourisme, 5 Promenade des Anglais in Nice.<BR><BR>Have a great time!

Weadles

By the way, as I remember it, St. Paul de Vence is about a 40-50 minute trip by bus from Nice.

ThinGorjus

St. Paul de Vence is very nice, but girl, you had better get your Jimmy Choos there early because it fills up with tourists PDQ. Lots of lovely little shops with bric-a-brac, nick-a-nacks, and things. Eze is cozy enough to wander around and you can go to Fragonard Perfumerie. They sell to all the great perfume houses of France-Chanel, Anick Goutal, Patou, etc. It is not Farmacia Santa Maria Novella, but the prices will have you salivating like George Bush Jr. over an oil well. Monte Carlo is beautiful, especially the Promenade BEHIND the Grand Casino. Marvel at the Botero sculpture of Adam and Eve and note the seagulls that will eat candy out of your hands. Shop at Louis Vuitton and Gucci with French film starlets recovering from Lipo. Ciao, my darling.

artlover

I would agree with the Picasso Museum in Antibes--also there's a wonderful market there--and walking around Antibes is lots of fun. Plus, this can easily be done by train.<BR><BR>St. Paul de Vence is beautiful, but very touristy. Worth checking out in the area is the Foundation Maeght--modern art and sculptures if you interested in art (which I am).<BR><BR>Also, another easy train ride is the little town of Villefrance sur Mer--just a bit south of Nice which has a wonderful fort and is fun to walk all around.<BR><BR>The hardest part is going to be picking just two. Let us know what you decide and how it goes. Have a great trip.

happy2travel

Thanks to all for your replies! It seems like St. Paul de Vence is the clear favorite so far, with Monaco coming in second. Just to be clear, though, the town is a 15 minute cab ride and a 40 minute bus ride from Nice? How much would a cab cost and how much would the bus cost?<BR><BR>The funny thing is that I will have already been in St. Paul de Vence for a few hours, just a few days before. I will be on a tour that will be stopping in St. Paul de Vence in the morning and then going on to Cannes for lunch. But, I have heard so much about the restaurant that many of you have mentioned that I was thinking about going back. What do you think? Should I go back to St. Paul de Vence to take in a little more of the town and to eat at the fab restaurant, or should I visit someplace else?<BR><BR>I have also been to Monte Carlo on a previous occassion but was only able to spend half a day due to it being part of an excursion from a cruise ship. That excursion also included Eze and the flower market in Nice. So, considering I was only there for 1 day I did see quite a bit.<BR><BR>Weadles also mentioned St. Jean Cap Ferrat. That also seems like an interesting choice. The town sounds beautiful.<BR><BR>I would love to continue to read your suggestions. Thank you again, everyone, for your input.

happy2travel

artlover, I must have been posting at the same time your were. You are so right about it being difficult to select just 2 towns.<BR><BR>I have read alot of positive opinions about the Musee Maeght in St. Paul de Vence. I am hoping that I'll have enough time to stop in although, from what I have read, the museum is a bit out of the way.<BR><BR>I am going to look into Antibe and Villefranche sur Mer. I have read that this town is charming. Would I be able to easily catch a bus to either of these 2 towns?<BR><BR>Thanks again!

Kavey

Perhaps you can have two planned options - one to go back to St Paul de Vence and one for somewhere else such as Eze (loved it) or Monaco (didn't get there)?<BR><BR>You'll be able to decide whether or not you've &quot;done&quot; enough of SPdV once there for the shopping stop.<BR><BR>We went in November and were pleased to find that SPdV wasn't busy at all - we parked right outside the gates and strolled around. We ate at restaurants inside the walls a couple of nights.<BR><BR>Eze is beautiful and we also saw it when not crowded. I wish we'd gone into the succulents garden at the higher reaches. We didn't eat there and I'm not sure a visit there would take up more than a few hours.<BR><BR>We also took the car and drove out into the country side - we enjoyed a trip to Utelle though it was the views on the way and from the top more than the village itself that we loved, though it was pretty in it's own right too.<BR><BR>Kavey

lekker

If you visit St Paul - it is not far from my favourite - Tourettes Sur Loup! This is a beautiful medieval town with lots of little artisan shops - has a very lively feel. I do not know how easy it is to get their by public transport?<BR><BR>I also vote for Eze - and if you have a car - the beautiful little village of St Agnes - a few (about 10 km) from Menton. A small village high in the mountains, with breathtaking views from Menton and the ocean!<BR><BR>Enjoy!

americaine

My votes are for Eze or Monaco. HAPPY TRAVELS!

Weadles

Happy2travel,<BR><BR>I don't think there's any way that St. Paul de Vence is only a 15-minute cab ride from Nice. Also, a cab ride there would be quite expensive. I'd opt for the bus from Gare Routiere ( main bus terminal in Nice) if you decide to go. The other posters are right that it is very touristy in St. Paul, but the view and lunch at L'Colombe d'Or made me forget all about the crowds. It also depends on what season you're going.<BR>Have a great time!

Brian_in_Atlanta

We did day trips from Menton (very close to Nice) without a car to Eze and Antibes. Enjoyed both very much. <BR><BR>If you're looking for some exercise, you can hike up to Eze from the Eze sur Mer train station and reward yourself with a crepe and a bottle of cold rose wine at a little cafe right at the entrance to the walled town. Lots of winding pedestrian-only streets and some great views of the coast below. Just make sure to give yourself plenty of time to get back to the station - we missed our train and spent 2 pretty boring hours waiting (there's little to do down there).<BR><BR>Antibes is larger and bustling. If you're into boats at all, you'll be pretty impressed with the ones in Antibes port. Easily reached from Nice by train. The train ride itself is pretty enjoyable.

julie_Colorado

There's not much to see in St. Paul de Vence - so I wouldn't go twice (and it is very, very touristy). There are lots of other lovely walled cities quite close by (Tourettes sur Loop, Vence). Eze and Monaco make a nice day trip - Monaco is busy, Eze is beautiful and very laid back.

PabloG

Another vote for Eze. See if you can have a drink, lunch, or dinner at Chateau Eza. AMAZING view.<BR><BR>http://hotelsdeluxe.com/ChateauEza/