We are in Nice about 3 days. One day we want to see Nice itself and then the rest of the time we want to explore the area. While we are in Nice itself do we need a rental car? Or just to travel outside of the City?

You do not need a rental car in Nice. I have visited Nice and the surrounding area without a car. You can travel outside the city by either train or bus. A nice bus ride is to Menton. Beautiful Scenery along the coast and Menton is a nice town to explore. You can visit St. Paul de Vence by bus and stop at http://www.vence.fr/matisse-chapel?lang=fr. There are other towns along the Riviera that can be visited by train.

The regional train line and the bus lines preclude the need for a car if you are visiting just things along the coastline itself. A car is very handy, however, if you want to explore the countryside away from the coast.

THank you - so just by example how would i get to monte carlo from Nice without a car? (ive received mixed responses from diff forums?)

Commuter train for something like 3.40€ or bus for 1€.

Oh, sorry, I looked it up and the train fare is 3.60€.

If you want to investigate inland from Nice, there's the cute little Train des Pignes: www.beyond.fr/travel/railpignes.html. The usual turn-around point for a day trip is Entrevaux.

Otherwise there are lots of daytrips from Nice by public transportation. Good destinations by bus are Eze and the villa Ephrussi-Rothschild (www.villa-ephrussi.com/en/home) and St. Jean/Cap Ferrat. By train, you can go east to Menton or Monaco, west to Antibes and Cannes. And if you're in Nice in the summer, there are boat trips to some of these destinations and to St. Tropez also (www.trans-cote-azur.co.uk).

Monaco/Monte Carlo is an easy 1Euro bus ride, Bus 100, from Nice, following the beautiful coastline.
You can also get off the bus in Villefranche, and Beaulieu. Ort ake Bus 81 to Cap Ferat, Villa Euphrussi, St-Jean..

You don't need a car while you are in Nice itself and a word of warning, it could cost you a lot to park it. A few years ago our hotel charged 40€ a night. It's probably more now.

Thanks much all. makes sense!

Rick Steves' "Provence and the Cote d'Azur"
has all the transportation options clearly explained for Nice and day trips along the coast.
Very helpful. The Touris iInfo office on Promenade Anglais is helpful too.
Enjoy Nice itself.

One other option is a day tour by mini-van or car; many companies have brochures at Tourist Info office. Here is a private driver you can book a day tour with: www.friend-in-france.com