Side trip from Nice to wine country suggestions
 

I'm helping some friends with their trip planning. I was supposed to tag along, but that changed, and they've asked me to help them still plan the trip, which I'm happy to do.

Friends want to stay in Nice and explore that general area (Cannes, etc.). I see they can easily do quick trips by train. However, at the beginning or end of their trip they would like to spend a few days in a small town with hills and vineyards (and maybe a winery). They definitely do NOT want to rent a car and drive themselves, so need to go somewhere by train (or bus, or maybe even a private driver).

They will be flying in an out of Nice. Any suggestions on where to go and how to get there would be greatly appreciated!

They could go to italy and stay in Dolceacqua, and in particular they could stay at Terre Bianche winery. It is about a 20 minute taxi ride from Ventimiglia train station, which is a short train ride from Nice.

http://terrebianche.com/en/

If they didn't want to stay at the winery then they could stay in the town of Dolceacqua itself. It is a lovely town (Monet painted it) and has a number of b&b's. There are buses and taxis from the Ventimiglia or Bordighera. So it is a very easy trip from Nice without a car.

http://www.bestsmalltownsitaly.com/t...liguria-north/

Here is more information about the wines produced at Terre Bianche

http://m.princetoncorkscrew.com/news...ato-n6995993an

Thank you so much, sandralist! This is exactly the type of information I'm looking for. I will see my friends tomorrow and share this with them.

sandralist - are there transportation options between Terre Bianche and Dolceacqua? For example if they stay in Dolceacqua can they get to the winery by taxi, or vice versa if they decide to stay at the winery but want to visit town?

You or your friends should ask Terre Bianche or a b&b directly (but not during Easter holidays!). The typical thing is for a local taxi driver to be available by phone. If they want to visit town, the taxi driver will take them (or sometimes an employee can give them a lift). When they want to get back, they can call the driver or have someone at a bar or restaurant or at the winery do it. For many older people in small Italian towns, using taxis replaces owning their own car. So there are usually 2 or 3 taxi drivers in the area.

It's only about a 15 minute drive between town and Terre Bianche. There may even be a footpath if they are going in nice weather, but climbing up to the winery would be a real huffer and puffer I think. There may also be a local minibus that does a loop through the hills once or twice a day.

Sometimes in these small towns taxi fares can seem shockingly high for short trips. But if people don't want to rent a car of their own, the cost for the convenience is worth paying the driver. Sometimes hotels or agriturismi have an client arrangement with a local driver which cuts the cost a bit. But it just goes with the territory in these rural places that the local authorities set the base taxi rate at something that approximates a living wage for the drivers.

sandralist - thanks, again, for the fantastic information!

There are some wineries around St Paul de Vence which isn't very far from Nice. It's one of those hilltop walled villages. I know you can get there by bus, but it probably wouldn't even be too expensive by taxi, it's only about 15 km.

Here is the closest winery, it's right on its edge http://www.frenchriviera-tourism.com...038-rub_1.html

This is information on how to get there http://www.saint-pauldevence.com/en/...-paul-de-vence

A lot of people like to go there, anyway, aside from the vineyards, her is tourism info http://www.beyond.fr/villages/st-pau...ce-france.html

Why go to Italy ? Nice countryside is the region of AOC Bellet.
For more information on the Bellet six domains, please click on the following link : http://routedesvinsdeprovence.com/ap...ion/aoc-bellet

I have no advice but miss seeing you on the forum BG! :-)

Thanks, denisea.....how are you? Any trips to Paris planned?

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