I am trying to plan our 25th anniversary trip the beginning of May. This will be the first time that my husband and I will be in Europe together and I am planning on two weeks. I am thinking that we will fly into Paris, spend 3 or 4 nights there (sounds like we should stay at Four Seasons Hôtel George V Paris). We would like to spend a week in the South of France by the sea and use this as our base for relaxation and day trips. Then perhaps the remaining 3 or 4 nights in Barcelona. I am hoping for suggestions on apartments or hotels- especially in Cote A'zur. Definitely open for sugggestions and help! Would love to make this special.

We liked Nice as a base, since there are many easy day trips which can be done without a car, if you choose: Vence & St Paul, Monaco (only to say you were there, really), Eze, Entrevaux (a must, if you like tiny villages with history, and a very interesting train trip on the way!), and other coastal villages easy by bus. We stayed at, and liked, the mid-priced Hotel Windsor, but if you can afford Goerge V in Paris, maybe you would go for the Negresco in Nice.

I agree about Nice...a great place to spend some time and from which to make easy day trips. But you might also consider the peninsula of St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, which has 3 luxury hotels: the Voile d'Or, the Royal Riviera, and the super Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat, in ascending order. The area is only a short drive from Nice and has beautiful views.

ttt

I was really hoping to splurge in Paris and perhaps rent an apartment or friendly, helpful hotel in Cote A'zur. I have found a couple of great apartments in the Villefranche-Sur-Mer area. I know that it is close to Nice. Great views....any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks in advance.

http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/Fra...-Mer/p8595.htm

The above is a nice place in Villefranche sur Mer. I have stayed there. Private, gated parking. Convenient to everything. Can walk a blok and catch bus for 20 min ride into Nice old town..Drive, bus, train to everything in the area.

A nice spot...enjoy

GraceJoan3....this apartment looks fantastic. We stayed at the Hotel Welcome for five nights last May and would love to take an apartment in Villefranche some time soon. Can you tell me where this apartment is located relative to the Hotel Welcome? Is it directly above the hotel, or closer to the train station, or located back toward Nice? Thanks so much for posting this link.

Hotel Welcom is, as you know, down on the water level. This villa is on the main road to Monaco, up above the Hotel Welcome in the direction of the train station.

The apt. has a large deck with a retractable awning...You can see it off to the left when facing the water. That area of the railroad has been in many movies.

You enter from the road through gates for parking...walk down some steps and then into the building. A good floorplan. Nice, nice people(British) to rent from..not local. The building does have a resident person for help, etc.
I think anyone would be comfortable there. I took the bus..one block away..into Nice "old town"..a 20 minute ride. Much better than driving. You could do the same for many places, and/or take the train.

Anything else??

Thanks so much for your help. This will be our first time in France. We don't speak the language. Will we be OK without the help of a concierge at a hotel? Do you recommmend a car? Are there restaraunts, markets, etc within walking distance?

GraceJoan.....thanks for the new information. Just one more question: Is it a long or difficult walk from the apartment down to the waterfront? I've climbed the stairs up and down several blocks while exploring the town, so I presume that the walk is not a problem. What a great apartment.....I hope I get to live there sometime soon.

Re: Language. Just learn the common coutesies for greetings, etc. You will find english speaking to be very common.

Re: car. I prefer to have one. You could arrange to pick one up at the Nice airport. It is an easy drive to the apartment mentioned. I would use the bus into old Nice. You could use a combination of the car, bus and maybe train for trips.

Re: Walking up/down. You can do the walking..it is quite steep..easy going down!! I only did it once..drove down, with easy parking at the bottom. Drive to grocery store. Many sites to see.

Enjoy.....

gracejoan3,
I am in the process of providing my deposit for the villa that you recommended. We will be there May 17-24. Any info that you could provide with the location, area...would be extremely helpful. Thanks!!

dcrandall

Glad to hear that you have rented the place. You might mention my name to them Joan Grace. I rented it early Oct., 2004. My husband had jsut died the month before.

Anyway go to Mappy and pull up a map of Villefranche. You will see the main road Albert 1er. It is above and to the left of where you see the train station down below. When driving there from Nice, I presume you will round a rather sharp curve to the right..please note the bus stop across the way.. you will not be far from your villa on the right. A drive in to the gate..easily seen from the road.

They had (or did have) a person in residence to help you. That person speaks English. When I was there she was on vacation and the substitute very little English.

Nearest large grocery store at Beaulieu-sur-Mer. Have to kind of watch for it on the left.

Walk back down to the corner and take the bus into Old Nice..about 20 minutes..very easy to do..bus runs very often both directions.

For Villefranche Village, I would drive down to the waterfront..very good parking down there. Otherwise a very steep climb back up. After the first time I drove down!!

They have a great deal of info available. Get online or pick up som things for the area. You can drive to so many, many places nearby. If you get a little lost, that' OK, too!

An easy drive fromn the Nice airport. Just main road. Driving within Nice is very crowded and not a lot of fun.

Let me know if I can help in any other way..

Joan