I am on a Med. Cruise at the end of May. It disembarks in Monte Carlo. We would like to also see Paris on this trip and are considering either flying from Nice to Paris, or taking the train. We think the train would be a nice way to see the country side, but would take around 6 hrs. Would this be a good way to go or would it be better to fly?...should mention, we've never been to Europe, so looking forward to seeing a lot in a two week period.

To me, there is no choice. I'd definitely take the train, especially since you've never been there before. By the time you transport to Nice Airport from Monte Carlo allowing the hour or two before flight, you fly, you collect your luggage, and you transport yourselves into the center of Paris -- the total length of time will be very close to the same, and a lot more "hassle" then simply taking the train from Monte Carlo and arriving in central Paris. (I'm hoping you can make that direct TGV train that departs at 9:07 AM?)

Realize of course, that you won't really "see" all that much from the train, but you'll still be able to get a feel for all the things you're going to want to come back to France and experience later. The earlier part of the trip along the coast will be the most inspirational.

taking the train will take a good chunk of time, as the portion from nice to marseille is non-tgv. but if you leave around 8 a.m. you can be in paris by early afternoon, and we've found going by train very enjoyable.

Patrick is correct. There is a direct TGV service leaving Monte Carlo at 9:07 AM that takes almost exactly 6 hrs to get to Paris.

There is also a train around 11:00 Am that you could take to Nice and connect to the TGV service there. That would take you a total of 6hrs 21 minutes.

The big advantages would be not having to worry about luggage weight restrictions on flights, especially if you found some sort of budget carrier connection; you'd be arriving in the center of the city, essentially, rather than at one of the airports which would require additional time and money to get you into the center of things.

I spend a lot of time in France and make this trip two or three times a year by train. Book your seats on the upper level of a two level car for best views. There is a lot to see besides the coastline. You can pack a lunch to take on the train and if you leave on an early morning train you will get into Paris Lyon staion in the early afternoon and still have plenty of time to check into your hotel and start to do Paris. I always leave from Nice and get a 7:00 am train.

There is also lots to see and do on the Cote d'Azure. Some of my favorite towns that can easily be visited by train or bus are Eze Village (not Eze sur Mer), Nice, Monton, Villefranche sur Mer, Antibes, Cannes, St.Paul de Vence, the perched villages of Paillon,Paille and the river side village of Brille Sur Roya.

Larry

Underhill, the 9:07 is direct and is all on a TGV. It turns off before Marseilles, not the same route you're thinking which I've also done.

I'm curious if anyone thinks it is possible to do the whole trip from Monte Carlo to central Paris using a flight from Nice and doing the whole thing in under 5 or 6 hours, assuming you can even get a flight that times out right for departure?

Monte Carlo to Nice :30
Nice to airport :30
wait at airport 1:00
fly to Paris 1:40
wait at CDG 1:00
CDG to Paris 1:00

About the same time as taking the train, but with more schlepping.

patrick,

when did the direct train start? i didn't know the tgv service was operating yet; does it go via aix? this is great news for us!

jean, who is still typing one-handed

You can save time and a hotel bill if you take the night train, the Corail Lunea, from Monte Carlo at 2025 to Paris Austerlitz at 0745. The fare by TGV by day is about 90 euros. In a type T2 two-berth sleeper it is about 130 euros. You save the cost of a hotel night. You see lights of Riviera towns, of course, but you are too late to see the coast by daylight. You have a good chance of sleeping well, as from Toulon at 2257 to Paris at 0745 you do not stop. It remains true that some people just do not sleep on trains: if you think you won t sleep then you won t. There is a note on getting the best from sleepers and couchettes at http://www.geocities.com/rexbickers/...ghttrains.htm/. You can book in any big station in France except around Easter and after 15 June, when you must book two weeks or more before travel: I can tell you of good agents in Florida and in Britain who use e mail, phones, and credit cards. They offer a light breakfast on the train, but I value my sleep, and ask the conductor to leave me alone until 0715, and to give me my tickets back then, not before then. At 0745 I leave the station, and on the station square find a brasserie or bar that will give me good coffee, good bread, and an omlette. Or you could take a taxi to your hotel and pay them for a breakfast. Of course they can promise a room only at noon, so you go out at once and start enjoying Paris.

[email protected]

Poor underhill. Will you get that arm out of the cast, soon I hope?

I don't know when it started, but found it on my usual site: the German one.
It makes several stops to St. Raphael-Valescure, then stops at Les Arc Draguignan, then no stops till Paris.

Thanks, ira, that's about what I was thinking, but couldn't even figure out the time involved and changes necessary to get from Monte Carlo to Nice Airport.

Ben, as you may remember I'm one of those that HATES night trains as I find them impossible to sleep on and I feel I'm missing the scenery. Since cherylm has specifically said the scenery is one of the main reasons they're thinking of the train, I'd think the night train wouldn't work very well for them. Were those fares you mentioned per person? If so, that's 80 euro, a good start towards the Parisian hotel bill.

Besides the night train takes almost twice as long!!

patrick, no cast, just an immobilizing sling. probably at least another month. drat.

that must be the new tgv nice-paris line we heard about 2 years ago, but nothing since. i wonder what was carved up to lay the line.

What great feedback-thanks! Now that I've decided to use the train, where should I purchase the point to point ticket? I've been on Euro Rail on the internet and can purchase there. Are there any other options?

Hi cheryl,

You can buy tickets up to 60 days in advance at http://www.voyages-sncf.com

You might be able to get a deep discount fare.