What town on Cote d'Azur?
Jul 27th, 2008, 05:49 AM
#1
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What town on Cote d'Azur?
My husband are thinking of taking a 2 week trip to the Cote d'Azur next year. We had planned to go to Greece, but it all got too complicated. We'll save that for another time.
Our thoughts were to fly into Paris, then train to Nice. We've seen here that that trip is 6 hours, however we thought we also read somewhere there was a "fast" train that did it in 3 (??).
We plan to spend 2 nights in Paris, then go on to the Cote d/Azur, then spend 2 more nights on the way back home (we may fly back to Paris, depending on how long the train really is).
We do not want to rent a car, so are tyring to decide which town would give us easy access to transportation, and also be one with shops, restaurants, and a nice place to base. Although Nice looks great, I think it is bigger than we want.
I love the sound of Saint Tropez, but I know it is a bit far from the other towns. It seems to be the sort of town, though, that we would like to stay in. Our goal is to see St. Paul, Nice, Villefranche, Monaco, Eze and Antibes. We really don't care much about Cannes.
What are the options that would have good train service to these towns?
Our thoughts were to fly into Paris, then train to Nice. We've seen here that that trip is 6 hours, however we thought we also read somewhere there was a "fast" train that did it in 3 (??).
We plan to spend 2 nights in Paris, then go on to the Cote d/Azur, then spend 2 more nights on the way back home (we may fly back to Paris, depending on how long the train really is).
We do not want to rent a car, so are tyring to decide which town would give us easy access to transportation, and also be one with shops, restaurants, and a nice place to base. Although Nice looks great, I think it is bigger than we want.
I love the sound of Saint Tropez, but I know it is a bit far from the other towns. It seems to be the sort of town, though, that we would like to stay in. Our goal is to see St. Paul, Nice, Villefranche, Monaco, Eze and Antibes. We really don't care much about Cannes.
What are the options that would have good train service to these towns?
Jul 27th, 2008, 06:40 AM
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In my opinion, Nice would be a good base from which to explore the other towns you mentioned and Nice is a wonderful city. It is well-connected by train, bus and air travel. I see that you want to spend 2 nights in Paris upon your arrival, and 2 nights before you return home. You might want to reconsider this, since a taxi from CDG to the centre of Paris is pricey (50 to 60 euros). Since you will be at the airport anyway, why not continue on to Nice. Then, at the end of your trip, you could hop a train from Nice to Paris which will take you into the centre of the city. I don't know of a 3 hour train between Paris and Nice. The TGV (high-speed) is about 6 hours. I will be in Nice for 10 days this September and have rented an apartment through a company I heard about on this forum. Here is a link to their website. http://www.nicepebbles.com/
Bonnes Vacances!
Bonnes Vacances!
Jul 27th, 2008, 07:56 AM
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Hi wanderer1,
Quite a few years ago, I went along at the last minute on a trip with friends who had already done all the planning.
We stayed in Cannes, which none of us really liked. If I wanted high rise condos and over-priced boutiques, I could stay at home in Newport Beach, CA.
From there we visited (by car) Grasse, St. Paul du Vence, Vence and St. Tropez. Also did another full day down to Arles and Aix (really too far for a day trip in my opinion).
I really liked St. Tropez, but would not want to stay there if trying to visit all the others. Too far away and from what I understand the traffic in/out of the town is horrific in the summer.
We didn't spend time in Nice itself, just flew in/out, but other Fodorites have said it's a nice city to visit. Museums and great trans if you are without a car.
Note: one thing we did enjoy in Cannes was a boat ride over to Isle St. Margherite and a stroll around the fort. This is the fort where Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo" was imprisioned, or was it the "Man in the Iron Mask"? The whole island was scented with wild honeysuckle and the views from the fort of the coastline were very nice.
Quite a few years ago, I went along at the last minute on a trip with friends who had already done all the planning.
We stayed in Cannes, which none of us really liked. If I wanted high rise condos and over-priced boutiques, I could stay at home in Newport Beach, CA.
From there we visited (by car) Grasse, St. Paul du Vence, Vence and St. Tropez. Also did another full day down to Arles and Aix (really too far for a day trip in my opinion).
I really liked St. Tropez, but would not want to stay there if trying to visit all the others. Too far away and from what I understand the traffic in/out of the town is horrific in the summer.
We didn't spend time in Nice itself, just flew in/out, but other Fodorites have said it's a nice city to visit. Museums and great trans if you are without a car.
Note: one thing we did enjoy in Cannes was a boat ride over to Isle St. Margherite and a stroll around the fort. This is the fort where Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo" was imprisioned, or was it the "Man in the Iron Mask"? The whole island was scented with wild honeysuckle and the views from the fort of the coastline were very nice.
Jul 27th, 2008, 08:05 AM
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We spent three nights in Nice, in May 2006. It didn't feel too large to us at all, and its location is great for day-trips by bus or train. Vieux (sp?) Nice is charming, and the promenade is beautiful at night.
Here is my trip report, including a recommendation for our hotel and some restaurants and day-trips:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34810691
Here is my trip report, including a recommendation for our hotel and some restaurants and day-trips:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34810691
Jul 27th, 2008, 11:52 AM
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I would vote for Antibes/Juan les Pins. Antibes and Juans are both small beach towns, decent beaches, shopping and restaurants, hotels in every price range. We had a car, but the train offers easy access to all the towns along the coast (Our son and his girlfriend took the train from Florence to meet us - changed trains in Nice and we picked them up in Antibes). We visited St. Tropez, Cannes, Monaco, Antibes and Biot while we were based on Juan les Pins.
Jul 27th, 2008, 12:04 PM
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I vote for Ville Franche sur Mer. For the last 2 years I have rented an apartment thru VRBO and have this beautiful balcony apartment.
The back road in to Nice is only 15 minutes. I park in the underground parking garage and go to the street Market which they have everyday I think but it is better on weekends.
Also there is a Caraforre (sp)right down town which this store is similar to our Walmart.
This is the apartment and rates are very low.
http://www.vrbo.com/65020
The back road in to Nice is only 15 minutes. I park in the underground parking garage and go to the street Market which they have everyday I think but it is better on weekends.
Also there is a Caraforre (sp)right down town which this store is similar to our Walmart.
This is the apartment and rates are very low.
http://www.vrbo.com/65020
Jul 27th, 2008, 12:05 PM
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Hi wanderer1,
A few years ago I spent time in Beaulieu sur Mer and liked it a lot. I didn't have a car (don't like them for travel, actually) and easily walked to Villefranche and St. Jean Cap Ferrat. It was very easy to hop a train to see Monaco as well, and it will probably be just as easy to see Antibes by train.
Getting inland can be a little harder though. I think you'd have to take the train to Nice and then a bus inland to see Eze and St. Paul. Or maybe a train to Eze on the sea, then a bus inland to the hilltop village. I'm not at all sure.
If I were you, I'd stay in Villefranche or Beaulieu. I didn't like the looks of Nice, and I just don't like cities anyway.
Good luck!
s
A few years ago I spent time in Beaulieu sur Mer and liked it a lot. I didn't have a car (don't like them for travel, actually) and easily walked to Villefranche and St. Jean Cap Ferrat. It was very easy to hop a train to see Monaco as well, and it will probably be just as easy to see Antibes by train.
Getting inland can be a little harder though. I think you'd have to take the train to Nice and then a bus inland to see Eze and St. Paul. Or maybe a train to Eze on the sea, then a bus inland to the hilltop village. I'm not at all sure.
If I were you, I'd stay in Villefranche or Beaulieu. I didn't like the looks of Nice, and I just don't like cities anyway.
Good luck!
s
Jul 27th, 2008, 01:15 PM
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No train service from Villefrance to St. Tropez or from anywhere?
The reason we want to stay in Paris before moving on to Nice/Cote d'Azur is that I have a problem flying with my legs swelling and has a bad scare this year when flying home from Italy. The less time in the air the better. So any way we can break up long flights, we do.
The reason we want to stay in Paris before moving on to Nice/Cote d'Azur is that I have a problem flying with my legs swelling and has a bad scare this year when flying home from Italy. The less time in the air the better. So any way we can break up long flights, we do.
Jul 28th, 2008, 05:24 AM
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Villefranche is on the train line between Vintimiglia (Italy) and Nice and onwards.
The correct spelling for Carrafore is Carrefour.
My feeling is that you have to look into Nice for lodging as the small towns along the coast east of Nice are quite expensive. Forget the west coast towards Antibes. Crowdy and noisy places.
The correct spelling for Carrafore is Carrefour.
My feeling is that you have to look into Nice for lodging as the small towns along the coast east of Nice are quite expensive. Forget the west coast towards Antibes. Crowdy and noisy places.
Jul 28th, 2008, 07:09 AM
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...and the correct spelling is Ventimiglia (good to know when looking up trains).
I think there is such a vast difference in feel between Nice and the smaller towns that if one doesn't want an urban feel, it really doesn't make sense to stay in Nice.
What is it about St Tropez that appeals to you? Maybe you can get that in a town better connected to transport.
I think there is such a vast difference in feel between Nice and the smaller towns that if one doesn't want an urban feel, it really doesn't make sense to stay in Nice.
What is it about St Tropez that appeals to you? Maybe you can get that in a town better connected to transport.
Jul 28th, 2008, 08:22 AM
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The appeal of St. Tropez lies only in what I have read -
that it has retained alot of it's charm as a fishing village despite the onslaught of tourism, is beautiful, has great beaches (not that important to us), can take boat trips from there, and it's size. Not that big.
We really liked Positano when we stayed on Amalfi Coast in May. Alot of it because of it's small (@4K) size.
We could have stayed in Sorrento, which had easier connections to the other towns, but it "felt" too big to us.
Although we loved Rome....
Thinking perhaps Antibes or Villefranche since St. Tropez is too out of the way? It seems both have train service?
that it has retained alot of it's charm as a fishing village despite the onslaught of tourism, is beautiful, has great beaches (not that important to us), can take boat trips from there, and it's size. Not that big.
We really liked Positano when we stayed on Amalfi Coast in May. Alot of it because of it's small (@4K) size.
We could have stayed in Sorrento, which had easier connections to the other towns, but it "felt" too big to us.
Although we loved Rome....
Thinking perhaps Antibes or Villefranche since St. Tropez is too out of the way? It seems both have train service?
Jul 28th, 2008, 08:52 AM
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What time of the year will you be going next year? If it's late spring/summer you will find that St-Tropez is extremely crowded. If you're looking for a small-village feel, that won't be it.
If you don't care about the beach, why not stay in one of the small inland towns? One might be Mouans-Sartoux, which is on the train line between Cannes and Grasse. Or you could stay in the charming town of Valbonne and do your sightseeing from there by bus.
Since the places you mention you want to visit are all between Nice and Cannes, it would make sense to base yourselves in that area rather than way down in St-Tropez.
If you don't care about the beach, why not stay in one of the small inland towns? One might be Mouans-Sartoux, which is on the train line between Cannes and Grasse. Or you could stay in the charming town of Valbonne and do your sightseeing from there by bus.
Since the places you mention you want to visit are all between Nice and Cannes, it would make sense to base yourselves in that area rather than way down in St-Tropez.
Jul 28th, 2008, 01:17 PM
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Our plans are to go May/June of next year.
I should have qualified the beach statement. While we do not care to go and lie on the beach or swim, we VERY much like to walk down by the beach, sit by the water, eat at cafes on the water, etc. So inland doesn't appeal to us (to stay).
IF we end up staying in Nice for whatever reason - cost and/or ease of transportation, after doing some reading I realize there are different "sections", as with any city, I guess.
Which is the better area to stay - Port, near Train, near the Bus, the Promenade, the Old Town, or "the Main Shopping area"? We loved staying around the corner from Campo dei Fiori in Rome if that gives anyone an idea of our taste. Our apartment was quiet, away from the campo, but it was literally a 2 min. walk. We went there every night to walk around and people watch, or have a glass of wine, walk by the shops, stop for a slice of pizza, and every morning to see the market and poke around, have a cappuccino at a cafe nearby off the campo.
We are looking for safety, restaurants and shops (not high-end designer - we don't care about that), maybe a food store, and transportation.
Speaking of transportation, would we want to be closer to the bus station or the train station? Can we get to the towns we want to go to via either? Is one better than the other?
I should have qualified the beach statement. While we do not care to go and lie on the beach or swim, we VERY much like to walk down by the beach, sit by the water, eat at cafes on the water, etc. So inland doesn't appeal to us (to stay).
IF we end up staying in Nice for whatever reason - cost and/or ease of transportation, after doing some reading I realize there are different "sections", as with any city, I guess.
Which is the better area to stay - Port, near Train, near the Bus, the Promenade, the Old Town, or "the Main Shopping area"? We loved staying around the corner from Campo dei Fiori in Rome if that gives anyone an idea of our taste. Our apartment was quiet, away from the campo, but it was literally a 2 min. walk. We went there every night to walk around and people watch, or have a glass of wine, walk by the shops, stop for a slice of pizza, and every morning to see the market and poke around, have a cappuccino at a cafe nearby off the campo.
We are looking for safety, restaurants and shops (not high-end designer - we don't care about that), maybe a food store, and transportation.
Speaking of transportation, would we want to be closer to the bus station or the train station? Can we get to the towns we want to go to via either? Is one better than the other?
Jul 28th, 2008, 05:17 PM
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I would suggest that you fly to Nice, spend your time in Riviera, then go to Paris (yes, the train is 6 hours), and fly out of Paris. That's what we did.
We thought Nice was very nice and convenient for visiting other places. I would recommend visiting Monaco, too.
We thought Nice was very nice and convenient for visiting other places. I would recommend visiting Monaco, too.
