nostrum

1) Eze Sur Mer-- quite a small condo unit, but pretty much directly on the beach which is lovely.
2) Villa in Chateauneuf de Grasse-- very spacious to say the least, I know it's a bit of a drive to everything, but we will have a car. Is it a safe area?
3) Villa in Valbonne, again beautiful.
4) Condo in Cannes--also close to the ocean, and quite spacious

All are really beautiful properties. Due to the last minute nature of our trip, so many places are already booked and these were a few that we really liked that happen to be available.

We considered hotels, but the weekly rental is proving to be much cheaper.

Just really curious as to if there is one of those locations that you would all say 'stay there hands down no question about it' over the others.
Thank you!!!

fbc34

If they're all great properties. . .

I would choose Chateauneuf de Grasse if it's a villa with a good view. That is my favorite area, the views are terrific, and it is wonderfully convenient to almost everywhere you'd like to go, especially to the west of Nice.

Second choice would be Valbonne, because I really love that town. Also very convenient to all the places I like.

ira

Hmmmmmmmmm,
Villa in Valbonne, Condo in Cannes, Apartment in Apt, Gite in Grasse, Digs in Digne, Salle in Salon, ......

nostrum

Thank you so much for the advice!
We are now definitely torn between the Chateauneuf de Grasse, and Eze (found a larger villa with lovely views)
ooohh, tough tough choice.

The Grasse views and property are spectacular, but it's so hard to pass up on the ocean view as well as..

fbc34

I do not think you have a wrong choice here.
Either would be great. I just have a huge part of my heart in the area between Grasse and Valbonne!

Echnaton

We have had all kind of accomodations at different places on the Cote d'Azur so far - and each time the same trouble making a decision as you!

Here a few thoughts to consider:

How important is it for you to have a beach right in front of your apartment? Would you like to wake up in the morning and stroll along the beach in the morning light? When you are coming home from a sightseeing/shopping tour in the afternoon and you are warm and sweatening, would you like to go into the sea for a quick swim? Would you enjoy to stroll along the waterline after dinner?

Second aspect: Carefully check the micro-location of the place (use Google Earth). Sometimes, when they say, e.g. Valbonne, it might be five miles from Valbonne. Some of the best villas are in the outskirts of town and in steep terrain where you can reach nothing on foot but where you have to use your car for everything (getting bread in the morning, driving to a restaurant etc.). If you have the address of the accomodation (attention: sometimes they give you the address of the rental agency, not of the rental unit), you can locate it and look where it is. When you are calculating distance, forget the beeline - most roads and pathways are winding along the sloped.

Third thought: Macrolocation. Eze would make an excellent base for sightseeing to Nice, Monaco, the three Corniches, La Turbie, St.Jean-Cap-Ferrat. From Chateuneuf-Grasse, driving time to Nice will be more than an hour, giving typical traffic conditions. Driving time to Cannes will be 45 minutes, to Antibes (closest access to the sea) 30 minutes. Still, Chateneuf-Grasse will give you good access to Vence, St.Paul, Biot, many picturesque perched villages, and the gorgeous Estereal Coast and Nice and Monaco (about an hour from Chateauneuf) sre still in reach.

nostrum

Thank you,
That helped tremendously!
Strolling along the beach every day/night does sound just too good to pass up, especially since being by the ocean will be such a novelty for us as we are not near one here.

I had thought, well, we can just drive to the beach every day if we wished, but it's just not the same as being right AT the beach.

I have looked at them all on google earth as well, and done the street views... very interesting to see the streets that way.

Now, I'm just not sure if we should stick with Eze, or keep looking... Villefranche??
I very much appreciate the help!!!

CaseyMorgan

I agree that travel will be much easier if you stay in Villefranche or Eze Sur Mer (not to be confused with Eze Ville perched on the hill above). Both will give you great views, beaches, and easy transportation via bus/train to the rest of the Cote d'Azur.