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A Day on the French Riviera

We're staying two nights in July in Antibes and would like advice about visiting Nice and Monaco on our full day there. We are driving around France and have a car. Are we better off to drive or take a train or bus? Would it make sense to go to Monaco first and then visit Nice on the way back to Antibes. We live in a beach town so we're not interested in soaking in some sun -- just getting a sense of the locales.

Posted by
5687 posts

Last May I spent a few nights in NIce without a car and day tripped to Villefranche-sur-Mer and Monaco one day and to Antibes and Cannes the other. Villefranche-sur-Mer and Antibes were my favorites; Cannes was mobbed (as I expected) due to the then-ongoing film festival, but at a different time it looked like a nice town to visit.

But for some reason, I HATED Monaco and kind of wish I hadn't wasted my time. Later I heard a few others have the same reaction. Hard to explain why - just left me cold for some reason. I guess I expected something more.

From Nice, I took the bus #100 to Villefranche-sur-Mer and on to Monaco. The bus goes right along the coastline so you get some beautiful views. The train is quicker but not very scenic - some of it is through tunnels. I took the train to Cannes and Antibes.

So, you could take the train to Nice and the #100 bus on to Monaco for the scenery then train back to Antibes. The #100 bus picks up near the port in Nice not near the train station anyway, so if you go into Nice by train and get out to the old town, you'll have to get back to the train station anyway so taking the #100 might be just as easy.

Driving would give you the most flexibility of course if you already have a car, but not sure how busy it would be in July on the roads or how much of a pain parking might be. It's certainly doable by train and bus.

Posted by
7731 posts

Take the train to Monaco work your way back ; it is real easy as it stops in both walking distance to center. but if you can figure out the bus 100 do it the way recommended above

Posted by
375 posts

We also loved Ville Franche Sur Mer and enjoyed browsing at the local flea market and little shops. The beach look sandy and inviting. We took the train there, and then on to Monaco after lunch. Monaco was interesting enough to say we went, and we rather enjoy telling the story of how we couldn't get into the casino (wrong shoes). We took the tour bus around to see it all.

We def wanted to see some of the other towns by train. If we go back, we'll want to try the #100 bus as we've heard driving on the cornishes is hellish/packed in the summer. Plus, we'd both get to see the sights, rather than just the passenger.

When we got home, we saw "To Catch A Thief," with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly - who met the prince there when they were filming. So that was fun.

Posted by
228 posts

With only one full day to use, I would say "pick one" and my preference would be Monaco. There is perhaps less to Monaco than Nice, but for me it is the more iconic destination. I have visited twice, albeit many years ago. Just be prepared to feel very, very poor. You really can smell the wealth, a mixture of high-octane petrol from passing Lamborghinis, exotic perfume lingering behind passing supermodels and well-oiled leather for wallets that cost more than the cash I keep in my own.

It is a destination designed, for us mere mortals at least, with one sole purpose - people watching. Sure, there are some lovely buildings and the harbour setting is magnificent (partly due to the huge and gleaming symbols of wealth that bob around on its surface), but Monaco is an experience rather than a place.

I am lucky however, in that I never really feel envious of others, so I enjoyed the above activities. For those of us who physically long to be rich, but will probably never make it, I'm guessing Monaco might not be so uplifting ;-)

Oh, another nice thing to do in Monaco for petrol heads like me, is to find the F1 racetrack when it isn't in use. I had watched the race from my armchair for decades before I visited and, though the race weekend had passed some weeks earlier, it was nevertheless a thrill for me to stand on a rubber-streaked, red and white painted kerb and close my eyes.......

Posted by
5697 posts

I put Nice on our trip just to see the Chagall Museum -- magnificent! (If you like Chagall, of course.) Day trip to Monaco was ... OK. Fun to see how the 0.01% lives.

Posted by
5239 posts

Monaco.......meh.

Full of idiots driving around as if they're in F1. Not much to see or do, a bit dated, still seems stuck in the 80's/90's. I much prefer Nice.

Posted by
26840 posts

I spent a good bit of time in Nice last May for language lessons and took a quite a lot of side-trips. I never made it to Monaco, which I guess tells you how I prioritized it (or didn't). However, I believe it does have worthwhile sights: the prince's car collection, at least one good garden, and an oceanographic museum/aquarium that I believe is well-respected. Any guidebook will provide information on other sights and explain how to move around; Monaco is small but very hilly.

Posted by
32519 posts

Different strokies for different folkies.

I like Monaco because it is unique. I particularly like puzzles and Monaco is a particularly neat 3-D maze puzzle which I love solving.

Monaco is not level and has some fair changes of altitude in the city of Monte Carlo. What is cool is that the city has loads of public elevators, escalators and travelators. Going out of the train station you can go in 4 different directions, at 4 different heights. The tunnel into the station, and in which the station sits, is a long way up from sea level, and yet you can get to sea level several different ways, and up another hill, without climbing stairs or a hill. To cross the large harbour you take a little electric boat which is part of the public transportation system. The Exotic Garden with all sorts of cactus and succulents on many levels is fabulous. Great view of the small harbour from the picture windows of the top floor of ... wait for it ... believe it or not ... a McDonalds.

I just find all sorts of bits of the country really cool. I don't pay attention to any famous people I come across. I do love the Formula 1 course bits as I know them so well.

Then there is the changing of the guard, the Prince's car collection (not a museum you will learn), the rose garden, the Rock, and much more.

The short train ride between Nice and Monaco has some beautiful glimpses of the water and rocks. Sit upstairs on the right hand side going towards Monaco. In fact sitting upstairs on the right hand side going towards Monaco works all the was from Antibes.

Posted by
3985 posts

We're staying two nights in July in Antibes and would like advice
about visiting Nice and Monaco on our full day there.

One day? Pick one, not both unless you are a bucket list tourist.

Personally, I found Monte Carlo boring with the HUGE EXCEPTION of the Monte Carlo Country Club where the Masters tennis event is played in April. My husband and I arranged to enjoy the club for the day and played on those pristine and utterly PERFECT clay courts. So we had an EXPERIENTIAL memory of Monaco. We went in late September when the weather was warm, not hot.

If you don't seek playing tennis on the best tennis courts in Europe (that's our thing), I would recommend your 1 day be spent in Nice. Walk the old town. Walk along the Promenade des Anglais. Go for a swim in the Mediterranean; it's July and it will be HOT.

Posted by
277 posts

Thanks for the great advice, everyone. We're more like Whitman Sampler tourists. A taste here and a taste there. If anything is especially yummy, we'll spend more time on another trip. We included the French Riviera as part of the Three Week Driving Tour of France in Rick's book. Now we know the best way to spend our day here. Merci.

Posted by
11294 posts

I just want to second Nigel - I liked Monaco. While it's certainly affluent, I didn't find it off-putting-ly so (I think I just coined a new word). Certainly, while you're in the Oceanographic Museum, the Jardin Exotique, or the Prince's car collection, (three of the highlights for me), how rich or poor the locals are is not relevant.

I was also fascinated to see that, like Gibraltar, Monaco is a rock. It made me understand how easy it was to defend, which no doubt played a part in its staying independent.

I went to the casino, but didn't get past the door. Be aware that unless you are properly dressed and pay entry fees, you can't get in.

As Nigel says, even though Monaco is famously small, it's quite spread out due to water and hills, so do consider investing in the day pass for the local Monaco buses. (The casino is quite a walk to the car collection, for example).

As to your original question - I'd take the train from Antibes, as it won't get stuck in traffic. The bus works fine and is very cheap, but from Antibes to eastern destinations takes forever. Buses between Monaco and Nice are fine, so either the bus or the train works well. The train runs later than the bus (bus stops about 8:30 PM, train stops about 11:30 PM). If you're coming back from Monaco late, note that the train station ticket windows can be closed, and the machines don't take euro notes - only coins or chip and pin credit cards. So, either have lots of coins for the machines, or buy round trip tickets at the outset.

Posted by
2119 posts

While you're in Antibes, be sure to eat at Le Brulot, and be sure to have the maigret du canard (duck breast). It's cooked in their wood fired oven and best served rare or medium rare, like a steak. Absolutely delicious.

We stumbled on this place the first night of our first visit to Antibes in 2002 and ate here four nights in a row. We discovered the duck on our last night. And in 2009, we actually took a train from Collioure to Antibes just to eat the duck again (twice).

It's small and popular so you may need reservations.

Posted by
12172 posts

Much better to ditch the car while in the Riviera and take the train from Antibes to Nice and Monaco. I'd suggest going to Monaco first then working your way back through Nice. A car or bus will be stalled in traffic the entire time while the train should move along on schedule.

Posted by
408 posts

My wife and I spent a few hours in Monte Carlo on a visit to Nice a couple of years ago. It was worth it, in my opinion, just because it's such a famous locale and parts of it are very pretty. I remember our walk to the casino from the train station -- passing through parks and stopping in shopping areas -- it was interesting for a short visit. I kept telling myself, so this is what some of the tonier parts of LA are mimicking.

I do recall seeing some men's blue leather loafers in a store window for around 3000€. Seemed a bit steep to me, but then I found another shoe store and very similar blue leather loafers were there, if I recall correctly, for only 5000€. If I were forced to choose, I think I would have picked the first pair and pocketed the 2K. But, surprisingly, my life has been fine since then with neither.

I'll second others who recommended the Chagall museum in Nice. Very good.

Posted by
26840 posts

One suggestion about the many small (and good) art museums in southern France: Before making a special effort to get to one, check the museum's website to be sure it isn't in the process of setting up a new exhibition with most of the rooms closed. I ran into that at the Chagall Museum last May. There were only about a dozen paintings on display (albeit large ones). To their credit, all the (many!) French museums I ran into that were not fully open had reduced their entry fees. However, on a short trip you might prefer to choose a different museum, if you know in advance that your first choice isn't fully open.

Posted by
667 posts

Heading into Nice, it may be better to take the train in July. It's peak season and the traffic heading to Nice just outside of Antibes can be very heavy. After hitting the main sights (go early in the morning to the market, go up Castle Hill, through the Old Town and other sights/musees) then take bus 100 to Monaco (from the Port, -- the stop is in front of the church) and then take a train back to Antibes.

Monaco is a checklist item for many -- it is highly compact and the Palace/old town and Monte Carlo are the highlights. If you do choose to drive, be sure to stop off up in Eze (and note the dress requirements for entry into the Casino).

Re the Chagall Musee -- it's really primarily the 17 or so main paintings and the building he designed (plus chapel). It's unsual in that it's purpose built, designed by the artist, to showcase a series of works.