Hello all will shortly be leaving for a much anticipated vacation in France. Looking for "must see's" while we are in Nice (3 days) and Marseille (4 days). Will have a car available to us so anything goes. Thanks in advance for any and all help.
Wayne
Posted by
SF Bay Area, CA
2030 posts
Sounds like you need to get the Rick Steves "Provence and French Riviera" guidebook -- it will tell you everything you need to know.
For Nice though, I recommend the Chagall and Matisse Museums, Old Town, strolling the Promenade des Anglais and the beach,
and the view from the top of Castle Hill. For 1 Euro you can take a short bus trip to Monaco.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
784 posts
Cassis and a boat trip out to the Calanques.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
A care is a useless hassle in the cities of Marseille and Nice.
But a car is good for exploring the many places outside of the cities of Marseille and Nice.
You probably want to get a travel guide to Provence and the Riviera.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10190 posts
Actually, when we stayed six months in Cassis, I didn't find a car a hassel in Marseille. It was useful. Marseille isn't difficult to drive in and some sites are spread out. We usually stay with family who live near Nice when we go to the coast and don't find a car terribly necessary for that part of the coast, but it is handy if you are going into any of the back country, such as St. Paul de Vence or to see the Trophee des Alpes in La Turbie.
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
The Nice museum of. Modern Art is worth a visit and the village of Eze is fantastic and very close by.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32206 posts
Wayne,
Having a car in Nice probably won't be necessary as most of the sights are easily acessible either on foot or by public transit (I don't know about Marseille). As someone else suggested, packing along a copy of the RS Provence & French Riviera guidebook would provide you with a good reference source for planning touring.
A few ideas for Nice.....
- As mentioned, the Chagall and Matisse Museums.
- Tour the old town area (lots of street markets, small shops, restaurants, etc.).
- Take a day trip to Monaco and Monte Carlo (Bus is very easy and as I recall the fare is only €1 each way). The Oceanographic Museum in Monaco is impressive! You could also visit the Church where Prince Rainier and Princess Grace are interred. If you want to see the Changing of the Guard at the Royal Palace, it starts at 11:55 each day (come early to get a good vantage point).
- If you want to visit Monte Carlo while in Monaco (it's close), note that the famous Casino has a dress code.
- Visit the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild (by car?).
- Visit Eze (by car?). Note that there are two versions - Eze sur Mer and Eze Village (the latter is usually the more popular).
- Visit Villefranche (easy by Bus on the same route as to Monaco).
Posted by
Grasse
43 posts
Hi Wayne
There is so much to see and do, having a car opens up a host of possibilities.
Can you give me an idea of what you like most and that will help narrow things down.
Otherwise if you are here in May or June it's a day in:
Nice
Monaco
St Tropez
Best
Peter Horrocks