Renting a Car in Nice

I'm not sure I agree that having a car is the "best way" to see the surrounding cities. The coastal cities (from Cannes to Menton, with Nice in the middle) are connected by trains running every half hour; the trains are cheap and no advance purchase is necessary.

From Nice to Menton, there are four buses an hour, and from Nice to Cannes there are four buses an hour (three an hour on weekends). For inland destinations, there are also buses; while some are sparing (only four per day from Nice to La Turbie and six per day from Monaco to La Turbie, with none on Sundays), others are more frequent (Nice to Eze Village has 16 per day, 8 on Sundays). Furthermore, ALL buses in the whole region are €1.50 per single ride, €10 for a 10-trip card, or €15 for a 7 day card. (They are deliberate made cheap to encourage people not to drive). Even so, I recommend the trains for destinations west of Nice, as the bus is very slow.

And, while a car frees you from the bus and train schedule, it doesn't free you from traffic and parking hassles. If you list what places you were thinking of seeing, others can tell you if a car will be a help or a hindrance.

Harold has you on the right track. Public transport choices are pretty comprehensive along the coast.

IDL isn't required in France. It's possible to get around the area on public transport. We prefer a car for the flexibility.