South France Fall 2026 draft plan

Welcome
Simple solution is to just spend your first night in Nice
Getting in to center is super easy from the airport
Stay close to train station if you like and travel onwards the next day

I would not want to add anymore travel to an already super long day

Even after an 8 hour overnight flight I've learned from experience to keep my travel to a minimum on the day of arrival. My decision making skills just aren't where they need to be if even the slightest issue comes up. What happens if your flight is late, or a train is delayed or a connection missed? You'll be in no condition to think on your feet after 32 hours of travel. Have you considered basing in Nice first and then heading to Italy before backtracking? Or at least stay in Nice overnight.

I've been mapping your itinerary and now I'm wondering why you're flying into Nice to get to Rapolla? Why not fly into Naples and out of Marseille, or if the last place you're visiting is Spain, are you going to be closer to Barcelona than Marseille? Have you considered the drop-off fee for renting the car in Nice and dropping off in Collioure?

You don’t say which anniversary you’re celebrating (congratulations, BTW, I love your style and ambition). But regardless of your age, I think you’re going to be so utterly exhausted that you’ll be unable to enjoy anything. You’ll be traveling 32 hrs to get to Nice, then taking a train (with transfers) to Rapallo for four days. Will you have four full days there, or are you counting your day of arrival and departure ? (Same question for Spain.)

Your week in St Jean Cap Ferrat sounds wonderful. You don’t say how long you’ll then have in Provence (St Remy does make a great base for touring and is itself quite charming, if bustling), which is a huge area. Then you’re off to Collioure (maybe a three-hr drive depending where you start) and perhaps to Spain, before returning to Marseille to fly home.

None of this allows for travel delays, weather delays, or fatigue.

Every place you’ve chosen is alluring and hugely worth seeing. I just wonder if you’ll spend so much time getting from place to place (packing, driving, checking in, unpacking) that everything will be a blur, especially after nearly two essentially sleepless days just getting to Rapallo. Rarely do things go perfectly.

I hope you’re very young and energetic! Even if you are, I’d drop Spain and possibly even Collioure, depending on how many days you’ll actually have in France. Believe me, you won’t run out of things to see.

You're making one too many connections for my taste going over. If you already have to fly to Seattle to get a transatlantic flight, I would get a direct one to your first city. In your 3 selected countries, those options are Paris, Rome and Barcelona. Of these, it seems like Barcelona is the closest fit. After a few days there, you could take an overnight ferry to Genoa for Rapallo, then take the train to Nice, etc.
If you don't want to change your flights, I agree with the suggestion to stay in Nice (or St Jean Cap Ferrat) upon arrival, drop Italy and Spain and slow down. Your topic title is "South France," so maybe stick with that and don't try to play the "but it's so close" game. Because it's really not.

I'm wondering why you're flying into Nice to get to Rapolla?

Pretty sure OP means Rapallo as Portofino is mentioned as a day trip from there. Rapallo is nowhere near Naples.

Have you considered the drop-off fee for renting the car in Nice and
dropping off in Collioure?

Both Nice and Collioure are in France. If there is a drop off fee it should be minimal (we have never paid a drop off fee in France)

OP- can you fly into Milan? Easy to get to Rapallo from there but it's still extra travel onwards on arrival day.

arrive in Nice, Italy around noon after traveling 32 plus hours;

Curious what airline and flight? This seems like a super long connection/flight- should be able to get there quicker from Seattle

4) Drive to Collioure, rental with water view and can take train to
Spain for 4 days. Leave out of Marsielle, France to home.

This part seems very strange to me. I don't understand the planning ideas that led to this kind of itinerary.

How many nights are you actually staying at the house in Collioure?

Since you'll have a rental car and could easily explore the countless amazing spots in the area surrounding Collioure, why take a 4-day train trip to Spain? And where exactly in Spain would you go by train?

What happens to the rental car during those 4 days? (Is it just sitting in a parking lot?)

If you're planning on returning the car in Collioure, why rent one just to get there when you could easily take the train instead?

I admit that it's all so weird that I have a hard time understanding the questions I'm asking.

I'd be worried, too, but you get a gold star for basic groundwork.
First, get to Seattle the night before and sleep near the Seattle airport. Then fly to Nice.
From Nice you have another two train changes to get to Rapolla. Don't count on doing much the day after travel, just relax.
Trains back to Saint Jean Cap Ferrat which will take up most of the day despite being listed as 2.5 hours, Nice and Provence exploration.
Here is where I think you should give yourself a break and just fly to Barcelona from either Nice or Marseille.
Fly home from Barcelona. Don't backtrack to Marseille.

It's called an open-jaw ticket to fly into one destination and out of another. Look for "multi-destinations" when booking. It's in the drop-down box with "round trip" "one way" choices. I have family visiting in France right now who flew into Brussels and will leave from Barcelona.

I like Collioure, have been there many times but don't think the drive from Saint Rémy to Collioure and then the trains into Catalonia are worth the effort. Just fly. But if you are dead-set on seeing Collioure, you can do a little overnight trip out of Bacelona to Collioure, perhaps Figueres for the Salvador Dali Theatre Museum, and/or Girona, and then back to Barcelona to fly home. Collioure is much closer to Barcelona than Saint Rémy.

This gives you a three country trip.

So grateful for the thoughtful responses!
1) checking with airlines to change flight to arrive in Nice when we have hotel there, skipping talking train to Italy, also getting better connection to Seattle flight.
2) arriving in Nice, home base will be Hotel Brise Marine in St. Jean cap Ferrat for 7 days. Getting Rick Steves guidebook on Riveria and Provence.
3) picking up rental car in Nice to go to Provence and have home base mazet in St. Remy of Provence.
4) working with spouse to possibly change. Currently have home base in Collioure from which we may or may not take train day trip(s).

We are fit, not young- spouse has been telling me I am not twenty anymore for decades. This feels more doable.

Merci, Linda

OK, it sounds like you may have ditched Italy. You can take a train into Italy for a day trip as well. Just a note at the airport -- you can take the tram for free to Grand Arenas from either terminal. Then there is an elevator up to the train platform. The car rental center is at Terminal 2, P5. On the other hand, if you are there for 3 weeks or more, you can do a cost-effective short term lease. These allow for attractive pricing, including insurance, and much lower cost cross-border dropoffs,

Just a note of caution... the hotel on Cap Ferrat will leave you reliant on the 15 bus. The village by the water however is very cute and has many offerings, but just note that it will take a little extra time and planning to take the bus to the Beaulieu sur Mer train station or transfer to another bus. Uber or Bolt also make a good alternative, or regular taxis.

If you can change your flight, i second/third the recommendation to examine BCN as the departure airport. It is closer and connected by train, with more offerings than Marseille or the other regional airports en route.

Collioure is absolutely lovely and worth a couple nights but it is not really close to Marseille. If you want a picture-postcard seaside village, I suggest you investigate Cassis, which is less than an hour away from Marseille. Or, go to Sète, which is also right smack on the Mediterranean. Collioure would make sense if you were flying out of Barcelona, and not Marseille.

Last, Collioure is not a transit hub. Every day trip you want to make will involve taking a very rustic commuter train to either Narbonne or Perpignan and then changing. And you need to figure in the wait-time for the transfer. If making a lot of day trips from that area of France is your goal, then Nabonne is a much better choice than Collioure, which is near the end of a poorly serviced line.

As for the rest, I agree with the others that you need to spend a night, or preferably two, in Nice, or possible Menton--less hectic and more picturesque, and less than an hour by public transport from Nice. You will need to get over jet lag or you will arrive too wrecked in Rapallo to enjoy yourselves, IMHO.

Bonjour,
Thanks to this group and my very patient French conversation group I have been able to update draft.
A- flying into Nice and with hotel at St. Jean Cap Ferrat for home base. French group talked us not to get rental car in Nice, but take train to Avignon TGV station and drive from there to St. Remy.
B- St. Remy home base 4-5 days. French group friend has family with vineyard there so will check that out.
C. Cote Bleau new home base for last 4 day stretch as only 25 minutes from Marseilles wher we fly out
Merci.

Still working on C - last home base for last 4 nights. I am torn between Cassis or Carry-Le-Route. We will have car rental which will be return at MRS airport. Would like to be within half hour of airport for noon flight. Merci, Linda

Aix-en-Provence is a short (30-40 minute) bus ride to Marseille airport, price is about 10 euro pp. Buses run about every half hour. Much easier than going from Marseille, plus a really nice town to finish up your trip in.

P.S. Drop your car at airport day before departure, bus to Aix for the afternoon and evening. Bus next day back to airport for trip home.

I appreciate the tips related to Aix-en-Provence Judy. Just read up on it in Rick Steves guide. Merci, Linda

Getting ready to book train ticket from Nice to Avignon on a Sunday. Aiming for mid morning so able to get rental car that afternoon to get to mazet in St-Remy. Understand car rental available at Avignon. Plan s to return car to Marseilles. Hoping for tips on train and car rental as well ad home base for last leg close to Marseilles. Prefer sea view as we don’t get sea views often.

Changed flight to leave earlier ao will not need home base last 4 days. Plan now is y to A) enjoy Nice area with home base in Cap Ferat for 7 days b) will take train to Avignone where will rent car and stay in St-Remy- de- Provence for 3-4 days then return car to Avignone. Do need to check trains from Avignone to MRS and take train to hotel befire with water view with transportation accessible to airport.

Ready to start planning days
A. Arriving in Nice after night flight - deciding about trying to track busses to hotel in Cap Ferat or getting ride. Once settled looking at planning for five days - day trips both ways, Day 7 have booked train to Avignon’s where we will rent car.
B. Home base St-Remy-de-Provence four days then will take train to Marseilles’s for evening to take flight home next day. Would greatly appreciate input as first time travel to France.

Is there small group tour options in A) Nice or B) Avignon or St. Remy se Provence?

Check with the Tourist Authority in Nice and Avignon. I believe small, local group tour options are readily available. I don't know about St. Remy, but with a car you have many drives to choose from to visit nearby towns/villages from St.Remy. Use the search bar above for referrals on this forum. Try "day tours from Avignon" for instance. Filter for travel forum, then one year or less. You should get some suggestions by reading through the findings. We have always driven around on our own, so I have no personal experience with guided tours. Best of luck!