We will be visiting France in late September to early October for vacation and a scouting trip for possible places to move to in southern France near the Mediterranean. We will spend two or three days in Paris before heading to Nice. We are thinking of using Nice as a base to explore the Côte d'Azur and Montpellier or Nimes to explore the Occitanie region. How does this sound? We don't plan on renting a car unless necessary and plan on exploring places no more than 45 minutes from the coast. Does anyone have any recommendations for mid range accommodations in those cities that are walkable or a short bus ride from the train stations?
Posted by
Atlanta, Georgia
174 posts
Nice is a good base although you may find it pricier than some other small cities in Provence. Nîmes, Montpellier, Avignon, and other cities you might want to visit are 3-4 hours away, so keep that in mind as well.
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
996 posts
I recommend you do some research on places you might like to live and use one or two of those places as a base, rather than staying in expensive tourist hotspots like Nice. Stay in an AirBnB or gite to get a sense of what it's like to live in these places. Here is one Brit's take on how to choose:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0h8qe3QA5g
He has his own set of priorities, obviously.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Thank you.
Posted by
Denver, CO
829 posts
I loved my trip to Nice. It has great transportation to other Cote d'Azur towns. Beaulieu sur Mer could be another option - it's only 10 mins from Nice and the town itself is much smaller and has a very convenient train station. I stayed at Hotel Select there, with a room facing the beautiful square. For the base in the other region, I liked Nimes more than Montpellier.
It sounds like a lovely trip!
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Thank you for the recommendations. Those sound like great ideas.
Posted by
SoCal
1775 posts
I have a good friend who, for many years, spent 2-3 months in France every summer. Nice, Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux are his favorite French cities. When I asked him about Montpellier, he got a lemon-bite look and said brusquely, "Not my favorite." When I said we had decided instead on Carcassonne, he said, "Good choice." Having never been either place, I was reassured.
Posted by
Nice, France & San Francisco
770 posts
If you are looking for a base to explore Occitanie, either location can suit. Nimes is a bit further north. You will maximize your time and enjoyment with a car in the Occitanie, getting to places that are not well serviced by bus or train, or day trip tours. Montpellier has a good transit system within the city but it is larger, and they do have perhaps some better links to other towns. It is also much closer to the coast, and you can take buses directly to the associated beaches in less than 30 minutes.
Nice is well connected by public transit and is a hub to go up and down the cost. It also has more lower cost and mid options for staying and dining. Mid range means different things in different places -- do you have a budget range instead?
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
11127 posts
"When I asked him about Montpellier, he got a lemon-bite look and said brusquely, "Not my favorite." When I said we had decided instead on Carcassonne, he said, "Good choice." Having never been either place, I was reassured."
LOL glad you were reassured. LOL
Posted by
SoCal
1775 posts
Elizabeth, we still plan to visit Montpellier from our headquarters in Carcassonne. Want to get to know all of southwest France better.