In one of Steve's recent shows on cruising his ship stopped in VF/Nice. He took a train from VF to Nice, visited the market and beach there and went on to Monaco by train then back to VF. This is exactly what we want to do too. Any help on trains and their locations? Are they walkable? We'll be docked from 7am - to 7pm, btw. I'd like to do the market in Nice, the Chagall Museum then stroll the beach. In Monaco I'd like to go to the palace and maybe the Aquarium. Anyone has ideas, suggestions, I'd appreciate it.
Posted by
West Coast
302 posts
It's been 15 years and of course whatever COVID may contribute to changes in a couple months- but here's a response till you hopefully get something more current!
I had a week and stayed in VF, and while some of the hand- drawn RS maps have been less than accurate for distances in this case it was really true. At that time there were also local buses- I was there in August and if a cruise ship was visiting both the train and bus was very crowded- but you will be later in the season. I remember about 10-15 minutes, one- way but that the bus stopped at a different location than the train.
The museum was incredible, I vaguely remember a tram sort of bus from the train station to get to it. The beach was quite rocky, and for me, just an amble along the Promenade and some people watching for about an hour was enough. I didn't go to the mkt.
However, I did WALK from VF to Monaco- something to consider at the start - a gorgeous cliff path and seeing the yachts as you approach the harbor ( passing very chic runners and dog walkers) was amazing. I spent 5euro to just get in the Casino ( a sort of kid's betting machine thing) and use the bathroom- enjoyed the aquarium and the botanical garden as well.
Then train/bus to Nice? From memory it seems you would have time to do all you hope, and assuming you got the earliest possible start.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15585 posts
The train in Villefranche is just above the beach. There will probably be a stream of people going there from the ship. The Chagall Museum is just over a 1 km walk (per google maps) mostly uphill if I remember correctly (I took a bus). The market is near the seashore, in the opposite direction about 1 km or a bit more from the train station. So going to the market, then the museum, then the beach is backtracking. OTOH the market's in the morning. I haven't been to Monaco, so can't help with directions from the train.
Posted by
Nice, France & San Francisco
678 posts
From where the tenders dock, you turn right for a 1/3 of a mile, all flat, to get to the train. It is the second stop -- Nice Ville. From there , it is possible to walk to the Chagall museum (only about 1 km) but it is uphill and you might need a GPS to navigate -- I think there are even steps and you end up on the non-common side of the Museum (Uber is also active in the city). You can walk downhill or take the 5 bus back down to Place Massena (Hotel des Postes stop) or try for an Uber. You could get off earlier at Wilson but the walk through Place Massena over to the Cours Saleya Market and the water is probably best. I also recommend the free elevator next to the Hotel Suisse at the end of the Prom to go to the top of Castle Hill, for a great vista over the city.
Note you can take the tram line 1 back up to the train station to catch the train to Monaco. The trains are frequent along this line -- but that is a lot to take on in one day.. Note you can still buy e-tickets on the SCNF Connect app on your smart phone, to avoid the lines for tickets. There is a walk over to the hill/Palace (and there is an elevator I think there as well), but there is a long walk up the ramp (this hill isn't as large as Castle Hill in Nice, I recall). It might be tough to fit in the Oceanographic Museum into that itinerary, depending on your shore time available.
Posted by
464 posts
There is also bus transportation available. You could take a bus from the Octroi stop in Villefranche sur Mer to Nice. After your time in Nice you could walk to the Le Port bus stop and take Bus 100 to Monaco which is a beautiful 45 minute ride along the sea. Get off at the Place d'Armes bus stop and walk up to the Prince's Palace. You could get a combo ticket to the Prince's Palace and the Oceangraphy Aquarium. We ate at the Oceanography rooftop cafe. Near the aquarium a bit to the right and up, there are stops for buses #1 and #2 which run to the port, casino, and the train station. Check the bus and train schedules to see what might work best for you. Bus numbers may have changed since we have been there.
Be sure to allow enough time to get back to Villefranche sur Mer for the ship. We loved Villefranche sur Mer which has a charming waterfront. You could have something to eat at Les Palmiers near where you get the tender. Their peach melba was wonderful. Villefranche has a shale beach which is not as rocky as the beach in Nice. You have a lot planned for one day, so if you decide to drop either Nice or Monaco you could stay near Villefranche sur Mer and take bus #81 to St Jean Cap Ferrat to the Passable bus stop at the driveway to Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild which has beautiful gardens and spectacular views. Best wishes for a lovely trip!