Where in the Riviera

Two of the more intimate spots along the Riviera with good rail access are Villefranche-sur-Mer and, not far from there , St Jean Cap Ferrat . Cap Ferrat is stunning and a visit to The Villa Ephrussi - Rothschild is delightful . A hundred or so years ago , the English author W. Somerset Maugham had his home there , and the place seems to have changed little since then .

Convenient to both Villefranche sur Mer and St Jean Cap Ferrat is Beaulieu sur Mer with a station, regular trains, a supermarket and high street, buses, its own big house to see, and just a walk to Cap Ferrat. Yum. I'll be back there in a couple of weeks.

Somerset Maugham once infamously quipped that " Monaco is a sunny place for shady people " In three parts , here is a dramatization of one of his best stories from the late forties and early fifties " Gigolo and Gigolette " http://youtu.be/f3jNiTHqMzQ

I agree with other posters, Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu are great. You must visit the Villa Ephrussi-Rothschild gardens; I have been twice and will return. My first visit to Villefranche was on my first RS tour. I have returned three times and have just secured my apartment in Villefranche in October of this year.

Villefranche has Easy bus and train access along the coast. Great food! Be prepared for the hills; the town is steep, which is ok for me. I can walk off the mountains of French cheese I eat!

Enjoy your trip.

We stayed in Nice and bussed to all the local areas. Lodging is cheaper, much cheaper and bus is only 2 Euro r/t each person to Grasse, Monoco, etc.You can leave at 8:00 arrive by 9:00 and stay until 8 or 9 at night.

I would have chosen Nice for its centrality, and practicality (trains and buses from Nice link you to literally all the beautiful towns surrounding the area). The accommodation is also slightly easier to sort out, but that's because it is a big city.

For a peaceful, calmer places, I'd suggest Antibes, Menton or Villefranche as my top 3. You can grab the feeling of some of them with this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY3N70bsHoA

All of these are smallish towns, on the coast = guaranteed sun and dolce farniente!

Hope this helps!

NIce was a great home base, but I'd choose sweet little Antibes next time. Lovely little town right on the coastal train route, with beautiful SANDY beaches (rather than the typical Riviera pebbles), and the Picasso museum in the sunny waterfront home where he painted one season. If I was staying there, I'd paint too! Now I know what they mean when they talk about the special quality of the light in Provence.

We just rented an apt in antibes on vrbo. Also have stayed in Juan le Pins. Both would be great.