Hi all -
We are planning to visit the south of France the second week of April for the second half of a 2-week trip. We are flying in and out of Nice, so we've made that our base. I know that I would like to see Eze, do the Corniches, and maybe Menton, but are there things that any of you would highly recommend? We are expecting to rent a car for one or two days and taking trains for the rest. We are sleeping in Nice each night (5 or 6 nights). We're not much for overdoing typical touristy stuff, but we don't want to miss out on anything major either. Any ideas or suggestions would be really appreciated. Thanks!
Posted by
Portland
3642 posts
On one of the days when you have a car, you might consider the Gorges du Verdon. Quite spectacular scenery, with a charming medieval village, Moustiers Ste. Marie high up. Also, if you are lovers of modern art, the Fondation Maeght in St. Paul de Vence is a must-see.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
If you mean Eze-Le-Village (there is another Eze on the coast, not the one you probably want), it's a little tricky getting there without a car but can be done (it's on the Middle Corniche)--here's a link to instructions I posted here a couple of years ago how to get to Eze-le-Village by public transportationWatch the old film "To Catch a Thief" before you go--it was filmed in Eze, starring Princess Grace before she became a Princess, when she was a Hollywood actress. She later died when her car missed a curve on the Corniche highway not far from Eze.
Posted by
Freedonia
16210 posts
Monaco
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
If you are interested in art, the Modern Art Museum in Nice is excellent and so is the Matisse Museum, housed in a large mansion in the upper part of the city. You can get there by public transportation.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
694 posts
Hi Erin, we took a day trip to Grasse, i don't know if you ever heard of the book Perfume by Patrick Süskind, this is the village the story takes place in. We went to Galimard, and did a tour of the perfume factory, and made our own perfume, it was fun and very different. We also went to Biot, to see the glass blowing shops, that was also fun and the drive was lovely. Have fun!
Posted by
OH, OH, USA
1158 posts
A few years ago I drove along the whole coast from Marseille to San Remo and I realy loved each inch of it.I stayed in Nice for 5 days and the places I enjoyed the most were Cannes, Monaco and Saint Tropez.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
In addition to the art museums already mentioned, I highly recommend the Chagall museum in Nice and the Picasso museum in Antibes.
The Orthodox cathedral in Nice is considered to be the best of its kind outside of Russia.
Posted by
Paris, France
81 posts
Get in the car and do this tour: Nice - St Paul de Vence - Tourrette sur Loup - Grasse - Mougins - back to Nice. Unforgettable.
An off beaten track idea is to get on a day tour into the canyons with a 4WD. Very unknown because most people go to Nice for the beach, but send me a private message if you want to know more.
Posted by
sarasota
64 posts
Juan Les Pins/Antibbe