Nice, Monaco, & Antibes/Cannes

The Rick Steves Provence & the French Riviera guidebook has all the information you'll need. For even more detail, get the Lonely Planet Provence & the Cote d'Azur guidebook.

In February a car is not problem in those areas...but that is moot.

What are you going for, what are you interested in? I agree a guidebook would be your best bet for consolidating the tourist options.

Having lived there for a few years it is calmer but can be dreary in the winter. (why not take the train up to Chamonix?) Here are some non-tourist recomendations.

1. Skip Cannes or just spend a few hours at the old town. There is nothing going on there in the winter and the beaches are closed and dirty. Spend the time in Antibes, which is a very lovely town,(except from June-August) with old town, resturants, cute bars, The road that follows the coast to Juan les Pins is a nice walk through some neat neighborhoods.

Monaco - a few hours to see the palace and the aquarium is pretty intersting too if that is your thing.

You might also try just buying a ticket and village hopping. East of Nice there are the villages of Cap-d'Ail, Beausoleill, and Villefrance charming "old town" feel with some cafes etc....

Many things will be shut down (not hotels) so be prepared. It is so busy in the summer, that many locals just make their living then and go on vacation in the winter. Also watch the school holiday schedule, lodging could be filled or shut depending on that.