Round trip train from Nice to Eze

Mary ,Which Eze do you wish to visit ? If it's Eze-bord-de-Mer ,the train goes from Nice-Ville . If it's Eze-le-Village , that's up on the moyenne corniche ,and a bus from Nice gets you there . Since I had a car when on the Riviera ,I can't give you the specifics about the bus , Sorry .

The place you want to visit is Eze Village (up on a hill, with no train station), not Eze bord de mer (at sea level, on the train line). So, while you can take a train to Eze bord de mer and then a bus up to Eze Village, it's much easier and faster, from Nice, to take a bus direct to Eze. I believe there's 16 buses a day Monday through Saturday, and 8 on Sundays. The ones that don't run on Sundays go from Nice to Eze Village to Monaco, so you can connect these easily; on Sundays, the connections between Eze and Monaco are more complicated. Since I was there, they've closed the Nice bus station, but the latest edition of Rick's Provence And The French Riviera book will have all the details of where to get the bus in Nice. If you're going to this region, that book has superbly detailed instructions of how to get from all points to all points by mass transit. Furthermore, it has much more detail on this area than his general France book. My favorite thing in Eze were the gardens; they cost extra, but all the best views are from there. The free viewpoints couldn't compare, so don't be tempted to save a few euros on this.

Mary , one other thought ; if you are headed for Eze-le-Village ,try to connect via bus when you leave , to La Turbie , which is a bit to the east . Very charming place and the central site there is known as the Trophy of the Alps , a fascinating Roman ruin . There are spectacular views from there of Monaco ,on the shore below .

Steven's plan makes sense to me. I don't drive so I have no direct experience. But driving on the Middle and High Corniches should be lovely, and as Rick says, the higher the Corniche, the fewer the buses. From Nice to La Turbie (High Corniche), there's only 4 buses a day and none on Sundays; from Nice to Eze (Middle Corniche), 16 buses a day and 8 on Sundays; and from Nice to Monaco (Low Corniche), 4 buses an hour (ending about 8 PM) and 2 trains an hour (ending about 11:30 PM). So, you may not want to drive for all your trips, particularly since the bus is only €1 per ride. Yes, that's not a typo - to encourage alternatives to cars, the buses in that region are only one euro, and the trains are locals and not too expensive either. But for Eze, La Turbie, St. Paul de Vence, and other places not on the train line, you may want to keep your car (I saw these by bus, but it took a little planning).

Thank you for all of your help. Is it difficult to have a car in Nice? We are thinking of just renting one. Is parking difficult? We could just drive to Eze? This view of Monaco sounds wonderful!

Mary, what I would advise depends on where Nice lies in your itinerary . When we visited ,it was at the end of a protracted visit to France . We picked up the car on leaving Paris , and The Riviera was our last Escale ( port of call ) . We were in the area about a week before returning home . For the first few days there , the car was convenient for where you are headed , i.e. the hills up on the upper corniches and a few other places ,such as Cap Ferrat . After these spots we ped the car and used the train to get to and from Monaco from our hotel in Nice. All of these spots can be done by train or bus , so I don't think a car is a necessity as it was in other areas. As well , Nice and the surrounding area are fairly busy and parking could be difficult . Driving in the area also rrequires a skill level that allows you to be comfortable in an urban setting ( Nice ) . Also most rental cars are manual transmission and if you are unfamiliar with driving one , that 's the last place to start learning how . Generally speaking I use rail and auto interchangeably depending on what works best for the situation . What are your general plans ,? I could advise you accordingly .

One other thing , when are you planning to be in Nice , the summer season is a zoo there !

Here is our plan....
We are flying into Paris and spending 3 nights there. Then taking the TGV to Aix en Provence to visit our daughter for 3 nights. We will be renting a car in Aix. My question is do I want to keep the car and take it to Nice and use it for our 2 days there or to drop it off in Aix and take the train to Nice. My husband can drive a manual so that is not an issue. I just wondered how easy it is to drive in Nice. How is the parking? The trip from Nice to Eze? Thanks for all of your help!

We are leaving next week :) we will be in Nice March 20-22

Under those circumstances , I would keep the car and use it there . Probably won't be too nuts at this time of year and parking won't be terrible . It will certainly make seeing Eze-le-Village and La Turbie more convenient . One other suggestion ; have a map of the area and be aware that alot of streets in Nice are one-way . A GPS with European maps will also be helpful . If you go to Monaco , using the train from Nice-Ville to Monaco , will be easier than bothering with the car , tailor it to your specific needs . Whatever you do , don't miss La Turbie .

Thanks so much for all of your wonderful suggestions!....One more question! :) If you were going to take 2-3 day trips from Aix what would you pick?
We love history, quaint villages with little shops and cafes. We also love hiking! :)

My wife and I have been to Nice the last half dozen years so it is obviously one of our favourite places to visit.You may need a sweater in March though. Mary, seriously, dump the car in Aix, take the train to Nice Ville (the main station in Nice), your husband will enjoy seeing all you see and not be driving. The transportation in and around Nice is second to none. You can go to so many places for a single euro, the tramway in the city is an excellent way to get around from north to the med, the trains run east and west so readily (from Cannes to Monaco, buses too for a euro!). When you get to Eze village by bus, please go the hotel at the top the village for lunch - the view, food and service will be the highlight of your trip to Europe (though not inexpensive!). Most importantly, relax and have fun and take it all in!

Thank you for your post! We will also be in Aix for a few days. What would be your top 3 day trips from Aix? :)

Mary - I agree with John, I would dump the car before Nice. Driving in Nice is not fun and the public transportation is excellent. You won't need the car. From Aix, you could drive to Cassis or drive north to the Luberon to Lourmarin and other Luberon villages. Try to visit market day in Aix or in one of the villages.