We recently returned from 2 weeks in Nice, and I wanted to share with others what it is like to visit Nice and the nearby area in the off-off season of January. It was wonderful. Remember that Nice first became popular as a winter destination when residents of the UK and other northern European countries were looking for a break from their bleak long winters. We had sunshine and daily high temperatures in the mid-50's. In the evenings, once the sun set, the temperatures were dip to the mid 30's or 40's. The city is quiet; there are few tourists; you'll hear little English spoken, there are no waits at restaurants, and you'll have popular museums and walking paths to yourself. Some museums close for "renovations" at this time of year; so if you must see the Picasso or Matisse museums be sure to check their websites before booking. Also, some restaurants will close for a few weeks, or have limited hours of operation (perhaps only opening from Wednesday through Saturday); but there will still be plenty of choices. In addition to Nice, we used public transportation and the occassional Uber to explore nearby towns of St Paul de Vence, Vence, Villefranche, Eze, Cap Ferrat, and Antibes. All were lovely. I've posted restaurant reviews separately.
For us, highlights of the trips were several walks or hiking paths recommended in Rick's Guide to Provence and the French Riveria. The Sentier Touristique de Tirepoil in Cap d'Antibes was stunning. We took a picnic lunch and enjoyed a very leisurely walk. We used the public bus to get to the starting point. Helpful staff at the TI in Antibes looked up the bus schedule for us and pointed us in the right direction.
We also used the bus to get to the Villa Ephrussi de Rotschild (loved both the house and gardens) and then followed Rick's directions to walk to the Plage de Passable, and did the walking path around Cap Ferrat.
We walked from Old Town Nice, along the sea to Villenfranche sur Mer, had lunch there, and walked back! A very full day. But one could take the bus one way or both ways, too.
We took the bus to Eze-le-Village, explored the old town, and Jardin d'Eze (great views), had lunch, and walked the Nietzsche Path to the seaside / lower village, where we easily caught the bus back to Nice.