Nice, France

homerjay2005

hey,

anybody on here been to Nice and have advice on it? im heading there with my girlfriend in July and looking for thoughts on the area. also, planning on spending a few days in Monaco.

P. Breathnach

Monaco is an easy day-trip from Nice. Use the bus, because the road trip is really nice.

I'd find it hard to give Monaco a few days of my life -- more like a few hours.

This is worth doing (I hope you can read French, or get some help): http://www.trainprovence.com/pages/fr/317/liens-avec-nos-partenaires.html I recommend it very highly. We went as far as Entrevaux, which was a place well worth seeing. If I had the chance again, I'd try to do the full length of the line, getting out at a few places along the way. I'd consider doing an overnight or two on the excursion.

kippy

I'd agree fully with the previous poster.
Nice is nice, a good buzz about the place and a relatively nice beachfront.
I did find more rubbish on the streets than other french towns but it was a very very busy weekend when we were there. Theres plenty decent accomodation and there are any number of nice spots to visit (including Cannes) on the coast within a short train trip.
As with the previous poster, Monaco isnt really worth spending any more than a day trip in unless your flush with cash to gamble. The boats in the harbour and the cars on the street are well worth the view and its interesting to walk on the streets where the F1 happens.
Kippy

homerjay2005

cheers lads....appreciate it.

is Nice directly on the coastline itself? like, if we decide to spent a few lazy days on the beach, is Nice good for that?!

definately will travel along the coastline i think and hit cannes also.

kippy

homerjay2005 wrote: »

cheers lads....appreciate it.

is Nice directly on the coastline itself? like, if we decide to spent a few lazy days on the beach, is Nice good for that?!

definately will travel along the coastline i think and hit cannes also.

yeah,
Nice is directly on the beach and a great spot to laze around the beach for a few days.
You'll have a great time.
Kippy

mikedragon32

Agree with those who say Monaco isn't worth a couple of days.

I travel to Nice frequently and will sometimes just take the bus to Monaco to go for lunch or maybe have a coffee in Cafe de Paris and watch the cars and people around Casino Square. The Harbour is cool the first time you go, purely for the size of the "yachts"! Of course, taking a walk around the circuit is a nice way to spend some time too, particularly as you walk up Ste. Devot, you get a real appreciation for the slope of that hill.

As for Nice itself, the main things you'll want to see/do are in a pretty compact area. The beach runs from the airport to just before the port, making it close to every part of the city center. The beach is segmented by private beaches which are dotted along it. Anyone can use these beaches, but of course you have to pay for the use of loungers and parasols, but you can have drinks and food served to you while you sunbathe! I use Castel Plage a lot when I'm there, it's the very last one before the port and directly across from where I stay.

If you go to the bottom of the screen you'll see a selection of similar threads and there's some good info in those.

tdp-carol

I think you'll have an absolutely brilliant time in Nice. I have been there a few times and loved it. Stuff to do:

- the art galleries there are great, and full of all sorts of whacky sculpture

- the Old Town of Nice is lovely to walk around during the day - some really great shops. It is also a pleasant place to sip a beer in the evening.

- go up the Colline du Chateau - the view from there is brilliant, and its a lovely walk too.

- take a bus to the small town of Cap d'Ail - great to walk around, and from here it's just a half hour walk into Monte Carlo

- if you get chance, visit the Centre Mediterraneen d'Etudes Francaises at Cap d'Ail, and see the magnificent Jean Cocteau amphitheatre. The grounds are open, and you should be able to just walk in. They are pretty easy going.

- Monte Carlo is full of people with loads of money and no fashion sense. You only need to spend a day there! Good museums though - try the car one, and the doll one. There is also a Japanese garden.

homerjay2005

cheers lads and ladies.

last question! any good hotel that you recommend?!

ya, i think it should be a great week.

Le meridien in Nice is where we always stay.It's very nice.Try and get a room with a terrace overlooking the med,you won't regret it.Sitting out on one of those having room service brekkie!
It's right at the top of the promenade d'anglais and a short walk from everything.
It's handy to the flower market which is less than a 10 minute walk behind it.
In the evenings on the walk up to there you'll find you'll pass a lot of restaurants and of course the flower market is a maze of bars and restaurants.

Try Ma Nolans,it's part owned by a lad from Tipp.Thats on the edge of the flower market as you walk up from the square thats behind the meridien You could then walk up a bit and try thor and then go across to the other side of the flower market through the next square and you will see the crowds milling around waynes-which is probably the most busy pub in town.


As for the beach in Nice-you'll find it very stoney-theres some sandier ones in the coves as you take the coast road up towards monaco.

I'd second whats said about monaco-it's only Dublin to Bray away from Nice and I'd give it a day.
I'd suggest hiring a car-theres a car rental place in le meridien and theres a hertz and avis just around the corner.That will give you the freedom to explore the coast and drive the short distance down to cannes to the south or the 20 miles or so north and over the Italian border to the lovely town of Ventimile [sp] as well as visit monaco and loads of other places at your leisure.

FunkyDa

homerjay2005 wrote: »

cheers lads and ladies.

last question! any good hotel that you recommend?!

ya, i think it should be a great week.

Just back from a few days break - we stayed in the Kyriad Nice Port(198Euro B&B for 2, for 3 days). Everything was within easy walking distance. Riquier train station(for day trips) is a ten minute walk away.

ibh

Yea for a bit of a mad night out I would recommend Waynes. There is a good bit of craic around the place although as with any popular establishment there will be a few tools around the place.