Day Trips from Nice- Explore the South of France by Train/Bus

The French Riviera is an area that you can just keep coming back to. I couldn’t wait to spend more time here on my last trip and show my friend around who was visiting for the first time.

Visiting the surrounding towns from a base in the South of France is a must do, but it can be difficult to get around. These are the easiest  towns to get to on a day trip and each offers a very different experience.

Nice is the perfect base due to its central location and plentiful transportation connections. From Nice, you can explore  tranquil Villefranche-Sur-Mer, charming Eze, and glamorous Monaco, all under an hour away.

Arriving in Nice, the best base for travel

Upon arriving in Nice, whether by train at Nice-Ville station or through Nice Cote d’Azur Airport (NCE), getting around is convenient. Nice Cote d’Azur Airport (NCE) is a short distance away from old town and has international flights daily.

An Uber to the center of town from the airport costs from 20 to 30€. I paid 22.50€ for an early morning departing flight and the trip took about 15 minutes. Alternatively, there are tram connections that will get you to Nice in around 45 min. Learn more on the Nice airport site.

Getting to Nice By Train

If you are already in France, the Nice-Ville station is well connected to the rest of the country. I personally arrived this way from Cannes, and the ride was about 30 minutes and cost around 10 euros.

If you are coming from Paris, the journey is around 6 hours long and prices vary. Check the SNCF-connect website or app to see all available options and price points. 

Once in Nice , the city is pretty walkable and Ubers are readily available if you need to cross town quickly. There are also two tram lines in town, one underground, and one above ground, as well as a network of buses. 

Villefranche-Sur-Mer

Villefranche-sur-Mer is a postcard beautiful town with sweet public beach. Easily experience the beachside French village life by hopping on one of the frequent trains. The journey from Nice Centre-Ville station to Villefranche-Sur-Mer takes 10 minutes and costs 2.50€. Buy your ticket via one of the many machines in the train hall, with a ticket agent, or via the SNCF-connect app. 

The app is my preferred way to get around the riviera, because you can save your passenger details to avoid going through the lengthy process of putting it into the machine. It also saves you time instead of waiting in line for a ticket agent. For those who are chronically late like me, you can avoid running after trains by just buying your ticket once you are already at the station or platform. While longer train journeys with seat assignments price more dynamically, short commutes within the region are priced at standard rates. 

The train station in Villefranche-Sur-Mer is located right above the beach, which is in town. There is a literally a staircase up from the beach promenade to the platform, so it is incredibly convenient. 

Luxurious Monaco

Ride that train in the same direction for a few more stops and you’ll make it to a new country, Monaco. The journey to Monte Carlo (a district within Monaco) from Nice takes 20 minutes and costs 4.90€. Once you arrive at the Monaco-Monte Carlo station there are lots of signs and resources for visitors. Stop in at their tourist information booth for a map and help planning the best walking path or bus route to the main sites.

Eze 

Getting to the mountaintop village of Eze is a bit more of a challenge. Don’t be misled by the ‘Eze’ train stop because this is the coastal town, so you would be in for a major hike. The best way to get to the village of Eze is by bus from Nice.

Use the bus schedule here or Google Maps to plan your journey. It is important to time your day correctly because the buses only come once every 45 minutes or so and they get full early on in the route. 

Getting to Eze By Bus or Uber

You’ll know you’re at the right bus stop because they’ll be a large crowd of other tourists. The journey takes 30 minutes and the ticket costs 4 euros to purchase onboard or just under 2 euros if you already have a rechargeable transport card.

For my journey I bought a Lignes d’Azur day pass for 7€ at the tram station which covers the tram and bus routes in the area. I highly recommend this over fumbling at the bus door, and that way you can run over to any available seats after validating your ticket.

If you have trouble with the buses then Uber is your next best alternative. When trying to return from Eze Village, the bus was too full for us to board, so rather than wait for the next one we just got an Uber back.  The Uber from Eze to Villefranche-Sur-Mer was 21€.

Why Visit Eze

Eze village is worth the effort to visit because of its perfectly preserved medieval buildings and stunning views. We stopped at the cafe near the bus stop named L’Atelier Gourmet and it was excellent. In the village area there are mostly sit down restaurants and little shops.

Buy your ticket to visit the Exotic Garden at the base of the village before ascending the steps. Tickets are 8€ and I would say it’s worth it for the best views and is the main attraction in Eze. There is a machine where you can easily purchase them and avoid the queue at the entrance which is located near the top of the village. There’s lots of signs on the way up to guide you to the gardens. Budget at least 30 minutes to wander the garden grounds and take photos. 

Planning Your Itinerary in the South of France

If you have limited time in the south of France, then this small group tour will allow you to see all the highlights of Monaco and Eze in one day. I did this type of tour while on a cruise when we were in the port of Nice, and my family and I had a fantastic time. It was fast paced but we got to see everything and even more than what we had planned. Our guide really took the time to make sure we were all taken care of and maneuvered the schedule to avoid the crowds.

The benefit to staying in Nice for a while is the flexibility to take your time and choose what you’d like to see on various day trips to the surrounding towns. Most people combine Monaco and Eze in one day. I prefer doing Eze and Villefranche-Sur-Mer in one day. That way after climbing all those steps in Eze, you can cool off at the beach and have dinner at one of the many restaurants along the harbor. There is enough shopping and sights to cover in Monaco that you can spend a good portion of a day there alone.

More ideas for visiting the French Riviera

Other towns you may consider visiting are Menton, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and Saint Paul de Vence. Cannes is also an easy day trip from Nice or a great stop for several nights if you are working your way across the coast. There you are easily positioned to visit Antibes or continue towards Marseille. 

If you’d like to know more about the trip structure and costs of visiting Paris and the South of France then read my article here. For travel advice and assistance booking your stays, feel free to contact me.