Villefranche to Nice, Monaco, Cannes

[Lib0007]

We will be on the Celebrity Beyond in Oct hoping to see these three towns during our stop in Villefranche.   If we take the train to each, will there be alot of sites we can walk to from the train station, or will we need to taxi to different sites?   Hoping we can pull this off on our own.  Thanks! 

[marazul]

That could be a bit much for one day.  You might want to pick Nice and Monaco or Nice and Cannes.  Nice always first so you can see the Flower Market in action.  It is a bit of a walk from the train station to the Flower Market.  Same for the others.  Go to google maps and enter:  sncf gare [name of town]

 

All three could be done if you have a very long port day, a lot of stamina and not a lot of interest in seeing much.  In Cannes you see the beach and the fancy hotels.  There is a lot more to see in Monaco old town - palace, cathedral, oceanographic museum.  Of course, you would also take a look at Montecarlo.  So, my vote would be Nice and Monaco.

[Hlitner]

We have pointed out (in other threads) that using the regional #100 Bus (Ligne d'Azur) might be a better option than the train.  The cost is cheaper (1.5 Euros for a bus fare) and that line runs more frequently than the train.  In most cases the bus stops are also in a more convenient location to the most popular tourist areas.   I am not anti-train (we have used this TER train numerous times, but often prefer to use the bus for both Nice and Monte Carlo.

 

Hank

[carlmm]

Each of this cities warrants at least a day, Nice a week.

[GreenFamily]

On 8/30/2022 at 10:41 AM, Lib0007 said:

We will be on the Celebrity Beyond in Oct hoping to see these three towns during our stop in Villefranche.   If we take the train to each, will there be alot of sites we can walk to from the train station, or will we need to taxi to different sites?   Hoping we can pull this off on our own.  Thanks! 

First, Villefranche is very pretty and only 10k away from Nice in one direction and Monaco in the other by train. Look at the coastal train maps and you can easily get to Nice by train, walk a block to another train station and catch another short train ride to the beach and old town market. Cannes is not that pretty or interesting in my opinion and far to travel. But Antibes, also accessible by train, has it all. It’s a charming old town for exploring, with coastal walks, and beaches. 
 

See Rick Steves Mediterranean Ports guidebook.

[Lib0007]

Thanks so much! 

[durante]

Don’t take the 100 bus if you can help it, it’s always overcrowded and liable to be stuck in traffic. The train is far quicker.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

We did Nice and Monaco using taxis.  

[Scottishclover]

As others have said, you won’t be able to do all 3 cities in a day. We spent a week in Nice in April and did a bit of travelling around so here’s my advice. Forget Cannes and focus on Nice for a day. Bus from Villefranche drops you at the port in Nice. it takes 15 mins at most. Train stations are a wee bit further out. There’s so much to see and do and although there’s lots of tourists, it still has some authenticity.

 

We didn’t enjoy Monaco at all - ugly buildings and designer shops. Spent an hour there and then got the bus to the delightful town of Menton near the Italian border. The 100 bus goes to Menton.If you MUST do Monaco, I would combine it with Menton or the mountain village of Eze. Eze was so beautiful but we were there early on and it was quiet. I would not like to be there when all the bus tours arrive. You can get a bus there from Monaco.

 

Villefranche is also a pretty port for drinks/coffee. There is a great walk from there round Cap Ferat. A nice alternative if you get sick of wandering around cities on your cruise.

 

We found Bus 100 to be pretty reliable. It’s generally busy at rush hour times as commuters use it. A tip is if you are travelling back from Monaco/ Menton to Nice/Villefranche around 4 pm , it’s best to take the train or you will be standing. Also great views from the bus as it hugs the coastline.

 

[elaine5]

We just did Nice via train. It's a 15 minute easy walk to the ocean/old city in Nice. There is also a tram that runs to there. Ask tourist office outside of Nice train station for a map and where to walk (down the main shopping street that has Galleries Lafayette, etc.) The tram also runs along this route. Buy a ticket from machine--not on the tram. Also, it'd be good to buy your TER train ticket in advance at sncf.com. It should be good for any TER train that day. There was a long queue after ship arrived and many had to wait 30 minutes for the next train b/c of long queue to buy tickets. 

Yes, you could go to Monaco and then back via a stop in Nice, but it'd be a long day. I would not add Cannes.

[tusconcam]

Sorry if I am hijacking this thread, but DW and I will be on Celebrity Edge in May and from Villefrance looking at an all-day Nice, Monte Carlo/Monacco and Eze tour from the cruise line. Has anyone had any experience with this tour/this combo?

Yes, to do things properly each one deserves more time, but my DW is most attached to cruise line tours due to ensuring we don't miss the boat. (More literally than figuratively) with outside tour operators.

 

Suggestions and comments are most appreciated.

Thnx

[Hlitner]

We have had a lot of experience in that area on both cruises and many self-driving trips.  If I were guiding your tour I would take you from Villefranche directly to Nice to visit the Flower Market which runs from early in the morning until early afternoon.  It is a nice area for browsing the stalls, seeing the local produce, baked goods, etc.  DW and I love that outdoor market and would normally spend time just relaxing at a nearby cafe with our cafe au lait and a pastry or croissant.    From the Flower Market we might take you to the nearby Promenade d'Anglais where you can walk along the wide walkway and the guide can point out, "the beach,"  "the sea," perhaps some folks in swimsuits, etc :).  As you can imagine, I am not a big fan of tours.

 

After Nice we would herd the group back to the bus (and it will be a large bus) for the drive along the Middle Corniche to Eze Village.  Since it is a relatively compact village with its share of cute shops, a few art galleries, etc. they might actually trust you to walk on your own without a leash.   After Eze they would continue on the Middle Corniche into Monte Carlo (this is a place that DW and I avoid like the plague) where they will point out the Casino and possibly take you up to the Palace.  If your guide times it right you might get to the Palace area in time for the Changing of the Guard which happens at 11:55AM every day of the week.  

 

I cannot imagine doing any of this as part of a large tour group, but we have seen plenty of folks "following their guides."  For me, I cannot even think about being in Nice without having Soupe de Poisson which is not equaled anywhere else in the world.  On the other hand, DW would be happy with her Moules et Frites (assuming they are in season).  But being on a tour that will not happen as you will not generally have the time to relax with a long lunch in a delightful cafe.  We were a bit disheartened on our last visit (this past April) to see that a lot of the best food around the market had been replaced with Pizza!  It is almost like the French have now decided that they invented pizza and it is why folks come to NIce!  Really?  We went tbo Nice (where we spent a few days) after a transastlantic cruise that ended in Monte Carlo.  After we debarked our ship we took a booked car to our hotel in Nice and headed to the Flower market for a late morning snack.  Sure enough we ran into a few folks from our cruise who were on an excursion that took them to the Flower Market before they went to the airport for their flight.  Of course, like most excursions, they had to gulp their coffee with one eye on their watch so as not to miss their bus.

 

In defense of such an excursion, getting to and from Eze Village can be somewhat difficult for many independent travelers since it involves getting a taxi (not cheap) or using a public bus which does not run as often as one would expect.  There is another option using the train to a different bus but that is even more complicated.   

 

Hank

 

 

 

[marazul]

1 hour ago, tusconcam said:

Sorry if I am hijacking this thread, but DW and I will be on Celebrity Edge in May and from Villefrance looking at an all-day Nice, Monte Carlo/Monacco and Eze tour from the cruise line. Has anyone had any experience with this tour/this combo?

Yes, to do things properly each one deserves more time, but my DW is most attached to cruise line tours due to ensuring we don't miss the boat. (More literally than figuratively) with outside tour operators.

 

Suggestions and comments are most appreciated.

Thnx

I do agree with Hank. Since you will not DIY, would you consider

 a private tour? Maybe with a couple more people from your roll call?  You will be able to do much more without the bus crowd and you will NOT miss the boat! There are a number of tour providers mentioned on this board.

[LB_NJ]

Our ship will be tendered (7AM to 7PM) in Nice in May on a Saturday.  Thinking of just doing Nice on our own (we like to walk) for the day.

 

Is this a reasonable option?  From this thread it seems that there might be enough for a leisurely day.

[marazul]

19 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

Our ship will be tendered (7AM to 7PM) in Nice in May on a Saturday.  Thinking of just doing Nice on our own (we like to walk) for the day.

 

Is this a reasonable option?  From this thread it seems that there might be enough for a leisurely day.

Do you really port in Nice or in Villefranche? It makes a difference.

[LB_NJ]

1 hour ago, marazul said:

Do you really port in Nice or in Villefranche? It makes a difference.

 

The cruise ship itinerary says Nice France however I think it is probably Villefranche.  The Royal Caribbean ship holds over 2,000.

[marazul]

That's a very long day.  You can take the train or bus to Nice in the morning and spend 3-4 hours there.  Flower Market, old town, little tourist train.  Lunch. Then you have two options:  train to Monaco and spend the time in the old town or bus to St Jean-Cap Ferrat or to Villefranche.  If you go to Monaco, take the train back to Villefranche. Villefranche. 

 

Eze or St Paul require transport by car unless you want to spend the day in public transportation. 

 

 

 

 

 

[GreenFamily]

The train to Nice is a tiny bit confusing because it goes around the old town. Rick Steves gives instructions in his Mediterranean cruise video and in his book on mediterranean ports. 

[Scottishclover]

On 11/27/2022 at 6:19 PM, LB_NJ said:

Our ship will be tendered (7AM to 7PM) in Nice in May on a Saturday.  Thinking of just doing Nice on our own (we like to walk) for the day.

 

Is this a reasonable option?  From this thread it seems that there might be enough for a leisurely day.

We visited Nice for 5 days in April. Plenty to keep you busy in Nice for the day. Get the bus - it’s easy and will drop you off near the old port. Much easier than the train as the stations are a bit away from the main drag. I liked the suggestion from @marazul to go to St Jean Cap Ferrat. We walked from Villefranche around Cap Ferrat and ended up in the very charming village of St Jean Cap Ferrat. Lots of locals out having lunch. We loved it. You could do Nice in the morning then St Jean Cap Ferrat in the afternoon. We also loved Eze but I would not go near it in cruise ship season. As for Monaco ….. I just don’t see the appeal. 

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

On 11/27/2022 at 12:19 PM, LB_NJ said:

Our ship will be tendered (7AM to 7PM) in Nice in May on a Saturday.  Thinking of just doing Nice on our own (we like to walk) for the day.

 

Is this a reasonable option?  From this thread it seems that there might be enough for a leisurely day.

We spent a few days in Nice after a river cruise and we loved the city.  You will be happy if you just walk on your own.  We found a great beach front place La Galet and spent several hours there.  Service was slow and we felt ignored at times, but learned that's the Nice way.  https://www.galet-plage.com/