| Tips and photos of unusual, out-of-the-way Nice attractions, posted by real travelers and locals. Nice Map |
 | Nice Off the Beaten Path | Tips 1 - 10 of 145 |  |
 Images of Villefranche by Nice2004
Easy to reach by bus on either the 81 or TAM 100 bus from Nice Gare Routiere. The 100 runs every 20 minutes during the day, so there isn't usually long to wait before the next one comes along. The jounrye takes around 15 minutes. The train also runs from Nice to Villefranche, but the timetables can be somewhat haphasard with hour or so waits between trains. Leave a Comment
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 Antibes by Nice2004Leave a Comment
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 Nice and the attractions
of The Riviera by NiceLife
Within an hour you can be in Cannes, Monaco or Italy. You can be up in the perched villages of the arriere pays (back country), or wandering the cobbled narrow streets of the Medieval villages of St Paul, Vence or Entrevaux. You can be marvelling at the super yachts in Antibes, or lounging on the beach at Villefranche, shopping for fashion bargains in Ventimiglia, or celebrity-spotting in St Tropez. If you are up for a hike, the Grande Corniche from La Turbie to Col d'Eze offers peerless views over mountain and sea. Even further afield just manageable as a day excursion are Marseilles, Aix en Provence and Genoa. Corsica is just possible, but an overnight stay makes more sense.
What to see?
If you have only one day, most people's excursion of choice is a trip to Monaco. If you have time for more excursions, Antibes is a good second destination. To contrast those, a trip inland to one of the medieval villages is recommended - Haut de Cagnes, St Paul de Vence, Eze or Grasse, in order of preference.
If you're a "glitz" person, put Cannes on your list, or be prepared for lengthy travel to St Tropez, both at their best in high season.
If its a Friday, then that's market day in Ventimiglia
If you are a "gardens and plants" person, head for Menton or better still Ventimiglia's Villa Hanbury Botanical Gardens at Mortola. Then theres Jardin Thuret at Cap d'Antibes or the Monaco Jardin Exotique.
If you do adventure sports the gorges of Gourdon are waiting for you. More sedate water fun for the family at Marineland, Biot near Antibes
The choice is yours. Off the beaten path has a lot to offer. Leave a Comment
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 can't we stop here for lunch? by allaboutnice
Eze Village is a tiny perched village 400 metres above sea level not to be confused with Eze Bord de Mer by the sea.
Following our expensive meal out on Friday, we were on an economy drive today. In the morning I bought provisions for a picnic from our wonderful local patisserie, M. Martinez on rue Cassini, by the Port.
There are only 3 buses to Eze Village on a Sunday and, laden with picnic, we caught the 112 leaving the Gare Routiere at 12 noon, from Place Garibaldi. It's about a 20 minute ride climbing eastwards and upwards on the middle (Moyenne) Corniche.
The bus can not go into the walled and pedestrianised Eze Village with its narrow mediaeval roads, so you are decanted onto a car park. Head up the road but nip right to get a free map and guide from the friendly tourist office and use loo. Continue back up to the village. Just before you pass the walls, you will see the huge wrought iron gates of Chateau Eza - Easter lunch today only 160 euros per person! The path home is to the left of these gates. (This was a circular trip out remember)
Wend your way through the village and explore and marvel at all its photogenic nooks, crannies, chapels and touristy shops. If you are broke, treat it all like an attractive (free!) open air museum. It IS very pretty - it would be hard to take a duff photo here unless a coach load of tourists got in the shot. There are a few places to eat, drink have an ice cream or coffee, that are not too expensive plus another pricy-looking place - La Chevre d'Or - Easter lunch here is 160 euros per person too. We were starting to feel hungry! At the highest point of the village, is the Exotic Garden, le Jardin Exotique. You can picnic here, there's plenty of space at the top, the views are wonderful - complete panorama. continued in Part 2... Leave a Comment
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 Gourmet foods - yummy! by NiceLife
Around the store are little eating spots so you can do lunch in style in the aisle. The selection of French wines is huge, especially rose de Provence. And there is a little corner for "produits Anglais" if you hanker for Heinzbaked beans or PG Tips teabags. The floor above holds a vast floor of fashion goods.
Next door are the many restaurants of the little resort of St Laurent itself. You can watch the planes landing at Nice airport in the near distance, and watch the kite-surfing for which this open and breezy spot is perfect.
Catch any of the TAM buses direction Cannes (200, 400, 410, 500) and hop off at the bus stop opposite the Cap 3000 (La Passarelle). Alternatively the Bus 52 from the Nice Gare Routiere goes direct to St Laurent de Var stopping at "Cap trois mille". In any case, fare only a miserly 1 euro each way.
Not open on Sundays! Leave a Comment
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 View over the Palace from the
Exotic Garden by NiceLife
Only 2sq km in size, population 3,000 Monegasques, 27,000 tax exiles (zero rate of personal income tax) home to the wealthiest individuals in Europe. The streets are spotless - litter-free - as it has the world's highest rate of policemen per thousand population.
In Monte Carlo you can marvel at the Casino, take pictures of people taking pictures of the casino to confuse them - or go inside, if you are appropriately dressed . The high rollers however only ever play behind closed doors. The Rolls Royces parked outside are for effect, a permanent feature to lure in the punters.
If you are feeling fit for the climb, fantastic views can be had from the exotic gardens (charges, but worth it) and their collection of Cactii, high up on the side of the hill above Monte Carlo looking down over the castle and the harbour.
At Prince Ranier's palace you can see his amazing classic car collection (charges). Fabulous classics, only 6 euro entry
Dont miss the fabulous Musee Oceanographique, what should be one of the wonders of the world with its three story coral reef and shark tank.
In the harbour you will often see some of the worlds most impressive luxury yatchs, like the Lady Moura - said to be the most expensive in the world at $100m. Very big boys toys these.
Walk around the town and count the Porsches, Mercedes, Ferraris, Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Lambourghinis, and the odd Reliant Robin .
If you hanker after Formula One and Grand Prix week the third week of May each year, bear in mind that everything by way of accommodation everywhere goes up 30 - 50% in price, that you can't see a thing anywhere on the route without paying for a ticket, the best of which come in at 300 euro for the day.
Join me to read the lowdown on the Monaco royal family, those wild child daughters, and the real Monaco Leave a Comment
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 it took us longer than 45
minutes! by allaboutnice
continued from part 1
...Picnic was good; we were eyed somewhat enviously by other visitors, especially when I got the thermos flask out - a great British institution! The sun shone and we could have basked here all day. Entrance to the gardens is 3 euros each but free for children, small price to pay for uninterrupted views and a good picnic spec. The gardens themselves are neat and terraced, mostly cacti and succulents. According to my guide book, a 'must see' is the 14th century Chapel of the Penitents - not the large blue and yellow church dominating the view (tip - loos by the entrance to this church) but a tiny cream building.
To complete the circular tour, return to the gates (see part 1) and walk down the marked path - Sentier Frederic Nietzsche, named after the German philosopher used this pathway in the 1880s. The path is clearly signposted with yellow 'flashes' painted at intervals in case you wander off. It is steep in parts and steps, when present, are quite deep. The estimated time is 45 minutes down to Eze Bord de Mer. It is a pleasant walk but I wouldn't like to do it in the heat of summer. Several gasping groups passed us on the way up! We felt we had made the better decision, to start at the top and walk down!
When you reach the bottom you are in Eze Bord de Mer. Cross over to the beach or do as we did, turn right and walk a few metres up to the bus stop to catch the number 100 (every half hour) for Nice. If you walk past the bus stop, there is a road side cafe for a recuperative ice-cream while you wait for the bus.
This bus route uses the lower (Basse) Corniche road to return to Nice passing through Beaulieu and Villefranche before dropping us off at the Port.
The bus fare is 2,50 euros each per trip, the garden entrance fee was 6 euros, plus a picnic made for a cheap afternoon out with a lovely village to explore, a good walk to work off lunch and two scenic bus journeys. Most enjoyable. Leave a Comment
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 Menton - old town and harbour by NiceLife
Just across the border is the magnificent Giardini Bottanici Hanbury set around the superbly located Villa Hanbury, whilst on the Menton-Garavan hillside there is the awe-inspiring Jardin Les Colombiers. Other delights include the Jean Cocteau' decorated Salle de Marriages and Cocteau museum. The cemeteries are a treasure trove of the last century history.
For more, see myMenton pages Leave a Comment
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 View from Eze by Nice2004
Take the 82 / TAM 112 bus from the Gare Routiere in Nice. Website link for bus timetable: http://www.lignedazur.com/ftp/lignes/82.pdf Leave a Comment
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 More medieval stuff by NiceLife
Its perfect for those who like to wander through narrow winding streets of a different age, and a morning market suggests making an early start.
But Vence's most outstanding feature is Matisse's wonderous Chapel Rosaire, about a kilometre walk north west of the town. Here Matisse designed everything, from the priests vestments, to the awe-inspiring patterned stained glass windows. A uniquely moving experience, and its location allows you to take in fine views of Vence set in the valley. Leave a Comment
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