If you want the south of France, make Nice your base

If you want the south of France, make Nice your base

Home of the day trip, Nice has plenty to keep you falling in love with the city every time you return. Well-practiced in catering to the droves of tourists it receives every year, this seaside city offers an endless supply of accommodation, dining and entertainment.

Stay in any one of its grand hotels, old town hostels or AirBnBs; choose from local classics like socca or moules et frites or dine in the upscale restaurants to be found in all areas; spend a day at the beach, cycling the Promenade des Anglais and the evening on Place Massena with its statues representing all seven continents and street performers vying for your attention.

Photo by Julien Lanoy on Unsplash

Monaco

After a day or two drinking in the beauty Nice offers, hop on the train—where better for a day trip than another country? Head for the glitz and glamour of Monaco, a mere half hour train ride from Nice Central. Jump into Fangio’s car on the roundabout housing the famous corners of the F1 street circuit, then start the climb up Le Rocher for amazing views of the city, the winding streets of the old town and the Oceanographic Museum. Cool down in the shade by the palace then descend and try your luck at the casino, a stunning building worth a visit for the sheer hilarity of the parking attendants manoeuvring supercars in the tiny car park.

Eze

If racing and flashing cash isn’t your thing, take the bus to Eze. About halfway between Nice and Monaco, Eze is a little town nestled on the cliffside with superb views over the Mediterranean. Built over several stories, cobbled streets lead up steep hills to the different houses, with adorable cafes built into the walls. A sleepy place, Eze can nonetheless cater to its visitors, offering lunch with a view, free tours of its perfume factory and hiking. The best way to spend a day in Eze is starting at the top and hiking down the Chemin Friedrich Nietzsche—from the top of the mountain to the very bottom via a path detailing philosophy at various points along the way. The views astonish at every altitude and hugging the shoreline at the bottom is a virtually silent sandy beach with crystal clear water—the perfect reward after a long trek and a few days on Nice’s pebbles. After soaking up the sun, catch the bus back to Nice from the bus stop at the bottom.

Photo by Michael Shannon on Unsplash

Antibes

If the hiking didn’t wear you out, hire a velo bleu from any of the stations on the Promenade des Anglais and set off on a joy ride. Find the harbour and watch a cruise ship dock before riding the length of the Promenade to the airport—this won’t take long but is the best way to see the full breadth of the city. From there, keep going! 11 miles of coastal roads with dedicated cycle lanes offer an unparalleled trip from Nice to Antibes with stunning views the whole way. Antibes is a beautiful destination, with a sandy beach, art galleries, sculptures and cafes sure to delight you for the entirety of your visit. You’ll need less time to cycle back to Nice—you may not have noticed the slight incline on the way to Antibes but you’ll enjoy the downhill flight back.

Cannes

Film aficionados will hardly be able to resist visiting Cannes, another short train journey from Nice Central. Even when the film festival isn’t on, there’s a red carpet feel to the location that’s hard to describe and the whole town has a fancy vibe to it. Lounge on the sandy beach with lovely views of the Med, dine on the beachfront terraces of the majestic hotels and shop in the elegant boutiques. Gaze at the handprints of the most prominent film figures on the Chemin des Étoiles, sip wine in the backstreet bars and admire the view of the bay from the monastery at the top of Suquet Hill. With no ‘main’ tourist attraction when the film festival isn’t in town, Cannes is a place you can simply explore.