South of France

I visited the south of France in June 2017. We flew into Nice and based ourselves here during our stay. We then made day trips to both Cannes and Monaco. I would love to go back and do a drive along the coast and visit more of the coastal towns!

This post is slightly different as I don’t have complete notes as to what exactly I did while I was there, only the guide I wrote before leaving! So this is a combination of what I have done and also what I would do if I were planning this again!

Summary

Day 1 - Arrived evening to Nice

Day 2 - Explore Nice

Day 3 - Day trip to Monaco

Day 4 - Day trip to Cannes

Day 5 - Explore Nice and head home!

Attractions Pass

When I went I used the Cote d'Azur Card which covered various locations along the southern coast of France. This was like the all inclusive passes I have since used on many other trips. At the time this cost €45 each. Now, having gone back to the website to see current pricing I have realised they have completely changed the card! There are now two card options for either culture or leisure with different activities dependent on your choice. The website is of limited use as the English page doesn't provide much information.

An alternative I have found is the French Riviera Pass which seems like what the Cote d'Azur Card was when I went. This pass has lots of attractions included across the south of France. The 72 hour pass is €56. There are so many inclusions that I would definitely say look into this card as there are lots of things you may not decide to do otherwise.

Nice

There are many boat trips you can do from Nice. Check out the Trans Côte d'Azur website for so many trips departing from BOTH Nice and Cannes. You get an amazing view of all the brightly coloured buildings along the coast!

Our first day exploring Nice was mostly along the Promenade des Anglais. This is the main walk along the coast in Nice and is lined with many bars/restaurants/cafes. There is also the famous Nice sign to take a photo in front of. You also have access to Nice beach from the Promenade as well.

Our last day exploring Nice was enjoying the view from the top of Castle Hill. You can get to the top by lift or stairs. We took the lift up and then stairs down to enjoy the view. At the top you get the view over the Promenade des Anglais on one side and the Old Port on the other side. I've since found out there's a large waterfall there which I think we managed to miss!

Monaco

The train to Monaco takes under 30 minutes from Nice and costs around £8 return. You can book via the Trainline website/app or purchase at the station. I remember only being able to pay by card on the ticket machines at the station. We had to pre-select the train times so I would recommend buying single tickets in case you finish earlier than expected like we did. Double check this when you purchase a these rules may have changed since. Once we arrived we purchased day bus tickets so we could travel around easily (€5.50).

The view from Monaco train station itself is amazing! Theres a small terrace area (I think on the way out) where you have a view out to the sea.

The main place we spent time was the Jardin Exotique de Monaco, a botanical garden featuring mostly cactus plants. We had this included in our pass but otherwise entrance is €7.20. Again, the views from here over Monaco are just stunning! The garden is set high up you have amazing views from all angles. There are also caves within the garden too which offer guided tours included in your entrance ticket.

The thing Monaco is most famous for is the Monte Carlo Casino! We headed down here as our last stop of the day just to have a look from the outside. We didn't go in but I have heard from others that its an overrated place. If you are a fan of expensive cars then this is the place for car spotting. Lots of fancy cars parked outside the casino. We walked around the Jardins de la Petite Afrique which is just by the casino. We then headed slightly further out to the Monaco Japanese Garden which was beautiful and tranquil.

Cannes

We took the train to Cannes which takes 25-40 minutes depending on which train you get. The SNCF trains cost around £14 return. Same advice as above with regards to buying single tickets.

The highlight of my day in Cannes was visiting the island Ile Saint Marguerite. The ferry costs €15 return. When I visited it felt like it was just us on the island at some points whilst we were walking along the coast. There are lots of rocky outcrops so make sure to wear comfortable shoes. We only spent a few hours here exploring but there is so much to see and do which could occupy a whole day! Can't wait to go back here again!

We had a walk along the Boulevard de la Croisette and took the little train tour which was included in our pass to get a quick overview of Cannes (costs under €10). The train departs from Palais des Festivals. During the tour they pointed out all the famous spots. The train stops at the top of the town for a 10-15 minute photo stop before taking you back down to the start again.

Hope this helps you plan your own trip to France! Drop me a message with any questions!