The short version
- Stay in Nice and use the train. From Nice-Ville, Villefranche is 5 minutes away, Monaco and Antibes 20, and Menton 40, with fares from €3.60 to €7.70.
- Èze and Saint-Paul-de-Vence sit up in the hills, so take a bus. Bus 82 runs to Èze village for €1.70.
- Until December 11, 2026, no trains run between Nice and the Italian border after 22:00 from Sunday to Thursday night. Come back from Monaco or Menton by bus if you stay late.
- Monaco’s palace state apartments are closed until spring 2027. The changing of the guard still happens every day at 11:55.
- The Musée Picasso in Antibes is €8 and closed on Monday. It is free from November 3 to 8, 2026.
- Menton’s Fête du Citron runs February 13 to 28, 2027, at the same time as the Nice Carnival.
The villages
- Villefranche-sur-Mer. A fishing port 5 minutes from Nice by train. The Chapelle Saint-Pierre, painted by Jean Cocteau, is €4 and open Wednesday to Sunday; it closes from mid-November to mid-December. The Citadelle Saint-Elme is free and open every day.
- Èze. A stone village on a rock high above the sea. The Jardin d’Èze, a cactus garden on the castle ruins at the top, is €10. Walk down the Nietzsche path to Èze-sur-Mer and take the train back.
- Monaco. Twenty minutes by train. The Oceanographic Museum on the Rock is open every day, €22.50 for adults. Be on Place du Palais at 11:55 for the changing of the guard.
- Menton. The last town before Italy, 40 minutes by train. The Bastion, a harbor fort Cocteau decorated, is €5 and closed on Tuesday. The covered market by the port runs every morning.
- Antibes. Twenty minutes west by train. The Musée Picasso in the Château Grimaldi, where he worked in 1946, sits on the seafront. The Provençal market in the covered hall runs Tuesday to Sunday mornings, every day in summer.
- Saint-Paul-de-Vence. A walled hill village, free to walk. The Fondation Maeght, a modern art museum with a sculpture garden, is open every day and costs €18, with no booking needed.
Villefranche, Monaco and Menton are on the same line east of Nice, so you can do two of them in a day. Give Èze and Saint-Paul half a day each.
Getting around
TER trains leave Nice-Ville for Monaco about 65 times a day and for Antibes more than 140 times. Buy tickets in the SNCF app or at the station machines.
The Zou! 600 bus runs along the coast from Nice to Villefranche, Monaco and Menton, every 10 to 30 minutes depending on the time of day. Tap a bank card on the reader when you board.
For Èze, take bus 82 from Vauban in Nice, or the Zou! 602 to Èze and Monaco. For Saint-Paul-de-Vence, take the train to Cagnes-sur-Mer, 15 minutes and €5, then bus 655 from the station square, 15 minutes more.
You don’t need a car for any of these.
When to go
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, before and after the July and August crowds. Nice averages a high of about 28°C in July and August, and October and November are the wettest months.
February is festival month: the Nice Carnival runs February 9 to 28, 2027, and Menton’s Fête du Citron February 13 to 28. Everyone at the Menton parades needs a ticket, children included.
The Monaco Grand Prix is June 4 to 6, 2027. The Oceanographic Museum and the palace close that weekend.
In winter the palace in Monaco is closed, the Cocteau chapel in Villefranche shuts from mid-November to mid-December, and the Èze garden closes at 16:30.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Riviera villages can you visit in a day from Nice?
All of them. Villefranche, Monaco and Menton are on the same train line east of Nice, and you can pair two in a day. Antibes is 20 minutes west. Èze and Saint-Paul-de-Vence each take half a day by bus.
Do you need a car on the French Riviera?
No. Trains run along the coast from Nice-Ville all day, and buses go up to Èze and Saint-Paul-de-Vence. A car only helps for villages further inland.
How do you get from Nice to Èze?
Take bus 82 from Vauban in Nice to Èze village, for €1.70. Or take the train to Èze-sur-Mer and bus 83 up the hill. Coming back, walk down the Nietzsche path to the station.
Can you visit the Prince’s Palace in Monaco?
Not until spring 2027. The state apartments closed for the season on October 15, 2026. The changing of the guard on Place du Palais happens every day at 11:55.
Is there a tour that covers the Riviera?
Yes. Our Six Days in Provence meets at Avignon TGV station for three days in Provence, then takes the first-class TGV to Nice for a full-day Riviera tour of Monaco, Monte Carlo, Èze, Cannes and Antibes. All admissions are included.
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