Nice, FR/Monaco

[Diamond Joe]

Taking advantage of wife's business trip at the end of the month. Got a cheap flight and the hotel is paid for, so... couldnt say no

Advice? Recommendations? I read the one thread somebody made on it (http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ghlight=monaco) but there were only two helpful comments and none about Nice. I'm flying into Nice thursday night, staying till Sunday night, and then on to Monaco. fly home Wednesday, so 3 days in Nice and 2 in Monaco.

Yeah bring money, I know. What else

[GimpToo]

Did this and it was worth every penny: https://www.viator.com/tours/Nice/Sm...ODTOUR?aid=se7

Walk, walk, walk . . . Castle Hill has great views . . . looks like temps are in the 40s F, so dress accordingly.

Enjoy!!

[DasBlunt]

Random advice, beyond a proper dinner and perfect service basically everywhere is, Play a hand in a casino? Most casino's in the USA are complete shitholes similar in feel to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, so most normal people avoid them. But in Monaco.......

[Diamond Joe]

Thanks guys. Food tour = booked! also thanks for that website, helpful for sure

and I did some casino research also - I was planning on hitting the Monte Carlo Casino anyhow - but found out they have a 25 euro table minimum

two others though, with 10 euro minimums. a little more my style. Although it'd be a lot easier to pay for my trip with a good run at a 25 euro table..

[FJ62]

My Monaco beta is 7 years old but here goes... the official/fancy Monte Carlo Casino was utterly boring and quiet and, as you guessed, for the higher rollers. Not really worth dressing up for unless you want the mandatory Bond martini moment. The Sun Casino (I think that's what it's called.... the other main one) was more Vegas styled, a bit more fun and had awesome Euro hooker people watching -- seriously, they were all over the lounge area.

Prince Monaco's car collection museum was awesome as was the aquarium for some odd reason.. just a weird/funky old school aquarium on a cliff that somehow worked. We walked around a ton, strolled near the yachts, went up to the castle but the most fun was renting a car and just heading over to the other beach towns in Italy and France.

We flew into Nice but went straight to St-Paul-de-Vence for the day (cool town def. worth going to if you can) and then went to Monaco.

[hutash]

You do realize they are right next to each other, right? Not much reason to change hotels.

[Diamond Joe]

You do realize they are right next to each other, right? Not much reason to change hotels.

Nice and Monaco?? Uh theyre close, but not quite "right next to each other" - Its about 30km from the airport area in Nice, to Monaco. Bout a 45 minute bus ride I'm told, so yeah, there is reason to change hotels.

[Kenny Satch]

have a great trip.

[Tippster]

It'll probably be cold and wet. Some decent skiing not too far away, too.

[patxi]

I'm not a fan of either place so can't give you any specific recommendations. I have stayed in Villefranche-sur-Mer before which is between the two towns and was nice. That was in summer though so it might be pretty quiet in the winter.

If you are into soccer, Nice and Monaco are at the top of the Ligue at the moment so you could look into catching a game. They play each other on the 4th of February if you are around that weekend.

If you are into skiing, head up to either Isola 2000 or Limone Piemonte if you happen to be around for a Retour d'est event.

Take a side trip to Genova for a day/night. Much nicer city than either Nice or Monaco in my opinion.

Rent a car for a day and explore the surrounding countryside.

Have fun.

[hutash]

Finale Ligare (sp?) area if you want some fun rock climbing or MTB. Not quite as far as Genoa. The limestone climbing is really fun especially the traverse over the Mediterranean.

[Diamond Joe]

I'm not a fan of either place so can't give you any specific recommendations

Its funny my wife's best friend travels for work, he's been to Nice/Monaco a couple times, and he hates it too. He said "if I had a free hotel, AND a free flight.. I still wouldnt go" lol. But what the fuck, life is too short in my opinion. I gotta go

If you are into soccer, Nice and Monaco are at the top of the Ligue at the moment so you could look into catching a game.

Thats awesome advice, thank you!! I'm not really into soccer but I can get into any live athletic event really. Especially in a foreign country, if the crowd was real into it! I looked into that, it looks like the Ligue is in the quarterfinals?? Playoffs?!? It looks like they have a round of games Jan 22, when I'll be there, Nice (I think) is on the road - at Bastia, whose home stadium is on Corsica. Monaco FC, however, is playing FC Lorient (?) on Jan 22 at home in Monaco. Perfect! wife wanted to go hiking or something that day but I think I can sway her - tickets are available and only 15 euros!! Thats gonna be cool

Food tour on Saturday, soccer game on Sunday

If you are into skiing, head up to either Isola 2000 or Limone Piemonte.. Take a side trip to Genova for a day/night. Rent a car for a day and explore the surrounding countryside.
Have fun.

Thanks yeah I like to ski a little bit thanks for the advice about specific areas, that is helpful.. did you mean Genoa, Italy? BTW for not having any specific recommendations, it seems like you actually have quite a few, good ones too haha thanks

as far as renting a car goes, as you and a couple other people have mentioned this - how hard is it to rent a car as a foreigner and how difficult is it getting around, moving across the border and stuff? I can speak some french but not great and no italian

have a great trip.

Thanks man

[Long duc dong]

I spent a couple of days in Monte Carlo this summer. We did go to the Grand Casino. It was fun but a bit overrated like others have said. It was not quite as fancy as I expected, I'm glad i didn't wear a tux or anything like that. The private rooms are more formal but we didn't go into those. We stayed at the Fairmont, which is right by the casino. The Fairmont had a good pool scene in September but that won't be going on now. You might want to check out Buddha Bar. It is right by the Grand Casino and is a fun scene, very euro-pretentious but still a good time.

I had a blast, so have fun. I want to go back in a couple of years. We combined the trip with a cruise and we want to do it again.

I should add that from the outside the Grand Casino looks absolutely sick. On the inside it is smaller and not all that spectacular.

[GimpToo]

My Monaco beta is 7 years old but here goes... the official/fancy Monte Carlo Casino was utterly boring and quiet and, as you guessed, for the higher rollers. Not really worth dressing up for unless you want the mandatory Bond martini moment. The Sun Casino (I think that's what it's called.... the other main one) was more Vegas styled, a bit more fun and had awesome Euro hooker people watching -- seriously, they were all over the lounge area.

Prince Monaco's car collection museum was awesome as was the aquarium for some odd reason.. just a weird/funky old school aquarium on a cliff that somehow worked. We walked around a ton, strolled near the yachts, went up to the castle but the most fun was renting a car and just heading over to the other beach towns in Italy and France.

We flew into Nice but went straight to St-Paul-de-Vence for the day (cool town def. worth going to if you can) and then went to Monaco.

We took the bus from Nice to St-Paul-de-Vence - definitely worth the short day trip!!

[Diamond Joe]

You might want to check out Buddha Bar. It is right by the Grand Casino and is a fun scene, very euro-pretentious but still a good time. I had a blast, so have fun. I want to go back in a couple of years.

Nice, thank you for the Buddha Bar recommendation! you said you had a blast, what else did you do?

We took the bus from Nice to St-Paul-de-Vence - definitely worth the short day trip!!

what did you (guys) do in St Paul de Vence, whats the attraction of the city? Do you have any other advice? things to do/not do, etc? (You went to Nice/Monaco you must have more insight than just that one thing!)

[PNWbrit]

how hard is it to rent a car as a foreigner and how difficult is it getting around, moving across the border and stuff? I can speak some french but not great and no italian

Very simple... and you probably won't even notice you've crossed a border.

They even have GPS in Italy now... apparently

[Long duc dong]

Nice, thank you for the Buddha Bar recommendation! you said you had a blast, what else did you do?)

The first day we went to a beach club, can't remember the name or how much it was to rent beach chairs. It was pricey but worth it, we got to water ski there and the med was super warm. Unfortunately if you go in the winter that won't be an option for you. The next day we went to the rooftop pool/club at the Fairmont, Nikki Beach. It was a cool scene, although pricey and snobby like everything else in Monte Carlo. My wife also did some shopping which is dangerous. The shopping is world class but it is obviously easy to drop a ton, even though the European brands are less over there than they are here. One night we ate at a place called Louis xiv which is right next to the Grand Casino. It was excellent, but maybe not quite worth the price. We paid close to 350 for a meal which would have been 250 in an expensive city in the U.S. Like others have said, everything I saw or ate in Monte Carlo was great but pricey. Also, we actually had a tough time finding an ATM walking around so bring cash, the beach club only took cash for water ski rides.

The Fairmont was not cheap, but it is a great spot and I thought a pretty good value. If you are in Monte Carlo just accept you are going to spend some money and have fun with it. Like I said, we want to go back in a couple of years.

[WTF is dat]

Nice and Monaco are lovely in the summer time but I have no clue wtf you would do in the wintertime in either place.


Some ideas though:

Go to the top of castle hill in Nice for a very nice overlook of the city.

Explore old town Nice for an hour or 2 and walk the promenade Anglais.


Maybe go to some castles or some shit if you can make it to Provence or carcasonne but those places are kinda far away

[nest]

Fondation Maeght is a good modern art museum in St Paul de Vence, Carcasonne is way too far for a shorter trip.

[teledad]

I was in Nice in the off season as well (March), not beach weather but nice to be there when most of the tourists are gone.

Don't miss the socca (chickpea pancake thing that's way better than it sounds) in the Nice old town. I think I ate one every day I was there. Overall the food is great, even on a budget. Good seafood, hearty Provencal dishes, house wine by the jug.

Isn't there a train between Nice and Monaco? Might be faster/nicer than the bus, the roads around there aren't the most direct.

[Just a Skosh]

Cassis is beautiful. Just down the coast from Nice. Nice beach, cliffs to jump off, quaint little town.

[Long duc dong]

Thats awesome advice, thank you!! I'm not really into soccer but I can get into any live athletic event really. Especially in a foreign country, if the crowd was real into it! I looked into that, it looks like the Ligue is in the quarterfinals?? Playoffs?!? It looks like they have a round of games Jan 22, when I'll be there, Nice (I think) is on the road - at Bastia, whose home stadium is on Corsica. Monaco FC, however, is playing FC Lorient (?) on Jan 22 at home in Monaco. Perfect! wife wanted to go hiking or something that day but I think I can sway her - tickets are available and only 15 euros!! Thats gonna be cool

Food tour on Saturday, soccer game on Sunday

I wish I had gone to a soccer game when I was there. I love soccer, and the euro passion is incredible. Unfortunately I did not have the chance. Next time I'm in Europe I want to see one.

[GimpToo]

Nice, thank you for the Buddha Bar recommendation! you said you had a blast, what else did you do?


what did you (guys) do in St Paul de Vence, whats the attraction of the city? Do you have any other advice? things to do/not do, etc? (You went to Nice/Monaco you must have more insight than just that one thing!)

http://www.saint-pauldevence.com/en/history

The pictures of the town were enough to go and walked around until we were hungry and found the best restaurant in town. Cemetery that Marc Chagall is buried is interesting. Saint-Paul is an old artist location, We were only in Nice for a couple of days after a ski trip so it was in March, but we lucked out and had very warm, sunny weather, so we walked the whole town, did the foodie tour, sat on the beach for a sunset at one of the bars still open, went to Marc Chagall exhibit - no Monaco!! Have fun If I think of anything else, I'll post

[Gerome]

Is this the thread where you get beta for south of France? How about Pernes-Les-Fontaines ( a 7 hour drive west of Monaco)?

I get time off to be a new dad through family and medical leave act, and my wife has been wanting to live in France to learn the language. So we're planning on spending a month in France in May. We've got a house to rent in Pernes les Fontaines. It looks like a smaller village near Avignon. We're thinking about renting bikes, and doing as many via ferrata hikes as we can when her parents stay with us for a couple weeks and are taking care of our baby.

Does anyone have information on activities and things to see in the area? It looks like Chamonix is a four hour drive, so that could be worth a visit. Other than minimal climbing gear for the via ferrata, we don't plan on bringing any sports gear with us. Is it easy to rent bikes and other sports equipment?

[Diamond Joe]

Checking in from Nice! So far, I love this city! Explored old town, promenade des Anglais et rue de France yesterday. Today, food tour, fucking amazing. Old town again and the parc above the city.. so cool. Weather, around 55 F. Pretty fucking nice considering I just left NE where it was 30. Ocean is beautiful. People have been so nice. Was expecting pretentiousness but everybody has been really nice. Maybe different in Monaco? Wish I had researched some shit better, paid 40 euros for a cab to my hotel, the bus was 6 and a car rental was like 45 for 2 days (+40 for parking)..d'oh! Best pizza I've ever had tonight? So many Italians here. Keep hearing Italian.. True Italian pizza is not pre sliced? Supposed to eat w fork and knife?? Who knew!!