--- title: "11 Best Day Trips from Nice by Train or Car (2027)" description: "The best day trips from Nice: Monaco, Èze, Villefranche, Antibes, Menton, Grasse and more, with times, train or car, and the order our Nice team plans them." url: "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/day-trips-from-nice" image: "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/_astro/01M5J4124K3ZXQ22VA07AFRCFP.aPOdHV-t_Z8cUgg.jpg" --- 1. [Home](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/) 2. [Travel insights](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles) 3. Day Trips from Nice: 11 Best Escapes by Train and Car [Travel insights](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles) # Day Trips from Nice: 11 Best Escapes by Train and Car The best day trips from Nice: Monaco, Èze, Villefranche, Antibes, Menton, Grasse and more, with times, train or car, and the order our Nice team plans them. By [Karine](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/team/karine), Senior Travel Designer · Published on October 22, 2026 · 7 min read ![Porquerolles, French Riviera in 7 Days: Saint-Tropez, Porquerolles, Nice & Monaco](/_astro/01M5J4124K3ZXQ22VA07AFRCFP.aPOdHV-t_Z1iOTxN.webp) The best day trips from Nice are **Monaco, Èze, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes and Menton**, all within forty minutes by train or car. With a driver, add **Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Grasse and Cap Ferrat**, and for a long day, the **Gorges du Verdon** or the **Italian Riviera**. Nice is the best base on the coast precisely because everything fans out from it, east toward Italy and west toward Cannes. We design Riviera trips from our office in Nice, so this list is ordered the way we actually plan them: by distance, by how you get there, and by what the day is for. ## Day trips from Nice at a glance | Destination | How we go | Time from Nice | Best for | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Villefranche-sur-Mer | Train or car | about 10 min | A calm bay, swimming, the Cocteau chapel | | Èze | Car, driver or bus | about 25 to 30 min | Perched village, sea views, gardens | | Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat | Car or driver | about 20 min | Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, coastal path | | Monaco | Train or car | about 20 to 25 min by train | Palace, Oceanographic Museum, Monte-Carlo | | Menton | Train | about 35 to 40 min | Old town, gardens, citrus, Italy next door | | Antibes | Train | about 20 to 30 min | Old town, Picasso Museum, Cap d'Antibes path | | Cannes and the Lérins Islands | Train, then boat | about 30 to 40 min, plus 15 to 20 min by ferry | Croisette, monks' island, swimming | | Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Vence | Car or driver | about 40 to 45 min | Art, Fondation Maeght, Matisse Chapel | | Grasse | Car or driver | about 45 min to 1 h | Perfume houses, create your own scent | | Italian Riviera | Train or car | about 50 min to Ventimiglia | Friday market, Dolceacqua, Sanremo | | Gorges du Verdon | Car or driver | about 2 h 30 | Canyon, Moustiers, Lake Sainte-Croix | Train times are typical TER times from Nice-Ville; road times assume no summer traffic, which in July and August is optimistic. ## East of Nice: the Corniches ### Villefranche-sur-Mer and Cap Ferrat Villefranche is ten minutes away by train, with the station right above the beach. Walk the covered medieval rue Obscure, see the Chapelle Saint-Pierre decorated by Jean Cocteau on the harbor, and swim in one of the deepest bays of the Mediterranean. Next door, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat has the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, a Belle Époque villa with nine themed gardens over the sea, and a coastal path around the cape. We often combine the two in one easy day with a driver. One thing to check: on cruise-ship days, Villefranche fills up between late morning and mid-afternoon. ### Èze Èze is a medieval village perched about 400 meters above the sea, with an exotic garden at the summit and views to Cap Ferrat. Its streets are narrow, steep and stepped, and it is busy from late morning when the tour coaches arrive. Go at opening time or in the late afternoon. There are two Èzes: the village on the rock, and Èze-sur-Mer by the water, where the train stops. The path between them, named after Nietzsche, is about an hour's steep climb. Most of our travelers go up by car on the Moyenne Corniche and walk down the path if they want the exercise. ### Monaco Monaco is about twenty to twenty-five minutes by train. The station is deep underground, so allow time for its long corridors and elevators. Our order for the day: 1. Walk up to Monaco-Ville, the old town on the rock, for the **changing of the guard at the Prince's Palace just before noon** (11:55). 2. The **Oceanographic Museum**, built into the cliff, with its aquarium and rooftop view. 3. Lunch, then down to the harbor and **Monte-Carlo** for the casino square, ideally around dusk when the lights come on. Avoid the Grand Prix weekend in late May or June unless you are going for the race: roads close and prices soar. Our guide to [Nice to Monaco](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/nice-to-monaco) compares train, bus, driver and helicopter. ### Menton and the Italian border Menton is the last town before Italy, about thirty-five to forty minutes by train. The old town climbs in pastel layers to the Basilica of Saint-Michel, the seafront has the Jean Cocteau museum, and the gardens (the Val Rahmeh and the Serre de la Madone) suit garden lovers. In February, the Lemon Festival fills the town with sculptures made of citrus fruit. From Menton, Italy is minutes away. On Fridays, the huge weekly market in Ventimiglia draws shoppers from the whole coast. Inland, Dolceacqua has a stone bridge that Monet painted. Carry your passport: border checks happen. ## West of Nice: art, perfume and islands ### Antibes Antibes is twenty to thirty minutes by train. Inside the old ramparts, the Picasso Museum occupies the Château Grimaldi, where Picasso worked in 1946, and the covered Provençal market on the Cours Masséna is at its best in the morning. In the afternoon, walk the coastal path around the Cap d'Antibes, a rocky trail with clear water below. It is uneven, so wear proper shoes. ### Cannes and the Lérins Islands Cannes is about half an hour by train. The Croisette and the Palais des Festivals take an hour; the real treat is the boat from the old port to the Lérins Islands. Sainte-Marguerite, about fifteen minutes away, has pine forests and the Fort Royal where the Man in the Iron Mask was held. Saint-Honorat, a little farther, belongs to Cistercian monks who make wine and liqueurs you can taste at the abbey. ### Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Vence Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a walled village of artists' studios and galleries, about forty minutes inland. At its edge, the **Fondation Maeght** shows Miró, Giacometti and Chagall in a pine garden; Chagall is buried in the village cemetery. Nearby in Vence, Matisse's **Chapelle du Rosaire**, which he designed down to the vestments, has short and changing opening hours, so we check them for your date. A driver makes this day easy; parking in Saint-Paul is limited in summer. ### Grasse Grasse, about forty-five minutes to an hour away, has been the perfume capital of France for centuries. The historic houses Fragonard, Molinard and Galimard offer factory tours (Fragonard's are free) and paid workshops where you blend your own perfume with a nose. The International Perfume Museum completes the picture. On the way back, stop in Gourdon, a village on a cliff edge, or Tourrettes-sur-Loup, the village of violets. ## Longer days and overnight ideas ### The Gorges du Verdon The Verdon canyon is about two and a half hours from Nice by road, which makes for a long day: the Route des Crêtes along the rim, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and its faience, and a pedal boat or kayak on the turquoise Lake Sainte-Croix. In late June and early July, it combines with the lavender of the Valensole plateau; see [when to see lavender in Provence](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/lavender-in-provence). We recommend one night in Moustiers rather than a return trip in one day. ### The Train des Pignes The narrow-gauge Chemins de fer de Provence line leaves from its own station in Nice (Gare des Chemins de fer de Provence, not Nice-Ville) and climbs the Var valley toward Digne-les-Bains. A day out to the fortified village of Entrevaux, with its Vauban citadel, is a slow, scenic alternative to the coast. ### Provence itself If you are tempted to day-trip to Avignon or the Luberon from Nice: do not. They are three hours away. Read [Provence vs the French Riviera](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/provence-vs-french-riviera) and give each region its own nights. ## Our planning rules for day trips from Nice - **Train for the coast, driver for the hills.** The TER is cheap and frequent along the sea, but Èze village, Saint-Paul, Grasse and Cap Ferrat are easier by car. - **One area per day.** East (Villefranche, Cap Ferrat, Èze, Monaco) or west (Antibes, Cannes, Grasse). Crossing Nice twice in a day wastes an hour in traffic. - **Go early in summer.** Perched villages and Monaco are calm before 10 am. - **Check strikes and maintenance.** Regional trains occasionally run reduced services; we always have a driver option ready. - **Leave one day in Nice.** The Cours Saleya market, the old town, the Matisse museum in Cimiez and an afternoon swim are reasons enough to stay put. For where to sleep while you do all this, read our guide to [where to stay on the French Riviera](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/where-to-stay-on-the-french-riviera). ## Day trips with reduced mobility Several of these day trips work well for travelers who use a wheelchair: the seafronts of Nice, Menton, Antibes and Cannes are flat, and Monaco is threaded with public elevators. Èze village and the upper streets of Saint-Paul-de-Vence are stepped and cobbled, so we suggest the viewpoints and accessible gardens nearby instead. Our [Accessible French Riviera in 8 Days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/7-days-in-nice-accessible-trip-with-4), from €1,499 (about $1,700) per person, uses one hotel on the Promenade and adapted vehicles for Monaco, Èze and Grasse. Our [French Riviera in 7 Days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/flavors-and-landscapes-of-the-blue-coast) combines Nice with Saint-Tropez, Porquerolles, Monaco by night and a perfume workshop in Grasse. Tell our Nice team which days you have and what you love, and we will build your [Riviera day trips](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/plan-your-trip) around them. More guides: [Places and regions](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/topics/regions)[Itineraries](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/topics/itineraries) ## Related destinations - [France](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/countries/france) ## Contents Written by ### [Karine](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/team/karine) Senior Travel Designer · Based in Nice A true Niçoise with 30 years in destination management; designs our French Riviera trips from Nice and swims in the sea most of the year. [More about Karine](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/team/karine) ## Trips for this guide - [![Flavors and Landscapes of the Blue Coast](/_astro/01M5J4124KG6FF457NNV4YR4B7.Cb0a_Myj_1zpfVj.webp)**French Riviera in 7 Days: Saint-Tropez, Porquerolles, Nice & Monaco**From €1,899 · 7 days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/flavors-and-landscapes-of-the-blue-coast) - [![7 days in Nice: Accessible trip](/_astro/01M5J4124VQF6QPD0VP4QXAAY3.BlXaBIyU_ZsWT3U.webp)**Accessible French Riviera in 8 Days: Nice, Monaco, Eze & Grasse**From €1,499 · 8 days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/7-days-in-nice-accessible-trip-with-4) - [![7 days in Paris : Accessible trip](/_astro/01M5J4124TAWH74F0D2H3G05YX.HqmqYvmi_Z1jq12B.webp)**Accessible Paris in 7 Days: Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Versailles & More**From €1,699 · 7 days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/7-days-in-paris-accessible-trip) When you’re ready, we’re ready ## Let us help you plan a trip that feels right Tell us what you’re dreaming about: dates, pace, who you’re traveling with, and what would make it special. A real person will get back to you with thoughtful ideas, not a generic pitch. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best day trip from Nice? For a first visit, Monaco combined with Èze or Villefranche: the palace and Oceanographic Museum in the morning, a perched village or a swim in the afternoon. If you love art, Saint-Paul-de-Vence and the Fondation Maeght. If you want something personal to bring home, a perfume workshop in Grasse, where you leave with your own blend. ### Can you do day trips from Nice without a car? Yes, along the coast. Regional trains link Nice to Villefranche, Monaco, Menton, Antibes and Cannes in under forty minutes. Èze village is reachable by bus. Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Grasse, Cap Ferrat and the Gorges du Verdon are much easier with a car or a private driver, which we often book for one or two days. ### Is Monaco worth a day trip from Nice? Yes. It is only twenty to twenty-five minutes by train, and in one day you can see the changing of the guard at the palace, the Oceanographic Museum, the harbor and the casino square. Stay into the evening if you can, when Monte-Carlo is at its most glamorous, and avoid the Grand Prix weekend. ### How far is Italy from Nice? The border is about thirty to forty minutes east by road, and Ventimiglia is about fifty minutes by train. A day in Italy usually combines the Friday market in Ventimiglia or the village of Dolceacqua with lunch in Liguria. Bring your passport, because police checks at the border are frequent. ## Plan this trip Day by day, with prices. Each one is reshaped around you. [All itineraries](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages) ![Flavors and Landscapes of the Blue Coast](/_astro/01M5J4124KG6FF457NNV4YR4B7.Cb0a_Myj_N9sDT.webp) 7 days / 6 nights ### [French Riviera in 7 Days: Saint-Tropez, Porquerolles, Nice & Monaco](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/flavors-and-landscapes-of-the-blue-coast) Six nights, three in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and three in Nice: a private dinner on arrival, a yacht day to Porquerolles, the gardens of Cap Ferrat and Eze, Monaco at night and your own perfume in Grasse. Driver throughout. From **€1,899** per person ![7 days in Nice: Accessible trip](/_astro/01M5J4124VQF6QPD0VP4QXAAY3.BlXaBIyU_Z1fdGlk.webp) 8 days / 7 nights ### [Accessible French Riviera in 8 Days: Nice, Monaco, Eze & Grasse](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/7-days-in-nice-accessible-trip-with-4) Seven nights in an accessible room at the Hotel West End 4-star on the Promenade des Anglais, adapted transfers throughout: Nice by bus, a perfume workshop in Grasse, a cruise to Monaco, the Matisse Museum, Eze and a beach day. From **€1,499** per person ![7 days in Paris : Accessible trip](/_astro/01M5J4124TAWH74F0D2H3G05YX.HqmqYvmi_Z25FNk1.webp) 7 days / 6 nights ### [Accessible Paris in 7 Days: Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Versailles & More](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/7-days-in-paris-accessible-trip) Six nights in an accessible executive room at the Hotel Westminster 4-star, adapted transfers to every visit: Seine cruise, Eiffel Tower, bus tour, Moulin Rouge, Louvre, Versailles and Sainte-Chapelle. Rooms checked by us first. From **€1,699** per person ## More to read [All articles](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles) ![Strasbourg, Belgium, Alsace & Switzerland by Train in 10 Days: Brussels to Zermatt](/_astro/01M5J4124FHCYRHXXYNXTV4WBS.BBRqCT_1_Z1IjnlR.webp) France ### [Paris to Switzerland by Train: TGV Lyria Times and Tips](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/paris-to-switzerland-by-train) Paris to Switzerland by train: TGV Lyria times to Geneva, Lausanne, Basel and Zurich, booking tips, connections to the Alps, and which Swiss city to pick first. ![Bar+luciole+(91)](/_astro/01M5J4124M2CV9SVPTPP6ACD66.D4xzGs5q_1IvybB.webp) France ### [France in January: Weather, Ski Season, Winter Sales and What's Open](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/france-in-january) France in January: real temperatures by region, the 2027 winter sales, ski season, truffle and Burgundy wine festivals, and what is closed until spring. ![Brussels, Belgium, Alsace & Switzerland by Train in 10 Days: Brussels to Zermatt](/_astro/01M5J4124F6C61DWR7ZVEYZMCK.BCdKG92D_ZbhPSj.webp) Europe ### [Why Multi-Country Itineraries Are the New Way to Experience Europe](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/why-multi-country-itineraries-are-the-new-way-to-experience-europe) Europe is not a single destination. It is a mosaic of languages, flavors, landscapes, and histories, and the best way to experience it is to move through several of them in one journey. Tailor-made, from France ## Let us help you plan a trip that feels right Tell us what you’re dreaming about: dates, pace, who you’re traveling with, and what would make it special. A real person will get back to you with thoughtful ideas, not a generic pitch. 1. 1Share your dates and wishes 2. 2Get a priced itinerary within 48 hours 3. 3Refine it together, then travel 9 travel designers in Lyon and Nice reply to every request themselves. ★★★★★ > “A wonderful travel partner” Carol W., Seattle, WA · 4.8/5 on 273 reviews - [US+1 607 354 8896](tel:+16073548896) - [Europe+33 4 26 30 36 82](tel:+33426303682) - [contact@mobeeinternational.com](mailto:contact@mobeeinternational.com) Two minutes, three steps. Free and without obligation. ## Contact Plan a tailor-made trip in Europe with Mobee International: https://tally.so/r/nWplRv — e-mail contact@mobeeinternational.com — phone +33 4 26 30 36 82 (Europe) or +1 607 354 8896 (US). ## Données structurées ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "TravelAgency", "@id": "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/#organization", "name": "Mobee International", "url": "https://www.mobeeinternational.com", "logo": "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/images/brand/mobee-international.png", "description": "Mobee International is a Destination Management Company (DMC) based in France: tailor-made trips and packages in France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Belgium, designed by local travel experts for travelers, travel agencies and tour operators.", "telephone": "+33426303682", "email": "contact@mobeeinternational.com", "areaServed": [ "US", "CA", "FR", "CH", "DE", "IT", "BE" ], "knowsLanguage": "en", "legalName": "MOBEE INTERNATIONAL", "vatID": "FR33824986947", "foundingDate": "2016", "sameAs": [ "https://www.kimkim.com/o/mobee-international", "https://www.linkedin.com/company/mobee-international", "https://www.instagram.com/mobeeinternational/", "https://www.youtube.com/@MobeeInternational", "https://www.trustpilot.com/review/mobeeinternational.com" ], "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "206 rue Alexandre Richetta", "postalCode": "69400", "addressLocality": "Villefranche-sur-Saône", "addressCountry": "FR" }, "contactPoint": [ { "@type": "ContactPoint", "contactType": "customer service", "telephone": "+16073548896", "areaServed": "US", "availableLanguage": [ "English" ] }, { "@type": "ContactPoint", "contactType": "customer service", "telephone": "+33426303682", "areaServed": "FR", "availableLanguage": [ "English", "French", "Spanish" ] } ], "parentOrganization": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "MOBEE INTERNATIONAL", "url": "https://www.mobeeinternational.com", "vatID": "FR33824986947", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "206 rue Alexandre Richetta", "postalCode": "69400", "addressLocality": "Villefranche-sur-Saône", "addressCountry": "FR" } } }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/#website", "url": "https://www.mobeeinternational.com", "name": "Mobee International", "inLanguage": "en", "publisher": { "@id": "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Article", "headline": "Day Trips from Nice: 11 Best Escapes by Train and Car", "description": "The best day trips from Nice: Monaco, Èze, Villefranche, Antibes, Menton, Grasse and more, with times, train or car, and the order our Nice team plans them.", "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/day-trips-from-nice", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karine", "@id": "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/team/karine#person", "url": "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/team/karine" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/#organization" }, "datePublished": "2026-10-22T00:00:00.000Z", "dateModified": "2026-10-22T00:00:00.000Z", "image": "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/_astro/01M5J4124K3ZXQ22VA07AFRCFP.aPOdHV-t_Z8cUgg.jpg", "inLanguage": "en" } ] } ```