The best day trips from Nice are Eze Village, Monaco, Villefranche-sur-Mer and Menton to the east, Antibes, Cannes and Grasse to the west, the hilltop village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence inland, the Friday market in Ventimiglia across the Italian border, and the Verdon Gorge for a full day in the mountains. Most coastal towns are 20 to 40 minutes away by TER train, while the hill villages and the gorge are far easier by car.
This guide covers ten day trips from Nice, with official train times and fares where a train exists, what to see in each place, and which trips work best together. At the end, you will find ready-made itineraries for combining two or three stops in one day with a private chauffeur.
What are the best day trips from Nice?
The best day trips from Nice depend on what you want from the day: villages and views, glamour, art, shopping or nature. The ten below cover all of them, and none is more than a few hours from the city.
Here is a quick overview before we look at each one:
| Day trip | Direction | By train from Nice | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eze Village | East | Train to Èze-sur-Mer, then bus or hike | Views, hilltop village |
| Monaco | East | About 20 minutes, €6.10 | Glamour, the Prince’s Palace |
| Villefranche-sur-Mer | East | On the coastal line | A deep, sheltered bay and old town |
| Menton | East | About 40 minutes, €7.70 | Gardens, Jean Cocteau, the Lemon Festival |
| Ventimiglia (Italy) | East | On the coastal line, beyond Menton | The Friday market |
| Antibes | West | About 20 minutes, from €7 | Picasso Museum, old port |
| Cannes | West | About 35 minutes, €9.70 | The Croisette, shopping |
| Grasse | West, inland | €13.40 one way | Perfume factories and museum |
| Saint-Paul-de-Vence | Inland | No direct train | Art, ramparts, galleries |
| Verdon Gorge | Far inland | No train | Nature, a full day out |
Train fares and times come from SNCF’s TER pages for Nice–Monaco, Nice–Menton, Nice–Antibes, Nice–Cannes and Nice–Grasse.
Day trips from Nice to the east: the Riviera to Italy
East of Nice, the coast becomes steeper and more dramatic, and the Corniche roads wind above the sea towards Monaco and Italy. These are the most popular day trips from Nice, because several of them fit into a single day.
1. Eze Village
Eze Village is a medieval hilltop village perched 429 metres above the sea, about ten kilometres from Nice. At the top, the Exotic Garden is built into the ruins of the old castle, with a view that, on a clear day, reaches Saint-Tropez.
The Nice Côte d’Azur tourist office puts the village about 25 minutes from Nice by motorway. Bus 82 runs from Nice to the village, and the train stops at Èze-sur-Mer on the coast, where the steep Nietzsche path climbs up to the village.
Eze is one of the classic day trips from Nice, and it pairs naturally with Monaco, only a short drive further east. Our full guide explains how to get from Nice to Eze Village by bus, train, on foot or by car.
2. Monaco
Monaco is about 20 minutes from Nice by TER train, with 65 round trips a day and a standard single fare of €6.10, according to SNCF. The first train leaves Nice at 5:50 am and the last at 10:20 pm.
In Monaco-Ville, on the Rock, the changing of the guard takes place every day in front of the Prince’s Palace, overlooking the Mediterranean. Below, Monte Carlo has the casino, the harbour and the streets of the Grand Prix circuit.
Monaco is one of the most popular day trips from Nice, and it is compact enough to see the highlights in half a day. If you are unsure whether it is for you, read our guide on whether Monaco is worth a day trip from Nice.
3. Villefranche-sur-Mer
Villefranche-sur-Mer is the first town east of Nice, set around a bay the Nice Côte d’Azur tourist office describes as one of the deepest and most spectacular in the Mediterranean. Colourful houses, traditional fishing boats called pointus and a 16th-century citadel line the waterfront.
Inside the old town, the vaulted Rue Obscure runs almost like a tunnel beneath the houses, and the small Saint-Pierre chapel by the harbour was decorated by Jean Cocteau. The Citadelle Saint-Elme overlooks the bay and houses several museums.
Villefranche is so close that it works as a half-day trip, or as a first stop before Cap Ferrat, Eze or Monaco. It is one of the most relaxed day trips from Nice for travellers who want the sea without the crowds of the bigger towns.
4. Menton
Menton is the last French town before Italy, about 40 minutes from Nice by TER train, with 65 round trips a day and a standard fare of €7.70, according to SNCF. Its old town climbs from the Port of Garavan in ochre and yellow façades.
The Côte d’Azur tourist board highlights around ten notable gardens, including the 7-hectare Serre de la Madone, and the Bastion Museum dedicated to Jean Cocteau. Menton is also home to the Fête du Citron, the Lemon Festival, which the board calls “a unique event in the world”.
If you love gardens, Menton is one of the most rewarding day trips from Nice. By car, it combines easily with Monaco on the way there or with Ventimiglia just across the border.
5. Ventimiglia (Italy)
Ventimiglia is the first Italian town across the border beyond Menton, and its main draw is the Friday market. According to the City of Ventimiglia, the market opens every Friday from 7 am along the seafront and sells clothing, leather goods, shoes, glasses and household products.
The city calls it “the largest market in Italy”, and notes that most sellers speak French and English. It is a long-standing habit for Riviera residents, and one of the easiest ways to add a second country to your day trips from Nice.
Arrive early if you want time to browse the stalls. With a car, you can continue to the old town of Ventimiglia or stop in Menton on the way back.
Day trips from Nice to the west: Antibes, Cannes and Grasse
West of Nice, the coast is flatter and the towns are bigger. These day trips from Nice are all served by fast, frequent trains, which makes them easy on your own, and easy to combine by car.
6. Antibes
Antibes is about 20 minutes from Nice by TER train, with fares from €7 one way, according to SNCF. Its walled old town sits between Nice and Cannes, facing the Alps across the bay.
The main sights are the Picasso Museum in the Château Grimaldi, the Provençal market on Cours Masséna and Port Vauban, one of the largest yacht harbours in the Mediterranean. South of the town, Cap d’Antibes and Juan-les-Pins add coves and beaches.
Antibes is one of the easiest day trips from Nice by train, and one of the best to combine with Cannes. Read our full guide to getting from Nice to Antibes for every option and fare.
7. Cannes
Cannes is about 35 minutes from Nice by train, with more than 140 round trips a day and a standard single fare of €9.70, according to SNCF. The first train leaves at 5:31 am and the last at 11:10 pm.
The Croisette, the Palais des Festivals, the old Le Suquet quarter on the hill and the boutiques of rue d’Antibes fill a day easily. From the old port, boats cross to the Lérins Islands just offshore.
Cannes is a natural partner for Antibes on day trips from Nice. With a chauffeur, you can also add a drive along the coast or up to Mougins; see our private car tour of Cannes.
8. Grasse
Grasse sits about 20 km inland, above Cannes, and is known as the world’s capital of perfume. Its perfume-making skills were added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2018.
TER trains run from Nice to Grasse for a standard fare of €13.40, according to SNCF. In town, Fragonard’s historic factory offers free guided tours, and the International Perfume Museum tells the story of scent from antiquity to today.
Grasse is one of the most original day trips from Nice, and the drive up through the hills is part of the pleasure. Our guide to getting from Nice to Grasse covers every option in detail.
Inland day trips from Nice: villages and the Verdon Gorge
Inland, the scenery changes quickly: perched villages, olive groves, then limestone plateaus and gorges. These day trips from Nice are where a car makes the biggest difference, because trains either stop short or do not exist.
9. Saint-Paul-de-Vence
Saint-Paul-de-Vence is one of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera, according to Wikipedia, and is well known for its modern and contemporary art, especially the Fondation Maeght. Artists including Marc Chagall lived there, and the writer James Baldwin spent his last 17 years in the village.
The ramparts were built under François I, and the Côte d’Azur tourist board describes a free heritage trail around the fortifications, pétanque lessons on the village’s famous court, and a market on Wednesday and Friday mornings.
There is no train to Saint-Paul-de-Vence, which makes it one of the day trips from Nice best done by car. It combines well with Grasse or with a coastal stop in Antibes.
10. The Verdon Gorge
The Verdon Gorge is the longest trip on this list, and the most spectacular. According to Wikipedia, the gorge is about 25 km long and up to 700 metres deep, and it ends where the Verdon flows into the artificial Lake of Sainte-Croix.
There is no train, and the roads around the rim are narrow and winding, so this is a full day out. Plan for an early start, a picnic or lunch in a village on the way, and time to stop at the viewpoints.
If you have one free day and love nature, the Verdon is the most memorable of all the day trips from Nice. It is also the one where having someone else drive makes the most sense.
How do I combine several day trips from Nice in one day?
The easiest way to combine two or three stops is by car, because you do not depend on train and bus connections between places. With a chauffeur, the route is planned around you, and the car waits while you visit.
Here are four combinations that work well:
- Eze Village and Monaco: Eze in the morning before the crowds, lunch in Monaco, the changing of the guard at the Palace and a drive back along the coast.
- Villefranche, Menton and Ventimiglia: a Friday itinerary with the market in Italy, lunch in Menton and a stop in Villefranche on the way home.
- Antibes and Cannes: the Picasso Museum and the market in the morning, then the Croisette and Le Suquet in the afternoon.
- Grasse and Saint-Paul-de-Vence: perfume factories in the morning, art and ramparts in the afternoon, back in Nice for dinner.
These are the kinds of combined day trips from Nice you can book as a private car tour of Nice. Tell us which places interest you, and we will suggest a route.
Are day trips from Nice better by train or by car?
For single coastal towns like Monaco, Antibes, Cannes or Menton, the train is fast, frequent and inexpensive. For hill villages, the Verdon Gorge, or two or three stops in one day, a car or private chauffeur is much easier.
A few points to weigh up:
- Trains are quick on the coast, but in summer they can be crowded, and they do not reach Eze Village, Saint-Paul-de-Vence or the Verdon.
- Buses reach some villages, but connections add time, and you cannot combine stops easily.
- Driving yourself gives freedom, but parking in Monaco, Eze or Saint-Paul can be difficult in high season.
- Group tours are fixed in time and route, and you share the day with strangers.
- A private chauffeur takes you door to door, waits at each stop and adapts the day as you go.
Compared with a taxi or ride-hailing app like Uber, a pre-booked chauffeur gives you a fixed price agreed in advance, the same driver all day and no waiting for a car at each stop.
Which day trips from Nice work without a car?
The easiest day trips from Nice without a car are Monaco, Antibes, Cannes and Menton, because each has a direct TER train that takes 20 to 40 minutes. Eze Village is also reachable without a car, by bus 82 or by train and the Nietzsche path.
The harder day trips from Nice without a car are Saint-Paul-de-Vence and the Verdon Gorge, which have no train, and any day that combines several stops. Changing between trains and buses eats into your time, so for those day trips from Nice, a car or chauffeur saves hours.
A simple rule: if your day has one coastal stop, take the train; if it has two or more stops or a hill village, go by road.
What does a day trip from Nice with a private chauffeur include?
With Luxotica, your chauffeur picks you up at your hotel, villa or Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, drives you to each stop on your itinerary, waits while you visit and brings you back at the end of the day. The price is fixed and agreed when you book.
We drive two vehicles: the Mercedes S-Class for up to 3 passengers and 3 bags, and the Mercedes V-Class for up to 7 passengers and 7 bags, which suits families and small groups. Our chauffeurs are English-speaking.
Our day trips from Nice can start from Nice, Cannes or anywhere nearby on the Riviera, and end wherever suits you. See our private chauffeur service in Nice and our private chauffeur service in Cannes.
How long should a chauffeur-driven day trip be?
Half a day is enough for one nearby stop, such as Eze Village, Villefranche or Antibes. A full day is better for two or three stops, for Grasse and Saint-Paul-de-Vence together, or for the Verdon Gorge.
Tell us your preferred start time and the places you want to see, and we will confirm whether the plan fits comfortably into the day.
When is the best time for day trips from Nice?
Spring and autumn are usually the most comfortable seasons for touring, with milder weather than in July and August. Summer works well too, but start early to beat the heat and the crowds.
Check events before you go. The Lemon Festival in Menton, the Cannes film festival and the Monaco Grand Prix all draw big crowds, which is a reason to visit for some travellers and a reason to avoid those dates for others. For rainy days, see our ideas on what to do on the Côte d’Azur.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best day trip from Nice?
For a first visit, Eze Village and Monaco together make the best day trip from Nice: a medieval hilltop village and the principality in one day, both close to the city.
How long is the train from Nice to Monaco?
About 20 minutes. SNCF lists 65 round trips a day and a standard single fare of €6.10.
Can you do a day trip from Nice to Italy?
Yes. Ventimiglia is just across the border beyond Menton, and its Friday market opens from 7 am on the seafront.
Is Saint-Paul-de-Vence reachable by train from Nice?
No, there is no train to Saint-Paul-de-Vence. It is best reached by road, and it combines well with Grasse or Antibes.
Is the Verdon Gorge a good day trip from Nice?
Yes, if you start early. It is the longest trip on this list, with no train, and the gorge is about 25 km long and up to 700 metres deep.
Can a private chauffeur wait while I visit?
Yes. With Luxotica, your chauffeur waits at each stop and drives you to the next, at a fixed price agreed when you book.
How do I book a private day trip from Nice?
Send us your pickup point, the date, the number of passengers and the places you would like to visit, and we will reply with a fixed price and a suggested route. We organise half-day and full-day trips from Nice, Cannes and the airport.
Written by The Luxotica Team, licensed VTC chauffeurs based in Nice.