Cote d'Azur French Riviera
Frequently Asked Questions
Most often in the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer, deep enough for the largest ships to lie sheltered between two pine-covered headlands. Tenders drop passengers in the heart of the village. Some itineraries anchor off Cannes instead.
By train. The railway station is walkable from the tender pier and regional trains reach Nice in about twenty minutes. It is the simplest and most flexible way to do this call on your own.
One destination, not three. Nice for the old town, the cours Saleya market and the Promenade des Anglais; or Monaco; or Èze. Trying to string Nice and Monaco together on a short call leaves no time to see either.
No, and many make that mistake. Give an hour first to the stepped lanes, the little fishing harbour and the row of restaurants along the beach. From the upper old town you look straight down onto the bay.
The rock holds the Prince's Palace with its changing of the guard, the cathedral where Princess Grace rests, and gardens hanging above the Mediterranean. Below, Monte-Carlo lines up its Belle Époque casino and grand hotels. It all takes a few hours, helped by the public lifts.
The village clings to its crag about 400 metres above the sea. Medieval lanes lead to an exotic garden planted in the castle ruins, where the view takes in the whole coast. The Fragonard perfumery opens its workshops to visitors.
La Croisette unrolls its grand hotels and beaches facing the Lérins islands, and the old Suquet quarter climbs toward its bell tower with wide views over the bay. From there, excursions also reach Antibes, its Provençal market and its Picasso museum.
Villefranche-sur-Mer, yes, entirely. Everything else needs a train or coach. Factor in the stairs too: the old town of Villefranche and the village of Èze both climb seriously.
A hot socca in the old town of Nice — a chickpea flatbread baked over wood, eaten standing up with your fingers. The cours Saleya market supplies the rest: olives, flowers, produce and local cheeses.
The euro, in Monaco as in France, with cards accepted everywhere. French is spoken; English and Italian are very common in a region that has hosted visitors for over a century.
