Gracie’s Guide to the South of France: Nice, Antibes, Eze, Monaco
The French Riviera. A stunning, illustrious place known simply as “the South of France.” An area so beautiful, so famous, that it can hold this title. My family and I had an Airbnb located centrally in Nice and traveled to the neighboring towns of Antibes, Eze, and Monaco. I actually preferred the smaller towns to the larger city of Nice, although our central location in Nice was convenient and had easy access to everything.
We went for 4 days in early April, and although the weather was mostly sunny, it was not warm enough to swim. Because of this, the crowds were slim (a major plus) but I’d love to come back in the summer when I can experience the true French Riviera that I had pictured: Europeans lounging in the sun on rocks, cocktail in hand. Alas, although we did not lounge in the sun on rocks, I still have lots of tips on how to make the most out of your time in this slice of heaven known as the South of France.
Travel Tips
We flew from Paris –> Nice for round trip ~€100. Keep in mind we went to the South of France in early April so it was not peak season. Once we landed in Nice, we took the tram at the Nice Airport to a stop 2 minutes from our Airbnb. Super easy and cheap, costing only €2.
Since Nice is so central, the transportation systems there are useful to travel to the surrounding towns of Antibes, Monaco, and Eze. We decided not to rent a car, and took public transportation for each place instead, saving a lot of $$$.
For Antibes, we took a train from the Nice Gare train station, costing ~€7 / person. Antibes is around a 20 minute train ride from Nice. Make sure you check GoogleMaps / Apple Maps for train times. Once we got to Antibes, we rode in Ubers to get around.
To get to Monaco, we took Bus 100 from Nice. The bus stop for Monaco is BEHIND the church, we were so confused about this so don’t mess this up because it cost us 30 minutes of extra waiting. The bus ticket is ~€3, and we bought them as a bundle in one of the other tram stops. Be warned, this 45 minute bus ride is super bumpy (albeit the views are amazing) and I got a little carsick. Also make sure you check GoogleMaps / Apple Maps for updated bus times.
Finally, to get to Eze, I took Bus 82 from Nice. Make sure you get off at the Medieval Town stop, and not the Eze train station. It cost ~€3 and took 20 minutes. This bus ride is AMAZING … it goes further up and up the cliffside mountain until it feels as if you are in the heavens. Highly recommend visiting this town above all others.
Activity Tips
Nice
To start in Nice, walk alongside the beautiful crystal blue water until you get to the Old Town Nice. You can go to the beach and lay in the sun, and we even saw some people swimming in the stunning aquamarine water in April. Walking alongside the Mediterranean Sea in Nice, I felt like an old-money heiress. Everything was so beautiful, and the Old Town architecture so stunning, that I felt like a freaking millionaire!
If you’re in Nice on a Sunday, there is a LOVELY Sunday market outside the Garibaldi Tram Stop. I spent an hour aimlessly strolling through the tents, admiring jewelry and homemade soaps. It was a really great farmers market, maybe the best one I’ve ever seen. Make sure to bring cash here and to barter a little for what you want 🙂
I took a bus from central Nice to Villefrance-sur-mur (it’s only a couple of stops) and walked through the quiet town to the marina down below. This town in the French Alps is STUNNING and although I was only there for an hour or two, I was transported into a tiny-town village with clotheslines drying flowy sheets in the soft wind and the waft of fresh croissants floating towards me from the bakery next-door. Yes, it was that picturesque! Below is a TikTok I made of the gorgeous streets of the South of France (yes I was a little obsessed with them).
Antibes
We did a day trip from Nice –> Antibes and it was incredible. Antibes is a small town on the coast in-between Nice and Cannes, with stunning coastline hikes and charming shops & restaurants in its Old Town. It also has a “Bay of Billionaires,” where filthy rich people vacation on their massive yachts.
I researched and found a hike called Le Sentier du Littoral hugging the cape of Antibes. I convinced my family to come with me to do this hike, and it was well worth the hassle. We took an Uber from the train station to the start of the hike and then took another Uber to the Old Town around 2 hours later.
The hike itself is right on the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea, with jagged rocks and crystal clear water in the foreground and the French Alps outline in the background. Unreal. There weren’t too many other people on the hike, so it felt like we had the whole ocean to ourselves. This hike is SOOOOO amazing, I cannot recommend it enough! Warning: it was a steep at some points with high inclines, so don’t attempt this hike unless you are in good health.
We got lunch in this wonderful square in the Old Town of Antibes, and it was so lovely to sit in the sun and people-watch after a long hike. After lunch, we got some gelato and ate it as we walked along the marina, looking at the beautiful boats. Antibes is a beautiful town, and I would have loved to explore more of its coast if we had more time. Go here! Below is a TikTok I made of my time in Antibes (first half) and Monaco (second half).
Monaco
Ah, Monaco. Technically a different country (although you don’t need your passport), Monaco is the richest place I’ve ever seen. Everything was meticulous and exceedingly clean, and you could smell the wealth coming off of people as they walked by.
Personally, I wouldn’t go back, but the views were pretty darn cool, and it was an interesting place to visit once. The Princess Grace gardens and Harbor Viewpoint were my favorites. For the Harbor Viewpoint you walk up this massive hill and at the top is a castle and these insane views of a million boats and the racetrack. It’s pretty nuts. We spent half a day here just walking around and taking it all in, and by the end I was really ready to go. Honestly, I’d say if you don’t have much time you should skip this one. Antibes and Eze were much better in my opinion!
Eze
Sometimes it’s hard to pick favorites but in this case it’s easy. Eze was my favorite thing I did in the South of France. I had never even heard of Eze before my trip, and it is the best kept secret in the freaking world. Eze sits on the top of a cliff and is an extremely well-preserved medieval town with a HUGE garden at its peak. The bus dropped me off at the bottom of the town, and I walked up and up and up until I hit the medieval town. Get lost in this town and feel like you’re transported back in time.
I wandered through the tiny cobblestone streets for a while and loved every second. Eventually, I stumbled upon this gate with an attendant at the door, and watched people pay to go in, so I thought I’d fork over the €3.5 student ticket to see what it was about. Turns out it was the entrance to the Garden of Eze, and it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my entire freaking life.
There are hundreds of cacti and succulents planted along the garden, overlooking the Cote d’Azur coast. This panorama view left me speechless. It felt like I had unlocked the gates to heaven and was standing overlooking all of earth. I must have spent an hour or two up here, exploring the garden and reflecting on life. I must come back here, I’m still left speechless even thinking about it. Below is a TikTok I made of my time in Eze.
Food Tips
Try a Palmier pastry in the South of France. I randomly tried one at a bakery in Nice (only €2) and came back every day (sometimes twice a day) to get more. Lol. This is of course in addition to croissants.
The Garden Cafe Nice is a trendy, aesthetic brunch spot where the food looks as good as it tastes! We waited for ~30 minutes for a table, and it was worth it. Really good quality food, and a spot not to miss.
Gigi Tavola Nice on the pier had beautiful views and a great gluten free menu. A few of my family members are gluten free and they raved about the pasta and pizza here. I got the Ravioli and they were really good. Plus the views of the pier are unmatched!
Wayne’s Bar in Nice is a must-see. We walked in and immediately were hit with the visual of an amazing live band playing bangers while people danced on tables. I got up on that table and danced like the rest of them, and it was such a blast. Drinks were pricey (vodka soda ~€10) but the vibes were so good. I knew every song the band played and let loose. Go here if you’re in Nice!
I don’t have many other recommendations because we mostly ate at random cafes and they were all good. No matter where you choose to eat, the bread will be fresh and the pastries will be delicious. Godspeed.
The South of France is spectacular. I know this article was super long, but it’s because there’s so much to do here! It is pretty expensive, and since this was a family trip I didn’t have to spend much. But if you stay in hostels and take public transportation it actually isn’t too bad. I loved visiting the surrounding towns of Nice … it was like a scavenger hunt and the spectacular views were the prize. I hope this inspired you to start scheming up your own trip to the French Riviera – you will not regret it.
xx Gracie
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