French Riviera (Cote d’Azur) Travel Guide
Coastal trains make it possible to explore the Riviera without changing hotels every night. A room in Nice gives different evenings from one in Cannes or a smaller town. For hilltop villages such as Èze, remember that the seaside station and the village are separate stops.
Example spending plans
Use these room and meal budgets to plan a day. They are spending choices, not average prices or available room offers. Replace the room amount with your full booking price, including tax. If sharing, divide only the private-room cost. Airport and intercity travel are extra.
These are separate spending choices, not price or quality rankings. The alternative plan may have a lower total when its room, meal or activity allowances differ.
Simple stay
€89 / day
A bed, simple meals, local travel and an activity allowance.
Editorial planning estimate: 11 Sep 2026
A spending estimate, not a live price quote.
See the five allowances
- Room or bed budget
- €45
- Food and drinks
- €32
- Local transit
- €7
- Sightseeing and entry
- €0
- Miscellaneous
- €5
Private room
€175 / day
A private room, meals, local travel and an activity allowance.
Editorial planning estimate: 11 Sep 2026
A spending estimate, not a live price quote.
See the five allowances
- Room or bed budget
- €110
- Food and drinks
- €47
- Local transit
- €10
- Sightseeing and entry
- €0
- Miscellaneous
- €8
Alternative private room
€264 / day
A second private-room spending plan. Compare the five allowances before choosing.
Editorial planning estimate: 11 Sep 2026
A spending estimate, not a live price quote.
See the five allowances
- Room or bed budget
- €170
- Food and drinks
- €67
- Local transit
- €15
- Sightseeing and entry
- €0
- Miscellaneous
- €12
This example sets aside €45 for one bed or a simple stay, €32 per person for food and drinks, €7 for local travel and €5 for small extras. Sightseeing covers a walk through the public centre or along the waterfront; paid interiors and excursions are extra. These are spending choices, not measured averages or available room offers. Replace the stay allowance with your full booking price, including tax and cleaning. Divide only a shared private room; meals and tickets remain per person. Add airport and intercity travel separately.
At A Glance
- Currency
- EUR
- Ideal stay
- 5 days
- Walkability
- High along coastal rail
- Best value season
- April, May, late September, October
One base, two kinds of day
Our suggested first stay uses Nice or Cannes as the base. Keep one day local, with a market and a public beach, then use another for a single coastal town. You save repeated packing and can leave the main luggage in one place.
The TER day-pass page separates Alpes-Maritimes-only travel from the wider Côte d’Azur product covering Alpes-Maritimes and Var. Add the companion charge when pricing a group. A short return trip may still cost less as individual tickets.
Buy the pass for the right network
A Nice city product is for its covered urban services. A regional train product is for the listed rail area. If your trip mixes several networks over several days, the SudAzur Explore information explains another option. Choose it from the travel days and networks you need, not just the word “Riviera”.
For food, Cours Saleya gives Nice a useful market morning, with antiques replacing the main market on Mondays. In Cannes, Forville has temporary stall arrangements during renovation. Buy only what you can comfortably carry to the beach or the next train.
Reach the hilltop village of Èze
The official arrival guide distinguishes Èze-sur-mer station from the village above. Bus 83 links the station and village, while bus 82 runs from Nice Vauban to the village. Use those options if you do not want the climb on the Nietzsche path.
Top sights and admission costs
Admission choices, ticket prices and practical advice for your visit.
Sentier du Littoral (Cap Ferrat Coastal Walk)
€0.00Ways to save: Free public access
Where to Stay
Nice is a practical starting base for several coastal rail outings. Cannes suits a stay centred on its town, beaches and islands. For a smaller place, look at the walk from the station to the room and the last useful train back from dinner.
Getting Around
For two adults using TER within Alpes-Maritimes, the one-department day product starts at €25 in total: €20 plus €5 for the companion. Travel into Var needs wider coverage. These are regional train products, separate from Nice’s urban tram and bus tickets.
Eating for Less
In Nice, use Cours Saleya for a food-market morning Tuesday to Sunday; Monday is the antiques market. In Cannes, follow the current Forville stall locations during works. A small picnic can make a public-beach day both simpler and cheaper.
Worth Paying For
Choose one boat outing or art museum that fits the base you picked. Pay for that specific experience instead of buying a broad sightseeing package for towns you may not reach.
Skip / Save Your Money
Public beaches, seafront walks and old-town streets can fill several days. A private beach club is an optional comfort expense, not the price of visiting the Riviera.
Common Tourist Traps & Money Mistakes
Èze-sur-mer station is on the coast. For the hilltop village, take bus 83 from the station or use bus 82 from Nice Vauban. The Nietzsche path is a walking climb between the two levels, so choose the bus when the uphill walk does not suit you.