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The French Riviera

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4.2 stars(17 reviews)
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Visit France's opulent Côte d’Azur

7 days From £899 per person
Flexible Booking

Book your 2021 holiday before 28th February and you can transfer your holiday for free - no questions asked. T&C's apply

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2021 Tour code: 21NRS

About the tour

Explore the sights of Nice and visit some of the French Riviera's most picturesque resorts, including Antibes and Cannes, before getting to know hidden Villefranche-sur-Mer and iconic Monaco.

Highlights

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What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - London & Nice

Begin your holiday at our Rail Discoveries' dedicated Departure Office in London St Pancras where you will meet the rest of your group and your Tour Manager. Depart on the direct Eurostar to Paris before changing trains onto the high speed service to Nice arriving in the early evening. Here you stay at the Hôtel Monsigny. This recently renovated establishment is located right next to the city's equivalent of Covent Garden. 

Nice
Day 2 - Guided tour of Nice

This morning, enjoy a guided walking tour of Nice. There are many attractions to admire, including the cathedral and main shopping area, as well as the Massena, St Francis, and Garabaldi Squares. There's also a stop at Cours Saleya, just behind the Promenade des Anglais, where you have time to look around the traditional antique market. Your tour ends at the rustic Renne Socca for a tasting of socca, a local pancake made from chickpea flour. Following the tour, your afternoon is free to continue exploring at your own pace. The Old Town consists of a network of intriguing passageways and small courtyards, filled with quaint shops and inviting cafés. Or perhaps take a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais itself and enjoy marvellous views of the glittering Mediterranean Sea.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Nice
Day 3 - Antibes and Cannes

Discover the charming harbour town of Antibes by train today. Here you have time to visit the bustling marketplace, where you can sample a wide array of local produce, or the Picasso Museum, formerly Château Grimaldi. Built on the foundations of an ancient Greek settlement, it's now the only museum in the world dedicated to the works of Picasso, and enjoys a scenic perch overlooking the coastline. You might also like to visit the well-preserved Fort Carré, a citadel commanding panoramic sea views.

This afternoon, continue by rail to Cannes, famous for its annual film festival. After time to relax on one of the palm-tree lined beaches, why not make a visit to one of the town's fascinating museums? There are plenty to choose from, including the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Provence and the Musée International de la Parfumerie. Later, return to Nice by rail for dinner in a local restaurant.

Includes
  • Day 3 - Breakfast, Dinner
Antibes
Days 4-5 - Nice & Villefranche-sur-Mer

Enjoy a relaxed day in Nice. You could spend an hour or two at the Musee National Marc Chagall or Matisse Museum, or head to the beach with your favourite book.

Travel by rail to pretty Villefranche-sur-Mer on Day 5. Hugging a hillside that sweeps down to a wide, deep bay between Monaco and Nice on south-east France's beautiful Cote d'Azur, this pretty town has long been a popular holiday resort thanks to its sunny Mediterranean climate, sandy beaches, excellent restaurants and picturesque setting.

Although inhabited since prehistoric times, Villefranche-sur-Mer's natural harbour, the deepest on any Mediterranean coast, proved useful both to the ancient Greeks and later the Romans who established settlements here. Today tourism continues to sustain the economy here; its harbour is the most visited by cruise ships of any in France. You could perhaps make the most of the laid-back atmosphere here and relax in one of the pavement bistros overlooking the tranquil water, before exploring the Old Town

Includes
  • Day 4 - Breakfast
  • Day 5 - Breakfast
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Day 6 - Walking tour of Monaco

Take a coach trip along the spectacular coastline to the tiny principality of Monaco. We visit Monte Carlo, home of the world-renowned casino, before a guided walking tour that includes the changing of the guard ceremony at the Prince's Palace. Settled by the ancient Greeks in the 6th century, Monaco was claimed as a Genoese colony in the 12th century, and later owned by the Italian Grimaldi dynasty. France regained control of the principality during the French Revolution, and in 1863 Monaco's first casino was built. The arrival of the railway in 1868 also boosted visitors, confirming the city's reputation as the resort of choice for the rich and famous.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Monaco
Day 7 - Nice & London

After breakfast, transfer to the station and take the highspeed train to Paris. Here, connect with the Eurostar back to London St Pancras.

Includes
  • Breakfast
To London

Additional information

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We will write to you around 10 weeks before your departure date with the precise meeting times for your tour group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

Hotel Monsigny

Hotel Monsigny, Nice

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Trains

Eurostar
The TGV

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Reviews

4.2 stars4.2 / 5 · 17 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (9)
  2. 4 stars
    (3)
  3. 3 stars
    (5)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Mr R Owen

4 stars

Submitted 06 Nov 2018

Train travel to Nice smooth. Enjoyed the itinerary and the tour manager was good.

Collected by Rail Discoveries

Mr G Roe

3 stars

Submitted 22 Oct 2018

Well organised, excellent Tour Manager but not impressed with the restaurants where we had group meals and the very early morning starts.

Collected by Rail Discoveries

Mrs L Holmes

5 stars

Submitted 17 Sep 2018

we had a great time, in the south of france and visited a lot of places

Collected by Rail Discoveries

Mrs H Dudley

3 stars

Submitted 20 Aug 2018

Wanted to travel by rail on holiday - this trip on paper fitted the bill. Our Tour Manager and Guide Morgane were superb but although the accommodation was comfortable and breakfast great, the dining experiences were poor. Okay if you are having a drink but the foods presentation poor - the only edible and appetising meal I had was an omelette eaten in a different bistro. My favourite place to visit was Antibes, especially the Cathedral and Outdoor market. Nice was good too but the mugging of the on the station enroute to Marseille was scary. I loved Eurostar, but train travel for hours affected my circulation so won't be repeating it again.

Collected by Rail Discoveries

Mr K Tilley

5 stars

Submitted 16 Jul 2018

The Cote d Azur is truly amazing and the organisation of the holiday was extremely good

Collected by Rail Discoveries

Mrs D Evans

5 stars

Submitted 19 Jun 2018

Very enjoyable in every way.

Collected by Rail Discoveries

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The French Riviera

Visit France's opulent Côte d’Azur

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