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The French Riviera

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Visit France's opulent Côte d’Azur

7 days From £849 per person

2020 Tour code: 20NRS

About the tour

Explore the famous sights of Nice with visits to some of the French Riviera's most picturesque resorts, such as Antibes and Cannes before unearthing hidden Villefranche-sur-Mer and the iconic principality of Monaco.

Highlights

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What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - London to 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. The French Riviera is home to some of the most magnificent scenery in Europe and it makes for an ideal holiday location. Admire the deep blue Mediterranean Sea which is surrounded by pretty harbours and leafy trees as you relax in the typically warm climate on your rail holiday.

Nice
Day 2 - Nice

This morning, enjoy a guided walking tour of Nice taking in the city's key sights. Nice boasts many attractions, such as its cathedral and port area and offers a combination of both modern and traditional towns and our guided walk allows you to discover its rich culture and history, including the Old Town and Castle Hill which boasts views across the Promendade des Anglais. Following the tour, your afternoon is free for you to continue exploring at your own pace. The Old Town consists of a network of narrow passageways and small courts where you can stroll around quaint shops and enjoy a drink in a café. Perhaps take a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais and enjoy marvellous views of the glittering Mediterranean Sea.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Nice
Days 3-4 - Antibes and Cannes

Discover the charming harbour town of Antibes by train. Here you have time to discover the bustling marketplace where you can sample a wide array of local produce and people watch as the locals go about their daily lives. The market place has been the centre of local society for decades and it is still the same today. You could also see the fascinating Picasso Museum, formerly the Château Grimaldi. This impressive fortress was built upon the foundations of the ancient Greek town of Antipolis and was used by the Grimaldi family as their stronghold in 1608. Now it is the only museum in the world dedicated to the works of Picasso, and enjoys a scenic perch overlooking the Antibes' coastline. You may also like to visit the remarkably well-preserved Fort Carré, built in the sixteenth century as a border defence against neighbouring Nice which, at the time, was under Italian rule. Reached via a moderate twenty-minute walk from town, the four-pointed fort commands stunning panoramic views.

This afternoon, continue by rail to Cannes, exulted for its annual film festival. After time to relax, perhaps upon one of its palm-tree lined beaches as you soak up the dazzling sunshine - 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.

Day 4 is spent at leisure in Nice, and you are free to continue exploring. Perhaps visit the Musee National Marc Chagall or Matisse Museum.

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

Travel by rail to pretty Villefranche-sur-Mer. 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
  • Breakfast
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Day 6 - Monaco

Take a trip by along the spectacular coastline to the tiny principality of Monaco. We visit Monte Carlo before heading on our guided walking tour of Monaco. Settled by the ancient Greeks in the sixth century BC, 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, with Monaco's sovereignty affirmed by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861. In 1863 Monaco's first casino was built. In addition to this, the arrival of the railway in 1868 significantly boosted Monaco's tourism sector, confirming the city's reputation as the resort of choice for the rich and famous. We return to Nice for a farewell dinner.

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

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and take the high speed train to Paris. In Paris, connect with the Eurostar for your journey back to London.

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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Upgrades

Extend your European holiday
Eurostar Upgrade
UK rail connections
London hotels
Door to door luggage from £100

Reviews

76% of travellers would recommend this tour

Based on 29 verified reviews

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Anonymous

Submitted 28/10/2019

Most enjoyable all round holiday

Mr R Owen

Submitted 06/11/2018

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

Anonymous

Submitted 29/10/2018

Overall a good break. The outward journey was particularly tedious meaning we arrived too late at 9.30 pm for an evening meal. Lille where we boarded the train for Nice was uninviting and lacked facilities as did the train to buy anything substantial. Fortunately we did take something from home for lunch. On the return journey from Nice to Paris Lyon then transfer to Paris Nord the Eurostar departure area was marginally better. Two of the included evening meals at the same cafe were of poor quality. The Boreal hotel was perfectly adequate in both accommodation and breakfast. The staff were very good.

Anonymous

Submitted 29/10/2018

Hotel was good and breakfast good. Company good. Disappointed that we didn’t travel direct to Nice.

Anonymous

Submitted 22/10/2018

We enjoyed seeing so much in such a short time. Visiting quieter Antibes and Villefranche contrasted with the busy trips to Cannes and Monaco. The visits to the Perfumerie and Picasso Museum added variety to the tour.

Mrs L Holmes

Submitted 17/09/2018

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

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Escorted Holidays by Rail: Europe, UK & Cruise 2020

Escorted Holidays by Rail: Europe, UK & Cruise 2020

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The French Riviera

Visit France's opulent Côte d’Azur

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