A–Z Travel Tips
A
Accommodation (See also Youth Hostels, and the list of Recommended Hotels, click here)
Hotels. Nice and Cannes have an impressive range of accommodation to suit all budgets. Monaco has a more limited number of mainly large luxury hotels. All three cities, year-round resorts, become very booked up in July and August and during major events. In late May, during Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix, hotels for miles around hike up their prices and are often booked months ahead.
France has an official rating system from one to five stars, based and establishments must invest in the necessary upgrades to ensure they retain their current stars or qualify for a higher rating. Even most two-star hotels now have en suite bathrooms and air conditioning. Luxury hotels will have 24-hour room service and offer all sorts of services, from DVD players and business centres to yacht and helicopter hire.
If booking ahead, the hotel may ask for a deposit, or arrhes, but is more likely to request your credit card number. Reservations will usually be honoured until 6pm, but may be given to another client if you have not arrived, or telephoned to explain, before that time.
If looking for last-minute accommodation, the tourist offices in Nice, Cannes and Monaco have a direct booking service.
Most hotels in Nice and Cannes are independently owned, though some are affiliated to groups, such as Best Western (www.bestwestern.com), Châteaux & Hôtels Collection (www.chateauxhotels.com) and Leading Hotels of the World (www.lhw.com). There are also hotels belonging to the Accor group (Sofitel, Mercure, Novotel, Ibis, Adagio; www.accorhotels.com) and Louvre Hotels (Kyriad, Campanile, Golden Tulip, Première Classe chains; www.louvrehotels.com). The majority of Monaco hotels belong to the Société des Bains de Monaco (www.montecarloresort.com) or to international groups.
Chambres d’hôtes are bed and breakfast rooms in a private home – enquire at the tourist office.
Appart’hôtels/Résidences de tourisme/Résidences hôtelières. Complexes of holiday studios and apartments, with kitchens.
Villas and seaside flats. Numerous agencies rent villas and holiday flats, ranging from luxury villas with maid service to simple studios.
Do you have a single/double room for tonight? Avez-vous une chambre simple/double pour ce soir?
with double/twin beds avec un grand lit/avec deux lits
with bath/shower/toilet avec bain/douche/toilettes
What is the rate per night? Quel est le prix pour une nuit?
Airport
Aéroport Nice-Côte d’Azur (NCE), on the western edge of Nice, is France’s second-busiest airport (tel: 08 20 42 33 33/04 89 88 98 28, www.nice.aeroport.fr). There are connections to all major European cities, North Africa and some American cities. There are numerous flights from the UK with both national and low-cost airlines:
Air France (UK tel: 0207 660 0337, France tel: 3654, www.airfrance.com) flights from London City, Gatwick, Heathrow and Paris.
Aer Lingus (Ireland tel: 1890 800 600, France tel: 0821 23 02 67, www.aerlingus.com) flights from Dublin.
British Airways (UK tel: 0844 493 0787, France tel: 08 25 82 54 00, www.britishairways.com) flights from London Heathrow, Gatwick and City.
easyJet (UK tel: 0330 365 5000, France tel: 0820 420 315, www.easyjet.com) flights from Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Liverpool, Luton, Newcastle and Stansted.
Flybe (UK tel: 0371 700 2000, France tel: 0044 1392 683 152, www.flybe.com) flights from many destinations in the UK including Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Jersey and Southampton.
Jet2 (tel: 0800 408 1350, France tel: 0821 230 203, www.jet2.com) flights from Leeds Bradford and Manchester.
Ryanair (Ireland tel: 1520 444004, France tel: 08 92 562 150, www.ryanair.com) flights from Shannon and Dublin.
Transport from the airport
RCA buses depart from Nice airport for all main destinations along the coast. Buy tickets before boarding at the car park/bus cash desk inside the terminals. Free shuttle between terminals and car parks.
Line 98 from Terminals 1 and 2 direct to Nice centre (Promenade des Arts), daily 5.49am–11.45pm.
Line 99 from Terminals 1 and 2 direct to Nice railway station (Gare SNCF), daily 7.53am–8.53pm.
Line 110 Aéroport–Monte Carlo–Menton Express along the motorway from Terminal 1, daily 8.45am–9.15pm.
Line 210 to Cannes by RN7 from Terminal 1, daily 8am–8pm.
Taxi with Central Taxi Riviera from Terminals 1 and 2, tel: 04 93 13 78 78; typical fares central Nice €23–31, Cannes €70–75, Monaco €75–80.
Motorbike taxi with Easy Moov (tel: 04 93 00 12 66, www.mototaxi.org), set fares: Nice airport to Nice €35, to Cannes €80, to Monaco €90.
Heli Air Monaco (tel: +377-92 05 00 50, www.heliairmonaco.com) scheduled helicopter services between Nice airport and Monaco take 7 minutes, and are not necessarily more expensive than a taxi. Nice–Monaco from €133; Monaco–Nice from €133; return trip from €236.
B
Bicycle Hire
Elite Rent a Bike 32 avenue Maréchal Juin, Cannes, tel: 04 93 94 30 34 and 21 rue de Rivoli, Nice, tel: 04 93 81 09 41, www.elite-rentabike.com. Bicycles, scooters and motorbikes.
Holiday Bikes 23 rue de Belgique and 6 rue Messenet, Nice, tel: 04 93 16 01 62 and 04 93 04 15 36 respectively; 44 boulevard de Lorraine, Cannes, tel: 04 97 06 30 63, www.loca-bike.fr. Bicycles, electricity-assisted bikes, scooters and motorbikes.
Rent Bike Palais de la Scala, Galerie Commerciale, 1 avenue Henri Dunant, Monaco, tel: 04 92 10 99 98, www.rent-bike.fr.
Budgeting for Your Trip
The following are approximate prices in euros (€):
Bicycle hire. €12–20 per day, deposit €100–450.
Car hire. €25–60 a day for an economy model, from €180 per week.
Meals and drinks. Breakfast €6–30 depending on category of hotel. In restaurants in the evening expect to pay around €25 for three courses, not including wine, in a budget establishment, €30–40 in a good bistro, €30–70 in a trendy beachside establishment, €80 or more in a top gastronomic restaurant. Coffee €2–4.50; 25cl beer €3–4; sandwich in a café €5–8; salad in a café €10–15.
Museums. Museums in Nice are no longer free. Most now have an entrance fee of €10. Thankfully there are two cost-reducing museum passes available. The 7-day museum pass for €20 admits you to all municipal museums and galleries and The French Riviera Museum Pass, for 1, 2 or 3 days at a cost of €26, €38, €56 respectively, is valid for all municipal museums plus the Chagall Museum and a few museums outside of Nice. Both are available at the Nice Tourist Office at 5 promenade des Anglais, www.nicetourisme.com. The Côte d’Azur Card (www.cotedazur-card.com) is a 3- or 6-day card (€39 and 54), which allows you entry to 160 sights in the region, including many museums in Cannes, Nice and Monaco.
Private beach. Day on a sun lounger with parasol €15–40.
C
Car Hire (see also Driving)
The major car-hire companies all have branches at Nice airport; most also have branches in Nice (around the train station), Cannes and Monaco. To hire a car, you must have a driving licence (held for at least one year) and a passport. The minimum age varies from 20 to 23. A substantial deposit (refundable) may be required, but most companies swipe your credit card. You will be asked for proof of your local address. Third-party insurance is compulsory. Major car-hire companies include:
Avis: tel: 04 89 98 50 98, www.avis.com
Budget: tel: 04 89 98 50 98, www.budget.com
Europcar: tel: 08 25 81 00 81, www.europcar.com
Hertz: tel: 0825 342 343, www.hertz-europe.com
Rent-a-Car: tel: 04 93 19 07 07, www.rentacar.fr
Elite Rent-a-Car: tel: (Nice) 04 93 82 12 12, (Cannes) 04 93 94 61 00, (Monaco) +377-97 77 17 37, www.eliterent.com. Sports cars and luxury limos with or without chauffeur.
I’d like to rent a car today/tomorrow Je voudrais louer une voiture aujourd’hui/demain
for one day/ the weekend/a week pour une journée/le week-end/une semaine
Climate
The French Riviera enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers, mild and wet weather in spring and autumn, and short winters that are usually mild, with occasional cold spells. There are often thunderstorms at night in late August or in September.
Clothing
Cannes and Monaco are the most dressed-up places on the Côte d’Azur, but only the grandest restaurants and casinos require men to wear a jacket and tie (tenue correcte). Elsewhere smart casual attire is the norm. Avoid shorts for dining out at night and trainers if you want to get into exclusive nightclubs. In Monaco you are not allowed to walk around the streets in swimwear, and respectable attire is required for religious buildings. Even in summer, a sweater or wrap is useful for cooler evenings, and a waterproof coat or jacket will be needed from October to April.
Crime and safety (See also Emergencies and Police)
Inevitably, such a prosperous area attracts petty criminals, and the three cities have some security problems, but incidents of violent crime against visitors are rare. Try not to carry large amounts of cash, never leave valuables in your car, and be on the lookout for pickpockets, especially in crowds. Any loss or theft should be reported immediately to the nearest commissariat de police.
D
Driving (See also Car Hire)
To take a car into France you’ll need a valid driving licence, your car registration papers, insurance coverage and a set of spare bulbs. A red warning triangle and a fluorescent safety waistcoat are obligatory in case of breakdown. Drivers and all passengers (back and front) are required by law to wear seatbelts (where fitted in the back). Children under 10 may not travel in the front of the car other than in appropriate baby seats with the air bag disconnected. Driving with a foreign provisional licence is not permitted. The minimum driving age is 18.
Driving regulations. Drive on the right, pass on the left. In built-up areas, give priority to vehicles coming from the right unless indicated by road markings. At a roundabout, drivers already on the roundabout have priority over those entering it, unless it is marked priorité à droite.
Speed limits. When conditions are dry, the limit is 130km/h (80mph) on autoroutes (motorways/expressways), 110km/h (70mph) on dual carriageways (divided highways), 90km/h (55mph) on other country roads, 50km/h (30mph) in built-up areas and 30km/h (20mph) in some residential districts. Speed limits are reduced in wet weather. There are speed radars installed on some roads.
Routes and road conditions. The A8 motorway runs west–east across the Côte d’Azur; you can also take the N7 and N98 between Nice and Cannes and the three scenic but twisty Corniches between Nice and Monaco: the Basse (low) Corniche or Corniche Inférieure (N98), Moyenne (middle) Corniche (N7) and the Grande Corniche (D2564). Roads can get very clogged up in summer, especially on Saturdays and around the 14 July and 15 August public holidays.
Parking (stationnement). It’s wisest to park in an underground car park. If your hotel does not have its own car park, it may have preferential tariffs at a public one. On-street parking is usually on pay-and-display ticket machines. Stationnement interdit means ‘no parking’. Sauf riverains means ‘except residents’. Don’t leave a car in a zone piétonne (pedestrian zone), or where a sign says stationnement gênant (parking obstructive), or it may be towed away.
Fuel and oil (essence; huile). Unleaded petrol is essence sans plomb and diesel is gasoil. Most fuel stations are self-service. It’s worth filling up on Saturday, since many garages close on Sunday, although large supermarkets often have 24-hour petrol pumps for use with credit cards. Fuel tends to be more expensive on motorways.
E
Electricity
220-volt, 50-cycle AC is universal. British visitors will need an adaptor (adaptateur); American visitors will need a transformer (transformateur).
Embassies and Consulates
Most are open from Monday to Friday, from 9 or 10am to 4 or 5pm with an hour or so off for lunch. Most are in Paris or Marseille.
Australia: (Embassy) 4 rue Jean-Rey, 75724 Paris, tel: 01 40 59 33 00, www.france.embassy.gov.au
Canada: (Consulate) 2 Franklin Place, 06000 Nice, tel: 04 93 92 93 22, www.international.gc.ca
Ireland: (Embassy) 12 avenue Foch, 75116 Paris, tel: 01 44 17 67 00, www.embassyofireland.fr
New Zealand: (Embassy), 103 rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris, tel: 01 45 01 43 43, www.nzembassy.com/france
South Africa: (Embassy), 59 quai d’Orsay, 75343 Paris, tel: 01 53 59 23 23, www.afriquesud.net
UK: (Consulate) 24 avenue du Prado, 13006 Marseille, tel: 04 91 15 72 10, http://ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk
US: (Consulate) place Varian Fry, 13286 Marseille, tel: 01 43 12 48 85, http://marseille.usconsulate.gov
Emergencies (see also Health and Police)
In case of an emergency, dial 15 for an ambulance (SAMU), dial 17 for the police (police-secours) and 18 for the fire brigade (sapeurs-pompiers). Dial 112 from a mobile phone.
G
Gay and Lesbian Travellers
Nice and Cannes are gay-tolerant cities with several gay bars and clubs; Coco Beach east of Nice’s Vieux Port is a popular gay beach. A Gay-friendly Guide to Nice available at www.nicetourisme.com and at the Nice Tourist Office lists gay and gay-friendly bars, hotels, beaches and spas as well as gay events. A list of the French Riviera’s gay bars, restaurants, hotels and more is available at http://cotedazur.gaycities.com. There’s a lively Gay Pride parade in July in Nice.
Getting There (See also Airport)
By car. The 1,200km (750-mile) autoroute trip from Calais to Nice (via Reims and bypassing Paris) can take as little as 15 hours. However, péage (toll) fees are expensive. For toll estimates and route-planning, see www.mappy.fr or www.viamichelin.fr.
By bus. The cheapest way to get to the Riviera is by bus. Eurolines (UK tel: 08717 818178, France tel: 08 92 89 90 91, www.eurolines.com) has services from London to Cannes and Nice.
By train. From the UK, Eurostar trains (tel: 03432 186 186, www.eurostar.co.uk) run from London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet and Ashford International to Lille and Paris Gare du Nord (to Paris only from Ashford). Services for the South depart from the Gare de Lyon. The high-speed TGV reaches Nice in six hours; some trains also stop at Cannes and Monaco. It is also possible to change trains at Lille. In the UK, tickets can be booked at the Voyages-sncf Travel Centre (193 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EU, tel: 08448 485 848) or online at http://uk.voyages-sncf.com/en. In France, for SNCF reservations and information, tel: 3635, www.voyages-sncf.com. US visitors can call 1-800-622-8600 or visit www.raileurope.com/us. Enquire about passes and discounts.
By Auto/Train. From June to September, the SNCF operates a daily direct service from Paris Bercy to Nice (tel: 0033 892 35 35 35, http://autotrain.voyages-sncf.com); less frequent departures off season.
Guides and Tours
Walking tours. A two-hour guided tour of Vieux Nice in French and English leaves from the main tourist office every Saturday at 9.30am (reserve). The Centre du Patrimoine (75 quai des Etats-Unis, Nice, tel: 04 92 00 41 90, www.nice.fr) organises walking tours of Nice’s heritage; in English by appointment.
Nice Open Tour. A 90-minute tour of the city on a double-decker bus with the possibility of getting on and off at any of the 12 stops, www.nice.opentour.com.
Boat trips (see also Iles de Lérins, click here). Riviera Navigation (tel: +377-92 16 15 15, www.riviera-navigation.com) – hour-long trips along the coast from Monaco’s Port Hercule.
Trans Côte d’Azur – trips from Cannes (quai Laubeuf, tel: 04 92 98 71 30) and Nice (quai Lunel, tel: 04 92 00 42 30) to Saint Tropez and Monaco as well as coastal promenades, www.trans-cote-azur.com.
Helicopter tours. Heli Air Monaco (tel: +377-92 05 00 50, www.heliairmonaco.com) – 10 and 20-minute tours of the principality.
Tourist mini trains. Sightseeing circuits with commentary in several languages: Trains Touristiques de Nice (www.trainstouristiquesdenice.com) from the promenade des Anglais (near avenue de Verdun) through Vieux Nice and up Castle Hill; Cannes Cinema Tour (tel: 06 22 61 25 76) from the Palais des Festivals around Le Suquet or along La Croisette; Monaco Tours (tel: +377-92 05 64 38, www.monacotours.mc) leaving from the Musée Océanographique.
Day trips. Several companies offer half-day and whole-day tours to sights such as Saint-Paul-de-Vence or Gourdon, or further afield to the spectacular Gorges du Verdon or Aix-en-Provence, including Tour Azur (coach or minibus trips from Nice, Cannes and Monaco; tel: 04 93 44 88 77, www.tourazur.com) and Med Tour (minibus tours from Nice; tel: 09 61 03 06 00, www.med-tour.com).
H
Health and Medical Care (See also Emergencies)
EU nationals are entitled to use the French Social Security system, which refunds up to 70 percent of medical expenses. To get a refund, British nationals should obtain a European Health Insurance Card before leaving the UK. Available online at www.ehic.org.uk.
Chemists (pharmacies) display green crosses. The address of duty chemists open on Sunday and at night is displayed in pharmacies. There is an all-night pharmacy in Nice at 7 rue Masséna.
24-hour casualty departments (Urgences):
Nice: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Saint-Roch, 5 rue Pierre Dévoluy, Nice, tel: 04 92 03 77 77.
Monaco: Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace, 1 avenue Pasteur, Monaco, tel: +377-97 98 97 69.
L
Language
Southern French has a warm, pleasing accent, drawing out syllables and placing extra emphasis on the ends of words or sentences. In Vieux Nice you may see bilingual street names and hear Nissart, an old Occitan Provençal dialect. French is the official language in Monaco, but Italian and English are also widely spoken; you may also come across Monégasque (an Italian dialect).
M
Maps
The tourist offices in Nice, Cannes and Monaco can all provide a town street map (un plan), as can most hotels.
Media
Newspapers (journaux). Nice Matin is the principal regional daily; the French nationals (Le Monde, Libération, Le Figaro) are widely available; there is also a Nice version of the free newspaper Métro.
British newspapers and magazines can be found at many newsstands, as can the Paris-based International Herald Tribune and USA Today. There’s a particularly wide selection of international newspapers at the Maison de la Presse at 1 place Masséna in Nice. Look out for the English-language glossy magazine Riviera Reporter (www.riviera-reporter.com), which gives an irreverent, insider’s view of the region, and the monthly The Riviera Times (www.rivieratimes.com).
Television and radio. France has five main TV channels (TF1, France 2, France 3, Arte, M6), plus the subscription channel Canal+, and numerous cable and satellite channels, often including BBC World or CNN. National radio stations include France Inter (FM 100.2 MHz), France Info (FM 105.7 MHz) and France Musiques (FM 92.2 MHz); RFI (Radio France International) has English-language bulletins; Europe 1 (101.4 MHz) is a good news and general channel; Nostalgie (FM 93.5 MHz) and NRJ (FM 99.2 MHz) are popular music channels; BBC World Service is available at certain times of day on short-wave radio. Monte Carlo’s Riviera Radio (106.3 MHz in Monaco and 106.5 in southern France) is an all-English station, broadcasting news, weather, finance and yachting info, and music.
Money
Currency (monnaie). The unit of currency in both France and Monaco is the euro (€), divided into 100 cents. Banknotes are available in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euros (many shops will not accept €200 and €500 notes). There are coins for 2 and 1 euros and for 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent.
ATMs. ATMs are plentiful in large cities and are the easiest, and usually cheapest, way of obtaining cash in euros, drawn on either your debit or credit card.
Banks and currency exchange offices (banques; bureaux de change). Not all banks have exchange facilities; look for those with a change sign. Big hotels will usually change currency, but the rate is often not favourable.
Credit cards (cartes de crédit). Most hotels, restaurants, shops, car-hire firms, motorway toll booths and petrol stations accept major credit cards. There may be a minimum sum (often €15).
Lost and stolen credit cards: Groupement des Cartes Bancaires tel: 0892 70 57 05; American Express tel: 01 47 77 72 00; Diners Club tel: 0820 820 536; Eurocard/MasterCard tel: 0892 705 705; Visa tel: 0800 90 11 79.
I want to change some pounds/dollars. Je voudrais changer des livres sterling/des dollars.
Do you accept travellers’ cheques/credit cards? Prenez-vous les chèques de voyage/cartes de crédit?
O
Opening Times
Shops generally open Mon–Sat 9.30 or 10am to 7pm; bakeries generally open 8am–8pm and may open on Sunday.
Banks usually open Mon–Fri 9am–noon, 2–5pm. Some close on Monday and open on Saturday morning.
Post. Nice’s main post office, opposite the train station on avenue Thiers, is open Mon–Fri 8am–7pm and Sat 8am–noon; smaller post offices usually open Mon–Fri 9am–noon, 2–5pm, Sat 9am–noon.
Museums usually open 10am–6pm and often close on Monday or Tuesday; smaller ones may close at lunchtime.
P
Police
Theft should be reported to the Police Nationale in Nice and Cannes or to the Gendarmerie in smaller towns and rural areas. Monaco has its own, highly visible police force.
Call 17 anywhere in France for police assistance.
Commissariat Central Nice, 1 avenue Maréchal Foch, Nice, tel: 04 92 17 22 22.
Lost property (objets trouvés): 1 rue de la Terrasse, Nice, tel: 04 97 13 44 10.
Commissariat de Police, 1 avenue de Grasse, Cannes, tel: 04 93 06 22 22.
Direction de la Sûreté Publique (Police), 3 rue Louis Notari, Monaco; tel: +377-93 15 30 15; lost property +377-93 15 30 18.
Post Offices
Post offices display a sign with a stylised bluebird and the words La Poste. In addition to normal mail service, you can buy télécartes (phone cards), and receive or send money. If sending letters and small packages, it is quicker to use the automatic stamp machines than to queue for service. Monaco has its own stamps.
Public Holidays
In France, banks, public buildings, and most museums and shops close on public holidays, and transport often runs on Sunday schedules.
1 January Jour de l’An New Year’s Day
March/April Lundi de Pâques Easter Monday
1 May Fête du Travail Labour Day
8 May Fête de la Libération Victory Day (1945)
May Jeudi de l’Ascension Ascension Thursday
May/June Lundi de Pentecôte Whit Monday
14 July Fête Nationale Bastille Day
15 August Assomption Assumption
1 November Toussaint All Saints’ Day
11 November Anniversaire de l’Armistice Armistice Day
25 December Noël Christmas
In Monaco many museums close for the Monaco Grand Prix in May. Additional holidays in Monaco are:
27 January Fête de Sainte Dévote St Devota’s Day
May Fête-Dieu Corpus Christi
19 November Fête Nationale Monaco National Holiday
R
Religion
France is a predominantly Roman Catholic country, with minority Protestant, Muslim and Jewish communities. Non Catholic services are called cultes and Protestant churches are known as temples. Roman Catholicism is the established religion in Monaco. Nice, Cannes and Monaco each have English-speaking Protestant services.
Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 11 rue de la Buffa, Nice, tel: 04 93 87 19 83, www.anglican-nice.com
Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 2–4 avenue du Général Ferrie, Cannes, tel: 04 93 94 54 61, www.holytrinitycannes.org.
St Paul’s Anglican Church Monaco, 22 avenue de Grande-Bretagne, Monte Carlo, tel: +377-93 30 71 06, www.stpaulsmonaco.com.
T
Telephones
Many public phones only accept télécartes (phone cards), which can be bought at post offices and tobacconists. Specify if you want a carte à puce (works only in phone boxes) or a carte à code (works from any phone).
France uses a 10-digit telephone-number system, whether it is a local or long-distance call. Numbers on the French Riviera begin with 04. Mobile phone numbers start with 06; special-rate numbers start with 08, varying from freephone 0800 to premium rate 0892.
When calling France from abroad, dial the French country code 33 and omit the initial 0. The country code for Monaco, which is not on the 10-digit system, is 377. When making overseas calls from France, dial 00 followed by the country code and then the number.
Directory enquiries: various providers, all starting with 118.
Mobile phones. If you are calling a French number from a British-based mobile in France, dial as if you are a local subscriber. To call from one British mobile to another, use the international code even if you are both in France. Some mobiles support Skype, which allows calls for no or low cost. Most providers offer pre-bought bundles of minutes to use abroad.
For longer stays, consider buying a French SIM from www.0044.co.uk or enquire about a carte prépayée (pay-as-you-go SIM) in France from Orange, SFR or Bouygues Télécom. Use WiFi for web browsing as mobile data costs are very expensive.
Time Zones
France and Monaco follow Greenwich Mean Time + 1; between March and October the clocks are put forward one hour.
New York London Nice Sydney Auckland
6am 11am noon 8pm 10pm
Tipping
A 10–15 percent service charge is included in hotel and restaurant bills (to be sure, check for service compris on the bill), although rounding up bills with a few coins is appreciated. It is also usual to give hotel porters and filling-station attendants, etc, a few coins, eg: Hotel porter, per bag €1–2, lavatory attendant, €0.50, taxi driver, round up to nearest €5 (optional), tour guide, half-day, €2–5.
Toilets
There are free toilets in museums and department stores. If using a toilet in a café, it is polite to order at least a coffee at the bar.
Tourist Information
Nice: 5 promenade des Anglais, tel: 08 92 70 74 07, www.nicetourisme.com; June–Sept daily 9am–7pm, Oct–May Mon–Sat 9am–6pm. Branches at Nice train station (avenue Thiers) and Nice airport (T1).
Cannes: Palais des Festivals, La Croisette, tel: 04 92 99 84 22, www.cannes-hotel-booking.com; daily Mar–Oct 9am–7pm, until 8pm in July and Aug, Nov–Feb 10am–7pm. Branch at La Bocca.
Monaco: Direction de Tourismes, 2a boulevard des Moulins, Monte Carlo, tel: +377-92 16 61 16, www.visitmonaco.com; Mon–Sat 9am–7pm, Sun 11am–1pm.
Maison de France (national tourist board) can supply brochures before you go; websites in English on www.franceguide.com.
Australia: Level 13, 25 Bligh Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, tel: 02 9231 6277.
Canada: 1800 Avenue McGill College, Suite 1010, Montréal, Québec H3A 3J6, tel: 514 288 2026.
UK: Lincoln House, 300 High Holborn, London WC1V 7JH, tel: 0207 061 6600.
US: 825 Third Avenue, 29th floor (entrance on 50th Street), New York, NY 10022, tel: 212 838 7800.
Transport
By bus and tram. Nice has a comprehensive network of urban bus routes and a tramway run by Ligne d’Azur (www.lignedazur.com), plus five night-bus routes leaving from Promenade des Arts. Single journeys have a flat rate of €1.50, which can be bought on the bus; the same tickets can be used on buses and trams, except for airport express buses Nos 98 and 99 (€6). Useful routes include Nos 17 and 22 for the Musée Matisse in Cimiez, 38 for the Musée des Beaux-Arts, 9, 10 or 23 for the Parc Floral Phoenix.
Buses in Cannes are run by Palm Bus (www.palmbus.fr); most pass the rail and bus stations. Monaco has five public bus routes daily; lines 1 and 2 run between the Casino area (boulevard des Moulins) and Monaco-Ville; individual tickets cost €2.
Regional bus services between Nice, Cannes and Menton are run by RCA (Rapides Côte d’Azur, www.rca.tm.fr). Nice’s bus station (gare routière) is at 5 boulevard Jean Jaurès.
Trains. The TER regional network links the coastal towns, with branch lines inland from Cannes to Grasse and Nice to Cuneo; you can download timetables on www.ter-sncf.com/paca/index.asp. Enquire about various categories of tickets for under-26s and OAPs. Eurail passes and Inter-rail cards are valid. See also www.voyages-sncf.fr.
Taxis. Nice: Central Taxi Riviera (tel: 04 93 13 78 78); Nice’s taxis are notoriously expensive. Cannes: Taxi Cannes (tel: 04 93 99 27 27, www.taxicannes.fr). Monaco: Taxi Monaco Prestige (tel: 08 20 20 98 98).
V
Visas and entry Requirements
British visitors need only a passport to enter France, as do nationals of other EU countries and Switzerland. US citizens do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Others should check with the French Embassy in their country for entry requirements.
As France is part of the EU, free exchange of non-duty-free goods for personal use is permitted between France and the UK and the Republic of Ireland. However, duty-free items are still subject to restrictions – check before you go.
W
Websites and Internet Access
WiFi is now available in many hotels, which means that the number of internet cafés has declined, but there is also access in numerous cafés and at Nice airport. Useful general websites are:
www.nicetourisme.com All things Nice, where to go, what to do.
www.visitmonaco.com The official site with news and information about Monaco and Monte Carlo.
www.beyond.fr Useful information, maps and travel tips concerning Provence.
www.nicerendezvous.com Nice and Côte d’Azur news.
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Youth Hostels
Nice has two youth hostels (auberges de jeunesse) affiliated to the Fédération Unie des Auberges de Jeunesse (www.fuaj.org): Les Camélias, 3 rue Spitalieri, tel: 04 93 62 15 54. In the town centre. Mont Boron, route Forestière du Mont Alban, tel: 04 93 89 23 64. On a wooded hill 4km (2.5 miles) from central Nice.