Destination Highlights
Whether you need to know local public holidays or highlights through the seasons, we hope you will find the facts gathered below useful tools for your travel planning. Please feel free to contact us if we can assist you further.
Time zone : GMT +1 hour.
Language(s) spoken: French and some English.
Electrical system: Local voltage is 220 to 240 volts AC/ 50 hertz.
Shopping hours: Monday to Saturday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Working hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
Time and distance to Nice International Airport:
Villefranche sur mer: 15 minutes/8 kilometres/4,8 miles
Nice center: 8 minutes/7 kilometres/4 miles
Money/Currency:
Credit cards are accepted in many shops, hotels and restaurants (there is usually a minimum amount of between ?7 and ?15). For cash, you will find cash-points on just about every street corner (24 hours a day).
Bank branches, exchange bureaux and some post offices handle currency exchange transactions and traveller's cheques. Whatever you are buying, prices are net. A gratuity is however the custom in restaurants and for certain specific services (taxi cabs.).
Dial the following numbers (toll-free):
- SAMU (medical emergencies): 15
- Police emergency: 17
- Fire-brigade: 18
- European emergency call: 112
Calling:
To call abroad: 00 + country exchange number + number
To call France from abroad: 00 + 33 + number
A few tips for a pleasant trouble-free holiday:
- You are strongly recommended to respect smoking/no smoking signs in public places.
- It is always useful to have a little cash on you at all times for little out-of-pocket expenses like taxi fares to the airport, drinks, etc.
- If you are driving, park only where authorised and respect speed limits on highways and motorways.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seasonal Highlights
January to February
From mid-January to late February, the Mimosa Road winds through the hills of Provence, which are aglow with the delicately fragrant yellow blooms.
February
Nice Carnival dates back to 1294, and takes place over two weeks in February, prior to Lent. Festivities include colourful flower parades, lively carnival processions, prestigious soirées, rock and techno concerts, and firework displays.
May
Of all the Grand Prix Formula 1 venues, Monte Carlo is considered the most glamorous. The Monaco Formula Grand Prix in late May has been one of the most popular sports events since its inception in 1929, with its racecourse of hairpin turns and steep hills, and non-stop partying.
The International Film Festival in Cannes is taking place just one week before Formula One Monaco Grand prix.
July
The International Jazz Festival at Juan-les-Pins has been welcoming international artists such as Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie since 1960. Each year, virtuosos around the world descend on Juan-les-Pins for ten days in mid July, for this great European jazz celebration.
November-March
The Truffle Season - considered the jewel of French gastronomy, truffles reach full maturity from January to early March. From November to March, restaurants along the “Truffle Road” prepare them in an extensive assortment of ways.
December
The annual International Christmas STAR Regatta takes place in December. Organised by the Water Club of Nice, it is considered the most prestigious sailing regatta in France, with up to 40 European and American teams competing in the city’s Baie des Anges.
How to get there?
By Plane:
Nice Côte d'Azur is France's second largest airport after Paris, with direct flights to some 90 destinations and slots for almost 50 airlines.
For full details about airlines, services and traffic, visit:
www.nice.aeroport.fr
For business flights (between Monaco and St Tropez), Cannes Mandelieu airport is right next to the Croisette in Cannes.
- Fore more informations: www.cannes.aeroport.fr
By car:
France's motorway system links the Riviera to the whole of Europe.
A few examples of distances in kilometres from Nice: Paris 950 km, Milan 320 km, Geneva 630 km, Barcelona 670 km, Rome 710 km, Munich 810 km, Brussels 1,220 km, Amsterdam 1,400 km.
Reckon on an 8-hour drive from Paris to Nice.
- Regular coach company services from many Europe countries.
By train:
High-Speed and Express Trains (TGV and Train Corail) from the Riviera link the coast to all French regions and all major European cities. The TGV Méditerranée (high speed train) speeds you from Nice to Paris in 5 hours 25 minutes.
You will find complete SNCF and additional services for your trip in all French railway stations.
For information and reservations, visit: www.sncf.fr
By train:
2 car-ferry companies provide regular links to Corsica and feature some very attractive discount rates, depending on the date of your journey.
- SNCM
Information & reservations:
Tel. 33 (0)8 91 70 18 01 - www.sncm.fr
- Corsica Ferries
Information & reservations:
Tel. 33 (0)8 25 09 50 95 - www.corsicaferries.com
The ports of Nice, Cannes, Villefranche-sur-Mer and Monaco are Mediterranean port of calls for large cruise lines.
Harbour stations are situated at the heart of the towns, enabling you to go straight to the centre of shopping and sightseeing areas.
For private yachting, 33 harbours all along the Riviera coastline accommodate small pleasure boats as well as luxury yachts.
How to get around ?
By car:
You usually have to pay for parking from Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon and from 2 to 6 p.m. Many car-parks and parking meters are at your disposal, giving you time to devote to leisurely strolls. In the summer season, traffic conditions may prove to be difficult along the coast.
By bus:
The bus network is well-developed on the Côte d'Azur, with both inter-urban and inter-village connections. Shuttle services are also available from Nice Côte d'Azur Airport to town centres and also from all bus stations in towns on the Côte d'Azur. Timetables and information on the towns served are available from the bus stations.
- Nice bus station: Tel. 33 (0)4 93 85 61 81
- Antibes bus station: Tel. 33 (0)4 93 34 37
- Cannes bus station: Tel. 33 (0)4 93 45 20 08
- Grasse bus station: Tel. 33 (0)4 93 36 37 37
- Menton bus station: Tel. 33 (0)4 93 35 93 60
- Monaco bus department: Tel. 00 377 97 70 22 22
By taxi:
Taxi ranks in towns are indicated by a blue panel. To reserve a taxi, central booking services are at your disposal in the Riviera's main towns.
Allo Taxi Riviera in Nice: Tel. 33 (0)4 93 13 78 78.
Further information from the Tourist Offices
By train:
Along the coast
The TER (Regional Express Trains) provide rapide connections between the main towns on the Côte d'Azur from Cannes to Vintimiglia. At certain times of day, there is a train every 30 minutes.
Information:
- Tel. 33 (0)8 36 35 35 35
- www.sncf.fr (to order a ticket)
- www.ter-sncf.com/paca (for timetables, services).
SNCF: "Carte Isabelle"
From July 1st to September 30th, the SNCF's "Carte Isabelle" enables passengers to make an unlimited number of trips in any one day on all trains offering seats (except TGV express trains) in 1st or 2nd class, from Théoule-sur-Mer to Vintimiglia and from Nice to Tende. On sale at the train stations: ?11.
Mid and high altitude areas
the SNCF's Nice-Tende-Turin line runs daily services to the mountains, and notably the Valley of La Roya and beyond, to Limone, Cuneo and Turin. Worth noting, a summer coach connection from St-Dalmas-de-Tende to the Valley of Marvels. A tourist service is also proposed every day in summer and on weekends for the rest of the year on the 9.24 a.m. train departing from Nice: "Train des Merveilles".
The picturesque "Train de Pignes" runs regular services from Nice (from the Gare du Sud) to Digne-les-Bains.
Information and prices from the Chemins de Fer de Provence:
- Tel. 33 (0)4 97 03 80 80
www.trainprovence.com
