France travel advice/recommendations

[Mikey943]

Hi.

We are driving down through France this summer. Going out July 26th, returning Aug 10th. Stopping at Troyes and the ardeche during the first week and then heading over to gattieres where we've hired a villa for a week.

We are pretty near Nice there, and I'm just looking for some ideas for day trips within an hour or so from Gattieres.

Obviously, there is nice, and also antibes, cannes, maybe even San Remo. But if anyone has any knowledge they can lay on me about less obvious places that are worthwhile, inland as well as coastal then that would be great. And being the height of the summer holidays, I dare say that there may be some place that it may be better to avoid.

Grateful for any advice.

[Sandstorm]

Fuck off Holiday Noob

[Mikey943]

Thanks Sands. Noob on here maybe but was on the other bored for many years, so I'm familiar with the fuck of noob thing.

Any ideas on France then?

[Sandstorm]

Thanks Sands. Noob on here maybe but was on the other bored for many years, so I'm familiar with the fuck of noob thing.

Any ideas on France then?

Hiya Mike. Sorry, my knowledge of Mediterranean France is the SW area only. I think there's a (Scottish?) Bordie who has a house in Nice, so hopefully he'll be along shortly to assist.

[Mikey943]

No worries.

[Yeeb]

I cycled from Nice toward Monaco, I thought it would be strenuous but turns out it was Èze

[laurent]

Stop in ardèche no need to go further :p

[Marylandolorian]

Spent a lot of time around there but before I advise you I must ask, are you a family with kids or a group of friends?

[Slick]

We had our honeymoon around that area, I'll try and dig out some of the itinerary and let you know

[Mikey943]

Spent a lot of time around there but before I advise you I must ask, are you a family with kids or a group of friends?

family with kids

[Mikey943]

We had our honeymoon around that area, I'll try and dig out some of the itinerary and let you know

Thanks.

[Jock42]

We had our honeymoon around that area, I'll try and dig out some of the itinerary and let you know

Thanks.

All prices will be in francs

[Marylandolorian]

Spent a lot of time around there but before I advise you I must ask, are you a family with kids or a group of friends?

family with kids

Do not drive downtown Nice, traffic/parking is awful most of the time but particularly in July/august,.instead park outside the city and take a bus or a cab and go to the “view Nice”.
On PR you can ask Sungod for more infos, he lives there.

From Nice, Cannes or Antibes take a tour boat and go to “île Sainte Marguerite”.
https://exploretheriviera.com/ile-saint ... nes-guide/

Old Antibes is a must, park at Port Vauban, you can walk to Fort Carré also.
You are with kids so don’t go to San Juan or Golf Juan, nothing to see there.

You’ll be staying in a nice area, lot of places to see near Gattieres, go to the “office du tourisme” and talk with the agent, they are always very helpful.

[Sandstorm]

We had our honeymoon around that area, I'll try and dig out some of the itinerary and let you know

Thanks.

All prices will be in francs

[Slick]

We had our honeymoon around that area, I'll try and dig out some of the itinerary and let you know

Thanks.

All prices will be in francs

What a cunt

[tcc_dc]

spent 10 days down that way for the RWC...we stayed at:

Hotel Le Grande Bastide - up on the hill, but great little hotel with a pool...and they have a hotel car that takes you to St Paul de Vence...that was our relaxing time

Then stayed down at Hôtel La Villa Nice Promenade in Nice, they had a balcony. Very walkable to everywhere including the train station.

Did day trips to Monaco, Cannes, Eze/La Turbo (Trophy of Augustus), Menton (had to see where William Webb Ellis was buried), and just picked other cities to go to the beach...

[Uncle fester]

Frejus
That is all

[Niegs]

France keeps dominating my socials because I follow some club rugby accounts and cheap house sites. If only my French ancestors hadn't left in the 1600s!

Have considered volunteering over the summer as my contract is about to end soon... and am pondering taking up a trade as office work is killing me.

[Mikey943]

Thanks for the replies. All good info.

If anyone else has any advice they can give then very much appreciated.

[mat the expat]

France keeps dominating my socials because I follow some club rugby accounts and cheap house sites. If only my French ancestors hadn't left in the 1600s!

Have considered volunteering over the summer as my contract is about to end soon... and am pondering taking up a trade as office work is killing me.

Tiredness?

[Niegs]

France keeps dominating my socials because I follow some club rugby accounts and cheap house sites. If only my French ancestors hadn't left in the 1600s!

Have considered volunteering over the summer as my contract is about to end soon... and am pondering taking up a trade as office work is killing me.

Tiredness?

Maybe. I don't sleep as much as I should, but it's more the mental "What's the point of moving files around? AI will end up doing this soon, surely? Those people out there, even in not-great weather, are doing things more worthwhile."

[mat the expat]

France keeps dominating my socials because I follow some club rugby accounts and cheap house sites. If only my French ancestors hadn't left in the 1600s!

Have considered volunteering over the summer as my contract is about to end soon... and am pondering taking up a trade as office work is killing me.

Tiredness?

Maybe. I don't sleep as much as I should, but it's more the mental "What's the point of moving files around? AI will end up doing this soon, surely? Those people out there, even in not-great weather, are doing things more worthwhile."

Fair enough - I was going to do something different but a contract role fell into my lap so making hay whilst the sun shines

[Niegs]

Tiredness?

Maybe. I don't sleep as much as I should, but it's more the mental "What's the point of moving files around? AI will end up doing this soon, surely? Those people out there, even in not-great weather, are doing things more worthwhile."

Fair enough - I was going to do something different but a contract role fell into my lap so making hay whilst the sun shines

I'm going to wait a few weeks before I make a decision (maybe to jet off to France for the summer to work on a farm or something? :D ) as I might be up for a rugby job.

[Slick]

We had an amazing meal on top of a cliff at Chèvre d’Or near Eze if you wanted to treat yourself, also an amazing art gallery on the way - Foundation Maeght near Gattiere

There is a cool day trip to the island of Isle Sainte Marguerite from Cannes

I’ve consulted ‘er indoors and the rest of our trip was a bit far for a day trip

[SaintK]

We had an amazing meal on top of a cliff at Chèvre d’Or near Eze if you wanted to treat yourself, also an amazing art gallery on the way - Foundation Maeght near Gattiere

There is a cool day trip to the island of Isle Sainte Marguerite from Cannes

I’ve consulted ‘er indoors and the rest of our trip was a bit far for a day trip

Thought that was near St Paul de Vence. Can recall stopping off there on a local bus trip through the hills from Cagnes sur Mer to Vence. Also visited the Rosary Chapel designed by Matisse and had a great lunch in Vence

[Slick]

We had an amazing meal on top of a cliff at Chèvre d’Or near Eze if you wanted to treat yourself, also an amazing art gallery on the way - Foundation Maeght near Gattiere

There is a cool day trip to the island of Isle Sainte Marguerite from Cannes

I’ve consulted ‘er indoors and the rest of our trip was a bit far for a day trip

Thought that was near St Paul de Vence. Can recall stopping off there on a local bus trip through the hills from Cagnes sur Mer to Vence. Also visited the Rosary Chapel designed by Matisse and had a great lunch in Vence

Think you might be right. I will discipline her appropriately

[mat the expat]

Maybe. I don't sleep as much as I should, but it's more the mental "What's the point of moving files around? AI will end up doing this soon, surely? Those people out there, even in not-great weather, are doing things more worthwhile."

Fair enough - I was going to do something different but a contract role fell into my lap so making hay whilst the sun shines

I'm going to wait a few weeks before I make a decision (maybe to jet off to France for the summer to work on a farm or something? :D ) as I might be up for a rugby job.

C'est bien!

[Biffer]

I’m gonna piggyback on this thread.

As time and age go forward, I’m thinking of what I’ll spend retirement doing. One thing I think I can see myself doing regularly is taking 2/3/4 weeks and chilling out in the south of France in October or November, but of warmth and good rugby. In the next few years I’ll do a few long weekends etc to try some places out. Montpellier is on my list as it’s a lovely wee town even though their rugby team needs day passes from the gaol, it’s also close enough to Beziers, Narbonne for Pro D2 as well as T14. Where else would be good? I wouldn’t want to drive, I’d rely on trains to get about to different rugby towns. Perpignan I reckon is a good bet, but my geography of southern France isn’t too great and I don’t know what’s industrial and what’s lovely old town etc. Nice squares or beachfronts to chill out on with coffee or wine. Also a requirement.

[Simian]

If you’ve never been to a game at Toulon I’d say that’s a must. And very easy to get along the coast by train too.

[Biffer]

If you’ve never been to a game at Toulon I’d say that’s a must. And very easy to get along the coast by train too.

Yeah, I was there when Edinburgh won against them in the Champions Cup

Experience of the town was limited as there was a Gilets Jaune march on that day so we had to work our way through the riot police to get to the stadium

[lemonhead]

I’m gonna piggyback on this thread.

As time and age go forward, I’m thinking of what I’ll spend retirement doing. One thing I think I can see myself doing regularly is taking 2/3/4 weeks and chilling out in the south of France in October or November, but of warmth and good rugby. In the next few years I’ll do a few long weekends etc to try some places out. Montpellier is on my list as it’s a lovely wee town even though their rugby team needs day passes from the gaol, it’s also close enough to Beziers, Narbonne for Pro D2 as well as T14. Where else would be good? I wouldn’t want to drive, I’d rely on trains to get about to different rugby towns. Perpignan I reckon is a good bet, but my geography of southern France isn’t too great and I don’t know what’s industrial and what’s lovely old town etc. Nice squares or beachfronts to chill out on with coffee or wine. Also a requirement.

Carcassone prob worth a half day visit, Collioure for definite if you're stopping off in Perpignan but might well need a car.

If you can also nip over the border to Roses it's a pretty easygoing vibe. Not a huge fan of Spanish visits, we've had some mixed experiences but Catalonia's always felt friendly enough.

[SaintK]

I’m gonna piggyback on this thread.

As time and age go forward, I’m thinking of what I’ll spend retirement doing. One thing I think I can see myself doing regularly is taking 2/3/4 weeks and chilling out in the south of France in October or November, but of warmth and good rugby. In the next few years I’ll do a few long weekends etc to try some places out. Montpellier is on my list as it’s a lovely wee town even though their rugby team needs day passes from the gaol, it’s also close enough to Beziers, Narbonne for Pro D2 as well as T14. Where else would be good? I wouldn’t want to drive, I’d rely on trains to get about to different rugby towns. Perpignan I reckon is a good bet, but my geography of southern France isn’t too great and I don’t know what’s industrial and what’s lovely old town etc. Nice squares or beachfronts to chill out on with coffee or wine. Also a requirement.

Carcassone prob worth a half day visit, Collioure for definite if you're stopping off in Perpignan but might well need a car.

If you can also nip over the border to Roses it's a pretty easygoing vibe. Not a huge fan of Spanish visits, we've had some mixed experiences but Catalonia's always felt friendly enough.

Great seafood in Roses