Best day trips from Nice by train: explore the French Riviera and beyond

No, we’re not going to be boring and show you just a nice bunch of day trips from Nice.

Splendid? Yes.

Memorable? Absolutely!

These day trips from Nice are so beyond nice that you’ll wish you had more time to explore them.

Aerial view of Beaulieu-Sur-Mer in France. Image Credit: Getty Images, SantiMB

Beaulieu-Sur-Mer

Best for: a brief beach departure

Beaulieu-sur-Mer is neighbors with Nice — a sub-ten-minute train ride is probably faster than the time it takes you to walk from your hotel to the train station itself. Plage Petite Afrique, a gravel beach flanked by pine forests, is one of the best beaches on the Cote d’Azur.

Antibes

Best for: museums

Nice to Antibes: from 13m

Antibes is no sleeper pick on a roster of best day trips from Nice. About half the distance between Nice and Cannes, it’s a great quick trip from both. If you’re going to spend the day indoors, Musée Picasso (his former home and current home of a stunning collection) and Musée d'Archéologie d'Antibes (housed within a former fortress) are well worth your time.

Cagnes-Sur-Mer

Best for: one last stop near Nice

Nice-Ville to Cagnes-sur Mer: from 13m

Don’t let your last day of vacation in Nice go to waste; go to Cagnes-sur-Mer instead. Just a short drive away from the Nice Airport, this seaside resort town is different enough to make a visit feel unique. Most will visit Musée Renoir — the one-time home of the famous painter — though you may set your sights on the medieval Château-Musée Grimaldi perched atop the city.

View from the top of Eze Mountain in Eze, France. Image Credit: Getty Images, Remedios

Èze Village

Best for: a mini day trip to a mini medieval town

Nice-Ville to Èze: from 13m

Èze itself is a nice place for a swim, but we recommend taking a bus or cab from the Èze train station to Èze Village. This very small medieval village has more visitors than locals and naturally caters to tourists. That does nothing to disrupt its charm, though; you can wander the cobblestone streets, pop into just as many art galleries as restaurants, and have a lovely afternoon.

Biot

Best for: artsy souvenir shopping

Nice to Biot: from 20m

This one is for the handicraft crowd. Biot is a quick day trip from Nice; and while this medieval hilltop village has its own long history to uncover, it is nowadays most known for its glassblowing. Workshops and artisan markets fill the spaces between the arcaded houses. Before you buy hand-blown glass, pottery, or ceramics, pay a visit to the Museum of Biot’s History and Ceramics to learn more about its modern craft history.

Monaco

Best for: country-counters and race fans

Nice to Monaco: from 21m

Spoiler alert: Monaco is known for the Monaco Grand Prix. Even if you don’t have tickets, we implore you to still visit and check out the festivities. Get there early and you can peep at the test runs from behind the chain link fence. On the 51 other weekends of the year, the Monte Carlo casino and the Private Cars Collection of HSH Prince of Monaco will keep you busy. And don’t forget to stop at the Monaco Tourism Office to get your passport stamped!

View of Peillon mountain village in France. Image Credit: Getty Images, imageBROKER/Franzel Drepper

Peillon and Peille

Best for: hiking between scenic villages

Nice to Peillon: from 40m | Nice to Peille: from 45m

Allow yourself a day to wander with a purpose and stride into a memorable day trip from Nice to Peillon and Peille. The hike between these dual hilltop villages should take around four hours, so make sure you set aside around six or so to tour both of these (albeit, small) hilltop villages.

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

Best for: ballin’ on a budget

Nice-Ville to Beaulieu-sur-Mer, then bus or taxi to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Journey time around 30 minutes

Those who live in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat have quite a few commas in their bank accounts. You, however, need only a half-hour train ride and a little savvy planning to enjoy this wealthy area. Tour the magnificent Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and slowly sip wine or aperitifs in the equally amazing tea room. Use the rest of your time to sunbathe on the plage, hike the coastal trails, or gate crash the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, and splurge on their spa. However, be aware that there is no direct train from Nice to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. You will need to take a train from Nice to Beaulieu-sur-Mer, from which you can take either a bus (number 15) or taxi to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Cannes

Best for: film buffs

Nice to Cannes: from 23m

Now playing: a day trip from Nice for all audiences. If you can make it over for the Cannes Film Festival, then don’t think twice. If the credits have rolled on the annual cinema shindig, then rewrite the script with a tour on the Le Petit Trains — and make sure your third act includes snorkeling to the Underwater Eco-Museum just off the coast of Sainte-Marguerite Island.

Aerial view of Menton overlooking the Mediterranean sea in France. Image Credit: Getty Images, Matteo Colombo

Menton

Best for: lemon lovers

Nice to Menton: from 32m

When life gives you a day trip to Menton, you make lemonade, lemon tarts, and lemon meringue. Menton’s lemon festival in February celebrates citrus, but if you’re sour on the thought, there’s more to do beyond the rind. Menton’s gardens and beaches are a sweet sight and the Bastion—Jean Cocteau Museum will give you a colorful appreciation for the city as seen through the eyes of the once-local artist.

Grasse

Best for: pocketing the sweet scent of vacation

Nice to Grasse: from 1hr 6m

Grasse is the perfume capital of the world, so a day trip from Nice definitely doesn’t stink. You can visit the Molinard factory and create your own perfume then wear an intoxicating reminder of your French Riviera vacation everywhere you go.

Saint-Paul-de-Vence

Best for: views of the French Riviera

Nice-Ville to Cagnes-sur Mer, then bus to Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Journey time around 1hr 12m

While you’re visiting Cagnes-sur-Mer on your day trip from Nice, hop on a bus and see the medieval walled town of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Wander around the ramparts and tour the Fondation Maeght museum where works of Calder, Chagall, and Miro are shown. Then, get a natural view of the French Riviera’s beauty at Saint-Paul de Vence Cemetery, where many of these 20th-century artists were laid to rest.

Aerial view of Gorges Du Verdon in France. Image Credit: Getty Images, Justin Lewis

Gorges Du Verdon

Best for: tackling white-water rapids

Nice to Les Arcs—Draguignan then a taxi to Gorges Du Verdon. Journey time around 2-2.5h

Who said a trip to the South of France had to be a slow-paced leisure-fest? Pack your sense of adventure and roll over to Gorges du Verdon. The Verdon Gorge river canyon has hiking trails with overlooks, but the best view is found looking up at the cliffs. Rent a canoe or kayak and paddle your way through the rapids. We guarantee most of your new friends at the beach club won’t have the same epic vacation photos.

Toulon

Best for: mountain lovers and seafarers

Nice to Toulon: from 1hr 37m

Toulon has the best of both worlds: fishing boats and warships, cable cars and ferries, mountain vistas and sea views. Visiting Toulon means keeping both grounded and elevated expectations. Eat at Racines, Au Sourd, or Le Pastel and you won’t be disappointed that they got Michelin nods (mentionings in the Michelin Guide) without the stars.

Saint-Tropez

Best for: nightlife

Nice to St-Raphaël—Valescure, then a taxi to Saint-Tropez. Journey time around 1hr 37m

Let’s call this day trip from Nice what it is: a moonlit excursion to an electrifying night in Saint-Tropez. Gaïo and Tsar Folie's St. Tropez should be on your list for drinks and dancing. If the club isn’t your jam, then cocktails or mocktails around the port will let you loosen up just enough.

Aix-en-Provence

Best for: stopping and smelling the lavender

Nice to Aix-en-Provence: from 2h 31m

Provence is famous for its lavender fields, making it one of the major activities you must schedule during a day trip to Aix-en-Provence. When not in season, go see Rembrandt and other artists on display in the Musée Granet.

Aerial view of Pont Saint-Bénézet bridge in Avignon, France. Image Credit: Getty Images, Westend61

Avignon

Best for: cathedral admirers

Nice to Avignon: from 2hr 56m

Once upon a time, a lot of Popes sat around Avignon; you can still see their former seat at the Palais des Papes. Naturally, the Avignon Cathedral is another must-see whether you’re into Catholic history or simply love admiring 12th-century architecture.

Nîmes

Best for: letting the Roman Empire conquer your French beach vacation

Nice to Nîmes: from 3 hrs 52m

You didn’t come to Nice for a history lesson in Ancient Rome, but you can slide one in with a day trip to Nîmes. The Amphitheatre of Nîmes is arguably the next-best-thing to seeing Rome’s Colosseum. The Pont du Gard (located slightly outside of Nîmes), Maison Carrée, and Museum Romanité offer more relics of Ancient Rome to marvel at.

Hyères Islands

Best for: an escape from the mainland

Nice to Hyères then a ferry: around 4h 40min

When running away to the South of France isn’t enough of a departure from everyday life, let a ferry whisk you away to the Hyères Islands: Levant, Port-Cros, and Porquerolles. Porquerolles is where you’ll want to shop, eat, and take it easy. Levant is best for short, secluded walks amongst nature. Port-Cros has a single village and blissfully nothing more beyond forest and sea.

Let us help you make your day trips from Nice just a little nicer. Download the Trainline app and purchase tickets to towns around the Cote d’Azur on a whim.

View of Grasse, France during sunset. Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Raphael Chapot

More than 'nice': fantastic day trips from Nice