What is the best way to get to Nice from Paris..
Thanks so much..
Jan

I would recommend the train. It is about 5 1/2 hours direct - more if you have to transfer. I also recommend reading our guide to Trains in France for information on the different types of tickets and booking online.

You can also fly direct. One carrier is EasyJet. Choice probably comes down to schedule, total travel time (and/or total sitting time) and cost. And of course fees for extra baggage and services for flying can add up fast.

Steve

I second the comfortable train,5.5 hours city center to city center.

Thanks so much ..the train it is!!
Jancruz1

Jancruz1 - make sure you look at IDTGV for tickets.

We booked two 1st class tickets one-way from Cannes (we're staying in Antibes) to Paris for April--total was $103 USD. I wrote about this in another thread on the France forum.

Cameron

Cameron, I went on that website but each time I switch it to English, it goes back to French..any ideas??
Jan

Right--I think I remember that you can see the English only until you purchase!

Can you navigate through the French? There are limited destinations on IDTGV and all are in a drop-down box where you can click on the choices. The dates are in calendar formats.

Aller simple = one-way
Aller retour = round-trip

Dèpart = departure town
(i.e. Paris 75 toutes gare) Paris, all stations. After selecting your arrival town, it will change to show the Paris station with the service you need.

Arrivée = arrival town (Nice ville)

Aller le = dd/mm/yyyy of departure date
Retour le = dd/mm/yyyy of return date

Nombre de passegers = number of passengers

Je réserver = click to reserve (takes you to the next screen)

Look at the day/date headings, then the 1st and 2nd class tickets. You'll see different prices for different dates/class of service. You click the choice you prefer.

Select box with the day of the week and the date/Euros.

The matrix will show you columns with:
train number
departure
arrival
duration
1st class (click round box to select)
2nd class (click round box to select)

VALIDATE (click to proceed to purchase screen)

I can't go any further without buying more tickets....you know...try to use the Google Chrome Browser and invoke the Google Translate option! The translation should be "good enough" for you to understand.

If you go back to my thread link, you'll see that you must create an account first. Also, you'll need to let your credit card company know that you're purchasing tickets on the French website so that they don't block the charges.

The printed tickets are also in French. Once you have those at the train station, take those to the window to get your boarding card...and then make sure you validate the boarding card on the platform.

Cameron

You are amazing..
I will try that now..
Thanks a million
Jan

Happy to help! Best wishes with your planning.

Cameron

I bought tickets this past summer (2011), and I was able to print my tickets at home. The prices on the French site are usually a bit lower than on the English RailEurope site.

Thank you Cameron..I bought my tickets in French much cheaper..got my 1st class seats..and even ordered lunch..I feel brilliant..I have one more question..I have 2 apartments on hold fpr 24 hours..I am wondering which I should take..either price is ok..


http://www.vrbo.com/93658

Or

VRBO listing #236600

Thanks,
Jan

Both apartments look very nice and they're located close by also. I like the look of the first one, but the second one seems to offer a direct view of the Mediterranean. That would be a gorgeous view! Enjoy your time in Nice. It's a real picturesque and intersting area of France. I had a wonderful time there last December.

The 2nd one is on the first floor so I am not sure what you can see..I am most concerned about convenient location..we are seniors and will not have a car..
Jam

quote:

I am most concerned about convenient location..we are seniors and will not have a car

JanCruz,

Both apartments are near each other, so they are more or less the same location.
The ads do not show a map.
For the first rental, I found this addres in 4 Rue Meyerbeer, Nice.
I could not find a street address for the second one.

The location for both is very pleasant and especially very central, in terms of the Promenade des Anglais, the old town, the city center, the shopping area. All are within easy walking distance. You can also easily walk to the bus terminus that has the famous convenient buses that take you to Antibes and Cannes in the west, and all the way to border town of Menton in the east, all for 1 euro/person.

If you start a new post about the apartments, I think you are likely to get more pertinent replies.

I stayed behind the Negresco for 5 days on one occasion and 3 weeks on another. I love this area. Close to the Promenade and the bus stop for the airport, to the Old Town, in a word, within walking distance to all amenities.

We didn't have a car. To us, it was a blessing. We had driven along the Côte d'Azur on previous trips. As Americana mentioned, the transit system is excellent.

I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay in Nice.

I use your second listing of

quote:

#236600

to show how I look for something to cross-check.

I like that there are "personal" reviews for this rental and they use the owner's name. There are also 6 Facebook "likes" on this one.

So, using the name, I did a search of "Jayne" with rentals in Nice to cross-check and found she lists consistently across other vacation rentals. HomeAway and Holiday-Rentals.co.uk (links to same HomeAway ad).

HomeAway Nice apartment Jayne Spilsbury

Holiday Rentals UK-HomeAway

Holiday Lettings Ad

Trip Advisor Ad (no review)

I would advise that you email for more information on both apartments and then you'll have a name for the person on the first one and can cross-check multiple ads/reviews.

Hope this is helpful.

Cameron

An update on our experience using iDTGV tickets. We were in Antibes and we chose to board the TGV in Cannes rather than Nice.

iDTGV sent us an email reminder that verified that the schedule was still the same.

At the Cannes train station, we took the tickets that we'd printed out from home to the platform where our train was to depart. The tickets were scanned and we were allowed to enter the roped-off area for our particular train. We were in car 12, so we were told where on the platform to stand.

We were in a 1st class, quiet car and were incredibly comfortable.

Although our train was delayed for 34 minutes along the way (due to tunnel work), it went smoothly. Today, we were sent an email to explain the delay and that because it was under 60 minutes, there would be no compensation for the inconvenience.

We were able to text message the manager of our apartment while we were on the train to inform him of our delay. (Our Sprint iPhones were enabled for France, so our phone numbers from home were retained. 50 cents for outgoing, 5 cents for incoming text messages.)

Cameron

We stayed in this Nice apartment last year. It was a great location in the old town, just steps from everything and we really enjoyed it!

http://www.yourniceapartment.c...index/id/29/town/any

http://www.go-nice.com/le_nept...roperty_details.aspx

We are almost ready to leave for France..we took the above apartment in Nice..have our TVG tickets..(just didnt know how to order our meal will try again before we leave..Thank you ALL so much for the help you gave me it is deeply appreciated..
Jan

gtennis:
That is a funky apartment on the funky rue Ste Réparate, my fave food-shopping street.

Ste Reparate is a great street. Great shops and restaurants abound in that area.

Well after all y work, I got an email the landlord double booked and I am leaving on Thursday and have no where to stay at the end of April..I got an email this is available does anyone know it???
http://www.riviera-holiday-hom...ppartement,158.html..
Thanks,
Jan

Jan, that's such a bummer!! I'd be in fits!

The link you posted does not go to a specific apartment, just the general rental agency site. So that we can help you, could you re-post the link?

I've heard on ST of owners double booking, but I hope it's truly an error, and not overbooking like airlines do. However, that kind of error, in my mind, is unprofessional and inexcusable.

Grotesque.
Jan, at this point, it is the landlord's responsiblity to find you another rental of equivalent quality or better, at no higher cost.
This happened to my friend once in Barcelona. Well, my friend is very good in vociferous insistence. She was given an upgraded apartment for the same rent rate.
You can also advise your landlord that you will be sharing your experience, with reference of his rental, to major travel sites.

The landlaord said he tried but couldnt find me anything..I dont know how to proceed with him..
Jan

Did you try telling him that your experience will be reported on ST, tripadvisor, etc., and that you will complain to Flipkey whose recommendation is on the rental ad?
You can start by showing him this thread.
This is not just a threat. ALl apartment seekers should all be warned off about such irresponsible landlords who just abandon you at the last minute.

By the way, what are the dates when you will be in Nice?

http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p872662

I hope this is ok..I wrote the landlord and told him he should pay the difference
Jan

I will be in Nice April 29 to May 6th if I get an apartment..I am sorry if my typing and spelling are bad..but I am truly upset..I leave the states Thursday to go to France..doesnt give me much time to find a place..
Jan

quote:

Originally posted by Jancruz1:
I will be in Nice April 29 to May 6th if I get an apartment..I am sorry if my typing and spelling are bad..but I am truly upset..I leave the states Thursday to go to France..doesnt give me much time to find a place..
Jan

There are plenty of nice hotels in Nice. Just saying.

I know but I will be working on a ship for two weeks and wanted to relax and not have to eat out morning noon and night,,Thanks,
Jamn

quote:

have our TVG tickets..(just didnt know how to order our meal will try again before we leave.

You can take a picnic on the TGV. There is also a club car level. We just did that and then my husband went up tot he club level and brought back beverages for us.

---

As for your apartment falling through...has the owner returned your deposit?

I've never used Nice Pebbles, but it is an agency rather than an owner rental and there is interview by Slow Europe with that agency's owner. Check it out!

Cameron

Try

http://www.homelidays.co.uk/ni...t-flat-267956en1.htm

http://www.homelidays.co.uk/ni...t-flat-237809en1.htm
(2/f, no lift)

http://www.homelidays.co.uk/ni...t-flat-333254en1.htm

http://www.homelidays.co.uk/ni...t-flat-374328en1.htm

Jan, the apartment you posted is more expensive than the one that fell thru, but it looks nicer. I think the location is good also.

While I also think the apartment owner should compensate, I would not know how to go about it effectively.

Like Cameron suggested, I would inquire Nice Pebbles. They have good reputation here on ST as well as on TripAdvisor. I checked your dates and there are apartments available, but they are generally more expensive than the one you posted.

I have written to Slow Pebbles and also the owner of the original apartment to see if he will pay the difference on the one I have a hold on does anyone know anything about Riviera Holiday Homes??..if you think it is a good location I think I will take it..can you tell me how many feet 70 meters is and also is the bed a quuen??
Thank you all for your trouble,
Ja
The best laid plans etc....

quote:

how many feet 70 meters is

That's about 754 sf.

Cameron

Your first apartment has 50 sq meters. So the new one is almost one and a half times bigger.

Adrian Leeds who is in real estate here in Paris, has a rental in Nice at Massena. She has a good reputation. I was just in an apartment that she found for an American buying here in Paris...HGTV House Hunters International.


Price (everything included)

Night - 100€ to 175€
Week 635€ to 1,105€

Camerton it looks wonderful but there is no lift and it is on the third floor..I will write her and see if she has anything else..
Thanks,
Jan

We are just back late last night and I want to thank everyone for the positively perfect info..our tickets on the train (bought in French, which I dont speak) were perfect.our apartment in Nice..which ended up to be 3 rue Meyerbeer was the perfect location..it was a most wonderful experience thanks to all of you..
Merci!!
Jancruz1

Glad all worked out and you had a great trip! It's always good to hear a follow-up for others reading the post in the future.

Cameron

Welcome back! I'm glad to hear you had a great trip. We'd love to have a review of the apartment when you get a chance. You can submit it here. Thanks in advance.