Nice is known for its glitz, glam, and old-world opulence, but a visit to the city doesn't need to be outrageously expensive. On average, a single person traveling to Nice for a week should expect to budget about $1,000 (โฌ931). This price is inclusive of accommodation, food, transportation, and sightseeing.
Is Nice worth visiting?
Nice is definitely worth visiting. Not only does this popular city have some of the best weather and natural landscapes, but it's also brimming with art, music, and culture, with more than enough to see and do to keep you entertained. We recommend taking a tour of the flower fields and Lake Cassien or Cathรฉdrale Saint-Nicolas de Nice for a unique experience.
How many days should you spend in Nice?
Although you can spend less time in Nice, it's better to plan for more. Most people spend two to seven days in Nice to ensure they see and explore the city's highlights, including the picturesque scenery, museums, and churches.
Where should you visit along the way from Chamonix to Nice?
You should consider visiting several places along the way between Chamonix and Nice when driving with Daytrip. A few of the best stops include Genoa, Turin, Monte-Carlo, Zermatt, Ligure, Monaco-Ville, and Tignes. Of these, Turin is the most popular and worthy of a visit if you don't have much time.
Do I need a car in Nice?
You don't need a rental car in Nice since the city has an excellent public transportation system, and many of the places you can visit are within walking distance of one another. So once your Daytrip driver drops you off in Nice, you can begin your city explorations almost immediately.
What is the best way to travel from Chamonix to Nice?
There are many ways to travel from Chamonix to Nice, but typically, the best way is with Daytripโs private car service. Daytrip might not be as fast as a flight, but it's much less hassle than a bus or train. Not only are Daytrip's cars luxurious and comfortable, but you'll also have access to a professional English-speaking driver who can do their best to answer your travel questions about the local area.
We can't blame you if you've found yourself in Chamonix because of its proximity to Mont Blanc. As one of France's oldest resort towns, Chamonix offers visitors spectacular scenery, world-class skiing, and mountains of summer activitiesโsee what we did there? But after you're all skied out or have seen your fill of the mountains, where to next? At Daytrip, we recommend a car trip from Chamonix to Nice.
Nice offers a vastly different but no less lovely landscape than Chamonix. Still, many people find Nice, perched atop the shores of the French Riviera, more exciting to explore with its effortless mix of nature, culture, and history. When visiting, you can expect to walk its idyllic beaches and wander through its legendary Old Town, filled with music, art, and culinary delights.
With so much to discover and explore, we can tell you're eager to get to Nice, so why not book with our private car service, Daytrip? We'll take you along the scenic route, accommodate sightseeing stops, and drop you off where you need to be in time to begin your adventure!
About Nice
Nice is an elegant, simple resort city with an exceptionally friendly, warm climate and stunning beauty. Located on the Bay des Anges, near the Italian border, it has been influenced by its opulent costumes and finery. But this doesn't mean the city, which is sheltered by beautiful rolling hills and sparkling blue beaches, doesn't have its own character, traditions, and customs.
Considering its impressive historical influences, it would be hard not to have its own uniqueness. Nice's story began with the city being founded in 350 BCE by the Marseille and Phocaeansโa colony of Greek mariners. The Greeks held onto the city for a time until the Romans conquered it during the 1st century CE when it became one of the old world's busiest trading stations.
By the 10th century, Nice was held by the Counts of Provenance and passed onto the Counts of Savoy in 1388, who held the city in all its glory until 1860. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Nice experienced a period of turbulence, with the city passing hands nearly constantly as it was captured and occupied by the French until it officially became a part of the French nation.
When the 19th century rolled around, Nice opened itself up to the rest of the world, attracting visitors from near and far and many of the greatest artists, composers, and poets to ever live. The city was also swarmed by powerfulโand not too powerfulโaristocrats and European leaders seduced by its climate and beauty.
This beauty and grace never left Nice, so it's unsurprising that it's still a popular travel destination today and is one of France's largest cities. People from all walks of life are attracted to Nice's shores. With the city's remarkable magnificence, it has grown and is a place to explore with countless historical and cultural attractions and even more wineries, restaurants, and bars worth visiting.
From Chamonix to Nice: travel tips
Planning a car trip from Chamonix to Nice is an exciting experience, considering you're going from one fabulous resort town to the next. But you might want to learn a few handy travel tips to ensure your trip is worthwhile. So, look below for our best tips to follow when making this trip.
Plan ahead to secure tickets to popular events
Numerous popular events are held in Nice annually, and many towns and cities are found between Chamonix and Nice. If you're planning on visiting any of them, you'll need to plan ahead and secure tickets for these popular events in advance before they sell out. This is especially true for events like Nice's February Carnaval de Nice and the Nice Jass Festival held in July.
Pack a corkscrew wine opener
If you're a wine aficionado or enthusiast who loves to try different varieties, you'll want to remember to pack a corkscrew wine opener. Unlike other parts of the world, Provenance and France wine bottles don't typically come with screwtops, and corks are more popular.
So if you have a picnic planned at one of the places between Chamonix and Nice, like at the beach in Sanremo or Monaco, and want to try out a delectable store-bought bottle of wine, have your corkscrew wine opener on hand.
Sightsee along the way with Daytrip
Since the drive from Chamonix to Nice is so exciting, especially when traveling with Daytrip, which has friendly drivers eager to share local travel tips and insights, it's easy to forget about sightseeing. We'd urge against this since Daytrip can accommodate several sightseeing stops between these two resort cities.
Our best recommendations include a stroll across Sanremo's beautiful beach, an adventure through the more than 25,000-year-old Toirano Caves, and a guided tour of the magnificent Fenis Castle. Regardless of what you choose to see, you're guaranteed to enjoy yourself.
How to get from Chamonix to Nice
So you've found yourself ready to pack and make your way from Chamonix to Nice, but you're not too sure how to get there. Don't worry; this is a common conundrum visitors face when they want to get from one resort town to the next, but we're here to help. Below, we've shared a few of the ways you can travel from Chamonix to Nice.
From Chamonix to Nice by bus
One of the more popular ways for budget travelers to get from Chamonix to Nice is by bus. Flixbus is one of the only bus lines offering trips between these two resort cities, and tickets cost, on average, $57 (โฌ52).
Unfortunately, only one bus is offered daily, with the company offering trips five times weekly. In addition, even though bus travel is cheaper, you should expect the trip to take between eight and a half hours and 13 and a half hours.
From Chamonix to Nice by flight
If you want to travel between Chamonix and Nice by flight, you're in for a surprise. Sadly, the flight companies don't offer direct flights, so you'll need to take a bus first to get to a local airport since Chamonix doesn't have one. You can either book with Swiss Tours or BlaBlaCar Bus
Depending on the airline you choose and the flight route, you'll either have to take a bus with one of the two companies offering trips. For example, you would catch a bus from Chamonix to
Geneva and then fly to Nice or take a bus from Chamonix to Lyon โ Saint-Exupery Airport, transfer to Lyon Airport, and then a flight to Nice. Both options can be costly, with the entire trip costing up to $321 (โฌ295).
The only upside is that the bus trip and flight should only take about four and a half hours, but is it worth the hassle of dual transportation?
From Chamonix to Nice by train
One of the more scenic and comfortable ways to travel from Chamonix to Nice is by train. Several train lines offer trips between these two cities, including TGV inOui, Swiss Railways, and SNFC. These train companies often offer direct trips, but this isn't always the case, so be careful when booking a ticket so as not to choose a route with multiple stops.
Generally, train tickets cost $125 to $212 (โฌ115-โฌ195), so it is a fairly pricey way to travel, both financially and time-wise, considering the trip can take up to ten hours to complete.
From Chamonix to Nice by Daytrip private car service
If comfort, safety, luxury, reliability, and friendliness are priorities for you when traveling, you'll want to consider completing the trip between Chamonix and Niche with Daytrip's private car service. With Daytrip, you can truly enjoy your travel experience, taking in the spectacular sights along the way while stopping and sightseeing at a few places on your travel bucket list.
Not to mention, Daytrip provides a door-to-door service, so you won't have to handle your luggage, nor will you need to rush to get to train stations, bus stops, and airports. This leaves you more time to sit back and relax or strike up a conversation with your English-speaking driver to learn more about the locations you plan to visit.
Essentially, you have all the control when it comes to your transportation. You choose the time you want to travel, where to be fetched, where to be dropped off, and how many people get to enjoy the trip with you. Not bad for only $200 (โฌ184) per seat per trip!
Things to do when you get to Nice
Pack your bags and drive from Chamonix to Nice; an adventure awaits.
Nice is crowned (by us) as one of the best summer destinations, which is unsurprising considering it's the shining glory of the French Riviera.
From sandy beaches and exciting markets to museum tours and city wanderings, there's much to see and do, so where do you start? Wellโฆ at the beginning, starting with the places we've shared below that are worth visiting no matter your budget.
Promenade des Anglais
The Promenade des Anglais is not merely another beach strip; it's a place to soak in the sights and the sunlight. Built in the 1800s by wealthy English expats who wanted a paved promenade to take in the sparkling oceanfront, it has become a travelers' hotspot.
So slip on some comfy shoes and slap on some sunscreen. You'll need a few hours to stare out at the bright blue Mediterranean Sea and explore the shops and restaurants by the beachside.
Cave de la Tour
If you're anything like us, you love to sip on a glass of wineโor two; we're not judgingโafter exploring a new city. But where can you do this in Nice? Well, Cave de la Tour, of course.
Despite its name, Cave de la Tour is very much a wine bar and not a cave, but it's still worth exploring. Founded in 1947, it is one of the oldest wine bars in the city and has some of the region's finest booze from across France ready and waiting for you to sample.
Most of the wine varieties are available by the glass, but if you find a favorite, stay for a bottle and enjoy some of the bar's delicious local cuisine, too!
This modern art museum is home to vast collections of realist and pop art from the 1950s to today, so you'll need a few hours to soak up the vibrancy and history strewn across its walls.
While wandering the museum, be sure to look for the works of pop art legends Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol and realist artist Yves Klein, who once called Nice home.
When is the best time to visit Nice?
Nice is a sought-after city, with more than 5 million people visiting annually. With more than 300 days of sunshine, there is never a bad time to visit. However, if you're traveling from Chamonix to Nice and want to visit at the most opportune time, we recommend spring.
Spring is undoubtedly the absolute best season to visit since the temperatures are nice and warm (around 65ยฐF/18ยฐC) but not overwhelming. You can even take a leisurely dip in the ocean and encounter warm waters without singing your toast across too-hot sand as you walk to the water's edge.
Visiting in spring also means you'll encounter fewer crowds and fewer lines waiting to see some of the city's best attractions or enjoy a hearty meal at a popular restaurant.
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Fenis Castle
While Fรฉnis castle might look like a fortified stronghold, its indefensible location on a low knoll belies its true nature: an aristocratic home.ย Low Borne High Bornsย
Fort Bard
This imposing fortress was so effective, it took Napoleon 2 weeks to take the โvillain castleโ, even though he outnumbered the defenders 100 to 1.ย Razing Defensesย
Minor Basilica of Bambino Gesu di Arenzano
Filled with unique artwork, this quiet church overlooking the sea is the only church in the world dedicated to the Child Jesus of Prague.ย A Distinctive Dedicationย
Toirano Caves
As caves go, this one has some spectacular human hand and footprints left in the mud some 25,000 years ago, as well as the cave bear boneyard.ย Step into historyย
Sanremo
Sanremo's most impressive feature is its beautiful stretch of beach lying along Italy's western Mediterranean coast.ย A Riviera of Funย
Monaco
Skyrocketed to fame when Grace Kelly married Prince Ranie III, this seaside city-state is heady with the scent of the sea, and prosperity.ย Glamour on the Mediterraneanย
