Nice is a large city on the French Riviera, located close to the border with Monaco and Italy. The city is visited by many tourists all year round. It has many historical buildings, museums, beaches and various tourist attractions but it also is a perfect starting point for day trips from Nice by train. Regional trains connect Nice with some interesting places in the region. Two of the railway lines from Nice are considered one of the most scenic railway in the Europe and the ride from Nice to Tende (Train des Merveilles) or Digne les Bains (Train des Pignes) is an attraction itself.
In the article, I briefly described the places that can be reached from Nice by regional trains in less or about two hours. If you will choose TGV, you can quickly get to Lyon, Marseille, and Dijon. However, these trains are significantly more expensive than regional trains. Journey time from Nice to Paris by TGV trains is about five and a half hours.
Day trips from Nice by train
Train Nice – Tende
Breil sur Roya – a charming village located on a meander of the river Roya. The GR52 part of the French Grande Randonnée walking trail network pass through village. The Roya river is a perfect place for rafting and trout fishing. The village itself is a tourist attraction, main monument in the village is the Church of Sancta Maria in Albis.
Tende – a medieval village on the side a hill, near Italian border. Although many buildings are neglected, the village is very attractive to stroll. The Collegiale Church of Notre-Dame dominates the place. Other interesting buildings are Church of Saint-Michel and several chapels. You can visit also Museum des Merveilles. The castle ruins and adjacent cemetery offer beautiful panorama of the Tende, but you need to take a walk through steep path. There are many caves and trails in the area.
Nice – San Remo (Italy)
There are direct regional trains from Nice to Ventimiglia, where you need to change train and continue your journey to San Remo and towards Genoa.
Villefranche-sur-mer – a popular coastal town situated immediately to the east of the city of Nice. It is one of the deepest natural harbours in the Mediterranean Sea. You can stroll along promenade and visit Saint Michael’s Church. The Old Town is characterized by its colorful houses, vibrant façades, and charming squares. Main street – Rue Obscure runs parallel to the harbor. The Citadelle Saint-Elme now houses a museum. Villefranche is also a popular film location.
Eze – a small commune on the Mediterranean Sea. An ideal place for hiking – you can take a walk, for example, to the beautiful medieval Eze village on hilltop with narrow streets, stone houses, palace and botanical garden.
Monaco Ville and Monte Carlo – a very popular cities in a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera. Monte Carlo is a resort area famous for its casinos, Monaco Ville has and Old Town with some interesting buildings, for example Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate, Prince’s Palace of Monaco and Museum of the Chapel of Visitation
Menton – old seaside frontier town and a fashionable tourist centre known for its gardens and grand mansions. An unique mild climate attracts visitors all year round. The city has a nice Old Town and some sandy beaches. Notable landmarks are the baroque basilica of Saint-Michel-Archange from 1619, covered historical market, the e Bastion Museum and Jean Cocteau Museum.
Ventimiglia (Italy) – a nice coastal a resort town in the Liguria. Many interesting buildings, for example remains of a Roman theatre. Most of the historic buildings is situated in ancient medieval city centre, perched on a hill. Most important is the Romanesque-style Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, with its stunning 11th-century architecture and beautiful crypt. Just outside the city you can visit Hanbury Botanical Gardens with an extensive collection of exotic plants.
San Remo (Italy) – world-famous seaside resort in Italy. It hosts numerous cultural events and is a popular tourist destination on the Italian Riviera. The historic old town of San Remo, known as La Pigna features historical houses and mansions. Most important monument is the 12th-century Romanesque San Siro Cathedral – one of the oldest buildings in the resort. In the beautiful villa, once the residence of Alfred Nobel, is the museum dedicated to life and work of the inventor of dynamite.
Nice – Grasse
Antibes – a popular seaside resort on the French Riviera easy and pleasant to explore. The Old Town is surrounded by the defensive ramparts and streets within the Old Town are filled with quaint shops, cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops. The city has some interesting parks and gardens or several museums worth visiting – Archaeology Museum, Picasso Museum, Naval Museum of Napoleon or Absinthe Museum dedicated to the production of famous liqueur. The star-shaped Fort Carré build in the 16th century on a hill overlooking the city and harbor.
Cannes – a city located on the French Riviera, famous for the annual prestigious Cannes Film Festival. There are some monuments and Le Suquet (Old Town) but most tourists spend their time on the seaside promenade La Croisette which stretches along the Mediterranean coast, lined with luxury hotels, boutiques, and restaurants. Cannes boasts several beautiful sandy beaches, many hotels and villas. You can take a ferry to the Lérins Islands (trails), St. Marguerite Island (the Fort was converted into Sea Museum) and St. Honorat Island (church and abbey).
Grasse – a nice city, the capital of the French perfume industry. Most popular tourist attraction is the International Perfume Museum but the city itself is a pleasant destination with a sizable Old Town and many historical buildings, among others Cathedral Notre-Dame-de-Puy and Saracen Tower.
Nice – Digne les Bains
Nice and Digne les Bains are connected by metre-gauge scenic railway line considered as one of the most beautiful railways in Europe. The passenger service between these cities is called “Train des Pignes”.
Trains to Digne les Bains depart from the Nice CP (Chemins de fer de Provence) railway station. The station inaugurated in 1991 is situated a few hundred meters away from the Nice Ville railway station. The old Nice Sud railway station, which previously served the railway connection, was renovated and converted into a library.
The length of the route is 151 km. Trains pass through 16 bridges, viaducts and 25 tunnels. The longest tunnel, Colle-Saint-Michel, is 3457 meters long.
Digne les Bains – an interesting town located at the heart of a magnificent mountainous area and on both sides of the river Bléone.
Day trips from Nice by train – useful websites:
Public transport in region – trains, buses, tickets and timetables.
Train travel in France – a comprehensive guide
