Luxury bespoke rail holiday to Nice and the French Riviera
This 7-night holiday is a simple and efficient train holiday from London to Nice with seven nights in Nice on the French Riviera. The rail journey is very smooth and starts with a Eurostar train from London to Paris, Lille or Marseille, depending on the day of the week and the time of the year. The travelling time from London to Nice, door to door, is between 10 and 11 hours, with very sensible train times. You then have seven nights in a centrally-located hotel in Nice with plenty of opportunity to explore the immediate city with its famous flower market, Promenade des Anglais, old town and many art galleries and museums. There is of course the long beach (pebbles) in Nice but other sandy beaches just along the coast that can be reached by train or bus. Just behind the coast are several very pretty hill-top villages such as St Paul de Vence and Eze. A little further away is Monaco and Monte-Carlo, whilst it is also possible to reach the Italian side of the border by train. Local buses and trains will accommodate you readily although you may consider the use of a hire-car for a day or two if you want to venture further into the countryside, perhaps to Grasse or the Gorges du Verdon.
Highlights
Nice • French Riviera • Visit the Marche aux Fleurs • Visit Villa Ephrussi • Visit Monaco • Visit St Jean Cap Ferrat • Visit Antibes • Visit St Paul de Vence
Day by day
Begin your rail holiday by departing on a morning Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris or Lille, before changing station for your high-speed train journey to Nice. Enjoy the scenery outside your window as the TGV heads south through the regions of Burgundy and the Rhone-Alpes, following the course of the River Rhone into Provence and the Cote d’Azur. Depending on the season, if you can take the 07.19 Eurostar direct to Marseille, reaching Nice just after 18.00 hrs. If you take the train via Paris, you leave London at about 9.20 hrs and reach Nice just after 20.00 hrs. Your hotel in Nice is a short taxi ride from the station. You spend seven nights in Nice.
You have six whole days at leisure in Nice on the French Riviera. There are plenty of cultural and active things to do both in Nice and nearby. Spend an afternoon walking along the Promenade des Anglais, which runs parallel to one of the most beautiful beaches in France, the Baie des Anges. Well-known for its artistic and cultural connections, Nice has over 20 museums and galleries, including the Musée Matisse, the Palais Lascaris, and several archaeological and historical museums. For something more modern, take a tour of the city’s 13 examples of street art, painted by internationally-renowned artists, or simply tour the architecture and atmosphere of the town to the soundtrack of the street jazz music. The Marche aux Fleurs Cours Saleya is the site of some of Nice’s best markets, selling flowers, fruit, and vegetables, as well as other local delicacies. Be sure to seek out and try some Socca, a pancake or crêpe made from chickpea flower, or Pissaladière, a kind of pizza topped with onions, olive, garlic, and anchovies. Wander round the Marché Artisanal Nocturne, lit atmospherically by the buildings around it, which runs from 18:30 to 00:30 every night apart from Monday, and displays the work of Nice’s local artists. A self-guided tour of the city will bring you to Queen Victoria’s Ancien Hôtel Régina, the Basilique Notre Dame, Le Cadran Solaire (a sundial which you operate using your own shadow), and the small squares of the Old Town. Take lunch on one of the café terraces. Voted the Green City of the Mediterranean, Nice has many hidden gardens ready to be explored; large or small, they are all perfectly maintained. For those looking for a more active experience of the Nice landscape, climb the Colline du Château, or head outside the city on one of the many trails that take you along the hillside, through oak woods and olive groves, to the hamlets and neighbourhoods of Bellet, the origin of Nice’s famous Bellet wine. Other possible day excursions include trips to Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, Monaco, the luxurious self-contained state famous for its connections with A-list stars and the Grand Prix, the seaside village of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, and the exclusive peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat with the beautiful Villa Ephrussi nearby. St Paul de Vence, one of the prettiest perched villages in the hinterland of the Cote d’Azur, is about an hour by bus from Nice. It is renowned as an artists’ village and the winding main street is full of galleries and artisan goods to purchase. If you want to have lunch at the famous Colombe d’Or, a haunt for artists and writers who have left their mark with the vast collection of original works of art that adorns the walls. Pre-booking is essential. Near here, about 15 minutes on foot, or call in on your own in or out of the village is the Fondation Maeght, a museum of modern art with one of the largest collections of paintings, sculptures and works on paper of modern and contemporary art in Europe.
There is a departure from Nice at about 10.00 hrs via Paris which reaches London just after 19.30 hrs. Again, depending on the day of the week there may be a service via Marseille and Lille. At the time of arranging your holiday, your sales consultant will check the best possible connections for your journey for the chosen dates of your holiday.
I just wanted to get in touch to say thank you! We have now returned from our Orient Express, Venice trip, and it could not have been better. The memories made will last a life time. Obviously, the train experience is beyond words and Venice is such a fantastic place, but we wanted to specifically thank you for the organisation and assistance. Your attention to detail is superb and it made everything smooth and easy. Thank you again for a job extremely well done.Mrs C, May, 2024
Holiday price guide Prices from £2,390 per person based on two people sharing a double or twin room and including standard class rail travel. Supplement for standard premier/first class £385 per person.
Holiday Code FRBR07
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke rail holiday to Nice and the French Riviera
Begin your rail holiday by departing on a morning Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris or Lille, before changing station for your high-speed train journey to Nice. Enjoy the scenery outside your window as the TGV heads south through the regions of Burgundy and the Rhone-Alpes, following the course of the River Rhone into Provence and the Cote d’Azur. Depending on the season, if you can take the 07.19 Eurostar direct to Marseille, reaching Nice just after 18.00 hrs. If you take the train via Paris, you leave London at about 9.20 hrs and reach Nice just after 20.00 hrs. Your hotel in Nice is a short taxi ride from the station. You spend seven nights in Nice.
You have six whole days at leisure in Nice on the French Riviera. There are plenty of cultural and active things to do both in Nice and nearby. Spend an afternoon walking along the Promenade des Anglais, which runs parallel to one of the most beautiful beaches in France, the Baie des Anges. Well-known for its artistic and cultural connections, Nice has over 20 museums and galleries, including the Musée Matisse, the Palais Lascaris, and several archaeological and historical museums. For something more modern, take a tour of the city’s 13 examples of street art, painted by internationally-renowned artists, or simply tour the architecture and atmosphere of the town to the soundtrack of the street jazz music. The Marche aux Fleurs Cours Saleya is the site of some of Nice’s best markets, selling flowers, fruit, and vegetables, as well as other local delicacies. Be sure to seek out and try some Socca, a pancake or crêpe made from chickpea flower, or Pissaladière, a kind of pizza topped with onions, olive, garlic, and anchovies. Wander round the Marché Artisanal Nocturne, lit atmospherically by the buildings around it, which runs from 18:30 to 00:30 every night apart from Monday, and displays the work of Nice’s local artists. A self-guided tour of the city will bring you to Queen Victoria’s Ancien Hôtel Régina, the Basilique Notre Dame, Le Cadran Solaire (a sundial which you operate using your own shadow), and the small squares of the Old Town. Take lunch on one of the café terraces. Voted the Green City of the Mediterranean, Nice has many hidden gardens ready to be explored; large or small, they are all perfectly maintained. For those looking for a more active experience of the Nice landscape, climb the Colline du Château, or head outside the city on one of the many trails that take you along the hillside, through oak woods and olive groves, to the hamlets and neighbourhoods of Bellet, the origin of Nice’s famous Bellet wine. Other possible day excursions include trips to Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, Monaco, the luxurious self-contained state famous for its connections with A-list stars and the Grand Prix, the seaside village of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, and the exclusive peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat with the beautiful Villa Ephrussi nearby. St Paul de Vence, one of the prettiest perched villages in the hinterland of the Cote d’Azur, is about an hour by bus from Nice. It is renowned as an artists’ village and the winding main street is full of galleries and artisan goods to purchase. If you want to have lunch at the famous Colombe d’Or, a haunt for artists and writers who have left their mark with the vast collection of original works of art that adorns the walls. Pre-booking is essential. Near here, about 15 minutes on foot, or call in on your own in or out of the village is the Fondation Maeght, a museum of modern art with one of the largest collections of paintings, sculptures and works on paper of modern and contemporary art in Europe.
There is a departure from Nice at about 10.00 hrs via Paris which reaches London just after 19.30 hrs. Again, depending on the day of the week there may be a service via Marseille and Lille. At the time of arranging your holiday, your sales consultant will check the best possible connections for your journey for the chosen dates of your holiday.
I just wanted to get in touch to say thank you! We have now returned from our Orient Express, Venice trip, and it could not have been better. The memories made will last a life time. Obviously, the train experience is beyond words and Venice is such a fantastic place, but we wanted to specifically thank you for the organisation and assistance. Your attention to detail is superb and it made everything smooth and easy. Thank you again for a job extremely well done.Mrs C, May, 2024
Holiday price guide Prices from £2,390 per person based on two people sharing a double or twin room and including standard class rail travel. Supplement for standard premier/first class £385 per person.
Holiday Code FRBR07
Our prices include
● Standard class Eurostar and second-class TGV from London to Nice return (standard premier can be booked at a supplement)
● 7 nights’ bed and breakfast in a Classic double room at La Perouse, Nice
● Concierge service and Expressions Holidays regional helpful hints
Our prices do not include
● Early check-in or late check-out at any hotels (although we can arrange this on request at additional cost)
● Any other services not mentioned above, such as transfers and meals except breakfast at hotels
● Personal holiday insurance. This is essential and cover should be in place from when you book the holiday.
● Local tourist tax, usually between Euros 1 and 3 per person per night, and payable locally to the hotel
● Transfers in Paris and Nice
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke rail holiday to Nice and the French Riviera
Special offers
Call to make your booking and save an extra £50 per adult Call us instead of emailing us when you are thinking of booking a holiday and save an extra £50 per adult (in addition to any special offers that might be available). We want to talk to you to discuss your requirements and a phone call is usually the best way for you to define what you want enabling us to respond more accurately. We want to talk to you and you save an extra £50 per adult.
I just wanted to get in touch to say thank you! We have now returned from our Orient Express, Venice trip, and it could not have been better. The memories made will last a life time. Obviously, the train experience is beyond words and Venice is such a fantastic place, but we wanted to specifically thank you for the organisation and assistance. Your attention to detail is superb and it made everything smooth and easy. Thank you again for a job extremely well done.Mrs C, May, 2024
Holiday price guide Prices from £2,390 per person based on two people sharing a double or twin room and including standard class rail travel. Supplement for standard premier/first class £385 per person.
Holiday Code FRBR07
