PODCAST 13: WINTER IN THE FRENCH RIVIERA (FRANCE)

Subscrive via itunes: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=81164141

Website: TipsForTravellers.com
Email me: click here


PHOTOS AND VIDEO CLIPS
Visit my Nice, Monanco and Cannes picture gallery: click here
See the video clip of the hotel in Nice: click here

NICE
History of Nice
http://www.riviera.fr/nicehist.htm
http://sg.travel.yahoo.com/guide/europe/france/nice/history.html

What to do in Nice
Tripadvisor.com view
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g187234-Nice_French_Riviera_Cote_d_Azur_Provence-Vacations.html

Top Nice Attractions:

1. Musee Matisse
2. Promenade des Anglais
3. Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Musee d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain)
4. Monastere de Cimiez (Cimiez Convent)
5. Cours Saleya
6. Musee National Message Biblique Marc Chagall
7. Vieille Ville (Old Town)
8. Palais Lascaris
9. Place Massena
10. Cathedrale Orthodoxe Russe St-Nicolas a Nice

MONACO
History
The “offical view” from Monte-carlo.mc
http://www.monte-carlo.mc/us/presentation/history/

All about Monaco
http://www.monaco-montecarlo.com/index.php

Tripadvisor.com view on best things to do
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g190409-Monte_Carlo-Vacations.html

Top Monte-Carlo Attractions:

1. Monaco Cathedral (Cathedrale de Monaco)
2. Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium (Musee Oceanographique)
3. Casino of Monte Carlo
4. Exotic Garden (Jardin Exotique)
5. Slammers
6. Larvotto Beach
7. Prehistoric Anthropology Museum (Musee d’Anthropologie Prehistorique)
8. Louis II Stadium
9. Bar le Caravelle
10. Bar de la Gare

ANTIBES
Things to do (tripadvisor.com view)
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g187217-Antibes_French_Riviera_Cote_d_Azur_Provence-Vacations.html

CANNES

Things to do in Cannes
Tripadvisor.com view
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g187221-Cannes_French_Riviera_Cote_d_Azur_Provence-Vacations.html

Top Cannes Attractions:

1. La Croisette
2. Forville Market (Marche Forville)
3. Musee de la Castre
4. Palais des Festivals
5. Parfumerie Bouteille
6. InterContinental Carlton Beach
7. Musee de la Mer
8. Plage du Martinez
9. Musee de l’Automobile
10. Rue Meynadier

WHERE TO STAY
We stayed at the very nice PALAIS DE LA MEDITERRANEE hotel in Nice. It is in a stunning art deco building on the sea front. It had been closed for 25 years before being re-opened in January 2004 after the famous champagne family Tassinger decided to get involved and fund the refurbishment and re-opening.

See my photos by clicking here and my video clip of the room by clicking here

Hotel website
http://www.concorde-hotels.com/Fiche_Hotel.aspx?ID_Hotel=110
http://www.lepalaisdelamediterranee.com/

Tripadvisor.com reviews
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187234-d289384-Reviews-Palais_de_la_Mediterranee-Nice_French_Riviera_Cote_d_Azur_Provence.html

THE TIPS FOR VISITING AS GIVEN IN THE PODCAST:

1. Book a hotel (in Nice) well in advance to get a great deal.
2. Book a hotel with lots of facilities – it’s cold outside and you want to keep busy at the hotel.
3. Hire a car – it is easy to find your way around from the airport and you will need it to explore the area and go on day trips.
4. Staying in Nice is best as it is in the center of the places you should visit. Not a lot to do but good restaurants – and the Matisse Museum.
5. Spend a day in Monaco – and maybe an evening at the casino too. The podcast talks about what to do while there
6. Visit Antibes for a day – great lanes to stroll around. And amazing sights in the harbour! And a very good Picasso museum…
7. Visit the famous Cannes – but prepared to be less than impressed by the lack of glamour and less than attractive buildings.. and make sure you stop at the Automobile Museum on the A8 on the way back to Nice
8. If time, be a real tourist and visit one of the perfume factories in Grasse or on your way to or from Monaco

We spent 4 days and it could easily have been 5…