Nice-airport-to-Riviera bus
This item appears on page 47 of the January 2014 issue.
In France, check out the cheap bus transportation between the Nice-Côte d’Azur airport and Riviera towns.
My husband, David, and I often visit my French mother in Juan-les-Pins, which is between Cannes and Nice. In the past, we took the No. 200 bus from the gare routière (bus station) at Nice’s Terminal 1, but that stop was discontinued.
Now you must walk to the bus stop on the Promenade des Anglais to catch the bus. It is not a long walk, but you have to pass under the Promenade and drag your bags up the steps on the other side to catch the westward bus.
To me, it is worth the inconvenience, since this bus costs only €1 even if you take it all the way to Cannes. My husband is not fond of this bus ride, which takes about one hour from the airport to our stop in Juan-les-Pins. Often, it is very crowded, since it is a popular means of transportation for the locals.
On our September ’12 trip, we learned of an alternate means of public transportation between the Nice-Côte d’Azur airport and Juan-les-Pins: bus No. 250. This bus makes a maximum of only five stops between the airport bus station and our stop in Juan, about 45 minutes later. It leaves from platform 0 at Terminal 1 and stops a few minutes later at platform 1 at Terminal 2. Ask for directions to the gare routière.
For €10 (near $14), you have a coach-type bus in which the driver puts your bags underneath and you ride in style in uncrowded comfort. I think we have a winner here, even for thrifty me.
One caution — bus No. 250 does not go all the way to Cannes; it goes only to Vallauris. Bus No. 210, the express to Cannes, costs €20 ($28).
If you’re interested in heading eastward from the Nice airport, the express bus No. 110 costs €20 to go to Monaco (45 minutes) or all the way to Menton, just before the Italian border (one hour 15 minutes). It leaves from platform 2 at Terminal 1 and stops a few minutes later at platform 2 at Terminal 2. Round trips (aller retour) are cheaper. (Visit the airport website.)
PAULA PRINDLE
Orient, OH