simjay

Good day
We are travelling from St Remy to Nice, where we will drop our rental car off and use public transport for the last few days of our holiday. Viamichelin gives a few alternative routes to get between the 2 towns. For those who have done this, what is a good route to take. We will leave in the morning and will only need to get to Nice in the late afternoon. Should we go via Aix-en-Provence and have a look there or should we drive down to Cassis, explore and continue along the coast. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

PalenQ

the coastal road from Cassis can be very congested ad slow going IME - leave more time for that route - the autoroute goes mainly inland but is much faaster.

I think that Aix is an exceptional place - stop for a few hours and then take the autoroute to Nice and that could be congested as well so leave more time than you think. I've been caught in traffic jams around Toulon several times.

StuDudley

The coastal route from Cassis to Nice is 90% non-scenic/ugly. The route north of the A8 goes through many interesting villages and is very scenic - but if you will explore the villages in Provence - there are many similarities and perhaps you should look for something different. Plus if you "linger" too long along this route, you may not get to Nice by late afternoon. I would take the A8 and get to Aix by lunchtime, have lunch at Deux Garcons on the Cours Mirabeau, and then explore Aix. If you are traveling on a Sunday - don't visit Aix because almost all of the shops will be closed.

Stu Dudley

StuDudley

PalenQ
The autoroute from Aix directly to Nice (A8) does not go through Toulon - unless you want to travel on a longer Autoroute & take more time getting to Nice by traveling on the A52/A50. The A8 as it passes the Massif des Maures near the St Tropez exit is actually quite scenic.

Stu Dudley

Tulips

I wouldn't do Cassis to Nice along the coast, as others have said, this would take very long.

If you want do drive part of the way along the coast, do Frejus to Cannes. Have lunch in Cannes, continue along the coast towards Cap d'Antibes through Juan les Pins, get back on the A8 at Antibes.

Or continue on the A8 past Nice and drive back over the Corniche, as you will not have a car while you are in Nice, you can do this before you drop off the car. Get off the A8 at La Turbie, then drive back to Nice via Eze.

If it's July or August, the route along the coast will be very slow.

simjay

Thanks for the advice. Since it will be on a Friday in July , I think the Aix option will be the better one and then at least we have managed to see a bit of the town even if briefly.

Tulips

On a Friday in July the traffic on the bord-du-mer roads will be crawling. Get to Nice before 5 pm (before 4pm even better). Rush hour can be pretty bad on the A8 near Nice.