Day Trips to Provence from Nice

If you've already read about or experienced all that Nice has to offer, then don't miss out on a tour of the surrounding area of the Alpes-Maritimes.

French Provence has everything from wine tasting and Mediterranean gastronomy to the cultural and historical richness of one of France's most beautiful regions. Read on for the best excursions to this incredible place.

If you are a wine lover and want to take advantage of your trip to Nice to get to know this beautiful land, the best thing to do is to take a full day tour to enjoy the sights and get to know its famous wineries in a fully organised and guided way.

From an agreed starting point in Nice, this tour starts with pick-up at around 9:00 am and lasts about 8 hours, including a visit to three wineries where you can taste a variety of local rosé wines.

You can also have lunch at one of these wineries in the small village of Les Arcs Sur Argens or in a bistro-style restaurant.

On this tour, a wine expert will tell you the historical details of the most important places you will visit in French Provence, with commentary along the way.

Details of interest

• Price: around 250 euros per person
• Duration: around 8 hours
• What you will see on this tour: three wineries located in Les Arcs Sus Argens
• Advantages: once you have booked your tour, all you will have to do is enjoy the wine and the scenery of the area.
• Disadvantages: Pick up is at a meeting point in Nice, not at the hotel.

The Verdon Gorge is an ideal way to get to know the incredible geography of the region. With elevations of up to 700 metres, this river canyon, almost 25 kilometres long, is a perfect place to hike and discover France's most beautiful villages.

On this 10-hour guided tour, including transfers to and from your hotel, you will be able to contemplate the incredible turquoise blue of Lake Verdon, discover the rich craftsmanship of villages such as Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, delight in the beauty of the lavender fields or swim in Lake St. Croix.

Throughout the tour, which you will do in a comfortable vehicle, you will have plenty of time to enjoy the sights of these landscapes, with one or two hours at each stop to explore every corner at your own pace. At the same time, the driver-guide will give detailed explanations about the most important places you visit.

If you want to know more about this amazing place I leave you this post where you will see more details about how to visit the Verdon Gorge.

Details of interest

• Price: around 92 euros per person
• Duration: around 10 hours
• Places you will visit: Lakes of Verdon and St. Croix, the villages of Castellane and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and the lavender fields of Plateau de Valensole
• Advantages: you will enjoy a combined nature and sightseeing trip through the pretty villages of French Provence
• Disadvantages: The weather must be fine for this excursion to take place. However, if cancelled, it can be rescheduled for another date or the booking fee will be refunded.

Saint Tropez is a town on the Côte d'Azur characterised by glamour and luxury, popular with celebrities for its beautiful beaches and exclusive atmosphere. But it's also a place where you can take a leisurely stroll through its small old town, sample the delicacies of French cuisine at its market or admire works of art by the most avant-garde artists.

On a ferry trip to St Tropez, you'll sail along the French Riviera for about two and a half hours until you reach the town's harbour, where you can see first-hand the luxury of the many yachts moored there.

Once there, you can choose to enjoy one of the beaches, go windsurfing or stroll through the narrow streets of La Ponche, the small fishermen's quarter next to the harbour, or enjoy the beautiful views from the Citadel of St Tropez.

In this article on excursions to St Tropez from Nice you can find out about other types of guided tours of this glamorous town.

Details of interest

• Price: from 87 euros
• Duration: around 10 hours
• Places you will visit: During the ferry tour you will see the island of Sainte Marguerite and/or Cannes and enjoy the town of Saint Tropez at your leisure
• Advantages: You will have your return boat trip from Nice to St. Tropez included
• Disadvantages: Meals and drinks are not included in the excursion, so you will have to pay for them separately. Please note that this is a very touristy place and prices can be high.

The interesting thing about this type of tour is that they are organised in such a way that you will see very few places.

Along these tours you'll see some of Provence's iconic sites, such as the lavender fields, one of the best things to do in Nice in summer. You can also explore the streets and fountains of iconic sites such as Aix-en-Provence.

Taking a guided tour of the region from Nice will allow you to make the most of your trip if, for example, you're only in the French city for three days. And if you're lucky enough to spend seven days in Nice, who knows, maybe you'll love it so much that you'll do several of these excursions.

Either way, to make sure you don't miss anything, here are the must-see places on your trip to the beautiful region of French Provence.

Visit the original Arc de Triomphe in Orange

You may have already heard of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but did you know that the real Arc de Triomphe is located in the town of Orange, in Provence? It was built by Roman soldiers in 10 AD to commemorate the military victories that allowed the Roman Empire to conquer this region.

The Arch is a little smaller than the one in Paris, being almost 20 metres high and 8 metres wide, but it is more than 1800 years old.

This is not the only Roman work in Orange. You can also visit the Théâtre Antique d'Orange, an amphitheatre and museum built during the time of Augustus, in the 1st century A.D. and with a capacity for more than 10.000 people.

While you don't have to pay to see the Arc de Triomphe, there is a fee to enter the museum and amphitheatre. For adults the price is approximately €10. For 7 to 17 year olds and students the entrance fee is about €8. Children under the age of 7 and people with reduced mobility do not pay admission.

If you decide to go on your own, you have two options: You can take a train from Nice to Orange, which takes about 5 hours, so I recommend you consider staying in Orange if you want to make the most of the day. If you have a car or book a tour, the journey is much more direct and you can cover the 272 km from Nice to Orange in less than 3 hours (one way).

Stroll through the lavender fields

If you were to rank the best scents in Provence, lavender would have every reason to take the top spot. Lavender fields abound in this region, and its scent is used in many locally produced items. The flower is used to make soaps, foods and personal care products.

In fact, lavender is the region's number one export. So, if you visit Nice, you can take a trip to Provence to see all that this flower has to offer.

Among other places, you can visit the Lavender Museum in Luberon, where you will learn about its historical origin, its importance in the region and how it is used today.

Less than 30 kilometres west of Luberon you can visit the L'Abbaye de Senanque, an abbey known worldwide for its peripheral lines created with lavender. I recommend you visit this place at sunset, as when the sun sets the flowers and the sunlight make a festival of colours.

The lavender museum is open from Monday to Sunday. Opening hours vary depending on the month of the year. In May, June, September and October it is open from 10am to 1pm and from 2pm to 6pm. From July to August it is open from 10am to 7pm. The tour lasts from 1 to 2 hours.

Prices: adults 8 €, students and seniors 7 €, children up to 10 years old free and teenagers from 11 to 16 years old, 4 €.

The tour is audio-guided in 12 languages and there is free parking for those travelling by car.

Stroll through the streets and fountains of Aix en Provence

Located below the Sainte-Victoire mountain and known as the 'city of a thousand fountains', Aix-en-Provence is a beautiful place to visit if you're in Nice. It is about 178 kilometres from the coast, so it is quite accessible by train for a day trip.

Aix-en-Provence is a beautiful university town where the impressionist painter Paul Cezzane was born and lived. A very common route to visit is to start at his childhood home and walk to his first studio: "The Atelier Cezzane".

Art lovers will also enjoy the "Centre d'Art Caumont", the 18th century palace of the Marquises de Caumont, which today exhibits the best works of local artists.

If you prefer a bit of nature, in Aix-en-Provence you have the Sainte-Victoire mountain, an ideal place to go hiking and observe from its height the beautiful postcard of the region.

• How to get there: The most comfortable way is by car or by booking a tour, as the route can be easily covered in less than 2 hours. In case you prefer to use public transport, you can take a bus or a train, which takes approximately 4 hours to get there. This train usually costs from 35 euros.
• Museum tickets: Tickets are quite cheap, but as there are many museums in Aix-en-Provence I recommend you get a City Pass. It's about 25 euros and will get you into all the museums, multiple guided tours and the local bus network.

Discover the calanques of Cassis

If this is the first time you read the word calanque don't worry, it is a geographical formation specific to this region. These formations are unique to the Mediterranean and are the hallmark of Cassis, in addition to the turquoise green colour of its waters.

Between Cassis and Marseille you will find hundreds of cliffs of up to 400 metres, coves, creeks, inlets and secluded beaches that the Mediterranean has been drawing for millions of years. This area is protected and belongs to the Calanques National Park.

You can explore this area from different places: the most common way is to do the trekking trails inside the park, as well as visiting the area by sailing or kayaking.

• What to bring: in case you do the trails, it is advisable to bring comfortable shoes and clothes, as well as sunscreen, food and drink. Remember that there are no places to have lunch inside the park. The best time to visit: although the park is open all year round, during the summer some parts or trails of the park may not be open due to fear of fire. Therefore, the best time to visit is during autumn or spring.

Taste the best wines in Les Arcs Sur Argens

One of the most exclusive and award-winning products of this region is wine, so wine tastings are a priority when visiting French Provence. Wine production in this area dates back more than 2,500 years, so they are experts in grape growing and fermentation.

The signature style of this region is rosé wine, so any winery you visit will give you the chance to try it.

The village of Les Arcs Sur Argens has historic wineries that open their doors for tasting. One of the best known is La Maison des Vins des Côtes, which offers more than 800 varieties of wine.

• Address: Route N7 number 83460 LES ARCS/ARGENS
• Opening hours: Open all year round. Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm. Sundays and public holidays from 10am to 6pm
• How to get there: From Nice you can take the train to Les Arcs station. By car on the A8 motorway, after the exit Le Muy, then take the RN7 direction Vidauban

Visit Saint Paul de Vence

Saint Paul de Vence is also known as "the most beautiful village in Provence", due to its beautiful medieval buildings and the many vineyards that stretch as far as the eye can see.

This community was built around its imposing medieval castle, ramparts and beautiful cobbled streets, which will make you feel like you are in the Middle Ages.

• How to get there: It is actually very close to Nice, about 20 kilometres away, so it should only take you about 30 minutes by car. If you choose the bus, you can take the 09 and 400 bus lines, although it will take a little longer, about 1 hour. You can catch them near the airport at Parc Phoenix
• When to visit: The best time to visit is out of season (spring or autumn), but if you go in summer it is advisable to go in the morning or afternoon, as the centre of the town is often full of cars.

Visit Marseille

The other pearl of the Côte d'Azur is undoubtedly Marseille. Situated about 200 kilometres from Nice, it can be visited on a day tour.

Here you can visit the Palais de Longchamp, a 19th century palace surrounded by a beautiful park. You will also find the Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde, which is located at the top of the hill of Marseille

You can also visit the Château d'If, world famous for being the place where Edmond Dantes was imprisoned in the acclaimed novel The Count of Monte Cristo, written by Alexandre Dumas.

• How to get there: By car you can cover the 200 kilometres and make the journey in less than 2 hours. Just take the A8 motorway and then the A51. By train is the most comfortable option, as you can do it in less than 3 hours, although it is not the cheapest way. The bus from the airport is the cheapest way, but it will take you about 4 hours one way. If you choose this option, I recommend you consider spending the night in Marseille.