Every foodie on holiday in Nice, France, should explore the cuisines of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. If you’re short on time in Nice, the local restaurants will certainly suffice. In addition, there are amazing Nice food tours to really sink your teeth into.

However, if you’re lucky enough to have some extra time, you’ll love these foodie day trips from Nice. In fact, these Nice day trips offer much more than delicious famous French food. You’ll also enjoy gorgeous vistas, history, architecture, and art!

Check Out the Best Food Tours in Nice

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Check Out the Best Food Tours in Nice *

Best Day Trips From Nice, France

Saint Paul de Vence

If you can only take one day trip from Nice, Saint Paul de Vence is the one! About a half hour drive from Nice, Saint Paul de Vence will steal your heart before you even enter the Medieval fortress city. As you approach, you’ll see the village perched on a hilltop. This is not only one of the most beautiful villages near Nice, but in all of France.

Stroll through the cobblestone streets and peak in the boutiques, food shops, and art galleries. Walk to the area just above the cemetery where Marc Chagall is buried and go up the steps for spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. On a clear day, you’ll see the Mediterranean Sea and be reminded of just how close to Nice you really are.

Saint Paul de Vence is one of the best places to visit from Nice for the combination of art and Provençal food, especially if you visit La Colombe D’Or. On the walls of this famous Saint Paul de Vence restaurant and hotel hang remarkable works by Calder, Picasso, and Matisse, to drop just a few names.

Even without the amazing works of art, you can tell by the decor and the ambiance that you are in a special place. Even the menus are a work of art. And the outdoor area oozes Provençal romance. But of course, you’re going for the food!

Foodies and art lovers should visit La Colombe d’Or on their day trip from Nice to Saint Paul de Vence.

Like all the other tables, we began with a complimentary bowl of Provençal anchovy dip called “Anchoïade” and fresh radishes. I was thrilled because it was on my list of foods to try in Provence. Unfortunately, the only place I saw it around Nice was in a jar at the Cours Saleya market.

On our Nice vacation, my husband and I typically shared meals and coursed out the dishes. So, we ordered the Loup de Mer with Sauce Mousseline as our “entrée,” which means appetizer in French. Our server arrived with a whole fish and expertly deboned it tableside. The traditional mayonnaise-based mousseline complemented the light fish that was cooked to perfection.

Next we had Boeuf au Four with Le Gratin Dauphinois (best potatoes ever). Wow, this dish knocked our socks off, and alone was worth the trip from Nice!

We finished with a glass of house-made digestif, a stick of chocolate, and a self-guided tour of the property and artwork. This was our best day trip from Nice!

Saint Paul de Vence Day Trip Tips:

If you don’t have a car to get from Nice to Saint Paul de Vence, the train and bus 400 combo is not a good option. However, Bolt and Uber can get you there somewhat affordably, or take one of the Nice tours.
Reserve a table at La Colombe d’Or restaurant in Saint Paul de Vence by calling +33 4 93 32 80 02. You cannot make an online reservation.
If you love art as much as you love food, take a walk from Saint Paul de Vence to the Fondation Maeght museum.

Antibes

Although larger than Saint Paul de Vence, you can see a lot of Antibes in one day. Concentrate on the Vielle Ville, or Old Town Antibes, with a mix of historic buildings, enchanting alleyways, glamorous yachts, and some of the best restaurants on the French Riviera.

The Picasso Museum stands prominently next to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Immaculée-Conception d'Antibes in the city center, which is a good place to start.

At the Provençal market, also in the center of town, admire the eye-catching mounds of Mediterranean spices, fresh flowers, seasonal produce, local delicacies, and even some traditional dishes of cuisine Nissarde. After all, from Nice to Antibes, it’s only about 15 miles. Grab a French breakfast pastry or a snack, but leave room for lunch.

Fine dining enthusiasts should try one of the Michelin recognized restaurants in town, like the picturesque Le Figuier de Saint-Esprit or Les Pêcheurs. Or lunch at one of the local favorites like Salé/Sucré, Le P’tit Cageot, Chez Jules Le Don Juan, or Côté Terroir.

We chose Salé/Sucré and it did not disappoint. We ordered seafood specialties: Daurade Royal Provencal and Linguine aux Fruits de Mer, and both dishes were so fresh and full of Mediterranean flavors.

The food on the French Riviera naturally leans towards Provençal and Mediterranean cuisine, and menus are quite different from traditional Parisian foods. There is lots of seafood, garlic, tomatoes, lemon, and olive oil—Yum!

Daurade Royal Provençal at the Antibes restaurant Salé/Sucré

Walk off your lunch on the 16th-century ramparts overlooking the Mediterranean Sea for an instagrammable photo of Port Vauban below Fort Carré. Don’t miss the huge white-mesh sculpture of Le Nomade, and continue on for a view of the Cap d’Antibes.

For an afternoon snack, you can’t go wrong with gelato from Gelateria Italia. Or the famous dessert/snack of the Côte d’Azur, the Tarte Tropézienne at any Antibes bakery.

Antibes Day Trip Tip:

You can drive from Nice to Antibes in about a half hour, or the train from Nice to Antibes runs often and takes about 20 minutes.

Menton

Why should you visit Menton from Nice? The thing that sets Menton apart from the other French Riviera towns is the colors.

Walk the walls of the Bastion to see the facades of the buildings awash with the interwoven hues of yellow, orange, pink, and green. Rocky, verdant mountains act as a backdrop while the crystal blue Mediterranean laps at the shoreline.

I fell in love with Menton on my first day trip from Nice in 2015. We meandered through the pastel alleys to Basilica Saint-Michel and the Chapel of the White Penitents. We saw the Jean Cocteau Museum, ate Moules Frites, and left happy. When we recently returned, I loved it even more!

A must-see on your day trip to Menton, Basilica Saint-Michel and the Chapel of the White Penitents

Since my first visit, Menton has upped its foodie game. In 2019, the Menton restaurant Mirazur won the #1 spot on the World’s 50 Best List. Pretty incredible for this little hidden gem near Nice!

Last October, when we returned, the entire Menton restaurant scene seemed elevated. Among others, Le P'tit Resto, Le Petit Port, and Maison Martin all serve fabulous lunches.

I like sitting outside at Maison Martin for the nice view of the harbor. Their menu includes specialties the south of France is know for, like Pissaladière, Petit Farci, Sardine Fritters, and fresh seafood dishes. As if that’s not enough, months later, my husband still raves about their bread!

Linguine aux Fruits de Mer, a specialty on the French Riviera

Menton lemons are famous in France. Look for lemon products as souvenirs, like limoncello, lemon jam, and lemon candies. Also, the best desserts in Menton have lemon as their base: lemon tarts, lemon eclairs, and the absolutely divine Citronnier lemon mousse from Fabrice Leroy la Cigale.

Menton Day Trip Tips:

The coastal route from Nice to Menton is absolutely breathtaking. Take this route if you can drive.
If you choose the coastal route, you can take a quick zip through one of the other popular Nice day trip destinations: Monaco or Èze.

Villefranche-Sur-Mer

Only 15 minutes away by car, Villefranche-Sur-Mer could be a half-day trip from Nice if you’re pressed for time but still want to squeeze in a worthwhile visit. This charming fishing village has the colors of Menton, but on a less grand scale as it is quite small.

The 12th- and 13th-century buildings of the town rise upward from the coast along a small hill. The Baroque Eglise Saint Michel is the centerpiece of this quaint town and should not be missed. Wind through the old town and find the tunnel-like street Rue Obscure, where people hid during the Medieval bombardments.

Villefranche-Sur-Mer restaurant La Corderie

Restaurants line the Quai de l'Amiral Courbet in front of the harbor. If that’s your preference, L’Orsin Bleu is a good choice. Les Garçons is another fine pick if you head just a touch inland. But a short walk south to to the Port de Villefranche-Darse will bring you to my favorite restaurant in Villefranche-Sur-Mer, La Corderie, where the large outdoor patio overlooks the boats and the old harbor.

This restaurant on the Côte d’Azur really knows how to make popular Provençal ingredients like sardines and anchovies shine. The deep-fried anchovies delivered in a metal basket with homemade aioli made a fun, tasty appetizer. I also highly recommend the clever dish “Fish & Chips d’Aqui,” which uses local grilled sardines and panisses (chickpea fries) in a meal you couldn’t get anywhere but the French Riviera.

Two Provençal specialties, grilled sardines and panisses (chickpea fries)

Villefranche-Sur-Mer Day Trip Tips:

The views on the drive from Nice to Villefranche-Sur-Mer are stunning, so I suggest going by car, but the train is also very convenient.
Check the fares. Even if you have a car, it may be best to take Uber or Bolt rather than deal with parking.

More Tips For Day Trips From Nice

Between the museums, beaches, historic old town, castle, old port, and awesome restaurants, the things to do in Nice seem endless. On my last visit to Nice, France, I spent a month and never tired of it. I stayed in an amazingly affordable Nice Vrbo rental right on the Promenade des Anglais overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. If you are planning a trip to Nice, check the availability.

My holiday to Nice, France: view of the Mediterranean Sea from the balcony of the Vrbo apartment I rented

You may be happy just to lounge on the balcony, staring at the sea, and eating socca in Nice. But the French Riviera has some of the best places to visit in France, with some of the best food in France! So, I hope you’ll take one of my recommended day trips from Nice. And here are some helpful tips if you do.

Eat before you go. Yes, you’ll have plenty to eat during the day, but the French breakfasts are light and you don’t want to arrive hangry!
Decide on a specific starting point. If you are driving, this will be where you will try to park. If taking a ride share from Nice, where do you want to be let out? If the train, where do you go from the station?
Make lunch reservations where you can. So many reasons why! Hours vary and many French cafés, bistros, and restaurants stop food service between lunch and dinner, so walk-in late lunches are rarely an option. French Riviera restaurants usually close at least one day a week. And even though it seems like every Côte d’Azur town has tons of restaurants, they fill up.
Drink cheap local wine. We ordered the least expensive bottle of white white from the South of France at every restaurant and were happy every time.
Take a physical map. Don’t be afraid of getting lost if you don’t have one; most of these towns are easy to get to from Nice and to navigate. But it can help to have a paper map because cell service can be spotty.
Pick a couple of points of interest. I prefer not to map out the entire excursion, but having at least a couple of things in mind will help make sure you see the highlights that you want to. Or eat what and where you want to!
Talk to strangers. Some of my funnest travel experiences have happened because I talked to strangers, both locals and fellow tourists.
Be flexible! Sh*t happens. As long as no one gets hurt, you can still have a great time.
Get lost! The windy coastal area around Nice has breathtaking views. If you can rent a car in Nice for any of these day trips, you won’t be disappointed.
Fall in love! If you fall in love with a location, search for a last minute rental on VRBO here.