Lyon to South of France inc Nice & Monaco (1 Viewer)

[letstravel]

Hi,

My partner and I are doing our first ever motorhome trip in June. We pick it up in Lyon and are aiming to head straight to the south of france. We definitely want to hit Nice, Cannes, Monaco etc...

Are there any locations that would be recommended?
I visited the areas as a kid and have it in my mind that there are lots of free areas right by the sea, am I right?

If anyone has any tips, no matter how obvious, they would be much appreciated I presume service stations will have areas for clean water? but what about disposing of it?

Thanks in advance
Mike

 

[DavidG58]

you are heading into my idea of MH hell, lovely part of the country but really anti MH's

there are very few aires, few very expensive sites

why do you definitely want to be there?

we went this February never felt less welcome, loads of MH no parking signs in most towns

we didn't use it but found via google a MH aire type stop just over the border into Italy with good links to catch train back to Menton, Monaco and Nice further if wanted

More sites further along the coast at St Tropez, but still seriously expensive

I would look anywhere else in France except that bottom coast bit

If you like scenery though, I would research Route du Napoleon cuts the corner off down towards Nice from Lyon, awesome drive through Gorge du Verdon and plenty of town / village aires

 

[lorger]

Have to agree with @DavidG58, it's a beautiful place but not very welcoming for Motorhomes. We visited that area in November last year and loved the area just found it hard to find somewhere safe around Nice. The first week we stayed at St Tropez in a private Aire for €16 a night which in my opinion was a bargain for down there.

We then started to head towards Nice and stopped off at a site just outside Antibes, lovely site but even in November it was around €35. We also had our bikes stolen from the railway station when we left them to get train to Monaco, we then headed to Nice on the Saturday as I was running the Marathon on Sunday. We parked the van for a couple of hours in a very open and public car park so I could go collect my number, when we came back it had been broken into, thankfully our alarm must have scared them and nothing was stolen.

From the Saturday to the Monday we stayed at Nice port in their car park, it was very safe as they had security and CCTV 24 hours and only 15 mins walk to city centre. We emailed them in advance and asked if we could stay and they were very helpful, cost us €20 a night for no facilities just safe secure place to sleep and park.

We spend the second week driving home via the Gorge du Verdon on David's recommendation and have to say it was well worth the drive.

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[letstravel]

Thanks both for the comments! back to the drawing board i think.

When visiting the Gorge du Verdon, did you stay for a night/few days. Ive seen there are some kayaking and watersports as well as hiking. Is there anything else you'd recommend seeing while there?

 

[Allan & Loren]

We went in june in an American RV and had no problems. We stayed on a site in antibes which had great facilities, was next to a lovely woodland park and was 1 mile from Biot train station where you can catch the train to cannes, St tropez and Monaco for great day trips. If you stay on the Monaco train a few stops later you'e in Italy. Loads to do from 1 Base. Weather fabulous and some amazing places to visit. Friends we met there had gone for a couple of weeks and stayed 12 and we'e there for cannes film festival which we just missed. I'll find the name of the site and post it later. I' say from our experience go and enjoy.

Campsite was in villeneuve-loubet and called la vieille ferme. www.vieilleferme.com

 

[suavecarve]

Got to agree that it is hard work near the coast. St Laurent du Var is the closest you can get, but you do get a great view of the fireworks in Nice every saturday night in the summer. I would avoid Cannes like the plague when the festival is on. I saw vans that appear to have parked overnight on the pebbly beach Nice side of Antibes near to the aquapark but i strongly suspect they would have been moved on or got a ticket.
St tropez, also stayed on that site and it is the best one around for there but Port Grimaud or Ste Maxime or Ramatuelle are good options. If staying at St Tropez a bike would be a good idea for getting to the town but there are beaches about 400 yards away, and you dont need your trunks for one of them !

However, if you are back to the drawing board, the gorges du verdon are a must, Mt Ventoux and basically any town in Provence. There are numerous free swimming lakes and rivers and canyons to to investigate. Outstanding scenery, free if you know where to look and very very peaceful.

Try googling, Lac de st croix, gorges du verdon, le styx verdon, lac de serre poncon, les clues de haute provence, sillans la cascade, Entrevaux, les calanques, grasse, route de napolean, the most beautiful villages in france and provence tourisme. That should give you plenty of options

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[movan]

Hi,

My partner and I are doing our first ever motorhome trip in June. We pick it up in Lyon and are aiming to head straight to the south of france. We definitely want to hit Nice, Cannes, Monaco etc...

Are there any locations that would be recommended?
I visited the areas as a kid and have it in my mind that there are lots of free areas right by the sea, am I right?

If anyone has any tips, no matter how obvious, they would be much appreciated I presume service stations will have areas for clean water? but what about disposing of it?

Thanks in advance
Mike

Can't answer your question ... but can you answer mine ....

Have you got room for a little one? PLEASE. I love South of France .

 

[hilldweller]

If you have bikes this is a great place. Easy cycle to Port Grimaud and on the St Trop.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@43.2792647,6.5829415,287m/data=!3m1!1e3

Then great aire here: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@43.5307965,3.9232802,170m/data=!3m1!1e3

Then Argles Plage: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@42.537501,3.0636485,12.99z

And the a taste of Spain.

Simples.

Unless you go the other way into Italy.

 

[yodeli]

I would avoid Cannes like the plague when the festival is on.

This year it's planned from 8thMay to 19th of May.

It should be all cleaned up in June, but ... anything coming there (including MH), reminding the Cannois (people living in Cannes) the crowd and the noise of the Festival de Cannes will be considered as a problem. So yes, avoid!

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[suavecarve]

This year it's planned from 8thMay to 19th of May.

It should be all cleaned up in June, but ... anything coming there (including MH, reminding the Cannois (people living in Cannes) the crowd and the noise of the Festival de Cannes will be considered as a problem. So yes, avoid!

Bums. We leave Barcelona 7th May and have to be in Venice 24th may and the plan was to pop through the area for a couple of days. Spending the time inland near st croix and Entrevaux and hopefully Ventoux. Still trying to work out whether i want to do the coastal road to Genoa or over the mountains to Turin. Passing near your place late April but need to get to Roses otherwise we would have popped in. And want to pay some respects near Carcasonne.

 

[yodeli]

Passing near your place late April but need to get to Roses otherwise we would have popped in.

If you're coming back the same way or nearly, let me know, in case it is more faisable for you

 

[chaser]

I have posted this many times but worth another mention, must say i have the same experiance of the place as the others have said but there is a free aire in menton if you can get on it , used to be the border post into italy , the station to all the other places is just across the road.

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[billym]

We went in june in an American RV and had no problems. We stayed on a site in antibes which had great facilities, was next to a lovely woodland park and was 1 mile from Biot train station where you can catch the train to cannes, St tropez and Monaco for great day trips. If you stay on the Monaco train a few stops later you'e in Italy. Loads to do from 1 Base. Weather fabulous and some amazing places to visit. Friends we met there had gone for a couple of weeks and stayed 12 and we'e there for cannes film festival which we just missed. I'll find the name of the site and post it later. I' say from our experience go and enjoy.

Campsite was in villeneuve-loubet and called la vieille ferme. www.vieilleferme.com

There is no train to St Tropez.

Maybe train to St Raphael then get the boat. That is 26 euros return and in June the last boat back is 5.15 p.m

In my opinion is that if you want to have good days out in Ventimigglia Monaco Nice Cannes St Tropez Toulon .gorges du Verdon etc etc is to find a campsite as suggested and hire a car and not be afraid to use the peages.

A week rental on a small car down there with full insurance protection is about 250 euros

 

[suavecarve]

If you're coming back the same way or nearly, let me know, in case it is more faisable for you

Going on to Croatia and back through Austria (at the moment)

 

[chaser]

I have posted this many times but worth another mention, must say i have the same experiance of the place as the others have said but there is a free aire in menton if you can get on it , used to be the border post into italy , the station to all the other places is just across the road.

This is it

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[chaser]

There is no train to St Tropez.

Maybe train to St Raphael then get the boat. That is 26 euros return and in June the last boat back is 5.15 p.m

In my opinion is that if you want to have good days out in Ventimigglia Monaco Nice Cannes St Tropez Toulon .gorges du Verdon etc etc is to find a campsite as suggested and hire a car and not be afraid to use the peages.

A week rental on a small car down there with full insurance protection is about 250 euros

There is a decent campsite in st Raphael just across from the sea on a bus route into town, acsi as well if you are out of season

 

[billym]

View attachment 223795
This is it

Do you know if you are still allowed to stop there ?
There have been so many reports of deaths and closed borders .

 

[letstravel]

Got to agree that it is hard work near the coast. St Laurent du Var is the closest you can get, but you do get a great view of the fireworks in Nice every saturday night in the summer. I would avoid Cannes like the plague when the festival is on. I saw vans that appear to have parked overnight on the pebbly beach Nice side of Antibes near to the aquapark but i strongly suspect they would have been moved on or got a ticket.
St tropez, also stayed on that site and it is the best one around for there but Port Grimaud or Ste Maxime or Ramatuelle are good options. If staying at St Tropez a bike would be a good idea for getting to the town but there are beaches about 400 yards away, and you dont need your trunks for one of them !

However, if you are back to the drawing board, the gorges du verdon are a must, Mt Ventoux and basically any town in Provence. There are numerous free swimming lakes and rivers and canyons to to investigate. Outstanding scenery, free if you know where to look and very very peaceful.

Try googling, Lac de st croix, gorges du verdon, le styx verdon, lac de serre poncon, les clues de haute provence, sillans la cascade, Entrevaux, les calanques, grasse, route de napolean, the most beautiful villages in france and provence tourisme. That should give you plenty of options

I've been taking a look at the gorges du version. Are there any locations that would be recommended to park up for the night?

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[suavecarve]

I've been taking a look at the gorges du version. Are there any locations that would be recommended to park up for the night?

Moustiers is a favourite, Lac de st croix has an aire (if you can get in), I think both are about 10 euros. Trigance is a reasonable spot the other side. You can park up for the day at the eastern end of the lake by the bridge to go pedalloing up the gorge. If you are going to do the gorge take the southern road as it is 3,000 foot sheer drop and if you go east west then take a spare pair of pants.
There are some wild spots about, just outside bauduen and up by the bridge on the western side (just south of the bridge there are some woods that you can get into)
There is also a great france passion side about mile up the hill from st croix. You park in a truffle orchard and they sell all things lavender. They do check your card though.
Stop off at le styx for a bit of canyoning, ensure your camera is charged as the gorges are europes answer to the grand canyon. Allow a full day to travel around them so possibly start Moustiers, do the pedallo thing, then head off to aiguines and plan on staying the night at trigance.

May i suggest you take a look at google maps then drop the yellow man thing onto the d71 to see the size of the road and some of the tunnels and be aware 53 seater coaches go up there so it gets interesting occasionally. There are many more clues (canyons) about that you can go "swimming" in. Esteron was quite a good one if that sort of thing floats your boat

 

[letstravel]

Moustiers is a favourite, Lac de st croix has an aire (if you can get in), I think both are about 10 euros. Trigance is a reasonable spot the other side. You can park up for the day at the eastern end of the lake by the bridge to go pedalloing up the gorge. If you are going to do the gorge take the southern road as it is 3,000 foot sheer drop and if you go east west then take a spare pair of pants.
There are some wild spots about, just outside bauduen and up by the bridge on the western side (just south of the bridge there are some woods that you can get into)
There is also a great france passion side about mile up the hill from st croix. You park in a truffle orchard and they sell all things lavender. They do check your card though.
Stop off at le styx for a bit of canyoning, ensure your camera is charged as the gorges are europes answer to the grand canyon. Allow a full day to travel around them so possibly start Moustiers, do the pedallo thing, then head off to aiguines and plan on staying the night at trigance.

May i suggest you take a look at google maps then drop the yellow man thing onto the d71 to see the size of the road and some of the tunnels and be aware 53 seater coaches go up there so it gets interesting occasionally. There are many more clues (canyons) about that you can go "swimming" in. Esteron was quite a good one if that sort of thing floats your boat

Excellent info thank you!!!