Day Trips from Monaco: Èze, Menton, Nice

October 20, 2026

Monaco sits on the main coastal rail line, so the best day trips are short train rides in either direction. The station, Monaco-Monte-Carlo, is underground with four exits, and about sixty return services a day run to Nice. Fares are a few euros each way, but there is no official table, so check on the day. Keep an eye on bags on trains, as thefts happen on services to and from Monaco.

Nice

Trains take about 20 to 23 minutes. Nice suits a full day of Old Town, markets and the seafront promenade, and it is far cheaper for lunch than Monaco. Nice also has the better onward connections, including buses to Èze and the airport.

Èze village

Take the regional train to Èze-sur-Mer, about 7 minutes from Monaco. From there, the Nietzsche Path climbs about 2.1 km and 400 m to the village, and the tourist office puts it at about one hour uphill. It is free and open all year, but wear boots, skip it with small children, and expect it to close in bad weather. The alternative is bus 82 or 602 from Nice or bus 83 from Beaulieu. The village stands about 429 m up.

The Jardin Exotique d’Èze costs EUR 10, with EUR 4 for ages 12 to 17 and students and free entry under 12. A guided visit is EUR 15. In October it opens 9:00 to 18:30, and in November and December 9:00 to 16:30, with last entry 30 minutes earlier. See the garden listing . The Fragonard perfume factory at 158 avenue de Verdun offers a free tour of about 30 minutes, and a perfume workshop is available for a fee that you should confirm when you book.

Menton

Menton is about 10 to 12 minutes by train. The Musée Le Bastion Jean Cocteau costs EUR 5, or EUR 3.75 reduced, and is closed on Tuesdays. Entry is free on the first Sunday of the month. The covered market is the Marché des Halles on quai de Monléon. Menton’s Fête du Citron runs from about 13 to 28 February 2027. Details are on the museum listing .

Ventimiglia on a Friday

The Italian border town is about 26 minutes by train. Its seafront market runs every Friday from 07:00, and the town’s page has details. Carry a passport or ID, because you are changing country, and expect crowded trains back to France late on Friday.

Cap d’Ail

A short train or bus hop takes you to Cap d’Ail. The coastal path runs from Plage Marquet to Plage Mala, about 3.6 km. It is closed in bad weather.

What does not fit a day

Saint-Paul-de-Vence needs a change in Nice, a regional train to Cagnes-sur-Mer and bus 655, roughly two hours each way, so treat it as an outing from Nice instead.

Guided Riviera excursions can be browsed on Viator . For train times and exits, see the Monaco arrival page .