Find the French town that fits the life you want
Find the French town that fits the life you want
Each scale compares this town with the rest of France: least, mid-range, most.
Excellent bus system connects you to local villages, and all of the Mediterranean coast options (train, airport, etc.)
Nice is an international airport, including a major hub for Easy Jet and, in the warmer months, flights non-stop to New York.
About the only public transportation disadvantage is that there are no TGV trainoptions to Paris ( the closest would be to Marseilles) Flying from the handy and pleasant Nice airport, either to CDG, or another destination is probably your best alternative
Frequent are reliable buses can take you to the nearest station on the Nice Marseille line which is Cagnes-sur-Mer
There are a lot of athlete bicyclists in this area who take rides (usually in groups) up the mountain passes. Other than that, Vence is a do-able, but not great locale for the casual bicyclist. It's small enough to walk everywhere, and streets are narrow, winding and hilly.
More than 30 days, less than 90. Off-peak season, prices and features vetted for this kind of stay.
Marilee Taussig: If you're looking for the "Goldilocks" of French towns, this may be it:
Steveandcaroleinvence: "To be honest I hadn’t even yet seen much of it yet, but I could tell Vence seemed to be the perfect size. Not too big, not too small. Lots of restaurants, bakeries, stores, etc. It seemed like everything you would need was right here in the town. As much as I thought I loved Nice and Paris, Vence seemed to offer something that appealed even more to me: an honest, uncomplicated, genuine French town without all the hustle and bustle of the big cities. It was relatively quiet (especially compared to Nice, Antibes or Cannes). It was very clean and well maintained. It was everything I was looking for in France. I didn’t even make it inside the Old Town (which would later become my very favorite part of Vence) on that first visit..But more than these concrete, tangible aspects is something much deeper and profound. I feel at home here. France, and especially Vence, is the only place I’ve ever, in my entire life, felt truly at home. And, as I said earlier, I’ve lived in a lot of different places. I feel like I belong here. I feel like I am supposed to be here. I can’t explain why. I can’t “justify” my feelings. It’s like asking someone to explain why they love lemon pie. Who knows why, we just do. I’ve never felt anywhere near the way I feel about Vence (and France) for any other place on earth. This is home. End of story."..