Travel tips for the Riviera

Nice's status as a French city on the border with Monaco shapes almost every practical detail of a visit, and this hub is built around the questions that trip up first-time visitors specifically because of that mix. The city is part of France and the European Union, but neighbouring Monaco is a sovereign principality that is not a member of the EU, though it uses the euro and has no border control with France; a Schengen visa covers entry to both if it applies to you. The currency is the euro throughout, including in Monaco, and EU mobile roaming rules apply on the French side. French is the official language everywhere.

Getting around is built around driving on the right, and a rental car is useful for the perched villages and the hinterland, though the tramway (lines 2 and 3) covers Nice itself and the airport well; a regional train line runs along the coast from Cannes to Menton. The region runs on Central European Time (UTC+1, UTC+2 in summer), and power sockets are the European 230V types E and F. Emergency numbers are 112 for the general European number, 15 for the SAMU medical service, 17 for police and 18 for the fire service, and service is included in restaurant bills, with tipping optional.

The single biggest planning factor is climate: summers are hot and dry from June to September, with the sea around 24-26°C in August and crowds and prices at their highest in July-August, while winters are mild on the coast, often 12-15°C in the afternoon, but it snows in the alpine hinterland just an hour's drive away. Spring and early autumn offer the best balance, and October-November can bring intense, sudden rainstorms, worth checking Météo-France's warnings before a hinterland trip.