First full day in France · Wednesday 29 July
Day 10 · Monaco and Nice by train
Walk to Antibes station, take a direct TER to Monaco and stop in Nice on the return. This avoids congestion, parking and difficult city driving.
The plan
Recommended circuit: Monaco-Ville → harbour → Formula 1 route
Buy tickets in SNCF Connect or at the station. Take a direct train at about 08:00–08:30. Monaco station sits inside the rock and has several exits: follow signs for Fontvieille / Le Rocher on arrival and Monte-Carlo / Pont Sainte-Dévote when returning.
- 01
07:45–08:30: Walk from Hôtel Le Collier to Antibes station and take a direct TER to Monaco–Monte-Carlo. The journey normally takes about 50–55 minutes.
- 02
Around 09:20: Inside the station, follow signs for Fontvieille / Le Rocher. Use the lifts and walk via Place d’Armes and Rampe Major to Monaco-Ville. Allow 15–25 minutes. Bus 1 or 2 towards Monaco-Ville is the fallback if you want to save your legs.
- 03
09:45–11:45: Walk the compact circuit Place du Palais → Port Hercule viewpoint → Old Town lanes → cathedral → Saint Martin Gardens. Return to the palace square before the changing of the guard at 11:55.
- 04
12:00–14:00: Choose one main visit: the Prince's Palace State Apartments or the Oceanographic Museum. The museum is the strongest family choice and needs about two hours.
- 05
14:00–14:40: Have a simple lunch in Monaco-Ville, then follow signs and the public lifts down towards Port Hercule.
- 06
14:40–16:10: Recommended Formula 1 circuit on foot: start/finish area on Boulevard Albert I → Sainte-Dévote → up Avenue d’Ostende → Casino Square → Fairmont Hairpin → tunnel entrance → back along the harbour. A 14-year-old may see the casino atrium but not the gaming areas.
- 07
Around 16:10: Follow signs for Monaco-Monte-Carlo station and the Monte-Carlo / Pont Sainte-Dévote entrance. Allow at least 15 minutes to reach the platform and take the TER to Nice-Ville at about 16:30.
- 08
17:00–19:00: Walk Avenue Jean Médecin → Place Masséna → Vieux Nice and Cours Saleya. If the pace allows, use the lift or steps to Castle Hill for views over the Baie des Anges before Promenade des Anglais. The park closes at 20:00.
- 09
Around 19:00: Travel from Nice-Ville to Saint-Laurent-du-Var and walk less than five minutes to CAP3000.
- 10
19:20–20:15: Fixed stop for Malin at Urban Outfitters in CAP3000, Avenue Eugène Donadeï, 06700 Saint-Laurent-du-Var.
- 11
After shopping: Take the TER from Saint-Laurent-du-Var back to Antibes and walk to the hotel. Confirm the final practical departure in SNCF Connect.
ABRP recalculates the route and charging stops. Weather, speed, temperature and actual battery level can change the result.
The hotel decision is final and the stay is booked for 2 adults and one 14-year-old child in 1 room.
Worth seeing
Stops and experiences along the way
These are candidates, not a checklist. Energy, weather and traffic decide what actually fits the day.
Monaco-Ville and the Prince's Palace
The Old Town, palace square and views over Port Hercule form the heart of the visit. The State Apartments are open during the summer season.
Tickets and opening hours ↗Oceanographic Museum
Aquariums, maritime history and a rooftop terrace make this the day's strongest activity for adults and a 14-year-old alike.
Practical information ↗Casino Square
See the Casino de Monte-Carlo, Hôtel de Paris and the cars around the square. Minors may visit the atrium but not the gaming rooms.
Entry conditions ↗Monaco Formula 1 circuit
Several of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit's most famous sections lie directly between Port Hercule and Casino Square and can be covered on foot without a separate detour.
Visit Monaco ↗Vieux Nice and Promenade des Anglais
Place Masséna, Cours Saleya, the Old Town and seafront create a compact, atmospheric afternoon.
Explore Nice ↗Castle Hill · Colline du Château
The day's best view over the Baie des Anges, Vieux Nice and the harbour. Use the lift if time is short; summer opening runs until 20:00.
Practical information ↗Urban Outfitters · CAP3000
Malin wants to return here. Take the TER from Nice-Ville to Saint-Laurent-du-Var; the shopping centre is less than a five-minute walk from the station.
Official store page ↗After the journey
This is where the plan becomes a travel log
The page is ready for personal photos, a driving timelapse and notes about how the day actually unfolded.
Personal photos will live here
Stops, views, the car and the small moments from the day.
The drive, compressed
A YouTube or Vimeo video can be embedded directly when it is ready.
Time, distance and lessons
Plan versus reality, charging stops, hotel and what we would do differently.