Eze from Monte Carlo-if take bus #100/#83

[greentea81]

We will be docked in Monte Carlo in Sep and plan to visit Eze. We know that bus #112 goes directly to Eze but since it is infrequent, we are considering taking #100/#83 as an alternative (maybe for the returning trip) to minimize the time wasted in waiting for the next bus. We have a few questions:

 

1. Where do we trasnfer from #83 to #100 or vice versa? I read that this can be done at a few different bus stop. Which one is the best way?

 

2. Is there sign on the bus indicating which stop is coming up? We are afraid that we would not be able to tell which bus stops have passed and when to get off. Is there any landmark we can look for near the transfer point.

 

3. Does the bus ticket cover the transfer between #83/#100 or do we need to buy spearate tickets for each bus?

[Hlitner]

Yes, theoretically you can take the #100 (from Monte Carlo towards Nice) but and get off at the Eze/Bord sur Mer train station. From there, the 83 bus would get you up to Eze Village. However, we never recommend using this combination of travel because the 83 bus does not coordinate with the 100 bus. Let me give you some details. The 100 bus runs very often...usually 3 - 4 times an hour so you do not need to worry about its schedule. But the 83 runs very infrequently which makes it near worthless for many travelers. For example, the 83 schedule from the Eze train station shows the following buses : 12:09, 13:54, 14:54. Essentially there is no more then 1 bus per hour and the Eze sur Mer train station is kind of in the middle of nowhere...so its not a good place to be stuck. That being said, it is an option if you time it right. Personally, we recommend taking the #112 bus which goes directly from Monte Carlo (or Nice) to Eze Village. The downside of the 112 is that like the #83, it runs infrequently. But you only need to catch that one bus and there is one that leaves Monte Carlo around noon.

 

Now I will let myself get flamed and speak my peace. We like Eze and have been there many times. But, using public transit to get to and from Eze Village is a bit of a pain and you must really plan your day around this part of your itinerary. This is why we usually just rent a car when we want to travel around this part of France on a port day (we have also done many long driving vacations in France and Italy). Using a car you could choose your itinerary without concern of waiting for buses or trains. For example, from Monte Carlo you might want to drive to Nice for the morning market (at the Cours Selaya), then drive over to St Paul de Vence for a nice visit and lunch, and perhaps drive to Eze Village before returning to Monte Carlo. Depending on how your day progresses you might want to stop at one or two other places. But, having your own car means you just go where you want when you want. Sure, it does cost more then using public transit but it gives the freedom that only comes when you have the use of a car.

 

Hank

[Susan-M]

Great info from Hank ... but if you do decide to go with the bus, you can avoid waiting time at the bus stops by taking schedules with you and planning your visit to Eze based on the schedules (which it sounds like you have already worked out). Doing this, I don't think we waited more than 10 minutes for a bus at any stop. (The route we did was from VF>Eze>Monaco>VF)

 

#112 is more direct, but the bus stop is uphill of the casino, and as you mention, times may not be as convenient as 100/83. I would be tempted to aim for the 11:55 a.m. bus #112, but with the stop for #100 being closer to the port, if you time the connection right with #83, that could be a good option for you as well. I would see what time you are off the ship at, and use whatever bus(es) work best for you.

 

For the #100/83 combination, there are several stops in common from Gianton through David (we transferred at Eze Gare, coming from VF)

 

The schedules on the Lignes d'Azur site gives the names of the stops. Click on the route numbers here for the links: #83 #100

#112

 

You can use your ticket from #100 to transfer to #83. Have a look at the info under "Solo" ticket in this link for specific info...just need to be sure to validate your ticket on the first bus, and that your connection occurs within 74 minutes of the first validation.

 

Just to add, I found Rick Steves' book, Provence and the French Riviera, helpful for planning & during our visit.

[Arley]

Hi Hank,

My husband and I are cruising to Monte Carlo in Oct., we would like to rent a car to drive to Eze and St. Paul de Vence. Which rental car agency would you recommend? Were you able to make the reservation online? We will be arriving at noon and departing at ten that night, is this enough time to see both cities?

Arley

[Hlitner]

Hi Hank,

My husband and I are cruising to Monte Carlo in Oct., we would like to rent a car to drive to Eze and St. Paul de Vence. Which rental car agency would you recommend? Were you able to make the reservation online? We will be arriving at noon and departing at ten that night, is this enough time to see both cities?

Arley

 

I hate cruise lines that have bad schedules, and arriving in Monte Carlo at noon is a bad schedule. If you are docking (some ships still tender if the dock is full) you would not even be able to get a car until at least 12:30 or 1 which is a problem. If you are there on a Sunday the rental car dealers will probably be closed, and some have strange hours that sometimes have them open only in the morning and late afternoon. So you need to do your homework and also make sure you can drop the car after closing. All the majors (and make sure you include Europcar in that category) have offices in Monte Carlo. Depending on the agency it can be a hike (but still walkable) from the port. We would suggest you do book a car in advance (you get better prices with generally no obligation). You should shop around on the internet (start with a site like Orbitz to get quotes on all the dealers) and check out the prices and business hours of the local agency. Keep in mind that the best deals are aways for small cars with manual transmissions..and if you must have an automatic you will pay more (sometimes a lot more). Once you identify the best options, you should contact the local office to find out about late drop-offs. When dealing with outfits like Hertz, Avis, Budget or Europcar you can call their toll-free numbers and ask for help (they can contact their local franchiser). We sometimes will find out the direct e-mail for a local office and deal with them directly...and sometimes we will even call on the phone. I hesitate to recommend a specific rental car company because things are always changing and your hours in port are a bit unusal. But I believe that the Hertz office on Blvd Albert ter is normally open until about 7pm (on weekdays) and you can often get pretty good rates from Hertz (especially if you can find a decent discount code).

 

Assuming you work this all out and follow your itinerary, you probably would be wise to go to St Paul de Vence as soon as your get the car. Then, on the way back to MC you can easily stop at Eze Village with the knowledge that you are only a few minutes away from MC. If you are traveling in early October things should be fine, but as you get to the end of the month you are also getting outside the normal tourist season. I am not sure how much this would effect opening hours for the shops in Eze (many of which actually close in the real off-season).

 

Hank