Cannes - when Casinos are not your thing

[Nemanoxer]

So, I will go to Cannes in late August.

 

I am not interested in Casinos -should I book a Monaco tour, anyway? But I am also very interested in seeing and smellng Grasse. Sadly, Celebrity does not offer a tour combining both. Or is all of that wasted tourist trapism, and should I just take the opportunity and go on a small villages tour to Eze and others? Or maybe skip all ship tours and get a rental car to get around?

 

Any input / inspiration is much appreciated.

[Hlitner]

You have done a good job laying out your options.  While we are big fans of rental cars (have often rented cars in this part of France) we do understand that not everyone likes to drive.  Otherwise, you are at the mercy of the usual tour options unless you opt to hire a private driver/guide which is quite expensive in the south of France.    As to Grasse, I guess perfume lovers do sometimes enjoy going to a few of the perfume "factories" and even getting the opportunity to make their own scent.   With a rental car could drive a loop route, heading North to Grasse and than perhaps over to St Paul de Vence (about a 40 min drive from Grasse) and back to Cannes.  

 

Eze Village and Monte Carlo are another options, with a rental car, and can even be combined with some time in Nice (assuming you have enough port time).  But neither work well with a visit to Grasse in terms of geography and the road network.

 

One warning about using a rental car on a port day.  Cannes is a tender port and you will need to get back to Cannes (and drop your car) in plenty of time to make the last tender.  Traffic, during the busy tourist season, can be congested as you near Cannes.  So, when we do use rental cars from Cannes, we always are careful to return to Cannes a couple of hours early in order to have a good margin in case of a traffic delay.

 

Hank

[marazul]

Whatever you do, don't make Grasse your last stop. The traffic between Grasse and Cannes is miserable in the afternoons. 

[mskaufman]

There is a nice beach in Cannes (spoiler alert - tops optional in case you have kids with you).  Last year we went to Nice and took the mini train around.

[Nemanoxer]

Sounds like I have to choose between going to the more laid back countryside or seeing Monaco.

 

So sad.

[edinburgher]

54 minutes ago, Nemanoxer said:

Sounds like I have to choose between going to the more laid back countryside or seeing Monaco.

 

So sad.

 

54 minutes ago, Nemanoxer said:

 

Just wanting to add that there are trains which run the short distance  between Cannes and Grasse so that too could be an option.  From the train station at Grasse you could take a taxi to wherever you want in the town, or walk if your destination is close to the station.  On return you could explore Cannes.

 

However, doing that would cut into your time available at Monaco, and there really would not be enough time to make Monaco worthwhile, so I suggest you decide which would interest you most, a Grasse/Cannes option or a Monaco option.  There are also trains running between Cannes and Monaco, with an earlier stop at Nice if you want to consider Nice as yet another alternative.

 

Decisions decisions.  Never enough time on a port call to see and do everything which interests you.  However, if you like what you do have time to see, you could consider a return trip in the future, on land. so you have as much time as you need.

Edited June 12, 2023 by edinburgher

[Nemanoxer]

4 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

 

 

Choosing of shore excursions is always the least fun part of a cruise for me.  

 

I am from Germany, so flying into Nice and explore the region is not very hard to do if I want to go again. However, always nice to have stuff organized by people who know what they are doing.

[marazul]

If your interest in Grasse is to visit a perfume factory, you can also visit one in Eze.  You can easily visit Nice, Eze and Monaco (in that order) in one day. 

5 hours ago, Nemanoxer said:

Sounds like I have to choose between going to the more laid back countryside or seeing Monaco.

 

So sad.

 

[hoopslover]

On 6/11/2023 at 5:23 PM, mskaufman said:

There is a nice beach in Cannes (spoiler alert - tops optional in case you have kids with you).  Last year we went to Nice and took the mini train around.

Did you enjoy the mini train in Nice?

[mskaufman]

Yes,  We first walked over to the flower market and then along the promenade by the beach.  Here are a couple of photos.

[jsn55]

For what it's worth, I've been cogitating on this port for some time.  Since we tender at Cannes, I want a ship's excursion so we can get off 'first'.  Seems like a good idea to take a tour of Nice, Monaco etc ... then stroll around Cannes in the afternoon.   I am always happy anywhere in France, so just walking around for a couple of hours, maybe have lunch, will be delightful.   If the train goes along the coast for great views, might debark early for the ship's tour but take the train instead.  I'm allergic to worry, so will be back to the tender early rather than late, making it a short day.

[brauchtj]

On 6/12/2023 at 5:29 AM, marazul said:

If your interest in Grasse is to visit a perfume factory, you can also visit one in Eze.  You can easily visit Nice, Eze and Monaco (in that order) in one day. 

 

I've been to the parfume factory in Eze and it was fabulous. Eze was so unique also. It's been my favorite parfume for years (Fragonard Belle Cherie). Get another bottle every time I visit France. 

[Nemanoxer]

Planning the shore excursions for this cruise is really haunting me.

 

If I want a relaxed cruise, I will miss Monaco because there is no combo of Monaco and Provence villages. Will have to choose. Also don´t know if I really wanna do my Cinque Terre excursion in Italy. Late August will still be hot, and there might still be about 15000 tourists that day...

 

I am looking forward to when I am in my late 80s. Just staying on the ship and chill out all day 😄