Monte Carlo - By car or by train

[blueg33]

I am staying in Cannes in May having driven route Napoleon to get there

I have never been to Monte Carlo or Monaco but would like to visit from Cannes. Part of me says the thing to do is drive the F360 in and park outside the Casino (just because Monaco, Ferrari etc) or take the train.

Which is easiest/makes the most sense, any pitfalls to either method? (I will be travelling with my wife, and my current FURBAR'ed knee means lots of walking is going to be painful.

[normalbloke]

Driving in Monaco is misery. First thing we want to do is lose the car when we get there, so always have somewhere with valet parking. I’d do the train if coming in from Cannes, or maybe treat yourself and fly in.

[LunarOne]

normalbloke said:

Driving in Monaco is misery. First thing we want to do is lose the car when we get there, so always have somewhere with valet parking. I d do the train if coming in from Cannes, or maybe treat yourself and fly in.

Can concur. During a road trip about 5 years ago, we headed south from Bordeaux and then turned east along the Pyrennees toward Perpignan. We then skirted along the Mediterranean coast stopping off along the way until we reached Monaco at which point the traffic slowed to a crawl and it took us a couple of hours to get through to the other side. Then smooth sailing again to Ventimiglia and on towards Genoa before heading north through Switzerland.

A wonderful trip with Monaco as the only sour note. No desire to return unless I unexpectedly become a billionaire.

Edited by LunarOne on Wednesday 25th March 20:10

[Shy Torque]

Traffic can be bad in Cannes too - I have a place there.

Given the choice I would always take the train, preferring the coastal views of the journey and the chance when there for some refreshment with lunch - generally a much more relaxed affair.

It is a little walk from Monaco station to the Casino etc, but less than a kilometre.

The SNCF Connect train app is very easy to navigate (in English) and trains are very frequent from Cannes.

Edited by Shy Torque on Wednesday 25th March 18:47

[Shnozz]

LunarOne said:

A wonderful trip with Monaco as the only sour note. No desire to return unless I unexpectedly become a billionaire.

Out of interest, why would becoming a billionaire then entice you to return to the only sour note of your trip?

[Venisonpie]

Train definitely, a quick wander around the GP circuit and a decent lunch is really all you need from Monaco. I had my 40th there and don't need to go back.

[MarkJS]

The train is really easy from Cannes and it’ll be a far more pleasant experience than driving into Monaco. You also can’t park in front of the Casino yourself. The Valet would have to do that and it will end up in the underground car park unless it is something extremely special.

If you haven’t already been, Antibes is lovely near Cannes and you can also do that on the train. Parking isn’t bad either though.

[LunarOne]

Shnozz said:

LunarOne said:

A wonderful trip with Monaco as the only sour note. No desire to return unless I unexpectedly become a billionaire.

Out of interest, why would becoming a billionaire then entice you to return to the only sour note of your trip?

I'd be hanging out in my superyacht before taking the Riva launch to shore and then heading to the casino or F1 or whatever it is people do in Monaco. The traffic would be someone else's problem.

[HocusPocus]

Drive the A8 from Cannes. If you avoid peak hours, it should take you 45 minutes into Monaco. Suggest you drop car keys with Hotel de Paris concierge in Casino Square and book lunch at the top floor Grill. Make sure you save space for one of the souffles....heavenly. Then take the meandering coastal road back to Nice and Cannes.

[hmg]

Awful place. Train from Nice or Cannes is the way to go if only to marvel at the train station in Monaco. From there on it’s all down hill I’m afraid. Or actually it’s uphill

Seriously if you spend more than a couple of hours there I’d be surprised..I found it disjointed and claustrophobic.

Go have a look to tick it off then get the train back to Villefranche sur Mer and have a nice lunch on the harbour watching the world go by before returning to Cannes.

[littleredrooster]

normalbloke said:

Driving in Monaco is misery. First thing we want to do is lose the car when we get there, so always have somewhere with valet parking. I d do the train if coming in from Cannes, or maybe treat yourself and fly in.

I also agree, it was bad enough on two wheels.

We intended to ride in at about 11am, park up and have a short wander and lunch and then push off early-ish. Wrong! We sat in solid traffic (in 32deg heat, in leathers...) for nearly two hours, moving only about half a mile in that time. I eventuallly found a side-street to escape and was very glad to get onto the open road once again.

[blueg33]

Thanks folks, that’s really useful. We are actually staying in Mandelieu Le Napole. There is a stay there, so train it is.

[normalbloke]

blueg33 said:

Thanks folks, that s really useful. We are actually staying in Mandelieu Le Napole. There is a stay there, so train it is.

Go full tourist and jump on the open top shuttle bus for a hot lap. It’s actually a good way to see the city..

[HocusPocus]

blueg33 said:

Thanks folks, that s really useful. We are actually staying in Mandelieu Le Napole. There is a stay there, so train it is.

Check for random French train strikes...if it is a Friday or near a bank holiday. I nearly missed a day at the races after purchasing a train ticket and then stood on the platform wondering where the effing trains were. Taxi did quite well that day.

Btw Mandelieu La Napoule is a couple of minutes from the A8 and has 2 junctions to choose from.

Edited by HocusPocus on Wednesday 25th March 21:50

[jules_s]

I've been there several times from Cannes and Nice (in fact I was there last week)

Train all day - or boat

It's actually all downhill from the station to the Casino if you take the lift in the station,

Going back to the station is unsurprisingly uphill, but if you plan it right you get to visit St Devote

[768]

Helicopter, ~£1k one way.

[HocusPocus]

jules_s said:

Train all day - or boat

About 30 miles from Mandelieu la Napoule to Port Hercule by boat. On a calm day a boat could knock that off in under an hour....might burn a few more hydrocarbons than driving a Ferrari though.

[jules_s]

HocusPocus said:

jules_s said:

Train all day - or boat

About 30 miles from Mandelieu la Napoule to Port Hercule by boat. On a calm day a boat could knock that off in under an hour....might burn a few more hydrocarbons than driving a Ferrari though.

Indeed

I tend to like the Nice Harbour -> Port de Fontvielle route though - a bit touristy but the Captain is a good laugh and you get a good tour of the coastline and houses

That and you can relax with vino(s) around Monaco without driving (all good!)

[732NM]

If you fancy realising how fortunate you are, grab the early morning or late evening train, you'll never see so many beautiful people look utterly miserable as they commute to serve the ***** wasting away in that place.

[Petrus1983]

Definitely take the train. I used to be in Monaco for months at a time and loved the place - but my enjoyment really started once I was considered more of a local than a tourist.