FRANCE - Best of Europe 2014 - page 486

GroceryStore: Thebig Monoprix onAvenueJeanMédecinandRueBiscarra hasitall,in-
cluding deli counter, bakery, and cold drinks (Mon-Sat 8:30-21:00, closed Sun, see map
on here ) . You'll also find many small grocery stores (some open Sun and/or until late
hours) near my recommended hotels.
Boutique Shopping: The chic streets where Rue Alphonse Karr meets Rue de la Liberté
and then Rue de Paradis are known as the “Golden Square.” If you need pricey stuff,
shop here.
SNCFBoutique: There'sahandyFrenchrail ticket office ahalf-block westofAvenueJean
Médecin at 2 Rue de la Liberté (Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, closed Sat-Sun).
Renting a Bike (and Other Wheels): Roller Station rents bikes ( vélos, can be taken on
trains, €5/hour, €10/half-day, €15/day), rollerblades, skateboards, and Razor-type scoot-
ers ( trotinettes, €7/half-day, €9/day). You'll need to leave your ID as a deposit (daily
March-May and Sept-Oct 10:00-17:00, June-Aug 10:00-22:00, Nov-Feb 10:00-18:00,
next to yellow awnings of Pailin's Asian restaurant at 49 Quai des Etats-Unis—see map
on here , tel. [phone], owner Eric). If you need more power, the TI has a list of
places renting electric scooters.
You'llnoticebluebikes (VélosBleu) stationedatvariouspointsinthecity.Athou-
sand of these bikes, available for locals to use when running errands, rent cheaply for
short-termuse(first30minutesfree,requiresEuropean-style chip-and-PINcreditcard,
American Express cards should work).
Car Rental: Renting a car is easiest at Nice's airport, which has offices for all the major
companies. You'll also find most companies represented at Nice's train station and near
Albert 1er Park.
English Radio: Tune in to Riviera-Radio at FM 106.5.
Views: For panoramic views, climb Castle Hill (see here ) , or take a one-hour boat trip (de-
scribed later, under “Tours in Nice and the Riviera”).
Beach Gear: To make life tolerable on the rocks, swimmers should buy a pair of the
cheap plastic beach shoes sold at many shops (flip-flops fall off in the water). Go
Sport at#13onPlaceMassénasellsbeachshoes,flip-flops,andcheapsunglasses(daily
10:00-20:00—see map on here ) .
Getting Around Nice
Although you can walk to most attractions in Nice, smart travelers make good use of the
buses and tram. Both are covered by the same €1 single-ride ticket (good for 74 minutes in
one direction, including transfers between bus and tram; can't be used for a round-trip). The
bus is particularly handy for reaching the Chagall and Matisse museums and the Russian
Cathedral. Pick up timetables at Nice's TIs (or view them online at www.lignesdazur.com )