Looking to visit the enchanting medieval village of St-Paul de Vence from Nice? This guide explains in detail how to get from Nice to St-Paul de Vence.
One of the French Riviera’s most beautiful villages, St-Paul de Vence is perched atop a hill just 9 km or 12 mi from Nice. This proximity makes it one of the most popular (half-)day trips from Nice.
World-renowned for its art galleries, cobblestone streets, stunning views of the Mediterranean, and authentic Provençal charm, this Côte d’Azur destination is the kind of place you’ll want to linger. I sure do every time I visit.
In this article, I break down all the ways to get to St-Paul de Vence from Nice and list the pros, cons, transfer times, and costs for each. This is the only guide you need to decide on the best route for your trip.
Are you ready to plan your mini-adventure to this enchanting hilltop village with its artistic soul? Let’s go!
This article lays out all the ways to get to St-Paul de Vence from Nice, includes travel times, and discusses the pros, cons, and costs of each option.
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Quick list of Nice to St-Paul de Vence transportation options to book ahead of time
The following shared tours tend to sell out quickly so be sure to secure your reservation.
Nice: Medieval Villages Full-Day Guided Trip
From Nice: Provence and its Medieval Villages Full-Day Tour
From Nice: Antibes & St Paul de Vence Tour with Wine Tasting
Here’s a selection of private tours for a more relaxed and personal experience.
From Nice: Wine Tasting, Cannes and Provencal Countryside
The Greats Painters and the French Riviera
French Riviera – Customize your Private tour – 5h or 8h
You can use Expedia to check flight options to Nice Côte d’Azur Airport and this article to plan your journey from Nice to St-Paul de Vence. Once you get the logistics out of the way, it’s time to fine-tune your travel plans.
Stay tuned for a detailed guide on the top attractions in St-Paul de Vence and more information on how to combine your half-day trip from Nice to St-Paul de Vence.
And for more add-on inspiration, check out the best day trip destinations from Nice.
St-Paul de Vence vs Vence
Before diving in, I want to clarify that St-Paul de Vence and Vence are separate French Riviera towns.
Both are located halfway between the Mediterranean coast and the hinterland – Vence a bit more tucked away than St-Paul-de-Vence – and are just 5.5 km (or 3.4 mi) apart. There’s a hiking trail through the small valley that separates them.
While Vence has its charm, it’s not as idyllic and picturesque as St-Paul-de-Vence.
The only noteworthy attraction in Vence is the Chapelle du Rosaire or Rosary Chapel, also known as the Matisse Chapel after the artist who designed it, with a beautiful stained glass window. You can find the chapel just outside of the town center. But overall, Vence is not a must-see on the French Riviera.
5 ways to get from Nice to St-Paul de Vence
You’ll see that getting from Nice to St-Paul de Vence is a breeze whichever option you choose. So, it’s more a matter of opting for the one that best fits your travel plans – whether you intend on renting a car or relying on public transportation – and the time you wish to set aside for your day trip.
Let’s zoom in on all the ways you can get from Nice to St-Paul de Vence.
1. By train + bus: The best way to get from Nice to St-Paul de Vence
Since there’s no direct bus from Nice to Saint-Paul de Vence, this combination of transportation modes is your best option.
Take the Regional Express Train (TER) from the Nice-Ville train station to the Cagnes-sur-Mer train station. The ride takes about 15 minutes and costs €3.80 one-way.
Walk over to bus stop “Square 8 Mai” to take Zou bus 655 to stop “Village” in Saint-Paul-de-Vence (not to be confused with stop “Village” in La Colle-sur-Loup). The bus drive takes 30 minutes and costs €2.10 one-way.
Note that your Nice bus pass isn’t valid on the Zou bus. That’s because it’s a different bus network: Lignes d’Azur is local for the territory of Nice while Zou is the regional bus network.
Tip: The SudAzur Explore Pass is a carefree solution to travel around the French Riviera. It offers unlimited travel on all regional trains, the regional Zou bus, and all local bus networks in the Alpes-Maritimes department and Monaco.
Pros to taking the Nice to Saint-Paul de Vence are the scenic experience and the low cost.
Cons are the required transfer in Cagnes-sur-Mer and the fact that the Nice-Ville train station may not be located close to your hotel or Airbnb in Nice. To tackle that, opt for a hotel closer to the station, like Hôtel Apollinaire, Hotel Florence, and Aparthotel AMMI Nice Lafayette.
Conclusion: It takes just about 1 hour to get to St-Paul de Vence from Nice by bus and costs either €5.90 per person one-way.
2. By Uber, Bolt, or taxi
If you don’t have a car available but like the flexibility of the road, then you can rely on taxi services. The drive from Place Masséna in Nice takes 40 to 45 minutes without accounting for traffic, and the drive from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport takes about 30 minutes. You can check the rates here.
A more wallet-friendly option is ride-sharing to get from Nice to Saint-Paul de Vence. Bolt is the go-to ride-sharing option on the French Riviera because it’s a bit cheaper than Uber. Just order your ride from the app and the driver will get you to the entrance of Saint-Paul de Vence.
A pro is the door-to-door service and the fact that you don’t need to worry about parking. A con can be the traffic so avoiding rush hour is recommended.
Conclusion: It takes 45 minutes to get to Saint-Paul de Vence from Nice by taxi or ride-share. Bolt is the cheapest alternative to reach Saint-Paul de Vence by road.
3. By car (self-drive)
If you have a car available in Nice, you can easily drive to Saint-Paul de Vence yourself.
Follow the length of the Promenade des Anglais past Nice airport where you’ll enter onto the A8 highway. Take exit 48-Cagnes sur Mer and drive uphill following signs to “La Colle-sur-Loup / Vence”. This route includes a small toll charge. If you prefer to avoid it, then stay off the highway and opt for the local route via Cros de Cagnes and Cagnes-sur-Mer.
Whichever route you prefer, from the reference point Place Masséna, it’ll take about 40-45 minutes to reach Saint-Paul de Vence. Not accounting for traffic, that is.
When it comes to car rental, I highly recommend Discover Cars with its wide selection of cars and agencies. The booking process is effortless and there’s an option to pay later that comes with free cancelation.
All parking facilities are located outside the ramparts, at the town entrance. On my first visit, I went straight for the underground Indigo car park only to find out after my visit that it was super expensive.
Tip: The municipal parking facilities are much cheaper. Roadside parking is available along the Route des Serres near Place Charles De Gaulle and there are some smaller parking lots on the Route de Vence and the Montée des Trious. Public car parks are also free after 7 p.m.
Just be sure not to leave any valuables in the car.
There’s one reason why I always pass by the Indigo parking after I park my car elsewhere: The boutique on the ground level has an incredible selection of sun hats. They come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. Oh, how I love browsing here… and so do my girls!
Pros of driving to Saint-Paul de Vence are the flexibility in schedule and the liberty to add other destinations like Cagnes-sur-Mer, Vence, La Colle-sur-Loup, Biot, Mougins, or Grasse to your day trip itinerary.
Cons are the cost of parking, the traffic, and the time spent looking for a parking spot. The latter can be challenging during the high season, so visiting early in the morning or in the evening is recommended.
Conclusion: It takes 40-45 minutes to get to St-Paul-de-Vence from Nice by car and parking can be hard to find during high season.
4. By (tram or train) + bus + bus
There’s a second public transportation option. For most travelers, it involves two transfers which makes it a rather convenient way to get from Nice to Saint-Paul-de-Vence. However, if you’re staying near the Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, it only takes one transfer.
If your accommodation is located in the popular areas of Old Town Nice (Vieux Nice), the Carré d’Or, the Port, or Jean-Médecin then you’ll need to take the tram or train – whichever is closest – to the Nice-Augustin train station.
Head to the “Grand Arénas” tram and bus stop near the zoo and tropical botanical garden of Parc Phoenix. From there, hop on Lignes d’Azur bus 9 direction “Halte Routiere de l’Ara” (not “Le Gué / Polygone”) to stop “Vence Rocade” in Vence. An individual ticket costs €1.70 and the ride takes around 45 minutes.
At the same stop “Vence Rocade” you wait for Zou bus 655 to stop “Village” in Saint-Paul de Vence. This is the second stop. An individual ticket costs €2.10.
Note that your Lignes d’Azur bus pass isn’t valid on the Zou bus. That’s because it’s a different bus network: Lignes d’Azur is local for the territory of Nice while Zou is the regional bus network.
Tip: The SudAzur Explore Pass is a carefree solution to travel around the French Riviera. It offers unlimited travel on all regional trains, the regional Zou bus, and all local bus networks in the Alpes-Maritimes department and Monaco.
Conclusion: This combination of buses 9 and 655 from Nice to St-Paul de Vence is only interesting if you’re staying near the airport of Nice.
5. By tour (minivan)
If you prefer a guided visit to Saint-Paul de Vence that includes transportation, then an excursion is the way to go. You’ll be driving to and from the hilltop town in a minivan accompanied by a tour guide and, depending on the type of tour, a small group of other travelers.
The only thing is that, since Saint-Paul de Vence is pretty compact, all excursions combine it with another French Riviera destination. Some include Antibes and Cannes while others stop in Grasse, Gourdon, and Tourettes-sur-Loup. Personally, I prefer the latter because I feel it’s more in line with the slower pace and Provençal flair that characterizes Saint-Paul de Vence.
Based on the itineraries, here are some tours that catch my eye. Prices vary from €100 to €150 per person.
Here are some private Saint-Paul de Vence tours to consider. One that comes highly recommended includes a visit to the world-renowned Château de Crémat, another one lets you combine the destinations that appeal to you the most, and the third one focuses on the places that inspired famous painters.
Prices are upwards of €450 for private tours, making this an especially appealing option if you’re traveling with a group of four or more persons.
Pros of joining a tour from Nice to Saint-Paul de Vence are the hotel pick-up, the flexible cancelation conditions, the small group or private character, and the proximity of a guide. Cons are the tight schedule, the cost, and the addition of other destinations in the same visit, reducing the time in Saint-Paul de Vence.
FAQ on how to get from Nice to St-Paul de Vence
How will you travel from Nice to St-Paul de Vence?
That’s it for this detailed guide on getting to St-Paul de Vence from Nice. Now all that’s left for you to do to explore this amazing destination is set a date and read up on the best things to do in St-Paul de Vence.
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