We took the bus from Nice to Monaco and return very cheaply and no problems other than on the return trip the bus was very full.

As always you need to be aware of your surroundings and keep your personal items secure but that goes for travel anywhere not just in Europe.

Meanwhile, the train fare is something like 2.60€.

I took the intercity buses many when I lived in Nice, no problems at all. They do get very crowded but the route is more scenic than you get on the train. Plus for Eze, the trains go to Eze-sur-Mer at sea level, not Eze ville up on the hill, which is where you probably want to go. Walking down between the two is a bit taxing on the knees, but otherwise fine, you'd need to be reasonably fit to walk up the hill.

You can go directly from Nice to Eze-le-Village by bus. No need to take the train to Eze-Bord-de-Mer and then walk up the hill.

One more thing. The bus from Nice to Eze-le-Village goes on to Monaco.

You can go directly from Nice to Eze-le-Village by bus. No need to take the train to Eze-Bord-de-Mer and then walk up the hill.>

But IME if into hiking that is a fantastic walk - yes strenuously uphill but in a dry canyon with marvelous views over the sea far below - called the Philosopher's Walk I believe because Nietzsche often hiked along it up to Eze. It is a steep uphill walk however so going down may be easier and the views then will be frontal of the sea.

In any case road IME in August in this whole area can be gridlock as I once found out when trying to motor anywhere one August so trains if they take you where you want to go may be quicker and IMO more comfy as well. You can hop the coastal train line to St Raphael (for boats or buses to Saint-Tropez), Antibes, Cannes, Grasse, Nice, Menton, Monaco and Ventimiglia, Italy - commuter trains that are very cheap (avoid the faster TGV type trains as they cost a ton more and demand seat reservations before boarding.

For loads of good info on trains and buses in the Riviera area check out these fine IMO sites - www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id8.html. You need no schedules for trains or buses really as they go so so frequently everywhere you will want to go.

Buses are best or needed for St Paul de Vence, Vence, Biot, Eze village.

You can go directly from Nice to Eze-le-Village by bus. No need to take the train to Eze-Bord-de-Mer and then walk up the hill.

Yes, sorry, I wasn't clear. I meant that as another reason for taking the bus instead of the train to Eze (unless you like walking). I actually found walking along the Grande and Moyenne Corniches e.g. from La Turbie to Eze more rewarding in terms of views than walking down the Philosopher's Walk, as from memory the view is often blocked/partial due to the surrounding hills.

However, PalenQ makes a good point about trains usually being more comfortable and less subject to traffic disruption as well (although there's always plenty of other reasons for trains to be disrupted in France!)

All buses are 1€ regardless of distance.
Train is better for Antibes.

wow all buses 1 euro - why even charge at all? I know if France many departments are offering such ridiculously cheap fares as a way to getting folks out of cars and onto public transportation.

Here's a neat easy few-mile stroll along a very untouched bit of a Riviera coast that is all too frequently IME over developed. Take the train to Cap d'Ail train station and go down to the paths just under the station - paved footpath and head east all the way to Monaco - a lovely lovely stroll featuring the signature Riviera scenery etched in your minds' eyes perhaps but rarely seen - cypress trees clinging to boulders tumbling into an azure-hued clear sea.

But don't be shy - you will likely also see skinny dippers and yes if you did not bring your swim suit you too can go for a dip in these isolated swimming holes.

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/walk-from-nice-to-monte-carlo.cfm

old fodor's thread on walking between Nice and Monte Carlo.

Not that anyone asked, but I did lots and lots of walking when I lived in Nice, and yes you can walk the whole way around the coast (although I found walking out of Monaco a bit tricky due to blocked-off paths and private beaches etc).

Some blog posts with photos:

Nice to Beaulieu via Villefranche http://gwannelsandiego.blogspot.fr/2010/02/happy-trails.html

Eze-village to the sea, between Beaulieu and Eze-sur-Mer and Eze-sur-Mer and Monaco (including Cap d'Ail)
http://gwannelsandiego.blogspot.fr/2010/03/monaco-ahoy.html
http://gwannelsandiego.blogspot.fr/2010/03/eze-beaulieu-monaco-photos.html

La Turbie to Cimiez, Nice on the Grand Corniche
http://gwannelsandiego.blogspot.fr/2010/03/la-turbie-lobservatoire.html

Monaco to Menton
http://gwannelsandiego.blogspot.fr/2010/03/monaco-rage.html

Menton to Ventimiglia, Italy
http://gwannelsandiego.blogspot.fr/2010/03/final-destination-until-next-time.html
http://gwannelsandiego.blogspot.fr/2010/03/monaco-menton-ventimiglia-photos.html

Juan-les-Pins to Antibes
http://gwannelsandiego.blogspot.fr/2010/04/worst-sense-of-direction-ever.html
http://gwannelsandiego.blogspot.fr/2010/04/photos-holiday-course.html

Cannes to La Napoule
http://gwannelsandiego.blogspot.fr/2010/04/cans-in-cannes.html

What great information. DH and I are going to Southern France late October and we love to walk. Still not sure where we will be staying, but there are worse problems, don't you think?!!

bookmarking

those walks let you see the Riviera in your mind's eye but that which you would rarely see except from these footpaths along largely untouched coasts - unfortunately much of the Riviera IMO is way over built - like in the Nice to Cannes stretch - yeh nice beaches but often lined by high-rise hotels or flats.

Get onto one of those footpaths gwan spotlights and see the real Riviera as it once looked.

Thanks the above travellers.
Your ideas are very useful.
Thanks.

When we were in Nice for a week in February this year, we took the train Cap d'Ail and walked to Monaco, bus coming back. Took the bus going to and coming back from Menton. We went to Cannes on two separate days, took the train there on the first day, coming back took the bus, and took the bus to and from there on the second day. The bus from Nice to/from Cannes took about an hour and 45 minutes each way (definitely a very slow and relaxing vacation for us), it was crowded coming back to Nice around 4PM and the air circulation inside the bus was not as good. All the other bus trips were pleasant and I enjoyed riding with the locals and looking at the view out of the window. However I did print out the bus stop list and check the bus stop signs along the way, to make sure we get off at the right stop, as the bus drivers were of no help (either could not speak English or forgot to let us know). No such problem with the train of course.
I don't think there would be more pickpockets on a bus than on the train/at the train station.