Most people first point of arrival at and departure from the French Riviera is Nice Cote d'Azur International  Airport ( NCE ). Whether your final destination is Nice, Cannes, St Tropez or Monaco, whether your onward mode of travel is car bus or train, understanding the Airport is the key.

There are two terminals, imaginatively called T1 and T2. A free continuous shuttle bus connects T1 and  T2, so if you find yourself in T1 and you need T2, then a five minute ride is at hand.

Rapid coach services ( http://www.rca.tm.fr/ ) connect each Terminal of the airport with the main nearby towns - for Cannes bus no. 210; 16 euro, via the motorway. (Alternatively, for only €1 you can get the terminally slow 200 stopping bus service to Cannes - journey time typically two hours - by walking to the "Promenade Aeroport" stop across the road from Terminal 1. Follow the reddish coloured pedestian path from the terminal, go under an underpass (do not attempt to cross this very busy road!), a short walk of about 5 minutes. The 200 buses are usually three or four an hour and are often full and its not unknown to have to stand the whole way)  Other destinations with express coach services include Antibes/JLP/Golfe Juan (Bus no. 250; half-hourly,  8 euro)  Nice (Bus nos 98 &99; 4 euro), Monaco and Menton (09.00  - 21.00 hourly  - 23 euro), so are a cheap alternative to the rather generous taxi fare set by the authorities ( depending on time of day: Nice centre 27 - 35 euro , Cannes 67-85 euro, Monaco 70-90 euro, St Tropez 234-276 euro).

The Nice Express bus runs two routes about two an hour each - the 99 to the central railway station in Nice, Gare Nice Ville, and the 98 runs along the front past the big hotels to the central bus station Gare Routiere. From Nice's bus station you can pick up onward local coach services. The TAM bus route 100 leaves Nice Gare Routiere every fifteen minutes and will take you to Villefranche, Cap Ferrat, Beaulieu, Monaco and Menton for only one euro flat fare.

Up until 9:00pm Terminal One is also served by the local bus No 23 - no special luggage storage and its a flat 1 euro ride to Nice centre along with the locals, cheap and cheerful. Or also from T1 a short walk up to the Promenade des Anglais and Lignes d'Azur local buses 52 and 59 from St Laurent de Var to Nice will stop to pick you up (other routes won't)

You can also leave or arrive at the airport by train at SNCF Nice St Augustin, but be prepared for a half kilometre walk  with poor signposting and crossing major roads, which can be tricky with a lot of luggage or small children. The station is sited the other side of the big Arenas office complex next to Terminal One.

Many people like the convenience of a transfer service and there are several you can book online. Car hire can be booked at the airport as anywhere. For a total gross-out experience you could also take the  helicopter, to arrive in Monaco in style.

Last Airport Express bus for Nice is the 98 at T2 at 23.53 to Nice Gare Routiere - and on demand - to the railway station.

Two night-buses (TAM Noctambus) have recently been introduced to cover out of hours travel needs on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays only: the N100 Nice Airport T1 - Menton (22:00, 23:30, 01:00 and 02:30)  and the N200 Nice Airport T1 -  Cannes (23:30, 01:00, 02:30 and 04:10). These are a flat 1 euro fare, and make stops all along the way, for example Villefranche and Monaco.

If your flight is late arriving - after midnight - and the night bus option doesn't work for you, a taxi is your best bet, if quite expensive.  At a pinch you can walk to central Nice in a little over an hour - a safe and pleasant walk along the cycleway perimiter of the airport and then the curve of the Baie des Anges. However be aware this is also the "red light" district for passing cars at night.

Heading home to the airport you need to be mindful of the Nice rush-hour and that twenty minute journey can turn into something much longer so always leave a little slack in your timetable. If you run it too tight and need a taxi there are usually a couple waiting  in front of the four star Le Meridien at No 1 Promenade des Anglais - for obvious reasons!

When killing time at the airport, be mindful there are very few services once you have passed through passport control. The "duty free" shopping is extremely poor value, with alcohol and tobacco more expensive than ordinary highstreet prices, no bargain at all, and luxury goods boutiques equally high-priced. But the loos are spotless hi-tech marvels, unlike in the rest of France