The main options for flying into Nice from Australia are:
1 Stop Flight
Emirates via Dubai. The quickest route. Emirates have a flight arriving in Nice early afternoon on 3 July which is perfect timing to start your tour.
2 Stop Flight
British Airways or Qantas via London Heathrow. Note that ex Sydney passengers flying on British Airways get a free bike baggage allowance on top of their normal allowance as they classify bikes as sporting goods.
Singapore Airlines/Lufthansa via Singapore and Frankfurt.
Swiss Air via Asia and Zurich, using either Thai International, Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific between Australia and Asia.
Thai and Scandinavian Airlines via Bangkok and Copenhagen.
Qantas and Air France via Singapore or Hong Kong and Paris.
From Paris CDG and Paris Orly airports there are regular flights to Nice, so it’s easy to connect up. Just remember if your airline cannot check your bags all the way through to Nice (your travel agent or airline can advise you if this is possible) you must allow plenty of time to clear customs, immigration and possibly transfer terminals to get to your next flight. At busy airports like London Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle we would recommend a minimum of 4 hours between flights if travelling with a bicycle as checked luggage. Beware of booking non refundable and non changeable flights if doing this, because if you miss a connecting flight then you will not receive a refund from the airline and you may be forced to purchase a full price ticket for your flight , so it’s best to allow the maximum amount of time between flights.
Please note this information is correct at the time of writing but you should check with the airlines on their current policy on taking bicycles before purchasing your ticket as it can vary from airline to airline, and policies can change without notice. We recommend avoiding short transit times at airports as this increases the chances of your baggage going missing or being delayed due to a missed connection.
The other options are to fly into Paris or Milan airports, which are both about 5 hours from Nice by train.
It is possible to connect through to Nice from Paris CDG airport by TGV train as there is a train service from the airport all the way through to Nice, but you must be sure of adequate time to collect your baggage, clear immigration and board your train. TGV trains in France require your bike to be in a bag that can be carried on board the train and no bigger than approximately 120cm x 80cm. Carboard boxes and large hard cases may not be allowed on the train due to space restrictions in the luggage area in the carriage. There are only 2 direct services a day from Paris CDG to Nice, but there are frequent services from Paris Gare de Lyon station to Nice. All major airlines have direct flights into Paris, apart from Qantas and BA who will require you to go via London Heathrow.
From Milan there is a twice daily service from Milano Centrale to Menton for those doing the Monaco to Barcelona or Monaco to Montpellier tours. This service takes 4.5 hours with a few stops along the way. The same trains continue on to Nice for those doing the Monaco to Pyrenees tour, taking a total of 5 hours. This option is probably only attractive if you are going to have a stop in Milan, otherwise you may as well simply fly from Milan to Nice, which is a frequent service with Alitalia and Air France. Milan is a major airport served by many airlines from Australia including Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Thai International.
From the USA to Nice there are non stop flights from New York City (JFK airport) direct into Nice with Air France, also operated as a codeshare by Delta Airlines. All other carriers will require a change of aircraft in Europe, but it is easy with all major European carriers servicing Nice airport with regular flights.
