By Garen Ajderhanyan · 31 July 2026 · 6 min read
In brief
Many people who work in Monaco reside on the neighbouring Cote d'Azur: Nice, Cap-d'Ail, Beausoleil, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin or Menton. The three Corniches and the coastal railway line connect these communes to the Principality, a few minutes from the neighbouring communes, a practicable daily journey from Nice. The choice depends less on distance than on the way of life one seeks: the Nice seafront, a perched village or a street that extends Monte-Carlo. For questions of tax residence, only specialist advice is authoritative.
Where to live when working in Monaco?
Monaco concentrates employment; housing, however, extends well beyond onto the Cote d'Azur. Between Nice and the Italian border, a residential corridor has established itself along the coast: Villefranche-sur-Mer, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Eze, Cap-d'Ail on one side of the Principality; Beausolieu, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and Menton on the other. Each morning, these communes send their trains, buses and motorists from the Corniches towards Monaco.
The right place depends on three simple questions. What distance from the office is one willing to live? What life does one want outside work, schools, shops, culture, sea? And does one prefer an established town like Nice or the scale of a village? The rest of this article follows these three threads.
How long to reach Monaco from Nice?
The coastal railway line is the backbone of the journey. It serves Nice-Ville, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Eze-sur-Mer and Cap-d'Ail before entering the underground station of Monaco-Monte-Carlo, situated in the centre of the Principality. From the neighbouring communes, the journey is a matter of a few minutes; from Nice, it remains compatible with a daily return trip. Timetables and frequencies vary according to season: the TER Sud website is the reference.
By road, three routes have borne the same name for over a century: the Basse Corniche, which follows the shore, the Moyenne Corniche and the Grande Corniche, laid out on ledges. The first becomes congested at peak hours; the other two offer elevation and views, at the cost of a few hairpin bends. Many regulars combine train and walking, the Monaco-Monte-Carlo station placing most business districts within a few minutes.
Which communes between Nice and Monaco?
West of the Principality, the coast presents very different characters. Villefranche-sur-Mer curls around its roadstead and its colourful old town. Beaulieu-sur-Mer cultivates Belle Epoque elegance on a village scale. Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat sits on its peninsula, away from the flow. Eze is divided between its seafront and its perched village. Cap-d'Ail, finally, backs directly onto Monaco: one resides in France, within walking distance of the Principality.
To the east, Beausoleil occupies a singular position: its streets extend those of Monte-Carlo, and the border is crossed on foot. Roquebrune-Cap-Martin brings together a wooded cape, beaches and an old mediaeval village clinging to the slope. Menton, near the Italian border, adds its gardens and old town in warm hues. Three distinct ways of living a few minutes from the office.
Is Nice or a perched village better?
Nice is the only complete town in the corridor: international schools and lycées, hospitals, airport, museums, markets, and a seafront that structures daily life. From the port to the centre, each quarter has its character. It is the choice of those who want, outside Monegasque hours, a full urban life, even if it means lengthening the journey slightly.
The perched villages tell another story. Eze, La Turbie set on the Grande Corniche above the Principality, old Roquebrune: calm, old stone, the Mediterranee below. In return, the car becomes difficult to avoid and the range of shops narrows. Neither better nor worse than Nice: a different rhythm. Then there is the tax question, often asked first, it depends on each person's nationality and situation, and falls within the purview of a tax lawyer or notary, not a gazette.
Frequently asked questions
- Can one live in France and work in Monaco?
- Yes, it is a common arrangement on the Cote d'Azur. Many people employed in the Principality reside in neighbouring French communes and cross the border each day, by train, by car via the Corniches, or on foot from Beausoleil and Cap-d'Ail.
- Which French commune is closest to Monaco?
- Cap-d'Ail and Beausoleil border the Principality directly. In Beausoleil, certain streets extend those of Monte-Carlo; one passes from one country to another on foot.
- Is the train a good option for daily journeys?
- The coastal line serves Nice-Ville, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Eze-sur-Mer, Cap-d'Ail and Monaco-Monte-Carlo station, in the centre of the Principality. It avoids the Corniches traffic at peak hours. Timetables and frequencies should be checked on the TER Sud website.
- Does living in France whilst working in Monaco change my tax situation?
- It is possible, and it depends on each person's nationality, household and circumstances. La Gazette does not provide tax advice: consult a tax lawyer or notary before any residence decision.
- Does one need a car when living on the coast and working in Monaco?
- Not necessarily. In Nice, in Beausoleil or near a coastal station, daily life can manage without a car. In perched villages such as Eze or La Turbie, it remains difficult to avoid.
References
The author
Garen AjderhanyanEditor of La Gazette de la Promenade
Editor of La Gazette de la Promenade. He writes on Riviera property and the art of living, from Nice.