We’re planning a trip to Nice in February to escape the interminable Maine winter. If possible, I’d like to spend a day in Bandol to visit Tempier, Pradeaux, and Pibarnon. My wife doesn’t drink and we’ll have our five year old with us. Do folks who have been to Bandol feel like there is enough non-wine stuff to do in Bandol to entertain my wife and son for a day. I’d also be curious to hear thoughts on whether February is a good time to visit these wineries. And really any other Nice / Bandol related recommendations, especially if they’re kid-friendly. Thanks!
When wife and I made a day trip to Bandol from our base in Aix in 2019, with very nice visits at Domaine Tempier and Ch. Sainte Anne, we skipped the town of Bandol, which seemed like a nice, large beach town…
However, we chilled at the lively seaside town of Cassis is only 20 minutes drive away and there may be enough there to do for your wife and child to hang about at.
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Interesting thanks! I’ll look at Cassis as an alternative to stay for the night and possibly pop over to Bandol on my own.
I don’t know Ch. Sainte Anne. Would you recommend that to visit over Pradeaux and Pibarnon?
I can only speak for Sainte Anne. It’s one of the oldest property in Bandol and the first thing that our host said when he appeared to greet us after I parked was “I hope you know and like natural wines.” Did not disappoint for my taste, with their wines showing a bit of ruggedness, earthiness and elegance. Sat on rickety chairs on uneven land right outside the chateau, with a large leveled rock as our table, where they poured me 6 or 7 different bottles of reds/rose/whites. No one spoke English and my non-drinker wife helped sufficiently to translate for me. Great folks there.
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been to Bandol in Feb, it’s super quiet but still beautiful. the wineries like Tempier usually take visits by appointment that time of year, so definitely reach out ahead. as for your wife and kid, the seaside promenade in Bandol is nice for a stroll, there’s a cute little carousel sometimes running, and a couple parks nearby.
Not a ton to do, but enough for a chill afternoon. also, the beach is still great for sandcastles even if it’s too cold to swim. might also check out the Zoo du Faron near Toulon, bit of a drive but could be a fun detour!
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Thanks! Perhaps I’ll try to add it to the itinerary if there’s time. These will be my first winery visits since I started this hobby so I don’t really know how many I can expect to visit in a day.
Thanks! I’ll make sure to schedule appointments with each winery ahead of time. Were you the only visitor there for your tours?
Excellent, seems like it might be okay for them to stay with me in Bandol for one day if we go that route. Do you think any of the wineries in particular would be interesting for a non-drinker? Might make sense for them to visit one with me and then spend the rest of the day in town while I visit a couple more wineries.
Thanks for the idea! We’ll take a look at Toulon as another possible option for staying the night. Seems close enough that I could visit the wineries from there while my family explores Toulon. Would you recommend Toulon for them over Bandol if it were one or the other? Did you find that there was good Uber coverage in that area? Looks like the bus from Toulon to Domaine Tempier is 1.5 hours but the drive is only 20 minutes.
As far as I remember Uber was operating in Marseille last I was there. Wasn’t the case with Biarritz last I was there a long time ago so I think it depends on each area. Anyhow, my guess is there may not be great availability once outside of urban areas.
You may already be aware but the Calanques are in the Bandol area and pretty spectacular. I don’ think you could really squeeze in both multiple wine visits and a hike in the Calanques on the same day, though. Some (most?) have become so crowded in summer that you need to make a reservation but I think they are open to anyone without reservation in the winter and winters there are generally pretty mild you could still enjoy if that’s appealing to you.
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Thanks! I’ll look into scheduling a taxi or something if Uber isn’t available. Spending 1.5 hours on the bus isn’t super appealing.
Good point! We weren’t previously planning on visiting the Calanques from Nice but if we’re going to be in Bandol anyway we should definitely consider a stop.
Excellent, I was hoping I would be able to do a less crowded, more relaxed visit in the off-season.
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Totally agree, that 20-minute drive vs the long bus ride really makes a difference, especially if you’re trying to squeeze a few visits into the day.
Personally, I’d lean toward Bandol if it’s just for a night or two, it’s more walkable and laid-back, which might be nice for your wife and kid while you’re off at the wineries.
Toulon definitely has more to do overall, though, so if you’re staying longer or want a bit more variety, it could be the better base.
As for Uber, it’s a bit hit-or-miss honestly. In Toulon I had better luck, especially around the station and city center. In Bandol, it can take a little longer to get a ride, but it’s doable with some patience. Renting a car might be worth considering if you’re planning to bounce between towns or wineries that aren’t super close.
Hope your trip planning’s going smooth, sounds like it’s gonna be a good one 
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Thanks! It’ll be a short trip overall so really probably only one night in Bandol / Toulon so definitely appreciate your recommendation.
Definitely, we’re super excited. My wife has never been to the south of France and I have only been to Marseille probably 20 years ago. I was excited when we were just talking about Nice before I realized how close we would be to Bandol and that I might get to do my first ever French winery visits! Cannot wait. 
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