Nice (France) Is Nice

After an extensive buffet breakfast at our hotel, Tim and I were ready to begin our visit to the French Riviera. The itinerary for today included a tour through Nice, a visit to Eze Village, lunch at Les Remparts La Chèvre d’Or, a walk through Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, and dinner at Fleur de Sel. Quite a full day!

Because we had no signal with our AT&T cell service, the friendly staff at Chateau Le Cagnard relayed messages to us from our guide and made sure we knew when and where to meet her. Cécile, our driver-guide for the next three days, was quite familiar with the narrow streets of Haut-de-Cagnes and arranged for our hotel valet to walk us through the village to the main road where she picked us up.

We drove into Nice along the Promenade des Anglais, which was financed in the nineteenth century by wealthy English tourists who wanted a comfortable place to stroll and admire the view of the sea. Rows of blue chairs, the symbol of Nice, line the promenade. We passed grand, historic hotels, including Hôtel Negresco, Nice’s finest hotel, and the beautiful Art Deco façade of the Palais de la Méditerranée.

Along the Promenade des Anglais - Hôtel Negresco, Blue Chairs, and the Palais de la Méditerranée

Cécile parked the van, and we began our walking tour at Place Masséna, the main square in Nice. We viewed the statue of Apollo and the Promenade du Paillon, whose fountains, unfortunately, were not working. From there, we entered Vieux Nice, the Old Town. As we passed the Opera House, Cécile pointed out the face of the Statue of Liberty on the hanging light fixtures. We would later see another Statue of Liberty in front of the other side of the Opera House. We learned that there are at least ten Statues of Liberty throughout France. Some are original, smaller statues made by Bartholdi, while others are replicas.

Place Masséna, the Statue of Apollo and the Promenade du Paillon

Opera House and Its Statues of Liberty

In a few minutes we arrived at Cours Saleya, which has served as the main market square in Nice since the Middle Ages. Here, we wandered through the colorful flower market and then moved into the produce section. Wow! What beautiful displays we saw! Under colorful canvas awnings were vegetables, fruits, fish, and sausages, all of which were produced locally. The new asparagus and squash blossoms, olives, local salts and spices, and candied fruits really caught my eye. Although everything I had read raved about French markets, it wasn’t until I was actually in the midst of one that I understood the attraction.

The Flower Market

So Many Beautiful Flowers

Lots to See in the Produce Market

Candied Fruits, Squash Blossoms, Salts and Spices, and Asparagus

As we wandered through the surrounding streets, Cécile pointed out the various street foods and other regional specialties displayed in the tiny shops we passed. Although she encouraged us to try a few, Tim and I declined since we knew we were going to be having lunch in an hour or so. It was only then that I wished we didn’t have plans for lunch and instead could have picked up a few of these items for a simple lunch.

I Wanted to Sample One of Each!

As we continued our tour of Vieux Nice, Cécile was a fountain of information. Everywhere we turned, she had something to point out or tell us. I especially enjoyed her description of various architectural elements, including the Adam and Eve relief fresco, iron grills over the doors to allow air to enter the buildings, and niches in the corners of buildings with busts to famous residents.

Architectural Details

I liked Nice much more than I thought I would and enjoyed exploring the narrow streets where locals still live, shop, and eat. We ended our tour back on the promenade, where we walked for a bit, enjoying the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.

Streets of Vieux Nice

Along the Promenade

A Beautiful View