Nice, France
Nice is the second-largest French city on the Mediterranean coast, the second-largest city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region after Marseille, and is the capital of the French Riviera (Côte d’Azur).
I took a train from Cassis to Nice changing trains in Toulon, the trip in total took about 3 hours. My walk from the Gare de Nice-Ville (train station) to my Airbnb located towards the water took about 15 minutes. It was an easy commute.
This city has a rich history dating back to ancient Greek times, and its unique architectural style blends the best of both French and Italian influences. Located only 32 km/20 miles from the Italian border, in the past, Nice belonged to Italy. The town was held by the counts of Provence during the 10th century, and in 1388 passed under the protection of the counts of Savoy, who held it until 1860, although it was captured and occupied several times by the French during the 17th and 18th centuries. Nice was ceded to France by the Treaty of Turin (1860), after which a referendum ratified the decision.
Many consider the pièce de résistance on Nice to be the Promenade des Anglais, a breathtaking landmark that runs along the Baie des Anges, with stunning views of the shimmering Mediterranean Sea. Legend has it that the name "Bay of Angels" was coined by the English expat community in the 18th century who fell in love with the sparkling blue waters and believed they were a heavenly gift.
Truly, nothing looks quite like the color of the Mediterranean on a clear bright sunny day. I walked down the Promenade des Anglais which runs for 7km/4+ miles along the coast towards the Old Town and the Port. Locals in Nice refer to Promenade as “La Prom”. The color of the water was breathtaking!! All the beaches are pebbles not sand, so take your flip flops, it’s not fun to walk on barefoot and not fun to lay out on either.
One of the landmarks on the Promenade des Anglais include Hôtel Negresco, the art-deco Palais de la Méditerranée established in 1929.
Located between old and new Nice, Place Massena is one of the largest squares in Nice. The square itself is surrounded by stunning traditional Niçoise buildings with red facades and white window frames as well as more neoclassical structures. It also features a trademark black and white tiled floor and palm trees.
My favorite part of town, 2nd only to the Promenade, is the 16th century Old Town of Nice, or as the locals call it, "Vieux Nice,” a largely pedestrian-only part of town that’s packed full of restaurants, bars, cafes, markets, etc. The narrow, winding streets are lined with colorful buildings, hidden squares, quaint chapels, outdoor markets, and stunning Baroque architecture.
Airbnb home sweet home after a long day of exploring, what a beautiful sunset it was!!
To be perfectly honest, I don’t especially love Nice. I didn’t find anything particularly magnetic about it other then gorgeous water color. It’s a city and there were time it felt like a dirty city at that. I am not crazy about the Riviera, I think it’s a bit overrated. None of these towns have the charm I experienced of the villages in Provence. That is just my humble opinion. Yet, there are good aspects to this town as I’ve showed above. Additionally, a great thing about Nice is it is an excellent place to base out of for exploring the surrounding region. It’s an easy train ride east or west along the coast with lots of towns to choose to jump off and explore. My next post will be highlighting my day trip to Menton and Monaco.
