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Nice
is France’s fifth largest city and is now the largest
resort on France’s Mediterranean coast. It was founded
by the Greeks and then colonised by the Romans. It became
a popular winter destination in the second half of the nineteenth
century, when the temperate winter climate and subtropical
vegetation attracted the aristocracy, including Queen Victoria
and Tzar Nicholas of Russia. Many
wealthy people stayed for the whole winter season, to escape
the cold damp northern European climate, and Nice at that
time was quiet throughout the summer. Many Belle Epoque hotels
and large villas were built then, giving rise to the stunning
architecture for which the city is famous. The city was actually
Italian until 1861, and the Italian influence can also be
seen in many of the buildings and the local Nicoise cuisine. |
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The
English colony was so large in the 1830's that they raised
funds to build the Promenade des Anglais, now a 7 km walk
along the Baie des Anges as far as the airport. This
remains the place to stroll, roller blade, or cycle, in front
of Grand Hotels such as the Negresco and Palais de la Mediterranée,
with the blue sea alongside. |
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| Nowadays,
the city is very much an all-year-round destination, with
budget airlines allowing northern Europeans and French alike
to enjoy some winter sunshine, or to join the summer holidaymakers
who flock to the beaches, and enjoy the atmospheric street
life. |
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The
Prettiest Market in France – Cours Saleya: |
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| In
all the cities of Provence you will find neighborhoods full
of life and activities. Nice is no exception to this rule.
In the old quarter of the city, on the edge of the ocean,
is a large esplanade offering a thousand sights and smells
from the South of France: The Saleya Court. Every morning,
each in turn, the flower market, fruit and vegetable market,
or antique market is held; this magical place where musicians,
sculptors and painters offer a wonderful open air show to
the enchantment of the passersby. Every evening, illuminated
by the lights of restaurants, pubs and bistros, it is the
meeting point for young and old who begin their nights with
stop at the terrace of a cafe. |
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world never seems to stop in one of the most beautiful and
well-known pedestrian zones, with local food shops which have
not changed in decades. The exuberant turn-of-the century
residences that made Nice one of Europe's most fashionable
winter retreats have survived intact, despite German occupation
in the second World war. |
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Espace
Massena :
City
life revolves around Massena Square, Nice's geographic centre.
Originally created in 1832, it has been redesigned several
times since then and in 1852 finally named in honour of
one of the city's most famous citizens. This harmoniously
landscaped area of fountains, statues, trees, flowers, etc.
provides Nice with a hub where its citizens and visitors
can admire the surrounding architecture, gardens, and countryside.
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Museums
and Galleries: |
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| Nice
has developed a reputation for the number and excellence of
its museums and galleries, it has the most museums in France.
Free admission to the municipal museums on the first and third
Sundays of each month ! |
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CARTE PASSE-MUSÉES 7 DAYS : unlimited access to municipal
museums valid for 7 days during a 15 day period . Fixed rate
€6. |
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| Musee
Matisse Ave des Arenes de Cimiez
Musee
d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain (M.A.M.A.C.) Promenade
des Arts
Musee
National Marc Chagall Ave de Docteur Menard
/ Blvd de Cimiez
Musee
des BeauxArts Ave des Baumettes
Musee
Terra Amata Blvd Carnot |
Musee
d'Histoire Naturelle Blvd Risso
Musee
archeologique de Cimiez Ave des Arenes de Cimiez
Palais
Lascaris Rue Droite, Old Town
Palais
Massena 67 Rue de France (under renovation) |
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| The
Matisse Museum And The Museum Of Contemporary Art,
Avenue
des Arenes de Cimiez:
The
work of Matisse marks the beginning of modern art in the 20th
century. The Matisse museum of Nice enables one to discover
the different aspects and follow the development of an art
that brought figuration to the limits of abstraction in a
Mediterranean context. It bears witness of the love of Matisse
for the French Riviera and his relationships with this region.
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Contemporary Art Museum of Nice where artists in the inheritance
of Marcel Duchamp or of Henri Matisse cohabitate is mainly
centered on the dialogue between the American tendencies in
contemporary art and the school of Nice : the "Nouveaux
Ralistes" and Pop Art or between Colour Field and the
Supports-Surface group. The visit of these two museums brings
about a better understanding of the passage from modern art
to contemporary art. |
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L'église
Russe - Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas
(Boulevard
du Tzarevitch)
Inaugurated in 1912, the cathédrale Saint Nicolas presents
a superb harmony of pink bricks, light grey marble and brightly
coloured ceramic. Crowned by six "onion-shaped"
domes, it contains superb treasures : icons, woodwork and
frescoes. |
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| Musée
d'Art et d'Art Contemporain
Architecturally
speaking, Nice's Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMAC)
is the city's top gallery. Four huge marble towers are connected
by glass walkways, topped by a roof garden with spectacular
views of Nice. The museum, which opened in 1990, specialises
in European and American avant-garde works from the 1960s
to the present. New realists figure highly, with many pieces
by Romanian Caniel Spoerri and Arman. There's a gallery reserved
for works by Nice-born Yves Klein (1928-62), and the ground
and first floors are taken up with temporary exhibitions.
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Gardens
and Parks: |
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| Le
Parc Du Chateau :
‘Le
Chateau' is where an old castle, destroyed in 1706, used to
sit on top of a high rock overlooking Nice old town and the
port. Today it is now laid out as gardens with many walks
and large areas for relaxing and picnicking. At the very top,
a viewing area has fantastic views of Nice and the coastline,
and there's a terrace café and souvenir stand. The
waterfall, just below the top, is visible from the town below,
and a walkway at the base of the falls provides a refreshing
mist-shower in the summertime. There are two ways to get up
there. The steps, as you can see, or (thanks to the Nice authorities)
a lift built into the rock - a welcome relief on hot days!
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| Le
Jardin Des Arenes De Cimiez:
Located
on the Cimiez cliffs overlooking Nice and next to the Monastery
Gardens. An ideal spot to spend an agreable day in the open
air, picnic under the shade of olive trees, play games, roll
around on the lawn, visit the "Cemenelum" roman
ruins and the nearby museums (Archaeological and Matisse).
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| Musée
Archéologique de Nice-Cimiez
At
the site of Roman Cemenelum at Cimiez, this museum
presents the tools, sculptures, pottery, engravings, jewelry
and coins found here, and includes the outside excavations
of the ancient baths and other buildings. |
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| Musée
Franciscain et Monastere de Cimiez:
Situated
in a 17th-century convent, still an active monastery. The
museum shows the Franciscan way of life from the 18th century.
The 15th-17th century church contains documents and artwork,
including three paintings by Louis Brea. The park and flower
gardens are beautiful and peaceful, and have a nice view of
the Paillon valley. |
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| Parc
Floral Phoenix
The
largest plant house in the world, the Astronomic Garden, the
Island of the Remotes Times, The Maya Temple, fishes, birds,
exotic butterflies and thousand of flowers as well as exhibits,
events and entertainment. |
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Beaches:
Out
in the sun, at last ! Les
Résidences du Palais De La Méditerranée
Is Opposite ‘Sporting Plage’ And ‘Lido
Plage’ Beaches on the Promenade des Anglais.
The beach is mainly a pebble beach and the purchase of plastic
shoes is recommended.
Or maybe under a parasol. Choose between 15 pleasant and
comfortable private beaches, and well kept public beaches,
wide open and free for all to use. The sea water is checked
regularly and has a good rating according to European standards.
The private beaches all provide (from April to October)
mattresses, parasols, changing cabins and showers.
Subject
to availability and payment of a daily or half day fee, you
may have the use of the pool on the roof of the Meridan Hotel.
The hotel is on the corner of the Promenade and Rue Gustave
V.
There is
a lovely sandy beach in Villefranche-sur-Mer, which is good
for snorkeling. This can be reached by train, going East to
Monto Carlo / Italy. |
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| Shopping:
The
main shopping street is Ave Jean Medecin, running back from
the Place Massena. A 5 storey Galerie Lafayette is close
to Massena, and a very pleasant new centre – Nice Etoile,
2 or 3 blocks further along on the right, with Habitat and
FNAC, great for CDs, books and electronics. Other upmarket
shopping on Rue Massena and Rue de la Buffa. The traffic-free
Zone Pietonée begins close to the apartment and runs
to Massena. |
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| Restaurants:
There
Are Plenty Of Restaurants Close To Les Résidences du
Palais De La Mediterranee, Of Particular Note Is Restaurant
Franchin On Rue Massenet – Four Minutes Walk – Tel. No. +
33 (0)4 93 87 15 74, Bookings Recommended At Weekends. Exit
To The Right On Rue De France And Cross Over Rue du Congrés,
Into The Pedestrian Area And The Street Is The Next On The
Right With The Restaurant Just On The Left.
In
The Old Town, In Cours Saleya, Recommendations Include Bistro
Romain Tel. No. + 33 ( 0)4 93 47 80 90 And La Cambuse Tel.
No. +33 (0)4 93 80 1231
Also
Of Note Is Le Tire Bouchon On Rue De La Prefecture – Tel.
No. +33 (0)4 93 92 63 64, Bookings Recommended At Weekends.
Irish
/ English Pubs Include O'Neills On Rue Droite, McMahon's On
Boulevard Jean Jaures And Waynes On Rue De La Prefecture.
The
Palais de la Méditerranée Hotel is well worth
a visit, either for dinner in the Le Padouk, or even for a
drink in the bar, overlooking the pool, both located on the
third floor. |
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| Festivals:
Nice
is blessed with a year-round programme of festivities including
concerts, theatre, opera, ballet, gala events, shows,
exhibitions.
Full
details may be found at: nicetourism
and cotedazur-en-fetes |
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| Nice
carnaval
The
Nice Carnival, the first international carnival celebration
in France , is the top winter event on the French
Riviera. The city of Nice comes alive in a fortnight of festivities
: carnival processions, elegant flower parades, prestige soirées,
rock and techno concerts, entertainment and fireworks will
attract over 1,200,000 spectators !
This
theme for 2005 was King of the insane Merdaille and Cornipetant
Climate (King of the Deranged Climate !)
The theme suggests a reflection on climatic and environmental
disturbances using words borrowed from Rabelais (prologue
to “Gargantua”) to emphasize its colourfulness.
The Carnival processions will display some twenty
decorated floats, 300 "big heads"
- pasteboard caricatures - and a hundred
troupes of entertainers. |
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Nice
jazzfest
The
NICE JAZZ FESTIVAL - ,20 th to the 27 th July, one of three
major jazz events in Europe with Montreux and The Hague, draws
more than 45,000 spectators every summer with its 500 plus
musicians, 8 days, 75 concerts and 120 hours of magic and
music! Every night from 7 pm to midnight, 3 stages present
a prestigious array of world-famous artists. |
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| In
the historic surroundings of a gallo-roman site, a relaxed
and warm, family-like atmosphere where audiences and artists
meet naturally.
The
NICE JAZZ FEST is a musically eclectic event covering all
aspects of jazz music, from African roots to avant-garde sounds,
from gospel and blues to fusion and urban funk.
Over
the years, it has made its mark as the most outstanding event
in southern Europe. |
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