Nice

Wow, Nice, what can I say?? You stole my heart from the very second I saw your beach…

Despite it sounding so incredibly corny, as soon as Joan and I saw the dazzling blue of the sea along the Baie des Anges, we knew we had to live in Nice! Just had to!

We descended the bus at the gare routiere and were immediately immersed in the old town, our senses becoming overloaded with typically French sights, smells, sounds… The bustling streets displayed just how full of life the city is, and the wooden shuttered windows and balconies were exactly the right level of shabby French chic we were after! The narrow streets are a constant reminder of just how steeped in history the old town is, seemingly order-less with so many ways to get lost, and always revealing new things to discover. Place Rosetti, the heart of Old Town, welcomed us with its sunny outdoor cafes, its striking cathedral and its many, many gelato flavours, perfect any time of day. The markets at Cours Saleya displayed brightly coloured craftworks and local arts, while straddled on both sides by some of the busiest restaurants and bars in Nice. And as we ran under one of the many archways to the sea, my heart just soared!

The palm tree lined promenade, all 9.5km, was stretched out in front of us, with the sea so many different shades of blue, waves gently lapping the pebbly shore. Rollerbladers, families with pushchairs, people jogging, elderly people out walking, couples dawdling hand in hand as they saunter along, French kids hanging out – its such a well used space, busy all day long and perfectly lit at night to make you feel like you’re constantly on holiday. Spanning from the airport in the west, to the chateau in the east, the promenade stretches the whole length of Nice, and encompasses many famous landmarks such as the Albert 1er gardens with working carousel and many fountains, the Hotel Negresco which has provided luxury accommodation on the promenade since 1913, C.U.M University, two casinos…

Another particularly well used space in Nice is Place Massena with its huge, dynamic fountain at one end, and the entrance to the shopping street the other. The well co-ordinated colours of the buildings, pavement and benches make the place flow seamlessly across the 3 roads it traverses. The tramline now cuts all through the middle, but aside from that the area is a zone pieton and so is pleasant to walk through. It is used by nicois all through the day, with kids hanging out after school, people pausing on one of the many benches to watch others stroll by…buskers playing jazz or break-dancing kids often perform in the evening adding to the chilled out atmosphere…It’s one of the areas in Nice I will never feel scared or intimidated walking through at night, its great.

The square outside the Palais de Justice, is also a fantastically well used space halfway between Place Massena and Cours Saleya, hosting a used book market at the weekend, and being a popular hangout place for youths in the evening. Its prime position by some of the most popular bars, cafes and restaurants in the Old Town means it is always buzzing with life. A couple of times now, we’ve even got gelato there after midnight.

I think my favourite thing about Nice is the amount of diversity there is within the city limits. To the north west you have vine covered hills, to the north you have the ghetto area, you have a Russian district (which I have yet to explore), the old town, East Nice with its down to earth, untouristy feel, Cimiez and its history to the north east, the upmarket shopping streets along Felix Faure and rue Massena, the high street shops along Jean Medecin, Old Town, the lively, slightly upmarket area around the Port, character filled ouest Nice, the ugly area along the prom near the airport…and better yet, this diversity is more often than not reflected in the architecture of the area!

Since moving here, I have very quickly settled into the Riviera lifestyle, and can confidently call myself Nicoise now. I bump into friends on a regular basis when walking down the street, I almost never get lost, I know which bars/restaurants are good to go for the occasion of your choice, I know when the most popular buses are, where they stop, when the trains are, where to look online for the information you need, shop opening hours, several ‘off the beaten track’ walks, which bakery does the cheapest pain au chocolates in old town, how to go see a doctor, how to buy a contract phone in French, when best to visit the bakery to get the good deals…the works!! Its fantastic!!