Nice - Queen of the Riviera
Nice is the capital of the Alpes Maritimes department, the fifth largest city in France and the most important city on the Riviera. Nice is particularly known for its beautiful location on the Baie des Anges, surrounded by hillsides. Nice has been a favourite holiday destination for centuries, attracting kings and princes from all over the world, as evidenced by the many luxury hotels in Nice. At the beginning of the 19th century, an English colony flourished and English aristocrats flocked to the coast, effectively colonising most of the coastline. It was also the English who built the large seafront promenade Camin des Angès, hence the later name Promenade des Anglais. Queen Victoria also holidayed in Nice. At the end of the 19th century, she wintered every year at the palace hotel Regina in the Cimiez neighbourhood. Here she received countless European princes and other crowned heads of state. Nice has only been part of France since 1860. Before that, the city was part of Italy, which is still clearly visible. The city's main attraction is the old neighbourhood Vielle Ville or Vieux Nice, as it is also known. Here you'll find a maze of narrow, winding streets, densely packed red tiled roofs, small cosy squares, a wealth of shops and a large selection of both good and not so good restaurants. Cours Salaya is the heart of the old town. Here there is an extensive flower and vegetable market every morning, and once a month there is a large market for vendors. Matisse lived at the end of the square in a large yellow house. Here he sat on the third floor and looked out of the window while making his marvellous little pictures. The Italian influence is strong here. Nice is located at the foot of the Rocher du Château mountain, where the city was originally situated. From here you have a wide view of Baie des Anges and Vielle Ville on one side and the harbour on the other. At the top there is a large park with a playground, Roman ruins and a waterfall. 
Inspiration for your holiday:Attractions:Vieux Nice: the old town Cours Salaya: the flower square in the old town Palais Lascaris: a grand 17th-century mansion located in Rue Droit in the old town. Promenade des Anglais: including the famous Hôtel Negresco with its liveried doormen, the large rotunda inside the palatial building, the large prismatic chandeliers and luxury suites, all decorated differently with treasures and antiques. The hotel has been listed as a national monument. Rocher du Château. Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain: Museum of Modern Art - here you can see a large collection of avant-garde art. Place Masséna: The centre of the city with its large pink buildings and grandiose waterfall. Palais Masséna: Italianate villa built in 1900, now a museum with a collection of paintings, jewellery and faience. Musée des Beaux-Arts: Extensive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection. Cathédrale Orthodoxe Russe: Russian cathedral built by Tsar Nicholas II in 1912: http://www.egliseorthodoxerusse-nice.com/ Musée National Message Biblique Marc Chagall: Houses an extensive collection of Marc Chagall's work: http://www.musee-chagall.fr/ Les Arènes Romaines: A 3rd century Roman theatre and the remains of Roman baths. It hosts a large-scale jazz festival every July, attracting more than 50,000 spectators. Musée Matisse: Shortly before his death in 1954, Matisse bequeathed his works to the city: http://www.musee-matisse-nice.org/ Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption and Musée Franciscain. Carnival: The large-scale carnival is held in February. 
Activities in NiceTheatre opera. Water sports. Ice skating rink. Ski resorts within a reasonable distance: http://www.skifrance.fr/default-a.htm. Golf - There is a wealth of golf courses in the Alpes Maritimes department. The French Golf Union has a website where most courses are presented. Unfortunately, the website is in French. Go to Guide de golfs and search here under the Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur region: http://www.ffgolf.org/. |