Nice is a city that will reward your exploration. The highlight is the glorious curve of the Bay of Angels, eight kilometres of the loveliest urban seafront in Europe hugging the majestic Mediterranean and fringed by the celebrated Promenade des Anglais.
But tear yourself away and there are many other delights to sample.
Where there’s a ville…
The historic Vieille Ville, or Old Town, is nestled neatly between the seafront and Le Port. Amid the tightly packed warren of narrow streets sits the Cours Saleya, a pedestrian street that’s home to daily markets.
From Tuesdays to Saturdays the main square is filled with hundreds of stalls with brightly-coloured striped awnings selling fruit, vegetables and flowers. The whole scene is a riot of vivid colours and seductive aromas.
Regarding Henri (and Marc)
Nice is brimming with excellent galleries but if you only venture to one, make sure it’s the Musée Matisse, located just a short drive from the seafront up on Cimiez Hill.
Henri Matisse, one of the 20th century’s most influential and innovative painters, lived in the capital of the Côte d’Azur from 1917 until his death in 1954.
Here, in a 17th-century villa, the city pays tribute to the artist with a superb collection of his art.
Another recommended museum is the Musée Marc Chagall, housing the eponymous painter’s most important Biblical works; 17 magnificent paintings depicting the Biblical Message.
An Orthodox beauty
Take some time to marvel at the city’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral, the most visited monument in Nice.
The interior is almost overwhelming in its extravagance, containing some 300 icons and other treasures brought from Russia during the turmoil of the Revolution.
Even if you only view the cathedral from outside, the exterior is still stunning, complete with a wealth of cupolas, mini steeples, turrets and polychrome tiles.
The coast with the most
The French Riviera has always attracted upmarket visitors, from the artists and writers who frequented the beautiful coast in the 19th and early 20th centuries to the high rollers of the 1920s.
Rent a car and you too can enjoy one of the most beautiful parts of France. A short drive east is picturesque Eze, a real gem of the Côte d'Azur.
This charming medieval village lies on a steep hilltop high above the Mediterranean Sea, with sweeping panoramas of the Cap-Ferrat coastline.
Further east along the Riviera, near the Italian border, is picture-perfect Menton. The Old Town has a distinctive Italian influence while beach-lovers can head straight for the Plage des Sablettes for some rays and a dip in the calm, warm waters of the Mediterranean.
Style and substance
Driving west from Nice is an equally enticing prospect. Only 40 minutes away is Antibes, a favourite of the Riviera cognoscenti.
This large port is also a real working town, friendlier and more low-key than its neighbours.
The real attraction here is the legendary beach scene. Sun worshippers have many choices, from large public beaches to private beaches with lots of excellent fine-dining restaurants and chic little beach-front bistros.
At the western extremity of the Côte d’Azur is that most stylish of resorts, Saint-Tropez, a one-time fishing village that was thrust into stardom by the famous actress Brigitte Bardot in the 1950s.
Its Mediterranean charms continue to woo visitors. The old village offers an appealing old-world ambience of cobbled streets, outdoor cafés, and pleasant shady squares, while the picturesque harbour is filled with the luxury yachts of the rich and famous.
Car rental in Nice is your passport to seeing all that this magnificent corner of France has to offer.
