Nice is the perfect place to base yourself to explore the French Riviera. Both times we stayed in Nice, we arrived by train from other cities in France – Bordeaux and Carcassonne.
The first time we stayed in Nice it was summer which meant long warm days, perfect for a day of sightseeing then a few hours on the beach.
We are from Australia, and I have to say, we have some pretty fantastic beaches, so it takes a lot to impress me when it comes to them. My first impression of the pebbly Nice beach was a little underwhelming. You can’t really spread your towel on the ground and relax on little lumps of rock. And there is no way to look sexy walking into the water as you stumble and slip and end up on your bum before you get there! However, after an afternoon on a sunbed (much more comfortable), I realized that the pebbles are what make it a memorable and different experience.
I admit I was pretty ignorant about how things work in Europe on my first visit. I didn’t realize that you have to pay for the sunbeds, I just thought it was first in best dressed, so when we went to the beach late one afternoon and found some empty beds, I made myself comfortable and ordered a mojito. Spent a lovely afternoon chilling while the kids had a swim, it wasn’t until we packed up and made to leave that I was asked to pay for the bed ….ooops!
Where to Stay
On our first visit we stayed at the Hotel Suisse, on the waterfront, fantastic location! It was great being able to wander down to the beach for an hour or two and not have too far to wander back. On our second visit, my friend and I stayed in a hostel. When I say hostel, it was a pretty nice one, Ozz Hostel. We opted for a room of our own with our own bathroom. Totally different experiences! In the hostel, we met some great people, shared some beverages….. a LOT of beverages… shared stories and nursed a pretty massive hangover!
The Waterfront
We spent some time walking along the Promenade des Anglais (walkway of the English). I noticed a military presence on the promenade on our second visit after the tragic events that occurred there on Bastille Day in 2016. The Nice waterfront is beautiful with statues, fountains and historic buildings to admire.
We popped down to Cannes, fantasizing about shopping there, but choosing to purchase at some lovely local markets instead.
Walking the other way around the headland takes you to the port, where you can see quite the selection of luxury yachts and where you can catch the ferry over to Corsica. As you walk around the headland, passing the big ‘#I love Nice’ sign, you will come across the imposing war memorial of Nice, carved into the side of the mountain. This monument is dedicated to the 4000 citizens of Nice who died in the first and second World Wars.
Past the military monument, you will see a gated road that leads to an historic cemetery and beautiful gardens with fantastic views of the Cote d’Azur. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to venture far up the road as it closes late in the afternoon, and we left our walk a little too late in the day …. hangovers take so much longer to recover from when you get to our age!
Day trip to Provence
With Nice as a base, we explored the French Riviera on a number of day trips. We had one day tour of the Provence area, visiting a perfumery and the pretty hilltop villages of Gourdon and Saint Paul de Vence.
The highlight for me was visiting La Colombe d’Or in St Paul de Vence, famous for housing some paintings by now famous artists such as Picasso, Matisse and Chagall. During the war years, St Paul de Vence became a bit of a haven for the arty types, and they exchanged some of their work for lodgings. These paintings are on display throughout the hotel and restaurant. The list of celebrities that have stayed here is extensive….it is quirky, quaint and the cost of their insurance must be through the roof! The restaurant wasn’t open, but with the excuse of needing to use the bathroom, I was able to have a quick sneak-peek!
Eze
A stop along the way that I highly recommend is a visit to the medieval hilltop village of Eze. Bit of a bugger to get to without a car, but Uber came to the rescue. This place is like a fairytale. The view of the Cote d’Azur from the exotic garden is amazing! There is a small entrance fee to enter this garden full of cacti and succulents, but it is well worth it. Scattered throughout the garden you’ll discover several elegant Goddess Earth Statues, sculpted by Jean-Philippe Richard.
Monaco
On our second visit to Nice, my friend and I did a day trip to Monaco. Who hasn’t fantasized about sipping bellinis in the Monte Carlo casino and betting it all on red??
We arrived in Monte Carlo, sipped our bellinis, and put that bet on red. We sat ourselves at a sidewalk cafe and did some serious people watching.
Those fans of motor sport would know that Monaco annually plays host to the Formula 1 Grand Prix. I can’t comment on what Monaco is like in May and leading up to the race, as I haven’t been there during that time. however, there is plenty of F1 related things to see and do, from walking around part of the track, to seeing some of the cars and driver’s accessories in the Prince of Monaco’s private car collection.
What I learned about myself
I came to a realization in Nice. I am fairly self-conscious about my body and am not very confident. Well, that very first day in Nice changed my perspective completely. I think I might have been the only person on that crowded beach in a one-piece swimsuit. There were bodies of all shapes, sizes and ages on display on that beach, and all of them from what I could see, were happy in their own skin. It really made me stop and think about what my problem was. I now appreciate that I am healthy, mobile and my body has given me the gift of children and it should be celebrated. I might be in my 50’s but since that trip, I make sure I pack one bikini (along with my one-piece swimmers) in the suitcase when I go away…. because why not??
