A Piece Of Nice

Nice, located as it is on the northern shores of the Mediterranean, is a beautiful and inspirational city. With its light and clear air it has been the favourite location for artists while the local produce, wines and seafood make it popular with those who wish to feed the body as well as the imagination.

Nice is a city which is of itself an attraction. The architecture reflects the wealth the city has always enjoyed, the beaches and views over both land and sea are breathtaking all year round and the local events are just the icing on the cake. I was lucky enough to stay in a house share in the centre of town that gave me everything Nice has to offer at my fingertips.

Nice is such a wonderful city that you don’t really need to plan an itinerary for, just walking from one district to another will afford you any number of diversions including restaurants, galleries, markets and entertainments.

Things That Are Nice

Rue de France pedestrian zone for example, is a bustling centre where you can pick up treats to take home, see street entertainment or try out local foods, which, as you would expect are quite out of this world. You can also shop for designer clothes or just walk around window shopping for along as you wish to.

Enjoy Every Piece Of Nice

If culture is on your agenda though, then there are museums dedicated to many artists and the visual arts in general all around Nice. The Matisse Museum holds many of the artists most famous and influential works, both early and late. As well as those pieces which were inspired by him and, in turn, those that offered inspiration to one of France’s most talented artists. As well as art there are other artefacts which belonged to Matisse which give something of a personal insight into the man himself and his incredible genius.

As well as artists the region of the Cote d Azure has given a lot of inspiration to photographers whose work can be seen at the Theatre de la Photogaphie et de la Image. This gallery of photographs and paintings has images which range from the abstract to historical seascapes which record the city of Nice as it was over a century ago. With sailed fishing boats and horsedrawn flower carts plying their various trades all depicted in these beautiful old paintings, it shows that the heart of Nice stills remains the same after all these years.

Things are Nice, in Nice!

Talking of history, Vieux Nice or Old Nice remains a popular and enjoyable location. The narrow streets and unchanging shops go some way to make you feel as if you’re stepping back to a more simple age. As well as locally produced foods and crafts you can find traditional Provençal goods alongside restaurants where those housewares and produce are put to good use, making fine Provençal cuisine.

Another thing which makes Nice unique in its history is the architecture. Roman archaeology and ruins can be found all over Nice, including bath houses, a circus and many intact aqueducts. The Russian Orthodox Church found a home here too, juxtaposing the domes we usually expect to see in Moscow and St Petersberg with olive and palm trees.

Finally, there’s one area which is often overlooked by many visitors and that’s Nice Port. If you’re in Vieux Nice then it’s just a stones’ throw away on Quai des Etates Unis. Here you can watch the ships coming and going by day while at night the district becomes a whole different animal as it is also home to the city’s most lively nightclubs and bars. And as France is known for its great lagers you simply must take in a beer or two…I know I did!