Nice is Nice!

For many years when I was visiting this area, I avoided Nice.  I think it was because those time I had a car and driving in Nice is a nightmare.  However, for the last 4 or 5 visits, there has been no car involved - at least until I leave the town to explore further in Provence - and I have gradually come to really like Nice.  The setting, of course, is stunning.  The buildings here have a strong Italian influence which is likely because the County of Nice was under the protection of the Kingdom of Sardinia from 1814 until, by a treaty concluded in 1860 between the Sardinian king and Napoleon III, the County of Nice was again ceded to France, along with Savoy, as a territorial reward for French assistance in the Second Italian War of Independence against Austria.  Street signs in the old town are in both French and the Nicard (Nicois) dialect which seems very much related to Italian.

We have spent the last few days wandering along the seafront and through the Cours Saleya (one of the markets) and Le Vieux Ville (the old town).  Yesterday, we also went to Place Messena, a beautiful large square just in from the Promenade des Anglais.  Its layout was designed by Joseph Vernier in 1843-1844.  It is the main square of the city. With the demolition of the Masséna Casino in 1979, the Place Masséna became more spacious and less dense and is now bordered by red ochre buildings of Italian architecture.  The recent rebuilding of the tramline gave the square back to the pedestrians, restoring its status as a real Mediterranean square. It is lined with palm trees and stone pines, instead of being the rectangular roundabout of sorts it had become over the years. Since its construction, the Place Masséna has always been the spot for great public events. It is used for concerts, and particularly during the summer festivals, the Corso carnavalesque (carnival parade) in February, the military procession of 14 July (Bastille Day) and other traditional celebrations and banquets.  The Place Masséna is a two-minute walk from the Promenade des Anglais, old town, town centre, and Albert I Garden (Jardin Albert Ier). It is also a large crossroads between several of the main streets of the city: avenue Jean Médecin, avenue Félix Faure, boulevard Jean Jaurès, avenue de Verdun and rue Gioffredo. 

There is also a park with water fountains, ones often seen in other cities like Bordeaux and Paris.

We have also enjoyed walking along the Promenade des Anglais both during the day and in the evening.  We had dinner the other night at Le Siecle in the Hotel West End.  It was my friend's birthday so we wanted to celebrate.  The restaurant did not disappoint - we sat on the terrace with views of the sea and sunset.  We also got to see the famous Hotel Negresco lit up at night.  I also didn't know there was a bar at the top of the Meridien until a friend who lives in Nice told us about it.  Earlier that day we had gone for a drink on the terrace.  The views were stunning.   

 Nice has been wonderful to explore and we decided to spend more time in the city rather than taking trains to nearby places like Antibes and Menton.  It has been a good decision.  For our final evening here, we went back to Le Siecle for a drink before we wandered to find a place to have our dinner.  The sunset was amazing!

Next up is a weekend in San Remo, Italy, before starting to head west along the coast.