A Three Day Sojourn in Nice, French Riviera Beauty

Queen of the French Riviera, Nice has been soothing travelers for several centuries with its languid climate, beautiful sea, delicious Niçoise cuisine, lively markets and cultural scene. English tourists en route to their European Grand Tour discovered the charms of the city, and began flocking to the area in earnest in the late 19th century and provided the funding for the famous beachside esplanade, Promenade des Anglais, built in 1822, which extends over seven kilometers along the shimmering Bay of Angels.

At any time of year, positioning yourself in a seaside hotel will afford beautiful views, easy access for promenade strolling, biking or relaxing and reading your morning paper on one of the trademark blue benches, and close proximity to the sea and the many inviting beachside clubs.  Our base was the Westminster Hotel right on the Promenade des Anglais. For over 130 years the Westminster has perched in its exceptional position.  Our room was small but had extraordinary views facing the sea, with a tiny balcony just big enough for two chairs.  A good buffet breakfast is served at the hotel’s restaurant, Le Duc.  We also enjoyed a lunch on the outdoor patio, enjoying a filet of sea bass and a tuna tartare.

Nice is multifaceted in its charms, both natural and cultural, but the siren song of the sea is powerful. The beaches are not of sand, but rather pebbles, so wear beach shoes for making your way from your chair to the sea to swim. You have a choice of paying for beach services at one of many beach clubs, or simply taking your gear onto one of the stretches of public beach.
Our favorite was the Blue Beach Club where we rented sun loungers, beach towels and a parasol and enjoyed large swaths of time unwinding, swimming, reading, conversing and de-stressing. The setting can’t be surpassed on the Promenade, across from the iconic Negresco Hotel.

Blue Beach has a lovely restaurant featuring Mediterranean specialties including local fish such as red mullet (rouget) and sea bream (dorade) and terrific salads (my St. Jacque salad with scallops and a strawberry vinaigrette was superb). It’s perfect for a lunch or dinner overlooking the sea. Or choose to order directly from your chaise lounge and let the young friendly staff bring your drinks and meal to you. It’s an upscale environment and a tranquil escape. Spray misters keep guests cooled off at the restaurant on the hottest days of summer. The service is excellent, and the décor elegant. Tables are dressed with white tablecloths like a fine dining establishment despite being a beachside venue.

To explore more of Nice’s dynamic food scene, we rented Velo Blue bikes to ride to Old Nice and explore the Cours Saleya market. The market is Instagram worthy with beautiful displays of the local products, flowers and seasonal produce of all colors and shapes. It’s an essential facet of life for those who live here as a source for fresh food, meats, cheeses, fish, vegetables and fruit. The market is a delight to wander through and mingle with the vendors. Take in the kaleidoscope of colors on display from the flower bouquets to the multi-hued soaps, spices and herbs, including the famous Provençal lavender.

Striped awnings cover the center of the market, sheltering the products on offer. Ringing the market on either side are restaurants and cafes where you should try one of Nice’s many culinary specialities. These include pissaladiere (pizza with caramelized onions and anchovies), pan bagnat, socca (a thin pancake made with chickpea flower, water and olive oil baked on a wide cast iron pan), savory tarts, farcis provencaux which are stuffed patties with meat, rice, onions, vegetables, zucchini and eggplant.

We chose Le Safari brasserie for an alfresco lunch in the market’s heart, sampling typical Nicoise dishes. We had farci along with a seafood soup with meat and spices, and enjoyed both the meal and the ringside seat for great people watching.

Vieux Nice is the city’s vibrant old town, with narrow cobblestone streets and pastel-shaded buildings where shops sell soaps, textiles and local crafts, plus a wide assortment of meats, cheeses and wine.
This area is full of bars, cafes and restaurants. Consider a stop at Place Rossetti, a perfect place to sit down and have a drink on a terrace, under the shade of the beautiful baroque Cathédrale Sainte Réparate, or an ice cream at the famous Fenocchio parlour, in business since 1966. But simply getting lost in the honeycomb of winding streets is a highlight of any visit to Nice.

Life can settle into a lovely routine in Nice, savoring the sights and smells of Old Town, catching up on reading with refreshing intervals of bathing at your favorite beach club, sampling a museum, doing some shopping at fine French boutiques, and salivating at the prospect of trying another delicious Niçoise restaurant (including several with Michelin stars) , with perhaps some local jazz or a concert under the stars. It’s enough to make us want to find our own balcony overlooking the sea and make our daily constitutional a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais. Bonne vacance!