The French Riviera -- Down by the Sea

• A June 2003 travel journal by Carmen
• Type of Trip: Pleasure
• Last Updated: June 6, 2003

As a precursor to my visit to Paris in May of 2003, I wanted to spend a few sunny days by the Mediterranean. I chose Nice as my home base for two days, planning a side trip by train to Monaco.

The French Riviera -- Down by the Sea

by Carmen on June 6, 2003

One of the biggest highlights of my stay in Nice was a walk through the Vieille Ville (Old Town) down the Cours Saleya through the famous Marché des Fluers, or flower market. I loved the array of flowers in all different colors, and marveled at the fruits and vegetables on sale – all for trés cheap!

I also enjoyed walking up and down the Promenade Des Anglais, which is the French equivalent to an American boardwalk down the rocky beach. I didn’t really sunbathe on the beach, though I saw lots of people doing it, because the rocky shores didn’t look at all comfortable, and they were hard even to just walk on. But I did manage to stick my toe in the Mediterranean – brrr!

A side trip to Monaco boasted only one highlight, and that was the changing of the guard at the Prince’s Palace. The royal band accompanied each precision march as the white-uniformed guards took their place in their respective posts. We even graced with an appearance and a wave by Price Ranier himself.

It’s the other simple things I’ll remember most – A sunset on the Promenade Des Anglais, watching street performers as we ate dinner on the Cours Saleya, lounging by the hotel pool with the Mediterranean sun tanning myself with the sea in the background, etc. ${QuickSuggestions} If you're looking for a beach vacation, Nice may not be the perfect spot - the beaches are very rocky and hard to walk on. I can't imagine throwing down a towel and lying on them, but people did it. I understand that the beaches in nearby Cannes are sandy if that's what you're looking for (I opted for the pool with the sea view at my hotel, just as good.)

Otherwise, I think Nice is a perfect home-base to explore the French Riviera. Monaco is a 25-minute train ride in one direction, and Cannes a 25-minute train ride in the other, with smaller yet still interesting towns like Eze and Villefranche sur Mer on the way.${BestWay} When in Nice, I recommend walking as your major mode of transportation. However, the France rail system is awesome, and can get you almost anywhere you want to go. As I mentioned, neighboring towns are only a few minutes train ride away (for usually less than 10 euro), and the TGV (high-speed train) can take you straight to Paris in five and a half hours. A 10-euro taxi ride can get you to the train station in 10 minutes.

La Perouse

by Carmen on June 6, 2003

I went with La Perouse sight unseen at the recommendation of the agent I spoke with at e-vacations, and was it ever a pleasant surprise. Located on the edge of the Promenade des Anglais, just steps away from the Cours Saleya and the Marchè aux Fleurs, it boasts available sea-view rooms. We requested a room with a view, and we were not disappointed. In addition, I had written an email to the hotel a month or so earlier, to request a completely non-smoking room, as I was allergic. They responded quickly, in broken English but very politely, that they would do whatever it took to make my stay a pleasant one.

The room was decorated beautifully, with blue toile comforters and curtains. And there was no trace of smoke to be sniffed out. The bellman set up our luggage and then proceeded to open the window to show us the stunning view.

Included in our stay was a continental breakfast – usually running at an extra charge of around 15 euro. I never did get used to the room-temperature milk, but the cocoa krispies as a cereal choice was amusing. Yogurt, fromage (cheese), and quiche were all part of the fare, as were my favorite – pain au chocolate (a chocolate-filled croissant.)

The hotel had a great pool on the fourth floor, it was built to look like it was spilling over at all times. Just behind the pool was a huge rock wall, and just in front of it was a wall only barely hiding the sea. Just inside was a café, bar and lounge, where you could get some refreshment as you lay by the pool. On the top floor was an “exercise center” – essentially a bike and a treadmill, and a “solarium” to sun yourself or partake of some jacuzzi time.

The front desk staff was amazing – always helpful and considerate. We couldn’t check in right away when we arrived, but our bags were taken care of while we did a little walking around the city.

I would recommend this hotel to anyone, and would return myself without hesitation. I give it a solid 9 out of 10.

Nexus Café

by Carmen on June 6, 2003

When in Nice, try Niçois food. At least, that’s what my mom and I thought we’d do during our first night’s stay in the city. We walked up and down the Cours Saleya checking out the different cafes that had sprung to life after the flower market closed that afternoon. Several of the cafes had struck deals with street performers to entertain the customers and spilt donations.

We came across a chalkboard with what looked to be good food, but, as we knew little in the way of French, we weren’t sure. The hostess came up and told us that she could seat us right away, that it was the best café in town, etc., etc. We asked for a little help with the menu first. I’d point to something and ask "Qu’est que c’est?" and they’d explain "beef" or "chicken." So we decided to be brave and sit down.

We ordered a carafe d’eau (a bottle of tap water, no charge, compared to several euro for bottled water, yet perfectly safe) and I got the beef, Mom got the chicken. The food was acceptable – my beef, while I had asked for bien cuit (well done) was a little on the charred side, but the pommes frites (french fries) were good. Mom’s chicken was smothered with cheese, and was also acceptable. It was hard for us two Americans to get used to French food. However, the chocolate mousse that topped off the meal was incredibly good. Made the whole meal worth while. All this cost us about 25 euro. Our waiter was patient and not rude at all, trying to understand our terrible French, and making his own attempts in terrible English. But he was good humored and cute to boot!

As Americans in France, it was also hard to accept the pace of eating that the French have. The bill won’t come unless you ask for "l’addition." There’s no rush to turn over the tables. In many places, you could sit down and order a drink and stay there all night with no pressure. So we enjoyed the ambiance of the Nexus Café for nearly two hours. But it was a wonderful night.

The Marche Aux Fleurs in Nice's Vieille Ville:

by Carmen on June 6, 2003

The famous Nice flower market is nothing if not colorful. From early morning until around 5pm it?s a barrage on your senses ? you can literally smell it a mile away. And that?s not a bad thing. The aroma of roses and lavender, mixed with fresh fruits almost drags you by your nose to the Cours Saleya. This is a pedestrian-mostly street that plays host to tent after tent of locals peddling their goods to the tons of people walking through the market.

I was particularly taken with all the different colors of roses that filled one tent. I?d never seen bright orange roses before, but there they were in all their glory. There were also pinker-than-pink roses, bright red buds, and mixed colors all around me. They were also tr?inexpensive! 6 euro could buy you a bunch of them to take home. I found myself wishing that there was some way I could have preserved them until I returned home, because I would?ve bought the seller out!

In addition to the beautiful flowers, there were fruits and vegetables for sale. I?d never seen cherries so red and ripe, or bananas so perfectly shaped. Perhaps it was my imagination, perhaps it was the atmosphere of France, perhaps it was because I was starving because of bad airline food. Whatever it was, I thoroughly enjoyed my stroll through the market.

** As an aside, on Mondays the flower market becomes an antique market.

Changing of the Guard in Monaco

by Carmen on June 6, 2003

With 10 euro and a free day you can take a side trip on the train from Nice to Monaco to experience the lifestyles of the rich and famous. While beautiful visually, I wasn’t all that impressed with Monaco’s offerings, and wished I would have chosen instead to go do some celebrity sighting at the Cannes Film Festival, which was winding down during my visit. I did enjoy the spectacle of the changing of the guards at the Prince’s Palace on a Monaco hilltop.

At exactly 11:55am sharp each day, the ceremony takes place. White-uniformed guards march out of the palace to the beat of a royal drum in the royal band. With much pomp and circumstance, guns are hoisted, salutes are given, orders are bellowed and posts are changed. After about a 15-minute spectacle, we were lucky enough to be graced by his royal highness himself, Prince Ranier. He looked out a window and waved to the adoring public, then excused himself for some pressing matters of state, probably deciding which yacht to board that evening for dinner.

Everything else in the city was just too hoity-toity for me. The famous casino requires a 20 euro fee just to get into the place, and you need to be dressed pretty nicely to be admitted. The cafes around the casino were just too pricy to even consider for the normal folk. And they were setting up for the Monaco Grand Prix that runs through the streets of the city while we were visiting, so bleachers blocked a lot of the harbor views and the sidewalks. Even a cab driver scoffed at our "measly" request for a ride back to the train station. We had to hike the 20 minutes up a hill following poor signage to the station, because he wanted to wait for a higher fare.

I did enjoy the changing of the guard, however. I don’t know if it’s worth a whole trip to Monaco, but I’m glad I saw it and was able to form my own opinions of the matter. Should you visit Monaco? Yes, if you have available time. But I wouldn’t sacrifice something else for it.

Promenade des Anglais in Nice

by Carmen on June 6, 2003

The Promenade des Anglais is essentially the French equivalent of a boardwalk in America, and runs nearly three miles along the Mediterranean beaches of Nice. On the other side you can find cafés and shops along with hotels like the famous Negresco Hotel that hint of the prominence that the fifth largest city in France has earned.

The Negresco can be seen from just about anywhere on the promenade, as its pink dome dominates the landscape. It’s rated as a four-star hotel, but acts like it’s a five-star. The bellman open the doors for you, clearly overdressed for the climate with smart black uniforms and hats. Whether you are a guest there or not, the grand room is worth a peek. Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, colorful and grandiose furniture sits along the walls, and modern artwork -– including a replica of a Picasso statue -– decorates the room.

If it’s the beach life you’re after, there are some things you should know about the plages (beaches) that line the Promenade des Anglais. There are both private and public beaches, each with pros and cons. With a private beach, you have to pay. I saw one beach at 8 euro, another at 10 euro. However, with your payment comes a restaurant, an umbrella, a dressing room, a shower, and most importantly, a beach chaise. This is a plus because the beaches in Nice are rocky, not sandy. (While only a few miles down the shoreline in Cannes there is plenty of sand to be had.) The benefit of a public beach is that it’s essentially access to the same beach for free, minus the amenities. However, a beach towel on rocks won’t be a comfortable situation. I had a hard time even walking on the rocks -– turning my ankles easily. I did make it down to a public beach and manage to dip my toe in the Mediterranean -– brr! From a distance, the water looks blue and clear, but on the beach’s edge, it was really dirty water. It was like a greasy film on top, with debris floating in it, but only along the edge, from what I could see. That didn’t seem to stop all the people that were swimming in it, and the Atlantic, where I’m from, isn’t all that clean either. Honestly, I preferred the hotel pool with a view of the sea.

The Promenade is also a great place to gather with your fellow visitors to Nice and watch the sun set. It was a nightly occurrance!

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