Ramblings of a retiree in France
I know that Nice is a popular destination for a lot of you, either as part of a trip to France or Europe. Aside from my many trips to the smaller neighbouring towns, from time to time, I’ll try to cover more of Nice’s many attractions.
One of the more historically-rich neighborhoods in Nice is Cimiez. It’s home to two prestigious museums in the city, Musée National Marc Chagall and Musée National Henri Matisse, making it a hotspot for art enthusiasts from all over the world. Musée Archéologique de Nice-Cimiez can also be found here. To be honest, the view from Cimiez back down to the sea alone is worth the trip.
The French Riviera is among the most beautiful coastal destinations in the world. Aside from exploring the Promenade des Anglais, you can walk from the port of Nice to Villefranche along the Sentier du Littoral. Alternatively, take a hike up Mont Boron. There’s the hilltop forest called Parc du Mont Boron which has a picnic area and 11 km of marked hiking trails, exercise circuits and, of course, its very own castle. Parc du Mont Boron is 190m high and overlooks Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer. From Fort Alban, you can also see the Cap Ferrat peninsula one way and and the Esterel mountains the other.
Parc Phoenix is a well-known seven-hectacre botanical garden and zoo, located opposite the city’s airport. There are tropical plants, greenhouses, dancing fountains, an aquarium and much more. The park houses more than 2,500 species of plants, some of which are truly remarkable and showcased in a Mediterranean landscape setting. Its 25 metre-high pyramid-shaped greenhouse is one of the tallest in Europe and it is split into 6 different tropical and subtropical climates. The park is a veritable oasis of greenery, education and relaxation.
The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (also known as MAMAC) is a Nice landmark that opened in 1990. Located in the heart of the city, next to Place Garibaldi and an extension of the Coulée Verte, MAMAC offers a dive into art from the 1950s to the present day. The collection, rich with more than 1,300 works by 300 artists, offers an unprecedented dialogue between European New Realism and the American expression of Pop Art. The museum also displays key works of minimal or povera art. Two major figures of twentieth century art constitute the heart of the collections: Yves Klein, with a permanent exhibition room, made possible thanks to the donations from the Yves Klein Archives, and Niki de Saint Phalle which represents one of the most important collections of the artist in Europe following his 2001 donations to the museum.
What used to be the home of the Lascaris-Vintimille family has been restored and turned into a Musée de France that features art and music from 17th and 18th centuries. Palais Lascaris is a Baroque palace that’s home to over 500 musical instruments, perfect if you’re a music lover. Here you’ll see some rare baroque guitars, saxophones made by Adolphe Sax and some 18th century records, among other things.
Saint Jean Cap Ferrat is property porn heaven and the second-most expensive residential area in the world right after Monaco. But, even better, go and visit the house and magnificent gardens of Villa Ephrussie at the entrance to the Cap.
Here are some more of my posts about Nice:-
Some of my favourite things to do in Nice
It’s all change at Nice’s main station
Another fine tour
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Thanks Derrick
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It looks so beautiful, especial;y the coastal view. Je l’adore France.
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It *is* very beautiful
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One day. 🙂
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One more “must “ for the bucket list, Sheree.
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😎
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Beautiful town. I had a whistle stop in Nice many years ago on my first whirl wind tour of Europe. It would be wonderful to return and explore the back roads of this stunning area. In the meantime I will armchair travel through your stories. Thanks Sheree, Lyn
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Don’t forget, if you come back you’ll have your own personal guide to the Cote d’Azur!
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Thank you Sheree. That is a simply fabulous offer. Lyn
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Pleasure Lyn
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All these sounds amazing and fun!
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It’s a great city all year round
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Lovely memories. Thank you.
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My pleasure
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🗼
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Enjoyed reading the article above , really explains everything in detail,the article is very interesting and effective.Thank you and good luck for the upcoming articles
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My pleasure
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Reading this, I hope to return 🙏
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I hope you do too.
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Wow, a place with beautiful decorative walls and historic cathedrals is outstanding, but a place that also has a lovely environment alive with exotic furry critters, and hugged by the lush eloquence of nature, is an adventure you cannot miss lol
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There is plenty to see and do all year round
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Excatly, that’s the kind of vibes I get.
It looks like the type of place that when you visit, you might not want to leave in a hurry haha
Thank you for sharing
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Absolutely
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Yup 💙💙😄
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It would be nice to go to Nice 🙂 – I just had to say it 🙂
Your post is as gorgeous and as crisp as a travel brochure 🙂
I’ve never seen 500 musical instruments in one place, so Palais Lascaris would be top of my list. That and popping in at the Rothschild’s for a toast 🙂
Thank you, Sheree.
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My pleasure Patricia
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Just wonderful, Sheree! We drove along the coast of Nice many years ago. Your post made me want to return. But thanks to our President, the more civilized countries have sent us to our room(s)!!
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☹️
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Most countries are not admitting Americans right now because of Covid 19, so I will travel through you. Lovely post. Lots to look forward to.
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I do happen to know a couple of American cyclists who managed to slip back into Nice.
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lol.
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thank you for another feature on Nice! my daughter and i had a wonderful time there. i hope i can visit again! 🙂
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I hope so too!
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These are lovely captions. And the views are beautiful. ❤
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Thank you
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You keep making me want to return to Nice Sheree! I really didn’t want to leave the first time. Going up to Mont Boron would be a wonderful thing to do. I just didn’t have enough time when I was there last year. Keep up with these great tours Sheree! It’s a great way to travel, for now at least!😃😺🌞🌴😎
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Glad you’re enjoying my tours
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Yes indeed!
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