As you stroll along Nice’s Promenade des Anglais, gazing upon the azure blue Mediterranean, you’ll discover the city is a paradise-found for beach lovers, shoppers, foodies, and cultural enthusiasts.
Not far away, the Alpes-Maritimes mountain range, just inland from the bustling metropolis, is a true hidden gem for road cycling and outdoor sports enthusiasts – an untouched and magnificent natural masterpiece.
I was here for a whistlestop tour of both, to explore all aspects of the beautiful Côte d’Azur. Arriving on the Promenade des Anglais is a simple and quick affair, with flight connections between Nice and most major European airports, as well as train connections using France’s TGV service, linking the city to Paris and the rest of Europe.
On our first evening in town, we dropped our bags at a beautiful seaside hotel and headed out to explore Nice’s vibrant boulevards. Marketplaces fill the narrow inner streets and the architecture alludes to the rich history of this distinctly cosmopolitan city. We wandered through the parks and along the seafront, soaking up the atmosphere.
Here, you are only a stone’s throw from Italy, right on the Mediterranean coastline, and less than an hour from the vineyards of Provence. These influences manifest themselves in the form of splendid fusion food and a unique Nice style.
We picked a restaurant on the harbourside for our first evening’s sustenance, dining on a sumptuous seafood feast, followed by a fresh lemon tart, and sipping on fine wine, as the sun dipped below the horizon.
In the saddle
Denne historien er fra August 2020-utgaven av France.
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Denne historien er fra August 2020-utgaven av France.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Paindemic In Paris
For American actor and writer Alexander Burnett, a shortage of bread at his local boulangerie was one of the biggest challenges of lockdown in his adopted home city
VEULES-LES-ROSES
Between the white cliffs of the Côte d’Albâtre and the bucolic landscapes of the Pays de Caux, discover a village that combines coast and country,
Taking the BISCUIT
France is known for its exquisite pâtisserie and extravagant gâteaux but the not-so-humble biscuit deserves recognition too
PICTURE PERFECT PISTE
After a decade away from the slopes Janet Brice finds her ski legs in val d'arly, a hidden gem in the shadow of Mount Blanc
Let there BE LIGHT
Lyon’s annual Fête des Lumières brightens up the darkest of December nights in spectacular fashion, finds David Atkinson on a winter visit to the Rhône capital
Shop ‘til YOU DROP
In the first of our new Insight guides, Helen Parkinson delights in the French shopping experience
Floating YOUR BOAT
Spending a day on the River Seine in Paris, Heidi Fuller-love samples some of the city’s top entertainment that can be enjoyed afloat
Creamy Dijon Chicken With Bacon And Spinach
Enjoy this hearty dish from Bisous & Brioche, a cookbook shot on location in Burgundy
A Moveable Feast
Philip Sweeney embarks on a voyage gourmand along the Vallée de la Gastronomie travelling from Dijon to Marseille
BOND RETOUR 7
To celebrate the return of everyone’s favourite globe-trotting British intelligence officer in No Time to Die, Helen Parkinson rounds up five of James Bond’s top cross-Channel escapades