5 Things I Love About Nice, France

I’ve been working around the clock for the last several weeks finishing up my latest book about my adopted city. It’s called: Curious Histories of Nice, France and, if all goes well, it should be out next week. I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s available.

Nice is such a wonderful place and we’ve been lucky enough to have a home here for 8 years. It’s a city that just seems to get better and better. So today I’m just sending out a short post with 5 things I love about Nice.

1. Promenade du Paillon

The amazing park in the center of Nice just off Place Massena. It contains an expanse of water only 2 cm deep with 128 water jets that randomly shoot toward the sky. When the jets are off, the water reflects the beautiful surroundings. Children (and some adults) love to play in this wet wonderland. On the other side of Place Massena, in the Albert I garden, there are mist platforms that give the area a magical feel. Again, it’s a big hit with children. I love to walk through this park and see everyone having a good time.

2. Sunshine

They say that Nice has 360 days of sunshine per year. I don’t know if that’s true – it seems like a bit of an exaggeration to me – but we do have sun most of the time. The artist Henri Matisse wrote about his first impressions of Nice: “When I realized that every day I would see that light, I couldn’t believe my good fortune. I decided not to leave Nice and there I remained practically all my life.”

3. Traditions

Nice is a modern city, but one that has held on to its traditions. There are several Niçois festivals throughout the year in which the folkloric dance groups perform in their colorful costumes. The Niçois language has also been preserved and is now taught in schools.

4. Music

All summer long, Nice is filled with music. It has already started this year and since our apartment is very close to the outdoor theatre, we get to hear it all for free. This can be an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the type of music being played…

5. Events

There is always some kind of event going on in Nice. This weekend we went to the “Taste of Italy” Italian food festival. Tents were set up along the Promenade selling all sorts of Italian foodstuffs. We probably bought too much cheese, as we usually do, but it’s just so good!

There you have it – 5 reasons I love this city. Of course there are many, many more but maybe you’ll come and visit and find your own reasons to love it.

If you would like to get more enjoyment from your time in Nice and if you are curious about the events that shaped this city’s character, this is the book for you.

You Might Also Like:

• A Greek God Just Can’t Get Any Respect in Nice, France
• The English Promenade in Nice, France
• Socca – A Niçois Superfood

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Margo Lestz

Margo has authored seven books and writes mostly about France and England. She has a BA in Liberal Studies with International Emphasis and enjoys travel, languages, history, writing, and experiencing other cultures.

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