Letter from Nice
Dear Readers, Thank you for your thoughts and prayers during the terrorist attack on Nice…
5 Riviera Cocteau Treasures
The artist, Jean Cocteau, spent his later years on the French Riviera, and the area still enjoys the beauty he left behind. There are five Cocteau sites between Nice and Menton just waiting to be discovered.
Margo’s Musings: Carnival & Revolution
Explore the theme of the Nice Carnival and see how my new book is coming along.
Mosaics on the Hill
Have a look around the “Colline du Chateau” overlooking Nice, France, and you can find some spectacular mosaics…
Homer’s Odyssey in 13 Easy Steps
If it’s been a while since you’ve read the Greek classics (or if you just never got around to it) no worries! There’s no need to pull out the books. In Nice, France you can take a quick 13-step refresher course on a hilltop overlooking the sea, the city, and the port. This lovely park…
A Home without a Gourd is like an Empty Nest
In Niçois tradition, the gourd brings good luck. There’s even an old proverb that says, “A home without a gourd is like an empty nest.” If your home is currently “gourdless”, Morgan Barbier can help you remedy that situation. His stand in Nice’s Cours Saleya evening market is lined with luck-bringing gourds that have been…
A New Book and My Writing Journey
Whew! I’ve just finished my second book! It’s called, Curious Histories of Nice, France and as you might have guessed from the title…
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…
Carnival Music and Gourds in Nice, France
Every year, the Nice carnival has a different theme, and this year it’s music…
Who wants to be a Bank Robber?
Well, I think I’ve done it! No, I haven’t robbed a bank – I think I’ve finished my book! I still have to wait to see the proofs, which should be here next week, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. It will be available on Amazon and I’ll be sure to let you know when…
The Ephrussis: Dog Weddings, Duels, and Stalin?
Beatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild loved her animals, but did she really host a formal wedding for her dog?
Cocteau, Picasso, and a Tale of two Breads
When I recently toured Santo Sospir, the villa decorated by Cocteau, the guide pointed to a fougasse (a local bread) painted on the wall and said it was a reference by Cocteau to the hands painted by his friend, Picasso. I didn’t really understand the link because the bread looked nothing like a hand to me….
The Artist who came to Dinner and never Left
What would you do if you invited someone to spend a week at your holiday home and he decided to redecorate it and then he decided to stay – indefinitely? Francine Weisweiller was thrilled….
The Murphys, American Trendsetters on the Riviera
In summer, it’s hard to find an open space on the beach, so It’s hard to imagine that up until the 1920s there were no summer tourists here, no open hotels….
Marketing in Old Town Nice: Cours Saleya and More
Cours Saleya is the heart of Old Town Nice and it’s always pulsating with life. Striped awnings….
French Expressions pop up in the Park
Some animal and plant related French sayings illustrated with photos from a day in the park….
Celebrating the Gourd in Nice, France
Nice, France has a strong and proud culture all its own and the people work hard to keep their Niçois traditions alive….
Madame Liberté
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognised symbols of the United States. But did you know that Lady Liberty is an immigrant? It’s true, she’s a French woman by birth who has made New York her home. (No wonder she’s so elegant.)
Three Russian Tsarinas leave their mark on Nice, France
If you weren’t able to make it to Russia for the Winter Olympics, how about a trip to Nice, France? I know it’s not quite the same, but it’s warmer and you can see a lovely Russian cathedral. Nice has had a strong Russian community since the mid 1800s when the Russian nobles would spend…
Menton, France celebrates the Lemon
They say when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade. But what if you are a town on the French Riviera and life gives you extraordinarily delicious lemons? You sell them at high prices, of course! Then you buy truck loads of cheaper ones from Spain and have a big festival. Well, that’s what…
Carnival Kings, Silly Strings, and Blooming Things
In Nice, France we are preparing for the carnival and that means another royal visit. Every year in February, a different king comes to town to celebrate the carnival with us and participate in the parade on his own special float. But it wasn’t always this way… Kings and parades In the beginning, the carnival…
Nice, France: Her Relationship with Italy and how she became French
Normally, I write about the city of Nice, but in this article, when I mention Nice, I am speaking of the historic “County of Nice” which was roughly equivalent to what we now call the Alpes-Maritimes. When you look around the old towns in this region, you will notice that the architecture looks very Italian. …
Living the Sweet Life in Nice, France
Do you need to add a little sweetness to your life? I know just where to go for that. One of my favourite places in Nice is Maison Auer in the Old Town. It is a “confiserie/chocolaterie” (sweet shop/chocolate shop) – can it get any better than that? Feast for the eyes For me…
A River runs through it – well under it Anyway
This weekend I went to the opening of the lovely new ribbon of a park that flows through Nice, France. It is called the “Promenade du Paillon” in honour of the Paillon River which still flows beneath it. Dancing in the park We were treated to a “dancing waters” show with jets of water leaping…
Art in the City: The Tramway in Nice, France
By Margo Lestz A few years ago, I took a course that required me to get up early and catch a bus to another town. Sometimes I would take the tram to the bus and I used to giggle to myself every time I heard the breathlessly sexy voices announce the next tram stop. Little…
