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Margo Lestz – The Curious Rambler

Bringing History to Life

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Category: NICE

Walking Tour of the Old Town of Nice, France

24 June 2019 Margo Lestz

A historic walking tour of the Old Town of Nice, France…

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window with flowers

Quirky Old Nice, France

16 June 2019 Margo Lestz

A photo essay of the Old Town, the oldest and most colorful part of Nice.

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What to Eat in Nice, France

11 June 2018 Margo Lestz

If your holiday plans include a visit to Nice, France, I’m sure you’ll want to try some of the local specialties…

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Cat Cafés and Why Cats Purr

10 November 2016 Margo Lestz

Have you heard of cat cafés? No, they are not where cats go to have their morning coffee and read the newspaper…

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The Virgin Project of Nice, France

29 September 2016 Margo Lestz

Did you know that the city of Nice, almost had a giant Virgin statue on the hilltop?…

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Margo’s Musings

16 September 2016 Margo Lestz

Two free e-books and other news…

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Letter from Nice

17 July 2016 Margo Lestz

Dear Readers, Thank you for your thoughts and prayers during the terrorist attack on Nice…

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Thinking of visiting Nice, France?

6 May 2016 Margo Lestz

Nice is a nice place to visit. There are plenty of things to see and do here: sea, sun, history, art, music…

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5 Riviera Cocteau Treasures

23 March 2016 Margo Lestz

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.

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Margo's Musings, carnival, revolution

Margo’s Musings: Carnival & Revolution

12 February 2016 Margo Lestz

Explore the theme of the Nice Carnival and see how my new book is coming along.

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Mosaics on the Hill

15 August 2015 Margo Lestz

Have a look around the “Colline du Chateau” overlooking Nice, France, and you can find some spectacular mosaics…

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Homer’s Odyssey in 13 Easy Steps

8 August 2015 Margo Lestz

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

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cougourdon, Nice, France, Luminices

A Home without a Gourd is like an Empty Nest

4 July 2015 Margo Lestz

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.”

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A New Book and My Writing Journey

7 June 2015 Margo Lestz

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…

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5 Things I Love About Nice, France

31 May 2015 Margo Lestz

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

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Carnival Music and Gourds in Nice, France

21 February 2015 Margo Lestz

Every year, the Nice carnival has a different theme, but music is always important…

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Societe-Generale

Who wants to be a Bank Robber?

23 November 2014 Margo Lestz

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

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Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild dog chairs

The Ephrussis: Dog Weddings, Duels, and Stalin?

18 October 2014 Margo Lestz

Beatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild loved her animals, but did she really host a formal wedding for her dog?

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Cocteau, Picasso, and a Tale of two Breads

12 August 2014 Margo Lestz

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….

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santo sospir living room cocteau

The Artist who came to Dinner and never Left

30 July 2014 Margo Lestz

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….

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Cole Porter in Sara's pearls and Gerald Murphy's cap

The Murphys, American Trendsetters on the Riviera

30 June 2014 Margo Lestz

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….

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Cours Saleya flower market, Nice France

Marketing in Old Town Nice: Cours Saleya and More

20 June 2014 Margo Lestz

Cours Saleya is the heart of Old Town Nice and it’s always pulsating with life…

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Blockhead building

Blockhead Building gets a Thumbs Up

10 June 2014 Margo Lestz

Normally I’m not a fan of modern architecture. but there are a few modern structures that I really appreciate and one of them is in Nice, France….

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flamingo, phoenix parc, nice, france

French Expressions Pop Up in the Park

20 May 2014 Margo Lestz

Some animal and plant related French sayings illustrated with photos from a day in the park….

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nicois gourds, celebrating the gourd, nice, france

Celebrating the Gourd in Nice, France

8 April 2014 Margo Lestz

Nice, France has a strong and proud culture all its own and the people work hard to keep their Niçois traditions alive….

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Madame Liberté

18 March 2014 Margo Lestz

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?…

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Cathedral, Church, Nice, France, Empress, Tsarina Maria

Three Russian Tsarinas Leave Their Mark on Nice, France

16 February 2014 Margo Lestz

If you can’t make it to Russia, how about a trip to Nice, France? It’s warmer and you can see a lovely Russian cathedral.

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Menton France, lemon festival, fete du citron

Menton, France celebrates the Lemon

7 February 2014 Margo Lestz

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?…

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flower parade nice france

Carnival Kings, Silly Strings, and Blooming Things

29 January 2014 Margo Lestz

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

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was Nice part of Italy

Nice, France: Her Relationship with Italy and How She Became French

20 January 2014 Margo Lestz

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”

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Auer collage interior

Living the Sweet Life in Nice, France

15 November 2013 Margo Lestz

  Do you need to add a little sweetness to your life?  I know just where to go for that.  One of my favourite places

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Promenade du Paillon, Nice France

A River runs through it – well under it Anyway

27 October 2013 Margo Lestz

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

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conversations in Nice france, place massena, jaume plensa

Art in the City: The Tramway in Nice, France

12 September 2013 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

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Liberated, Proud and Glorious

22 August 2013 Margo Lestz

Last weekend, when we went for a walk after sunset, we were surprised to see ostriches strolling along the promenade.  Well, they weren’t real ones. 

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Bay of Angels in Nice, France: Two Legends and a Fish Story

12 August 2013 Margo Lestz

The Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels) on the French Riviera has a romantic name, but where did it come from? These three stories give us some clues…

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Promenade des Anglais, English Promenade, Nice France

The English Promenade in Nice, France

3 August 2013 Margo Lestz

The Promenade des Anglais, affectionately known as “the Prom”, is one of the most beautiful seaside boulevards to be found and lucky me, I live

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mosiac stairs flowers

Finding the Castle is a Walk in the Park

24 July 2013 Margo Lestz

The news from Nice is… it’s hot!  The app on my phone says 28° Celsius (83° Fahrenheit), but I don’t believe it – it feels

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Apollo, sun fountain, Nice, France

A Greek God Just Can’t Get Any Respect in Nice, France

12 July 2013 Margo Lestz

When a powerful Greek deity arrives in Nice, he is ridiculed, humiliated, and banned from the city. If you visit Place Massena, in the very

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socca - chez térésa

Socca – A Niçois Superfood

2 July 2013 Margo Lestz

What is this amazing food that has protected the city under siege, nourished the population during peacetime and inspired men to go to extraordinary lengths

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Queen Victoria in Nice

11 June 2013 Margo Lestz

Queen Victoria spent her winters on the French Riviera. While there, she could let her hair down and relax, often touring around in a little donkey cart.

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Air vents old town nice air conditioning

The Old Town Knows How to Keep its Cool

15 May 2013 Margo Lestz

Saturday we went to a crafts market in Old Nice.  We were in an open plaza at midday and the sun was beating down on

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Dansers may festival, nice france, le festin des mai

May, a Month of Holidays and Festivals in Nice, France

8 May 2013 Margo Lestz

< The month of May can be a frustrating time to be in France.  There are 5 public holidays, which makes it difficult to conduct

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Catherine Ségurane: Niçoise Laundress Saves the Day

21 April 2013 Margo Lestz

A 16th century Niçoise laundress chased away the Turkish army and saved the city of Nice, France…

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British Cannon Fire over the City of Nice

7 April 2013 Margo Lestz

If you have ever visited Nice, France, you may have been startled by a very loud noon time boom. It occurs every day at precisely 12.00 and is a remnant from the Victorian times, when a British wife couldn’t remember to go home for lunch.

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