It’s that time of year again. Summer is officially here and it’s time for those summer holidays – or vacations as the Americans say.

American “vacation” = British “holiday”
American “holiday” = British “bank holiday”
It’s another case of two countries divided by a common language.

Europeans are decidedly better at taking holidays than the Americans. The average American vacation is about 2 weeks per year while Europeans take 4-6 weeks per year. I’ve written before about how everything stops in France during the months of July and August while everyone goes on holiday. You can read the article here about the long vacations which was also included in my book French Holidays & Traditions.

If you’re lucky enough to be spending your summer holidays in Nice, France, here are a few links to help you enjoy your stay:

Articles About Nice

I have two articles on my site that might be interesting for you:

• Thinking of Visiting Nice? will provide some suggestions for finding a place to stay and having an enjoyable trip.
• 5 Things I Love about Nice – There are many more, but this will get you started.
• There are many more articles on my site about Nice. Just click the “Nice, France” tab in the menu to see them all.

Books About Nice

Curious Histories of Nice, France
A queen and a donkey? Ammunition that becomes a snack? Lunch and a cannon? This book tells the stories of the people and events that have made Nice the city she is today. Click the title for more info.

A Taste of NICE, FRANCE (Free E-Book)
Sexy voices announcing the tram stops… A dog wedding… A blockhead building… This book with color photos gives just a tasting of what you will find in this Riviera city. Click the title for more info.

If you’re looking for books while in Nice, visit MP’s books at 105 rue de France. They carry a good selection of used English books, lovely greeting cards, and art by local artists. The staff is English-speaking, friendly, and helpful.

Meet the Authors

While on the subject of books, you may have seen that we held a “Meet the Authors” event in Nice on 3 June. I’m happy to report that it was a huge success. We had a full house and sold many books. We couldn’t have asked for it to go any better. A huge “thank you” to everyone who came out and supported us. We really appreciate it. I have put a page on my website with information about the authors who participated and their web info so you can find them online and follow them. See the Other Authors page in the menu.

New Books

At the Meet the Authors event, I presented my new book, Curious Histories of Provence, and one of my good friends, Julia Allen, presented her first book, Facets: A Book of Short Stories. Julia is an amazing woman and I count it a privilege to know her. Another friend, Janine Marsh, author of The Good Life France magazine has also just published her first book, My Good Life in France, all about her adventure of moving from London to northern France. I’m looking forward to reading it this summer. You can also download the latest Good Life France magazine here. And Patricia Sands’ new book, Drawing Lessons, will be released soon – but you can pre-order it now…

With so many books to read, I’m off to the UK to begin my summer vacation. So, don’t be surprised if you don’t hear from me as often as usual… unless, of course, I get inspired…

Happy summer to everyone!

Follow Me – If you would like to keep up with my articles, you can receive an email every time I post (every other week or so). Just enter your email below and click the Follow the Curious Rambler button.

• Author
• Recent Posts

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.

Latest posts by Margo Lestz (see all)

• Celebrate Easter with a Bang in Florence, Italy: The Crazy Exploding Cart - 20 March 2024
• Venice Carnival in Photos - 17 February 2024
• Wassailing the Apple Tree Man - 28 January 2024