It's Nice in Nice!

  Nice, Provence, France
Monday, September 15, 2008

Waiting for the Train to Nice

  It was raining in Monterosso when we boarded our train.  Our destination was Nice, France. After a few days in the Italian Riviera, we were making our way to the French Riviera.  The train ride from Monterosso to Nice is four hours in duration, with a short stop in Genoa.  On the first leg of the ride, we shared a cabin with an elderly English couple and their teenage granddaughter.  They had just been to Florence and were on their way back home to England, but they would be staying in Menton overnight.  The granddaughter was starting her first year at university the following week and her grandparents had treated her to one last holiday.  The grandfather engaged us in conversation for nearly two hours with topics ranging from politics in America to the global economy.  

In Genoa, we transferred to a Eurostar, which was much more comfortable.  We met an American couple sitting in the seats adjacent to ours.  They'd been backpacking around the world for a few months and had several weeks of travel left on their itinerary.  I can't imagine living out of a backpack for that amount of time, so I give them and their brethren major props.  

Our Hotel

 
We arrived in Nice a few minutes past seven.  We bid adieu to Kendall and Jonathon with tentative plans to meet up in Paris later in the week.  Jay and I caught a taxi outside of the train station.  Our hotel was the Best Western Hotel Roosevelt.  After checking in, we set off on foot in search of dinner.  Ever since we said good-bye to my parents at a Chinese restaurant in Venice, I had been craving Chinese food.  After we failed to locate a proper Chinese restaurant after several minutes of walking, we settled on an Asian traiteur.  Big mistake.  We picked out fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, and a couple of eggrolls.  Needless to say, the food did not hit the spot.  After dinner, we headed towards the Promenade Anglais, the famous thoroughfare of the French Riviera.  We immediately spotted a McDonald's and since our dinner had been less than satisfying, we headed for the Golden Arches.   

McDonald's in Nice

 
After we had satisfied our craving, we continued strolling the Promenade, making our way toward the Old Town.  We witnessed a man effortlessly maneuver his S Class Benz (which was tightly wedged in between two cars) from its parallel parked position.  A spectacle to behold for us; a routine maneuver for him.  We turned left when we reached the Cours Saleya, a popular hangout for locals and tourists alike.  Restaurants, bars, and shops line both sides of the pedestrian zone.  Since we'd already had dinner (twice) that evening, we checked out a few restaurants to have dinner the following evening.   

On the Promenade Anglais

 The next morning, Jay finagled me into going out for a run with him.  Armed with our iPhones, we set out for the Promenade Anglais.  It was a beautiful sunny morning.  We were not the only ones out for some exercise.  We passed many jogging enthusiasts along the Promenade.  It was embarrassing for me to see women twice my age running at a faster pace than moi.  As per my usual, I gave Jay my blessing to go on ahead of me.  

The Beach

 
Still craving decent Chinese food, we decided to forgo breakfast to have an early lunch at a Chinese restaurant.  We settled on a tiny hole in the wall a few blocks away from our hotel.  An hour later, we were sated.  Craving satisfied.  With our bellies bloated, we searched for a place to purchase beach mats and towels.   

Beach Chairs for Rent

Then we headed back toward the beach and found a spot at one of the public zones.  Along the beachfront, several bars and restaurants rent out chaise lounges, umbrellas, and towels by the hour.  These places can be cost prohibitive though.  We sunbathed for a couple of hours.  I napped, while Jay fiddled with his camera and iPhone.  

Try Walking on this Surface

 The beach in Nice does not consist of soft sand, but rather smooth stones that make it very difficult to walk without exercising some caution.  Fortunately, the beach mats were thick enough to provide a reasonable amount of comfort.     

Afterwards, we did a bit of shopping.  Two beloved pairs of black sandals (that had journeyed with me on multiple trips to Europe) had given out in Monterosso.  I had to select replacements.  I had noticed a Galeries Lafayette the night before and so we headed toward the venerable French department store.  Alas, the Nice outpost pales in comparison to the one in Paris and there was nothing to be found to suit my needs.  Finally, I settled on a pair of black leather Birkenstock thongs at a small shoe store near Place Massena.  

Pastis for Two

 Afterwards, we stopped by a bar for libations and had our first taste of pastis.  Yuck - had I known it tasted like black licorice (duh!), I would've ordered something else. 


We rested for a few hours at the hotel before we set off for dinner.  Back at the Cours Saleya, we once again perused menus at several restaurants before we decided on moules et frites (mussels and French fries) at a restaurant aptly called Le Festival de la Moule.  

Le Festival de la Moule

This joint served all-you-can eat pots of mussels and fries.  The verdict - DE-LI-CIOUS!!!  The mussels and fries were a great combo, especially when you dip the fries into the mussel broth.   We've not been able to find anything comparable back here in SoCal. 

Yum - Moules!

The next day, we hopped on a bus for a short 20-minute ride to Eze, which is a small medieval hilltop village that is a popular destination for those vacationing in the French Riviera.  

Buying Nuts in Eze

Many celebrities have homes in the area (Bono from U2, for one).  The streets and edifices are carefully maintained so that if you ignore the modern accoutrements, it is easy to feel as if you're traveling back in time.  

Eze

 

Eze

One of Eze's main attractions is a garden at the top of the hill.  Jay refused to pay €5 for entry into the Jardin de Exotique, so I went alone.  It should've been called the cactus garden.  Nevertheless, the views from that far up were stunning.  Afterwards, we wandered through the narrow streets and ducked in and out of shops.  The savory scents wafting from the multiple restaurants were tantalizing, but we decided to head back to Nice for lunch.  

After we got back to Nice, we headed over to the Old Town to Rene Socca for some traditional Nicoise cuisine - socca, which is made from chickpea flour and formed into flat pancakes.  

Traditional Nicoise Fare

 

Kir Royale, S'il vous plait!

We sampled a few other dishes, which I washed down with a glass of kir.  We wandered around the back streets of the Old Town for an hour.  I discovered a bakery lined wall to wall with baskets full of cookies.  The almond macarons (not to be confused with American macaroons or the Parisian macarons) were yummy.  We did a bit of souvenir and pasalubong shopping and spent a few minutes checking out the interior of an old palace that was open to the public. 

French Love of Jazz

 Interestingly enough, it housed an exhibit that paid homage to American jazz.  For dinner, we revisited the moules et frites place and it was just as delicious as the previous night.  We enjoyed our time in Nice and will, no doubt, journey here again.  After all, it is almost like Paris...without the Metro and museums...oh, and with a beach.