Nice, France
It’s hard to believe a full year has passed since our visit to the South of France. If you missed it, our two-week journey to Europe began in London, where we visited the usual must-see sights, along with a trip to Richmond to see Petersham Nurseries. Our time in London flew by, but the end of our week in England marked the beginning of another wonderful week in the South of France. We were sad to leave, but just as excited to visit Nice, Eze, and Villefranche-Sur-Mer.
The Airbnb we booked was a cute and practical apartment located just a few miles outside of the Old Town. The walk from the apartment to the beach took about 15 minutes and, although our feet did hurt a bit by the end of the trip, the views along the way were stunning nonetheless. We also looked forward to making a few of our own meals during out time in Nice because the outdoor markets were filled with fresh local ingredients, and the kitchen at our Airbnb provided all of the pots, pans, and plates we needed.
A highlight of the trip, and one of the number one things we would recommend if you travel to any Mediterranean destination, was watching the sunrise from the Promenade des Anglais. We woke up about 30 minutes before sunrise and made ourselves comfortable on a couple of beach chairs. The call time was early, but the sunrise itself was well worth it. At this point in the trip, we were quite jet-lagged. This made waking up a little less difficult, but in the early afternoon, we noticed how tired we really were. We decided to take a nap that afternoon when the hot Summer temps were at their peak for the day.
After sunrise on the beach, we were hungry and ready for breakfast. We also wanted to explore the famous outdoor markets before the crowds picked up. Another highlight of our early call time was the empty streets and easy access to the markets. You can find market venders selling anything from flowers, to books, to local art, antiques, fresh produce, and more. The markets are open just about every day beginning around 6:30-7 am. Our Airbnb host provided a guide and schedule for the Nice markets, so if you are looking for a similar guide, ask your hotel concierge or Airbnb host.
My favorite market find was an old French book wrapped in the most beautiful floral blue cover. Of course, I can’t read French, but because I collect a book from each city/country we visit during out travels, I knew I had to add it to my collection. Once we were finished wandering the markets, we stopped for breakfast at a cafe just down the road called Pain & Cie. We ordered two chocolate croissants, a (very strong) cappuccino, and a fresh squeezed orange juice.
One of our favorite parts about Nice, France was it’s close proximity to Italy. The influence of this neighboring country is heavy, and we really felt like we got a small taste of both France and Italy while we were there. I have never had a better pizza, and it was in Nice that my loves of Caprese Salad and sparkling Italian water first began. We enjoying seeing how these two cultures could be spotted in the architecture, food, art, music, & more.
Although we traveled outside of Old Nice during the day to visit other neighboring towns like Eze and Villefranche-sur-mer, we ended each night in downtown Old Nice before making our way back to our Airbnb apartment. Azzuro, an Artisan Geleteria known for its delicious Gelato and homemade waffle cones, was unashamedly the reason we did so. Just about every day (sometimes twice a day - no shame) we stopped by for waffle cones with Snickers and Chocolate Chip Cookie (not to be confused with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough) Gelato. Of all the foods to try in Nice, Azzuro tops the list!
To see more highlights from our trip to the South of France, check out our recap of Eze and Villefranche-Sur-Mer.
