Nice...Just a Few Weeks Late

Glenn and I had a fabulous mini-vacation in Nice in May. We rented an apartment not far from the Old Town and just down the road from the beach. It was a perfect spot. If anyone is heading there any time soon, I'll give you the contact information for the owner. She was so helpful and the caretaker was a wealth of information on all things French Riviera.

While we were there, we spent a lot of time at the market in Vieux Nice (Old Town). I am always drawn to produce/flower/antique markets and the European ones are truly fabulous. Here are a few shots from the Nice marketplace:

Candy Stall

Flowers and more flowers

The market was such a great place to pick up fun dinner ingredients as well as cheese, olives, fruit and bread for our evening wine hour. Asparagus, strawberries, and cherries were all in season. Oh how I miss that market!

The weather was great for walking around so we explored the whole of Nice on foot. We climbed about 1,000,000 steps up a hill called the Chateau and were rewarded with a magnificent view of Nice and the coastline. The port is beautiful and the beaches are great, even if they are river rock instead of sand. We took a dip in the chilly Mediterranean and won 35 Euros at the casino (on one coin). We also discovered some great restaurants. Glenn loved the dive bar around the corner from our house called the Lady Pub. I preferred the Havana Cafe with its salsa dancers. The Italian food was delicious as was the french food, of course! We are trying to recreate the Salade Nicoise at home.

Atop the Chateau and fishing boats in the old port

One of the many cafes we visited in Vieux Nice

We took a couple of day trips, too. A very scenic bus trip up the west coast landed us in Eze Villages, a medieval city built into the side of the mountain. A climb to the top ended in another breathtaking view of the coast for miles in either direction. There was also a lovely cactus garden that was an unexpected surprise at the top of the village.

Another day trip (a train this time) was to Cannes. We were there one day before the film festival started and the town was hopping. I've never seen yachts this size. Huge tents dominated the harbor and I'm sure the place was rotten with celebs, but I didn't notice any.

All in all it was a fantastic trip. I was once again reminded of what a lucky girl I am. Not only do I live a hop skip and jump from these beautiful spots with an amazing partner who loves to travel as much as I do, but also because this is the second time I've been able to visit this particular corner of Europe. Mom and I spent time here a few years back during our trip to France. That was such a special trip and I thought of our adventures often during my trip with Glenn. Vive La France!