A Slice of Paradise: Nice and the Côte d'Azur

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The South of France...

The French Riviera...

The Côte d'Azur...

You might be tempted to call it Paradise for a couple days, depending on what you're looking for.

Whatever they choose to call it, one thing is undeniable: the hordes of vacationers who end up of the beaches of south-eastern France all agree that a hell of a place for a relaxing vacation. Having heard for years about how gorgeous the area was, I decided to head down to see for myself. From Friday night, May 18 until Tuesday the 22nd I got to bask in the semi-tropical climate of Nice and its environs, soaking up the hot sunshine on the beaches of Nice, climbing up and down the hills of ulta-rich Monaco, and rubbing shoulders with the rich & famous elite at the Cannes Film Festival. It was a heck of a time to be on the Côte d'Azur! I'm really glad I made it down there before leaving France, because it more than met my expectations.

I originally planned to stay with a friend of mine, Margaux, whose family lives in Nice, but following some "communication problems" I ended up staying in the Hotel Baccarat, a little two-star not far from the train station. It actually ended up being really convenient, because my TGV train from Paris deposited me only minutes from my hostel! Arriving on Friday night, I got my stuff settled in the hotel, and then headed straight down into the center of the Vieille Ville to meet my friend Rob. A really close friend from high school (one of the oldest I have!), we were lucky enough to cross paths in Nice for a day during his tour around Europe. (He's stopping in Paris to see me in early June!) It was fabulous to see him, considering that we haven't seen each other since last summer, and he was able to show me around the best parts of the city since he lived there last summer. We met on the steps of the Palais de Justice that first night and sampled the finest ice-cream in town (yay for insider knowledge and Italian gelatos!) which was a great way to kick off my stay.

On Saturday we met up again and headed almost directly to the beach, detouring through the outdoors Book Market and the Marché aux Fleurs (and fruits and veggies) to pick up some light beach-reading material and a picnic for the beach. And then...five hours straight on the beach! OMG, heavenly. It was so nice to go on vacation and just...do...nothing! Normally I motor around at high speed, armed with a guide book and determined to check off everything on my "List", but this vacation I was determined to do what you're supposed to do when you go to Nice: you do the beach! The beaches along much of the coastline are actually rocky rather than sandy, but I found (to my pleasant surprise) that I actually prefer this kind of beach. I hate leaving at the end of the day covered in sand and feeling dirty, so the smooth, rounded rocks of Nice were a welcome change. All you have to do is bring a woven straw mat with you, which are sold everywhere for about 2 euro, and presto! You've got it all.

So Saturday passed in a blissful, sunshine-induced haze, alternating between talking to Rob, napping, swimming in the turquoise waters, and munching on fresh strawberries and melon. And maybe a cheesy romance novel too... I couldn't have pictured anything more enjoyable! And yet, it did get even better... Margaux came to the beach and joined us for about 2 hours, and the three of us had a great time talking about everything from politics to French-American cultural differences to the iconic French smoking habit and its effects on public health (Rob's area of expertise!) Academia and bikinis...what a combo!

In the evening we left to beach to go meet Rob's MOTHER who was ALSO in Nice! She arrived Saturday afternoon with a friend of hers, and I was invited to dine with them at one of the numerous restaurants lining the famous Cours Saleya in the heart of Vieux Nice. Just one block off the water and the famous Promenade des Anglais, the Cours Saleya hosts the fruit, vegetable and flower market every morning, and then is transformed into a tourist-frequented terrace-dining strip for the evening hours. We had a really nice dinner in the evening, and then we all walked back up towards the train station; Rob to catch his plane to London, his mom and her friend to return to their hotel, and me to go back to my hotel. What a small world, to meet up with fellow Unionville-residents on one of the world's most famous vacation grounds!

The fun didn't end there, either, because the owner and the late-night receptionist at my hotel were charming, thoroughly Latin-blooded guys who never pass up an opportunity to chat up a pretty girl (OK, any girl!) and I spent the next two evening enjoying free champagne and harmless flirtation at my hostel. Sometimes it helps to be a girl! They couldn't believe that I spoke French as well as I do (being an AMERICAN, after all!) so they each took their turns vying for my attention. Not that I minded- they were both nice guys and held their own in a decently intellectual conversation! Only I could possibly talk about environmentalism and cultural differences in sexual mores while drinking champagne at 11pm at a 18-euro-a-night hostel...LOL. Yet another thing to remember from my trip. The next night there were 5 of us girls, so Dan (the owner) had a bigger pool to cast his net into...cause he wasn't going to get me to bite, that's for sure! They might be charming, these southern Frenchmen (practically Italians!) but I don't trust them as far as I can thrown them. The one-night-stand may well be a "legitimate expression of a sincere, yet ephemeral, connection between two people" but I didn't judge that to be necessary in order to enjoy my stay in Nice. To their disappointment, I'm sure... apparently we American girls are distressingly "coincées" (i.e. sexually repressed). Tant pis...

Sunday dawned just as gorgeous as Saturday, so I set off at the early hour of 11 am to explore the medieval part of Nice before heading to the beach for the afternoon. I strolled through the charming little shadowed alleys of Vieux Nice for an hour or so, poking my head into various elaborately-decorated Baroque churches, before climbing up on the Colline du Chateau (Castle Hill) which divides the beach strip of Nice from it's port, where all the huge cruise ships dock. There used to be a castle on the hilltop during Roman times (Nice used to be called Nikaia by the Greek Phoenicians who settled Marseille), but today all that remains is park for Nice's residents and a much more recent cemetery. It has gorgeous panoramic views of Nice, however, which definitely makes it worth the trip!

After descending from the hilltop, I followed my stomach back to the Cour Saleya to enjoy a lunch of Niçois specialties. Yum! There is nothing I like more that ratatouille, aubergines, tomatoes, bread, and similar dishes, so I thoroughly enjoyed all the meals I had while on vacation. The Niçoise salad DOES taste better down there, and they make a mean Italian thin-crust pizza (which I had for dinner in Cannes one night...and a free one at the hotel, courtesy of Dan ; ) After lunch I hit the Promenade des Anglais and strolled a kilometer or so down the waterfront, soaking up the sights of luxurious neo-classical hotels and people-watching. When I got hot enough I simply walked right down the steps straight onto the beach, and spent the next three hours reading a book, sunbathing, and swimming in the sea! Sigh... The only event that slightly marred my perfect afternoon was some random 55-year old guy who hit on me (gross!), apparently having decided that I was going to be his mistress and inspire him to go back to work once he got rid of his wife...or something...I didn't exactly understand everything he said. (I didn't really want to!) So that was...wierd...but I guess it happens when you mix hot Mediterranean sun and maximum skin-exposure. Heatstroke???? LOL...

What did I do that night? Oh, I remember...that was the night the Dan, four other American girls, Morad (the receptionist guy) and I went through 11 bottles of white wine and damn good champagne. I swear I did not drink THAT much, but I can't say the same for some of the other girls... (Or maybe I can just hold my alcohol better, having lived in France now for 9 months!) Can't blame Dan for trying the oldest trick in the book...but everyone had fun, it was harmless, and we managed to pass about 5 hours without even realizing it! Yay for free (good) champagne. That was the night of the pizza, too...which stood out as being particularly delicious, even compared to the champagne! Why does my life revolve around food? I must have a psychological complex...

On Monday I got a late start to the day (hey, sleeping in is part of the vacation experience!) but decided nonetheless to hop on the local train and head over to Monte Carlo, Monaco. Only 18 minutes and all of 5 miles away (if that!) this little principality is the densest concentration of fabulous wealth in the entire world. Only .75 sq. mi., it is a tax-haven for the world's richest people, who buy million-dollar apartments so that they can benefit from tax-free resident status. You gotta hand it to the royal family- they sure worked out the perfect capitalist system! Several super-glamorous and famous casinos provide the tax-revenue of the tiny kingdom, allowing the Prince to attract the avaricious (too harsh???) elite and maintain an immaculately-kept city at the same time. The city is built into the side of the Maritime Alps which march right down into the sea, and it's a glistening, modern collection of posh apartment buildings and manicured shopping streets (not EVERYTHING is a designer boutique...)

I emerged from the train station (which is awesome and entirely UNDER the city, within the mountainside) into this mecca of wealth and immediately thought that it looked surprisingly...normal! Maybe I have been spoiled, living in well-off Paris all year, but Monaco is really not as ostentatious as it could be. Granted, everything is perfectly-maintained and the cars are BMWs rather than Renaults, but the I didn't see any gold statues or diamond-doorknobs. What I DID see was a lot of tourists, who all flock to the "Rocher" (rock) upon which the principal tourist sites are grouped. A type of plateau situated to the right side of the port, the Rocher is only accessible by foot, by means of either a long ramp built in the Middle Ages or a (slightly newer) elevator. However, I did see one car up there- which promptly disappeared into the front gate of the Royal Palace! Still inhabited by the royal family, the palace is open for tours, so I spent a happy hour touring the beautiful rooms inside. I especially like the Hercules Gallery, which runs along one side of the interior courtyard alongside the state rooms (which are the ones open for visits). I couldn't tell if the mysterious car had deposited a "royal person" or not, but it was cool to see it go in the official entrance even still.

Following my tour of the Palace, I strolled through the little maze of pedestrian streets, sent some postcards (postmarked from a country other than France!) and ate lunch in a charming little square with a fountain in the middle of it right behind the Cathedral. Inside the Cathedral are the tombs of Princess Grace (Kelly) and her husband Prince Ranier III, the fairy-tale couple that captivated the world's population with their marriage in the 1950s. Princess Grace is still revered in Monaco even years after her tragic death in a car crash in the early '80s, and she is equally beloved by the tourists who stand around her simple tomb marker, covered in flowers. I guess she is the equivalent of Princess Diana for my grandparents' generation. Prince Rainier died only very recently, and today the sovereign is Prince Albert (#?).

Following my "pilgrimage" to their resting places, I made my way to the Institut de l'Océanographie, one of the principal attractions of Monaco. Located on the cliffside, grandiose and imposing, the museum was inaugurated by Prince Albert I in 1910. Himself a passionate sea-goer, Prince Albert spent many years sailing the seas on various yachts and sea vessels, conducting scientific studies, whaling, etc. His love for the sea led him to mount an expedition to the Arctic to survey North Pole, and in 2006 Prince Albert II repeated this voyage in order to honor the 100-year-anniversary of his grandfather's voyage and to bring attention to the plight of the Arctic, which is suffering greatly from global warming. This ecological aspect won points for the Prince in my book, and I enjoyed the parallel exhibition which recounts the two trips of the seafaring princes. I also loved the Aquarium which is located underneath the museum, as well as the historical records from Prince Albert's time. If you find yourself in Monaco, definitely make a stop at the museum: it's pretty expensive, but much more affordable is you possess a student I.D.... : )


After the Oceanographic museum I wandered down the twisting cliffside trail to the port, scene of furious, bustling activity by hordes of industrious workers setting up the grandstands for the Formula 1 Grand Prix race that was to be held 2 days later. This is arguably the biggest event in Monaco all year (maybe the tennis tournament rivals it) so I timed my visit perfectly. Having walked myself through those hilly, twisting streets that wind through tall, modern buildings, I was really impressed today when I turned on the TV and came across footage of the final day of the race (held May 24-27). Watching those drivers rip around hairpin turns and rocket down tunnels (for 78 laps), I thought for sure someone was going to crash! They didn't, however, and I now understand why Formula 1 racing is MUCH more popular in Europe than in the US. It's so much more interesting that watching NASCAR races going in circles for hours upon end...which has never managed to capture my interest at all! It was really cool watching the Grand Prix on TV because I recognized the views of the racecourse. For good measure, some Spaniard named F. Alonzo won, driving a McLaren Mercedes. There you go. We just exhausted my Formula 1 knowledge. Moving on...

To complete my whirlwind visit of Monaco, I walked around the port and up to the famous Monte Carlo Casino, the ultra-classy playground of the richest of the rich. This is where they film movies like James Bond. I didn't go in, but I was sufficiently impressed by the RollsRoyce, Lamborghini, Ferraris, Lotus, etc. parked outside to realize that I'm probably not rich enough to even walk in the door. Wearing a twirly red skirt, a black tank top, and a Turkish shawl, I definitely was dressed chic enough! So I took pictures of the gorgeous exterior and then set off back down into the down to make my way to the train station.

One hour later, and guess where I was! Cannes, home of the world-famous Film Festival! I had purposely timed my trip to coincide with the festival, and I arrived at 8pm to find a very ritzy little town thoroughly consumed by the excitement of hosting film stars, producers, critics, thousands of journalists and industry workers, even more numerous amateur film-critics, and a well-dressed assortment of rich party-seekers and jet-setters. EVERYONE was dressed to the nines - the entire freakin' town! - and the celebratory party atmosphere was infectious. I DID see someone famous right after getting off the train, but don't ask me who: just some beautiful young blond woman in a short black dress being hounded by 50 paparazzi and gawking tourists as she made her way out of a pharmacy. I was highly amused by the general aura of star-struck mania, and I took MY pictures of the crowd of crazy people following her down the street! Good luck trying to pick her out of the crowd...

Dinner was the best pizza I have had in years, and then I headed down to the waterfront to the Palais des Congres where the film screenings take place to join the crowd of star-obsessed festival-goers. I saw the famous red-carpeted steps (sans famous person) and marveled at the craziness of the whole situation. I have to say it was one of the most unrealistic, skewed images of the world that you could ever have: it was, as we say in french, "la folie!" (Craziness). Totally nuts. I sympathize with the people who live their lives permanently in this show-biz bubble- no wonder they seem to have so many personal problems! Just being on the periphery for a couple hours was enough to make me realized how easily you could lose perspective when being surrounded by the star-tinted lens of celebrity-dom. Is this, then, Hollywoodism? Not for me, thanks. And yet I should not pretend to be totally unaffected by the sheen of glamour: I was slightly star-struck myself! I spent some time strolling along the Croisette (a broad pathway along the beaches) doing some people-watching, and then I settled myself into a beach chair to watch a free screening of Rio Bravo (a John Wayne western!) on the huge Écran de la Plage (outdoor screen on the beach). Reclining in my chair with my bare toes digging into the sand, a soft, warm breeze ruffling my hair, I watched the movie and listened to the pounding beats of an after-screening party in a nearby tent and marveled at the ritz of the crazy bubble I was in. It felt truly unreal, but it was really fun! I don't think I need to go to the Cannes Film Festival every year, but it was great to get a taste of it. Before I got seduced by its appeal, however, I pulled myself and caught the last train back to Nice. Home by 1am, I had to pinch myself to believe that I'd done all of those things since noon. What a day!

The next day was Tuesday and my last day in Nice, so I decided to return to the essence of the trip: encore la plage! (Back to the beach!) I spent the late morning soaking up the last of the Mediterranean sun, and stopped in the Cour Saleya for one last seafood meal. (Then I made one more detour to Tenochio, the delicious ice-cream place Rob had showed me.) Savoring my mango & strawberry sorbet cone, I made my way back to the hotel, taking in the last images of this vacationer’s playground. No wonder Nice enjoys such a luxurious reputation: if all you have to worry about is what ice cream flavor to choose and which beach to go to, life is pretty sweet!

All the same, I've never been one to sit on my heels for too long, and I'm all too aware that most of the world is light-years away from the privilege of the Côte d'Azur. So it was with no regrets that I got back onto the train that would whisk me back to Paris and reality. No regrets, and fully refreshed!

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Photos

Me and Rob
Reunited in Nice! Small world...

The marché aux fleurs
In the Cour Saleya Saturday morning.

Flower girl!
My dress matches the bougainvillia...wow...

Camped out! Heavenly...
No wonder we spent 5 hours in one spot...who would want to move?

Gorgeous water
Yay for the beach!!!!!

Public Art in Vieux Nice
Some sort of children's festival was going on, and this mural was being created in the middle of games, pinatas, ice cream cones and all kinds of activity. If you look closely at it, it carries a strong social message.

Square in the heart of Vieux Nice
This is where the yummy gelaterie is located!

Wood-fired oven where they make socca, a local speciality
I didn't actually try it, but apparently it is like a chickpea crepe.

The Port
On the other side of the colline (hill)