Precious area where the Alps drop into the Mediterranean sea, Nice is the heart of the coveted French Riviera.
Just 30km from the French-Italian border and 13km from Monaco, Nice welcomes international guest with its International Airport, the third busiest in France *after two Parisian ones*, where you can enjoy various high-class facilities such as a helicopter service provided by Heli Air Monaco and Monacair, linking Monaco’s Principality or towns as Cannes, St Tropez to the airport.
Nissa La Bella
In the 19th century, Aristocrats from London to Moscow flocked to France’s sunny Côte d’Azur, or blue coast. Much loved for its blue seas and blue skies, this was the place for North Europeans to socialize, gamble and escape their dreary weather
But Nice is appreciated as a resort town for a very long time now. Indeed, during the Roman Empire, life was centered on the hill behind Nice, in Cimiez which is now the chic residential neighborhood. Head up to the Jardins de Cimiez today, and you’ll find the ancient Roman coliseum, which once entertained with gladiators, the ruins of an immense bath complex, a 500-year-old olive grove, and a still-operating monastery. There is also to be found a magnificent Parc of Roses. The city is paved with sumptuous architecture in the Belle Epoque style and buildings such as the Opera or the Villa Massena witness for the age of extreme refinement.
The old town reminds a lot of Italia as the city was under the Italian government until the 19th century. From its medieval market square with fresh seasonal produce to the Riviera’s biggest flower market, you will be inspired. There are two religious buildings worth a visit, The most famous building in Vieille Ville is the Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate, which honors the patron saint of Nice, a young girl who was arrested for her Christian faith the Chapelle de la Miséricorde, which is considered one of the world’s most beautiful baroque chapels by its extravagant interior and an incredible amount of paintings and decorations.
Seafront Promenade and Fine Museums
In 1931 following its renovation the city's main seaside promenade, the Promenade des Anglais ("Walkway of the English") was inaugurated by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, and owes its name to visitors to the resort. These included Empress Victoria of India along with her son Edward VII who spent winters there, and Nice-born Henry Cavendish, who discovered hydrogen.
Nice welcomed for many years new artists who lived there, inspired by the landscape and
because so many great 20th Century artists chose to live and work here, nice is studded with world-class modern art museums: Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, and many others raved about the region’s light and vivid colors. They were charmed by the simple life-styles of fishermen and villagers.
Nice is a real gem for Art and you can discover many horizons by visiting the different museums: Anatole Jakovsky International Museum of Naive Art, Museum of Asian Art, MAMAC Museum of modern and contemporary art, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nice housing a collection of art spanning the past four centuries. Matisse museum offers a fascinating introduction to modern art inspired by the french riviera, capturing the radiant Riviera of the 1920s. Chagall Musée Massena