Nice

Note: the following series of notes were written after my visit to France in the spring of 2008, during my daughter's semester abroad.

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Since Nice was our center of operations, I got to know it pretty well – at least the parts of it that were close to Sarah’s apartment. Sarah lives on Boulevard Gambetta, which is one of the larger streets running from the Promenade des Anglais, into town. The “Prom” is kind of like a boardwalk (but not made of boards), and it runs along the beach (or Baie des Anges – the Bay of Angels). People are not only promenading, but there are cyclists, joggers, and in-line skaters, who use a designated painted lane.

At intervals, there is a covered area with seats, where you can sit and look at the ocean, or the people on the beach. The beach is somewhat different from what we in the States expect, as it is covered with pebbles – not sand.

But back to the “Prom”… Jogging may be somewhat new in France. There are lots of people jogging, but not very many of them look like they know what they are doing. In terms of exercise, they are getting a lot of bang for the buck, but they are either running in a very awkward fashion, or are wearing clothing that no self-respecting jogger in the States would wear (such as cargo shorts). On the other hand, put a French person on a bicycle, and they look as if they were born there.

One of my favorite places to walk was the Rue de France. This is a street that runs parallel to the beach, but about a block in. If you follow it east, you will encounter many shops and cafes, and finally the “Zone Pietonne,” or Pedestrian Zone, which is a section of the street that has been blocked off from traffic. Eventually, Rue de France ends at Place Massena, which is a very large plaza. The new tram line runs through it, and on either side of the tram line is a row of about a dozen poles, each one topped with a statue of a man, which are lit at night. The color of the light shifts gradually through the spectrum.

Nice was founded in about 350 BC by the Greeks, who named the city after the goddess Nikaia, the goddess of victory (as in Nike sportswear).

Nice has gone back and forth between various political entities, and hasn’t always been a part of France. Italy is only about 30 minutes away by train, and there is a lot of Italian influence in the architecture of Nice.

Nice also has some of the best ice cream (gelato, actually) that I have ever tasted. If you ever go there, check out Fenocchio’s (not to be confused with Pinocchio’s, which is a chain).

At the east end of the Baie des Anges is a large hill or mountain (depending on your perspective), that is called the Colline du Chateau. I’m not sure of the history of it, so I won’t even attempt to relate it, but going to the top of the Colline du Chateau gives a wonderful view of the entire Baie des Anges. It is an ideal place to have one’s picture taken, to prove that one has indeed been to Nice, because there is a vantage point where the Baie des Anges is in the background. I went up to the Chateau by myself one day, while Sarah was in class. She and all her young friends had hiked up to the top on foot. I discovered some little tourist trains on the Eastern end of the Promenade des Anglais, and for 4 Euros, rode to the top. Call me a cheater. On the way to the Colline du Chateau, the train wound through Vieux Nice.