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What to discover?
The
international airport, which is the second
most important in France, makes the town a compulsory
entry point to Southern France. And it seems really
prejudicial to land at Nice without visiting the town.
Nice is a really impressive city: with more than 300
000 inhabitants on one hand, and a great tourist attraction
on the other hand, Nice boasts a particular atmosphere.
Nice is a real town, economically, demographically,
but with all the leisure related to the sea.
The
littoral is really impressive, the turquoise Mediterranean
offers Nice a beautiful landscape but also delicious
fishes and seafood, which you can savor
at the famous Café de Turin on the Garibaldi Square.
You can also discover the sea from inside by scuba-diving
or snorkeling. The sea bed reaches high depths very
quickly, which explains the diversity of the flora
and fauna. Otherwise, thanks to the Mediterranean
warm climate and sun, Nice is a city with flowers,
palm trees and umbrella pines and is endowed with
numerous magnificent gardens such as Albert 1st botanical
garden.
Nice
is also a town of culture.
Historically, the town have been Italian until 1860.
This is why, in the old-town, Italian architecture
dominates with trompe-l'œil façades, typical colored
cable streets, baroque churches and chapels such as
the Misericord Chapel and its famous unfinished steeple.
The Cours Saleya is crammed with gorgeous restaurants
and cafes terraces.
Despite
its historical richness, Nice is definitively turned
toward the future. The MAMAC, which is the modern
art museum, is world-famous for its innovative architecture
and its masterpieces of Matisse, Nikki de Saint Phalle
or Boltanski. Nice is also a city of traditions: culinary
with the delicious socca made with chickpea flour
and vivid markets, festive with the Nice
Carnival which takes place every year since
1873.
Moreover,
since the beginning of the 20th century, Nice
is a city of luxury: luxury shops gathered
in the Massena district, luxury hotels such as Le
Negresco, Le Meridien or le Splendid, located on the
Promenade des Anglais which you only have to cross
for going sunbathe on the beach. Just bear in mind
that some of the most famous tourist capitals are
near such as Monte-Carlo and Saint-Tropez with their
casinos, beaches and yachts. Nice is a place where
days and nights are gentle and sweet: siesta in the
shade of palm trees, parties in fabulous places till
the sunrise on the Mediterranean… like La Siesta.
Let's
not forget the countryside just inland from Nice ("arriere
pays"), which is amazingly beautiful. Hundreds-year-old
olive trees, lavender, almond trees stretch along
hills and mountains the top of which one can admire
the deep blue Mediterranean. Some of the most beautiful
villages of France such as Coaraze,
Gourdon and Sainte
Agnes are very close, enjoy short breaks there,
away from the hustle and bustle of the French Riviera.
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