Like the last piece of a giant puzzle, Alpes-Maritimes fits neatly into the south-eastern corner of France right up against the Italian border. Nice, the capital, joined France for good in 1860. Tende and La Brigue followed 87 years later and the map was complete, albeit for the tiny enclave of Monaco. Authentic villages, bucolic hills and mountains, nature parks and the most gorgeous stretch of the Côte d’Azur on the Mediterranean... it’s no wonder the department appeals to so many expats.
“I came to the south of France in search of light and life,” says artist Frances Peters, who lives in Cagnes-sur-Mer. “Thirteen years on, the décor still fits. The sun still shines in winter. No matter how much beauty I find in this landscape of unbelievably rich colour and texture, there is always more. Nature in all its glory is on my doorstep and Nice airport is only 10 minutes away. The love of good people still welcomes me and I feel that I’ve come home.”
Of course, it isn’t just the British who love the Riviera with its superb landscapes and 300 days of sunshine a year. Ask the French where they would like to live, given the choice, and more often than not, Nice comes top of the list. Is it the charm of the Belle Époque, the elegant palm-lined promenade, the convivial Place Masséna or the old town with its alleyways and pastel-hued façades? Fountains gurgle on the squares, restaurants beckon under flowering trees, and in the harbour, the brightly painted pointu boats unload their catch alongside gleaming yachts, ferries to Corsica and the sightseeing fleet of Trans Côte d’Azur.
Meanwhile, the market splashes myriad colours and scents on the Cours Saleya, just a few steps from the beach and its sweeping crescent of glistening pebbles. The Niçois are proud of their pebbles, much cleaner than sand, they say, whether it’s on the public or the private beaches, the latter with its upmarket restaurants, loungers and parasols.
Nice is both a holiday resort and a real French city, bustling and relaxed all in one; a mix of tangled lanes and leafy boulevards, designer boutiques and department stores, souvenir shops, art galleries, museums and, to top it all, Roman ruins at the top of the hill in the Cimiez district. Up there, men play pétanque in the olive grove near the Musée Matisse, with its distinctive pink walls, and the Cimiez monastery framed by cypress trees. In the distance, the Colline du Château shimmers on a glorious headland where the sun rises and sets over the sea. There, you can look down on a jumble of red roofs, spires and domes, the harbour and the Bay of Angels, unfolding silver and blue along the Promenade des Anglais where the iconic Le Negresco hotel has welcomed the ‘crème de la crème’ for 100 years.
But it all started back in the 1800s when Reverend Lewis Way decided to finance a seafront promenade for the British aristocracy wintering in warmer climes. Crowned heads, artists and writers soon flocked from all over Europe and nowadays, the promenade is for everyone, casual and chic alike, a place to stroll, jog, pick up a ‘vélo bleu’ or just sit and gaze at the sea. During the winter carnival, it hosts a spectacular flower parade and all sorts of festivities late into the night.
Learn about the charm of Nice's Hotel Villa Rivoli by perusing Living France. Explore luxurious accommodations and the rich culture of the French Riviera.I can't wait to read more content like to this in the future. I have no doubt that a lot of readers will benefit from this content. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience.
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