Nice, France

I’m in love with Nice. The French don’t call the French Riviera “Blue Coast” for nothing. The Mediterranean Sea is so many shades of blue here and the weather is much warmer than in Provence. I planned Nice at this time because I learned that Carnival in Nice takes place for three weeks starting in mid-February. Since I had just returned from Carnival in Venice, I thought it was fitting to continue my Carnival celebrations. It’s unfortunate that I won’t be able to do Carnival in Brazil too, but maybe I will another year.

Vieux Nice

Vieux Nice

Opera Plage is a rocky beach. Even in February, the day was beautiful as the sun shone brightly without a single cloud in sight. The blue of the sky fought with the blue of the sea. There were people swimming in the water, getting showered off, laying out (fully clothed) on the beach, napping, talking with friends.

Every day is Market Day in Nice. The market in Vieux Nice is impressive, perhaps even rivaling my favorite market at the Rialto in Venice. The market in Nice sells fresh flowers, potted plants, marzipan candies shaped to look like fruits, vegetables and animals, rock candies, gummy candies, farmers’ vegetables with red peppers the color of crimson and the size of a small eggplant, fresh baguettes and desserts. Artists set up their easels and paint images of Nice and the Cote d’Azur, for sale to all. With the exception of these paintings, there are no tourist souvenirs sold here. Everything is just as a market should be. Vegetables and fruits never look more appetizing than they do in open markets. Yesterday, I bought a head of butter lettuce for 1EUR from the woman who spoke no English. “Une piece, s’il vous plait,” I said. When I went to wash it, there were still earth and tiny green buys crawling on the leaves. Fresh off the farm! I tore the leaves off for lunch and filled them with couscous to make wraps. 

After filling myself with eye candy at the market, I hiked up the steps to the top of the hill, where the old castle is located in Nice. This is where the best views of Nice and the Cote d’Azur are. The weather was cold today so it wasn’t the most natural thing to hang around as much as I wanted to. I walked down back to sea level by the opposite side towards the port. 

After my midday hike, I sought refuge in the Musuem of Modern and Contemporary Art. My guide book mentioned there were Lichtenstein(s) and Warhol(s) here, but I saw no Lichtensteins and maybe two Warhols. Luckily, the visit wasn’t a complete disappointment as I discovered Yves Klein, an artist I had never heard of before, but held a prominent permanent exhibit at this museum. I was very impressed with the work I saw here today.
 

And finally, Nice at night...

Vieux Nice

Opera Plage

Sunset over Opera Plage

Eze Village, France

I saw Eze Village in the France train timetable book that was given to me by the ticket agent in Arles. There was an aerial picture of Eze, showcasing it as a village sitting atop a mountain with the sea surrounding it on at least one side. I thought it looked stunning and thought I would pay a visit. I also learned that it was an easy bus trip from Nice for only 1EUR.

Eze Village is just as picturesque as St. Paul de Vence, while maintaining its own charm. The walls and streets are just as stony and just as medieval feeling. There are few tourist shops in Eze Village and its biggest attraction is the Exotic Garden which cost 5EUR for entering. 

 

While St. Paul boasts a view of a countryside below its walls, the Mediterranean Sea slaps at the base of Eze. The view from the top of Eze was stunning, even with the overcast sky that stayed throughout most of my visit. This is the first time I have seen sky and sea blend into one with no clear indication of the horizon line. 

The church at Eze is the most alluring church I have seen in all my travels through Europe. The exterior makes the church look more imposing than it actually is. The interior was as small as a chapel in the Medici family, but with the painted woodwork peeling away at the moldings and pews that were worn in all the right places, there was something very unpretentious and genuinely holy about this church.