nice - Swiss Travel,

Nice arguably the most famous town on the Riviera, is a good starting point for exploring the Riviera region, as well as a delightful town itself. In summer, you can spend time on the beach; in winter, you can participate in one of several festivals, including Carnival in February. Nice has a strong cultural heritage. Visit the Opera House; the Chagall, Matisse and naval museums; and the fine-arts museum, with its Monet, Degas, Renoir and Rodin collections. Also drop by the flower market, St. Reparate Cathedral and the old city (most of which is closed off to cars). Take time to stroll down the Promenade des Anglais along the smooth-pebble beach, which passes some very old and exclusive hotels, such as the Hotel Negresco. If you like Renoir, take a side trip to his villa in Cagnes-sur-Mer, which displays some of his paintings and memorabilia. Nice is 100 mi/160 km east of Marseille on the Riviera.

Its worth taking the time to discover Nice in depth. Wander at random through the narrow streets of the old town and then stroll along the famous "Promenade" before entering into the heart of the city with its rich architectural and cultural heritage and its parks and gardens.

Nice has a total of 19 museums and galleries, 32 classified historical monuments and 300 ha of parks and gardens, woodland and green areas in addition to 150 ornamental lakes and fountains.

If you head a short distance out of Nice to the northeast, you'll come to St. Jean Cap Ferrat. Its highlight is Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, a must-see for its lovely gardens overlooking the sea and its namesake Belle-Epoque mansion. The Villa is open every day from February through November, and only on the weekends thereafter.

Nice has the advantage of an exceptionnal micro-climate which has contributed to its worldwide renown for almost 200 years. Although the city opens onto the sea, Nice is protected from the wind by the surrounding hills and the Estérel mountains to the west, and the north-western barrier of the Mercantour Alps. The sea breezes give a mild climate in winter and reduce the heat in the summer. Temperatures range from 9°C to 24°C.
It is not unusual to lunch outdoors in the Cours Saleya in a T-shirt in February, while the rest of France is shivering in the cold!

The Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport is the second largest in France. More than 8 million passengers travel through each year (of which 49% are from overseas) and it represents an ideal gateway to the South of Europe.
45 airlines make 82 direct connections to 27 countries worldwide and operate a large number of daily flights to and from 30 other French cities. With over 300 flights a week and some 45 daily flights, the Paris-Nice route is the busiest in France.

NICE–CÔTE D'AZUR AIRPORT
06281 Nice cedex 3
Internet : www.nice.aeroport.fr.

Nice interconnects with major European cities via an extensive motorway network. The city is linked by the A8 "La Provençale" to Aix-en-Provence on the west and the Italian border on the east.
It takes approximately 9 hours to drive from Paris to Nice by motorway.

La SNCF (French National Railway Company) provides 11 regular connections from abroad and 20 daily connections with the largest cities in France. The T.G.V. (high-speed train) links Paris to Nice in 6 1/2 hours.
Direct daily connections : 4 to 5 in summer, 2 in winter.
A "car-train" service is available between major French cities : vehicules are conveyed at the same time as their owners, who travel in "couchettes"

GARE SNCF (Main railway station)
Avenue Thiers
06000 Nice
Internet : www.sncf.fr

About 6 mi/10 km southwest of Nice is Antibes a pretty beach town that has long been a favorite of Parisians. It offers a wide range of activities and many nice restaurants, galleries and clothing shops. On Sundays, vendors sell local produce and other goods at a wonderful open-air market in the Old Town. Behind 12th-century Chateau Grimaldi are the medieval ramparts of the city—climb up for gorgeous views of neighboring resorts and the sea. Also walk along the Rue Fourmilliere, a street full of flowers; the Place Nationale (restaurants, cafes and outdoor concerts); and the Rue James Close (shops and restaurants). Antibes also has a jazz festival every summer.

Just outside Antibes' walls is the area known as Safranier and the Bastion St. Andre (an archaeological museum). From the harbor, Port Vauban, you can see the 16th-century Fort Carre (open July-August). At the resort of Cap d'Antibes, see the Tour du Grillon Naval and Napoleonic Museum in the Sella Tower. Nearby Juan les Pins has sandy beaches, all kinds of watersports, upscale boutiques, nightlife and the Eden Beach Casino. From April to September, it's possible to take a boat trip to two of the Isles de Lerins: Ste. Marguerite (the fortress where "The Man in the Iron Mask" was imprisoned) and Ste. Honorat (an 11th-century abbey).

Drive another 6 mi/10 km southwest along the coast and you'll find Cannes. Every May, people jam this scenic town for its internationally renowned film festival. Stroll along La Croisette, the elegant seaside promenade, to the Palm Beach Casino, and visit the old harbor. In Le Suquet, the old part of the city, it's fun to just walk around, looking at the lovely flower gardens and shopping on the Rue d'Antibes. The Isles de Lerins are still a short ferry ride away, and just to the north is Grasse, the heart of the national perfume industry. Thousands of tons of flowers are processed there every year, providing the basic ingredients for most of France's major perfume brands.

Though its beach is far from the best on the Riviera, St. Tropez has great shopping, a picturesque old town and some very interesting exhibition spaces (including the Marine and the Annonciade Museums). Located about 40 mi/65 km southwest of Nice, the town can easily be seen in a few hours. Be sure to walk through the winding medieval streets and to stop for a drink at one of the many sidewalk cafes. In the summer, St. Tropez is swamped with beautiful people. If you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of Brigitte Bardot, who lives there. Some of the famous beaches nearby include Tahiti, Plage des Graniers, Tropezina and Tabou. Should time permit, visit the neighboring villages of Ramatuelle (17th-century church and good vistas) and Gassin (13th-century church and Alp views) and take boat excursions to the Hyeres Islands.

A bit farther is Eze-bord-de-Mer, which perches on a hilltop over the Mediterranean. It's a great place to stop for lunch or dinner. It has some of the best views of the Riviera and France's neighbor, Monaco, as does nearby La Turbie. Farther northeast along the coast, past Monaco, Menton is a quiet, peaceful town with a climate that's mild year-round. It's probably best known for its annual Fete des Citrons (lemon festival). The festival takes place every February and March, complete with floats, displays and art, all made entirely of lemons.

One of the best inland spots in the Riviera region is St. Paul de Vence, a little town about 10 mi/15 km northeast of Cannes. Its setting, along with its reputation for attracting the rich and famous, makes it a wonderful place to have a meal or to browse among its many art galleries. Just outside of town is Maeght Foundation, a gallery with sculptures by Miro and Giacometti. Nearby, in the town of Vence, is the Chapelle du Rosaire, a small church whose interior, windows and bell tower were designed by Matisse. The artist called it his masterpiece.

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