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France : Nice - June 2008

Country Code: Dial for France

June sees the start of the French Riviera’s high season. Celebrations like the Fête de la Musique pull in the crowds while fireworks light up the night skies. Locals amble outside to drink cocktails on the beach, and there’s a heady sense of excitement in the air. Kathryn Tomasetti drinks it in

Getting around

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is 7km west of the city centre.

Bus: The No.99 departs for Gare Routière, the central bus station just outside the old town, every 20 minutes. Tickets cost €4 and the journey takes about 30 minutes.
Taxi: The journey from the airport to the city centre takes 20 minutes and costs around €30.
Tourist information: The main office is at 5 Promenade des Anglais (tel. , nicetourisme.biz).

OLD TOWN

Its tiny streets may be teeming, but the Vielle Ville offers plenty of cool, atmospheric refuges from the sun’s strong glare.

Culture vultures – Step into the little-visited former mansion of Palais Lascaris (15 Rue Droite), with its ancient apothecary and first-floor chapel.

Must drink – Cradled at the eastern corner of Nice’s sweeping shore, Castel Plage (8 Quai États-Unis) serves up sundowners with a sea view.

Shop til you drop – The Cours Saleya’s Monday Flea Market (8am-6pm) pulls in bargain hunters from Marseilles to Milan. You can pick up everything from second-hand jackets to 19th-century watercolours here. From Tuesday to Sunday, hit the same space for the Marché aux Fleurs to grab a gift-wrapped bouquet for the flight home.

THE PORT

Nice’s Port area is young and buzzing, yet oddly tourist-free. Take an afternoon stroll down by the yachts or grab a glass of rosé in a quayside bar.

Sleep soundly – The Hôtel Palais Maeterlinck has opulently appointed rooms and fabulous views. There’s also a private funicular to the hotel’s Med-side bar – perfect for an aperitif at sunset.

Culture vultures – Celebrate Saint Peter’s feast day, known locally as the Fête de la Mer (held on 29 June), with a free ride around the port in a traditional wooden Niçois fishing boat.

Must eat – Scandinavian specialist Fjord (21 Rue François Guisol, tel. ) does Nordic treats like smoked salmon tart, herrings and loaded blinis. Le Bistrot du Port (28 Quai Lunel, tel. ) dishes up great seafood – try the marinated swordfish and local red mullet.

Dance the night away – One of France’s best festivals, the Fête de la Musique (21 June) sees rock bands, classical musicians and international DJs competing for attention.

PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS

The place to see and be seen, in the evening this wide promenade is packed with rollerbladers, jugglers and crews performing capoeira.

Culture vultures – The recently renovated Musée Masséna (35 Promenade des Anglais) houses a treasure trove of Niçois artwork and memorabilia, including menus and photos from the decadent 20s.

Must drink – Visit the classy Pingala Bar (3rd floor, Palais de la Méditerranée, 15 Promenade des Anglais) for upmarket poolside cocktails.

Shop til you drop – Stroll down the often-missed Rue Ponchettes behind the prom and pick up trendy threads at Agnés b (17 Rue des Ponchettes) or retro furniture at La Treille Muscade (21 Rue des Ponchettes).

VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER AND CAP FERRAT

From the Gare Routière (central bus station, 5 Boulevard Jean Jaurès) take a panoramic bus ride to the nearby towns of Villefranche (No.100) or Saint Jean Cap Ferrat (No.81).

Sleep soundly – Unassuming, friendly and cute, Hôtel Welcome occupies a prime spot on Villefranche’s old town square. A stone’s throw from the fine pebbles of Cap Ferrat’s trendy Plage Paloma, the peaceful Hôtel Brise Marine is a hidden gem.

Culture vultures – The frescoed interior of the 14th-century Chapelle de St Pierre (Quai Admiral Courbet) was decorated in 1957 by Jean Cocteau.

Must eat – Le Cosmo (11 Place Amélie Pollonais, tel. ) has fabulous fresh salads, awesome anchoïde (anchovy and garlic dip) and a terrace with sea views. A few doors down, family-run La Mère Germaine (Quai Admiral Courbet, tel. ) has served up regional cuisine since 1938.

Compiled by Kathryn Tomasetti