Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Welcome to the Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Destination Guides

bthere! Destination guides

Previous issues for Nice

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy,
please confirm event/venue details in advance.

France : Nice - August 2008

Country Code: Dial for France

Nice really hots up in August. The beaches and bars are teeming, and the restaurants really come into their own. Whether you’re here for the parties or just out for your own private strip of sand, the Côte d’Azur has something to suit everyone. Kathryn Tomasetti soaks it all up

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).

VIEILLE VILLE

Nice’s atmospheric old town is picture perfect, and the ideal spot to while away hot summer evenings.

Sleep soundly – Galerie Espace Ste-Réparate is known for its cutting-edge exhibitions.

Must eat – The €11 prix fixe menu at Café Restaurant de la Bourse (15 Place St François, tel. ) features red mullet straight from the Med. If you’ve got a heartier appetite, head to Chez Antoine (27 Rue de la Préfecture, tel. ), where specialities include lentils and saucissons cooked in a Le Creuset pot.

Must drink – Tucked away on a quiet backstreet, new champagne bar L’Effervescence (10 Rue de la Loge) is this season’s hottest spot. Or snag a table at AkaThor (32 Cours Saleya) on the old town’s main drag – happy hour pints are cheap, and there’s live music outdoors from 7pm.

Shop til you drop – Diagram (11 Cours Saleya) stocks beautiful antique wine glasses, silver jewellery and Chinese wooden boxes.

THE PORT

The port is at its best in the summer. Check out the jaw-dropping luxury on the rows of floating gin palaces.

Must drink – Order a glass of rosé at Le Pass’Port (8 Quai des Docks), on the far side of the port, and catch the last of the sun’s evening rays.

Dance the night away – Perennially popular Guest (5 Quai Deux Emmanuel) pulls in a polished clientele from the yachts moored nearby.

Shop til you drop – Pick your way through tat and treasure (it’s mostly the latter, and priced accordingly) at the daily flea market, Les Puces de Nice (Place Robilante, off Quai Papacino).

MUSICIENS

The streets around the train station are named after musicians (Verdi, Paganini and Mozart), and this district is one of the cheapest places to play during August.

Must drink – Visit the new La Carino (12 Avenue Notre Dame) for an aperitif and a platter of charcuterie, which includes cured hams and salami.

Dance the night away – Head to L’Authentic (18 Rue Biscarra) for live jazz in a laid-back setting.

Shop til you drop – If you manage to drag yourself away from the beach early in the month, you’ll be able to catch the tail end of Nice’s summer sales. Galeries Lafayette (6 Avenue Jean Médecin) has fabulous deals on linen.

VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER AND CAP FERRAT

A sweeping arc of golden sand and Europe’s richest promontory are just a couple of kilometres east of Nice.

Sleep soundly – Open for the summer season after extensive renovations, the supremely chic Grand-Hotel du Cap- Ferrat has seaview rooms and luxe suites. The cheap and cheerful (and excellently named) La Fiancée du Pirate has commanding views over Villefranche-sur-Mer’s old town, plus a nice swimming pool.

Culture vultures – A vision of pearly pink extravagance, Baroness Ephrussi de Rothschild’s former home Villa Ephrussi in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat stages classical concerts and opera throughout August.

Must eat – The flower-filled terrace at Capitaine Cook (11 Avenue Jean Mermoz, tel. ), tucked away behind the port in Saint-Jean-Cap- Ferrat, is the most romantic place in town and perfect for a lazy lunch. Just up the road, Paloma Plage Restaurant (1 Route de Sainte-Hospice, tel. ) dishes up baked sea bass and octopus salad just metres from the shoreline.

Must drink – On Villefranche-sur- Mer’s seafront, Beluga (3 Quai Ponchardier) is perhaps the best spot on the Riviera to sip a sundowner and watch the boats glide in.

Compiled by Côte d’Azur