The moment we glided over the French Riviera on our descent, with the blue, crystal water and super yachts beneath us it appeared we had already entered heaven without even touching down yet. I’d been invited kindly by UniversityRooms.com to review some of their accommodation for a weekend and boy was I excited to arrive in the throws of this beautiful, elegant town. It was like Nice welcomed us with open arms. The sun beating down as we pounded the pavements to our apartment and the sea lapping against the pebble beach to our left. I uttered the words “I don’t want to go home” before we had even been there 15 minutes.
I feel like this post is a little bit of a love letter to the city. Whenever we have done city breaks they’ve always been in cooler months and without the beach. We’ve seen cities that are beautiful with rich history and delicate architecture, but this place was breath taking. The sun has a lot to do with holidays, most of us seek it when we travel abroad – it’s almost an expectation we have of somewhere when we holiday.
Nice had a certain je nais se quoi about the place that made it feel like we could have easily packed up home and moved here within a heartbeat. It was so easy. So easy to fall in love with it.
We stumbled upon a cute little vintage and antique fair near the harbour which kept us mesmerised for quite some time. I found myself picking out bits of furniture for our imaginary French home. I could have bundled up so much stuff and brought it home with me. I had to stop myself and give myself a little slap every time I reached out for something. It was fascinating. And as much as I wish I could read and write in French I can assure you, I had no idea what these books said.
The main square, Place Massena, was a beautifully constructed and clean area. With black and white patterned tiles leading the way to the magnificent fountain that became quite the photographed space and a place for friends to easily meet. The sun was pounding down that day & I could have easily jumped in the fountain and splashed around like a scene out of a crazy music video. Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.
I had to keep reminding myself to look up because everywhere you went beautiful, bright coloured buildings with pretty little balconies were above you. Watching the locals drink their coffee with a cigarette in hand was almost like I was taking a peak in to how it would be to be French, living the live on the French Riviera (sob) and it wasn’t just the buildings, it was the sculptures that adorned most streets, for no particular reason.
The views make every little negative thought eradicate from your brain. The promenade is one of those places that you can walk along for days, chatting away and forgetting all your troubles. I mean, who wouldn’t with a view like this? We walked up and down the Promenade Anglaise a number of times a day. It was a ritual to take this route back after dinner too. Late at night it was still a hive of activity as a regular spot for kids to have a beer and couples taking in the night sky & what beautiful nights they were.
The second to last day, the Sunday to be correct, saw us taking in the smells, sounds & sights of the Sunday market. It seemed as though every man and his dog were stocking up for the week ahead. But let’s face it, I couldn’t blame them. Everything smelt so darned good. The olives looked juicy and I could have gobbled the whole bowl of them. From local, fresh vegetables to handmade soaps there was something for everyone.
We settled in a little cafe just to the side of the Market after we had explored and grabbed ourselves two tall, ice cold beers to watch everyone pass by. It gave me a chance to play around with my camera and I managed to capture one of the most French scenes, EVER. I mean a trolley, filled with french baguettes. How bloody French?
Aside from my photo diary I have an amazing day to share with you where we were set a fantastic challenge to see how many luxury experiences we could achieve with 200 euros. And trust me, it’s worth sticking around for.
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