Nice in July
 

I am going to Nice with an active 80 year old Mother. Do you have recommendations for what real people can do in that area - any good cafes? Good pastries? Easy walks? Where to drive to in rental car for days trips beyond the touristy hills I read about. Favorite art museums and or gardens you'd suggest etc... Thanks, Leslie

Hi Leslie,<BR>I'm a real Nice lover and think you'll find lots to enjoy, especially if you and your mom love art. For sure go to the Chagall Museuem, also the Picasso in Antibes, and the Matisse is good (though not as good as the other two.) If you like modern art, make sure you go to the Musee d'Art Modern. For day trips I'd suggest St. Paul de Vence and Vence as well as Mougin and Biot (the glass blowing museum is terrific) and the citidal at Villefrance sur Mer. I've never had a bad meal in the area and a real special and inexpensive pizza and salad place is Piazza Massena at 2 rai Massena. Have a great trip,<BR>Paula

I'm not sure what you mean by real people, but there is lots to do in Nice. All the cafes and restraunts I ate at were great, my favorite was Cannes Pizza, although Piazza Massena is a close second. The Salads, Fresh Seafood, and Italian Dishes are all wonderful. <BR><BR>Nice has one of the largest Botanical Gardens in the World, we did not have time to see it last year, but it is on my list for this year. The old city is a great place to shop and walk through. There is the Chateau up on top of the hill, the walk can be tiring going up but there is an elevator near the hotel Perouse along the bay, this year we will use that going up and enjoy the walk back down. <BR><BR>Near the Chateau (bout 1/2 way down the hill) is the old Cemetary, there are some beautiful statues and crypts in that cemetary, very interesting to walk through--wear appropriate clothing though (no shorts, tanks, halters, etc), no picture taking (of course) and be respectful.<BR><BR>Nice has a website, you can have them sent you a city map and other info (the city map is really handy for the old town)

For JJJ:<BR>I'm interested in knowing more about the "elevator" near the Perouse to go up to the Chateau...<BR>1- Is there a parking lot near it so we can leave our car ?<BR>2-Can we also take the elevator down ?<BR>Thank you !<BR>

Be sure to see the Fondation Maeght in St. Paul de Vence. It is a wonderful modern art museum with beautiful grounds--well worth a trip.<BR><BR>Hi, Paula!

Yes, you can ride the elevator down as well as up. Last year we did not even find the elevator until a couple of days after we walked up to the chateau; and the evator was always closed in the late evening when we would find ourselves back in that vicinity. <BR><BR>I don't remember there being any kind of parking lot near the elevator, but we did not have a car so I was not looking for that. But according to the info I got from a Nice website you can even drive up there: <BR><BR>Here is the website info:<BR><BR> Le Chateau" isn't a chateau -- the castle on top of this high rock hill overlooking Nice old town and the port has been gone since 1706, but it's a great place to visit. There are cool walks in the shade of the trees, great views out over Nice and the Mediterranean, a large grassy park, playground, Roman ruins and a waterfall. <BR><BR>Access. You can walk up the stairs at the front, from the Quai des Etats Unis, and have a great view as you climb; there are 213 steps from the bottom to the observation platform on top of the Naval Museum, and then more steps and various walkways on to the top. An elevator is available from the same starting point if your legs aren't up to it. <BR>In the old town, go up the Rue Rossetti from the Cathedral Ste. R&eacute;parate to find steps and walkways that go up past the cemeteries to the top. There's also roads that you can drive, or walk, up: the Mont&eacute;e; Montfort goes up from the "point" between the Baie des Anges and the port, and from near the Place Garibaldi. <BR><BR>Hope this helps.<BR>

Our choice for the most mouthwatering breakfast in Nice is Patisserie Vogade, under the arcades on the southwest side of Place Massena.<BR>We chose caf&eacute; cr&egrave;mes, an almond twist of pastry, and a superb flaky apricot twirl – one of the most delectable and buttery morsels I've ever put in my mouth. Claude Vaillant, chef patissier since 1962, is ably carrying on the outstanding work that caused Vogade to be appointed “purveyor of confectionery to her Majesty [Queen Victoria] at Nice” in 1895. <BR>Don Camillo, an elegant Italian-influenced restaurant tucked away on the quiet eastern end of rue des Ponchettes between cours Saleya and the ocean promenade offers a inventive cuisine with market-fresh ingredients. <BR>The day's menu included a flavorful goat cheese layered with tapenade, fanned out beside a fluff of oak-leaf lettuce, and drizzled with pungent balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Followed by a crisp-skinned white fish balanced on a savory heap of ratatouille, then a mousse-like fluff of chocolate cake. I'm hungry remembering!

And while in Biot for the glass blowing museum, don't miss the fabulous Fernand Leger art museum - designed specifically to hold his art. Beautifully laid out and definitely worth a visit.