It has been just under two years since I sent my last postcard from Nice, my favourite South of France city.
I’ve been coming to Nice for well over 30 years so any visit is always a mixture of retreading happy, familiar places and seeking out new ones. This trip, in July 2024 was no exception.
Visiting the day after the Tour de France Grand Arivée I could see a city clearing up after the Tour but also getting ready for the Olympics. The modern Nice Stadium was hosting football matches so there was a ‘games maker’ presence in the bustling Nice Ville train station.
Outside the station was a new development that included a swanky Monoprix (now rebranded to Monop’) and a hotel. Gone are the days of walking out of the station to be greeted by a massive sex shop sign. Bike sculptures were placed in a nod to the Tour whilst a large dog sculpture ‘Totor’ by Stephane Bolongaro stood by the station entrance.
The Nice tram is now extended to run all the to the airport and out into the suburbs. The years of construction has now become a reality.
Heading down to my favourite Hotel Negresco there was a big change that wouldn’t be obvious to the passer by. As the last of the Tour de France decorations were loaded away, I could see that Louis had gone. The primary coloured statue of trumpeter Miles Davis had been replaced with something else. To be honest, I am not sure what it was, but it was different! Not sure if that was temporary or a permanent change so I will look into that.
There wasn’t time to pop into the new N Le Spa, a major new extension of the hotel but I have to leave something for another visit!
Walking into town, along the baking hot Promenade Des Anglais past the Tour coloured chairs, I stopped at the new memorial for the victims of a shocking terrorist attack. On July 2016 terrorists drove a truck into crowds enjoying an evening out. The loss of 86 lives, and injuries of so many more remains a shocking chapter in the history of this great city.
‘L’Ange de la Baie’ by Jean-Marie Fondacaro is now a graceful permanent monument to the victims of terrorism. We would normally have been in the city on this date but our plans had changed so I do take a moment to reflect.
Onwards into the old town and it was good t see the old haunts are still doing well – Pizza Cresci busy as ever, our favourite restaurants still going strong.
I wandered through the flower market, on Monday it’s the flea market so there’s always much to see. Whilst the stall holders may have changed, the market hasn’t really changed in decades – it looks the same as it did in ‘To Catch a Thief’ over half a century ago.
Lots of old posters (including a Tour de France theme) that would look great in the South of France sunshine but wouldn’t look so good in a gloomy UK. There were a few record stalls but nothing worth pursuing.
After a poke around the old town, which is the same as always, we tried lunch at Le Grand Balcon, just next to the Nice Opera. The food was good, and mostly correct, with decent service and fair pricing. It wasn’t the best meal we’ve had in Nice but it was great to be out of the soaring temperatures.
An easy wander back to the station and home to Beaulieu-Sur-Mer rounded off another great visit to Nice.
