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Postcards from Nice and Monaco

 
The beach in Nice is tres jolie. Take a stroll, or a bike ride or a skate, along the Promenade des Anglais, which skirts the beach and goes for miles. DAWN CATE   |   Times
The beach in Nice is tres jolie. Take a stroll, or a bike ride or a skate, along the Promenade des Anglais, which skirts the beach and goes for miles. DAWN CATE | Times
Published July 8, 2015

I recently had the good fortune of spending a little time — less than 24 hours, which included an overnight stay at Le Saint-Paul, a seminary turned hotel — in picturesque Nice, France. On such a tight schedule I opted to skip the popular Musée National Marc Chagall and other, more high-minded pursuits and instead pop into Monaco for a few hours and spend the remainder of my stay ambling around the capital of the French Riviera.

Monaco

For roughly 5 euros (about $5.60 at $1.12 for 1 euro) round trip, I hopped on a city bus in Nice and arrived about 30 minutes later. The glitz, glamor and wealth are front and center in this principality. (It's its own place, and not technically France. You can get a passport stamp at the tourism office.) Yachts fill the harbor. Sumptuous sports cars zip by. Everything is pristine. Prices are commensurately high (16 euros for a milkshake!). I took it all in, and took lots of photos, as I headed to my ultimate destination: the historic Casino de Monte-Carlo. After paying 10 euros to enter (yes, you must pay to get in, and you must pay in cash) I wandered around a bit. The cavernous main casino was a little underwhelming — while nicely appointed it was much more subdued than the typical Las Vegas casino, with not nearly as many machines — but, in fairness, it was a Wednesday afternoon. I didn't venture into the more private parlors off the main casino. After trying my luck at several machines, I said au revoir and left with my souvenirs: two ATM withdrawal slips. There are a handful of other casinos nearby, a discovery I didn't make until I had exited Casino de Monte-Carlo — and was out of money.

The beaches

The coastline of southern France has long been a source of inspiration for artists, in part because of its climate and light; Henri Matisse spent winters in Nice, and by the early 1920s he more or less called it home. It's not uncommon to see modern-day artists painting en plein air on the shoreline as, nearby, fishermen cast their lines into the Mediterranean and wait patiently for their catches.

The beaches in Nice do not have the sugary sand to which we Floridians are accustomed. They are blanketed in smooth pebbles and stones in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. The pebbles and stones are smooth and beautiful, but they make walking a bit of a challenge. Many beaches here are private, with a fee to rent towels, umbrellas and chairs, and some, such as Beau Rivage, have a restaurant and bar, making for a delightful alfresco dining experience.

The Promenade des Anglais

If you want to do some serious walking, inline skating or biking, stick to the "avenue of the English," the iconic pedestrian thoroughfare that hugs the shoreline and follows the curve of the Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels). In the 1800s this area of Nice became a favored winter destination among the English, and a footpath, credited to the Rev. Lewis Way, himself an Englishman, was created. The Promenade des Anglais, which is lined with palm trees, was inaugurated in 1931 by the Duke of Connaught, one of Queen Victoria's sons. It stretches more than 4 miles.

Citrus to crepes

Fresh fruits and vegetables are plentiful in Nice, at the Cours Saleya, an outdoor market one street off the seafront, with vendors peddling fresh figs and cheeses, flowers and more, and at shops throughout the city. The citrus I bought gave Sunshine State produce a run for its money, and the apple was crisp and sweet. Not all of the good food here is quite as healthful, but after hours of walking I decided I was justified in indulging in some of Nice's other treats. Yes, I'm talking about crepes, croissants and macarons. (And no, I didn't eat them all in one sitting.) Delicieux!