Heaven on Earth Nice, France

As our flight descended onto Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport, I can’t help but praise the beauty of God’s creation from up above the plane window.  It was one of the most beautiful panoramic view I had ever seen.  

Nice (read it as niece) is fondly called ‘Nice La Belle’ which means ‘Nice the Beautiful’ by poets and artists.   Located in the French Riviera on the southeast coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea.  Nice is very famous for stunning scenery, fabulous food and of course the beautiful beaches.  Embodying the classic glamour and timeless chic of the French Riviera, Nice is simply like heaven on earth.  This is the best place for our last stop honeymoon vacation.

Côte d’Azur (coast of Azure or the French Riviera) coastline began as winter health resort for the British upper class.  Then, it became the playground and vacation spot of British, Russian and other aristocrats such as Queen Victoria and King Edward VII when he was Prince of Wales.  It became a popular tourist spot and home for many famous personalities.

The city’s main seaside promenade, the Promenade des Anglais is an emblematic street in Nice that follows the curve of the Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels) beach.  The legendary road is lined with planted palm trees which makes it more dramatic.  Although it looks beautiful during the daylight but it has an air of mystery and romance during night time. 

Today, the Promenade des Anglais has simply become a favorite place for everyone.  A place for bicycling, skateboarding and even numerous events such as the Nice Carnival takes place along the Promenade. 

Getting lost along the narrow, dark, winding alleyways of Vieille Ville (Old Town) is a highlight.  It has barely changed since 1700s and is now packed with restaurants, boutiques and bars.  This Old Town bustles with life from morning ‘til night.  It exudes a typically Mediterranean atmosphere and colourful historical buildings and Churches.  It was like reminiscing my Italian trip back in 2013 and a fantastic reminder of how beautiful Italian Piazzas are.  At some point, my mind was playing game, making me forget I was in France.

Nice actually has an Italian atmosphere this is because it is close to the Italian border and it has only been part of France in 1860.  Nice couldn’t have belonged to Italy.  However, it was part of the House of Savoy, which became the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, which became part of Italy.

On a hill overlooking the coastline, the site of Parc de la Colline du Château (Castle hill) is an idyllic place pleasant oasis of greenery shady trees.  It was once inhabited by the Greeks years ago but the citadel was destroyed by soldiers of French King Louis XIV in 1706.  There is no castle anymore but the hilltop was turned into a park. 

This is definitely the best of Nice like a photograph postcard picture-perfect view which extends all the way to the horizon.  The view was spectacular way beyond my imagination. 

Place Massena is a real colourful splash, it is like a fresh citrus shade which offers a wonderful contrast to the blue sky.  It is a good place to spend some time while enjoying the view next to the beautiful square while waiting for the sun to set  as Nice is one of the top five sunniest places in France with 2668 hours of sunshine per year. This square is the beating heart of Nice.

Fontaine du Soleil (The Sun Fountain), a splendid fountain in the middle of Place Massena featuring a statue of Apollo, the Greek Sun God and the five bronze sculptures representing Earth, Mars, Mercury, Saturn and Venus.  

They implemented the use of Trams as it appeared to be more reliable than buses, since they are not subject to the vagaries of traffic and is less expensive than a subway line.  Nice is now the proud owner for a wonderful tram line.  It just glides in the heart of every town replacing so much of traffic congestion and turning Nice into a delightful people zone.

Monument aux Morts was inaugurated in 1928 in honour of the 4,000 people of Nice who died in World War I.

Avenue Jean Medecin is the main shopping high street of Nice.  Fashion, food and drinks are not just a past time in France – they are the foundation of life.  The range of shopping goods and boutiques reflects the French elegance and awareness of trends.  It is noticeable on how the French smartly dressed themselves with expensive handbags and shoes.  Shopping in Nice can easily become a full day activity as the high street offers everything you are looking for from antiques to souvenirs to fashion and the list goes on and on.

Basilica of Notre-Dame de Nice is a Roman Catholic basilica situated in the middle of the shopping street Avenue Jean Medecin.  It is the largest Church in Nice.

French Riviera would not be complete without setting in the towel, soaking in the sun and dipping in the water.  It is a nice small strip of life’s beautiful pleasure watching the world go by. 

The whole thing still feels surreal to me, even after two months of being married.  Here I am finishing the last of our “whole two countries, three cities honeymoon blog” and I realized how fast everything goes.  My husband and I started traveling 6 years ago (when we were still boyfriend-girlfriend) and we are a globetrotting nomad.  We had lived in 2 countries both Philippines and United Arab Emirates.  We had explored and experienced the dynamic of four continents and beyond.  It has given us an education that we can’t get in books and taught us so much about different cultures and norms.  This is one of the biggest factors for me that contribute in our daily life activities and how we had managed to outgrow our differences.

It is always the love to explore the farthest reaches of our planet, to see the world for what it really is.  There is always something new to discover as much as something more to learn from traveling. 

Some things fall apart, so better things can fall together.  What’s meant to be will be.  I found what was meant for me.  I hope you all find that piece of sunrise and sunset that would fill your inner core of happiness.

We are back to reality now, in our own sweet haven in the Middle East and I know deep in our hearts lies the thirst to travel once again….

The South of France is a vision as much as it is a place.  There’s something about Cote d’Azur that leaves me longing for more.

“Travelling – it leaves you speechless and turns you into a storyteller.” -  Ibn Battuta

Here is our travel vid edited by the husband himself.

Geneva | Paris | Nice - honeymoon trip from Riggi Neis on Vimeo.

Love,

M xo

TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

Disclaimer:

This is a personal blog.  The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer.

In addition, my opinions may change from time to time.  I consider this an open-minded consequence of my thoughts and personal views.  This blog is intended to provide a semi-permanent point at the time being and as such any thoughts and opinions expressed may vary in the near future.