“In the blue twilight, when countless coastal lights stretched like a curved diamond chain all the way to Cape Antibes, which was melting in the west like an ashen ghost, he stood on the balcony of his room in a hotel on the embankment, thinking that it was now twenty degrees below zero in Moscow …”
And.A.Bunin
That’s right – at the time of the hero from Bunin’s story, Nice was known as the “Winter Capital”, because the noble public came to rest here mainly in winter. But soon the mild warm climate, the gentle clear sea, the picturesque old streets and the special spirit of this amazing city made Nice the largest resort city on the Cote d’Azur. The magnificent architecture of Nice and its rich history, combined with the enchanting nature and excellent conditions for recreation, have long put Nice among the most prestigious resorts in the world.
Geography and location
Nice is a famous resort town and port on the Mediterranean coast, located on the shores of the Gulf of Angels in the extreme southeast of continental France, 30 km from the French border with Italy. Nice is the administrative center of the Alpes-Maritimes department and the largest city of the French Riviera, covers an area of 72 km2 and has a population of over 352,000 people.
Climate
Nice has a Mediterranean climate, with mild and warm winters (+11 – 17 °C), and hot, but not hot summers – the average maximum summer temperature in Nice is about 35 °C, and the sea breeze softens the heat. There is little precipitation in the resort, but spring is sometimes quite windy.
History of
Nice) is a city with a rich history, founded by the Greeks to commemorate the victory over the Ligurians in the middle of the 4th century BC. like Nicaea – in honor of the goddess Nike, from where it got its name. In the 7th century Nice joined the Genoese League, but until the 10th century it was captured by the Saracens and was under their rule. In the Middle Ages, the kings of France claimed the city, it was captured by the rulers of Provence, and from 1388 to 1860. Nice was part of the Savoy County. From 1691 to 1731 Nice was ruled by Louis XIV, and from 1792 to 1814. it was under the control of Napoleon. Nice gained fame as a resort back in the middle of the 17th century, the British often came here to rest, and it is interesting to note that at that time Nice was considered a “winter” resort, and was even called the “Winter Capital”. In the 19th century, Nice became a popular seaside resort, which it remains to this day, representatives of the Russian aristocracy, including the Dowager Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, acquire land here. Today it is a city with a developed infrastructure, the airport of Nice (Aéroport Nice Côte d’Azur) is the third in terms of passenger traffic in France, railways connect Nice with many cities, and since 2010 the Moscow-Nice train has been running here. In addition, important cultural and political events often take place here, for example, in November 2008, the EU-Russia summit was held in Nice.
Sights of Nice
Nice is the largest city of the French Riviera, a city with a long history and magnificent architecture, which attracts many tourists from all over the world. The architecture of Nice represents a unique eclecticism of styles – from the Italian baroque of the 17th-18th centuries. to exquisite classics of the XIX-XX centuries.
The Promenade des Anglais is a famous historic 7 km long promenade that runs along the line of beaches.
Place Massena is the central historical square of the city, which is decorated with a magnificent fountain by Vernier. Around the square there is a pedestrian zone, boutiques, cafes.
Museum Matisse (Musee Matisse) – works of different periods of the famous artist are housed in a Genoese mansion of the 17th century. in the center of Nice.
The Massena Museum (Musée Massena) is a museum of the history of Nice and an exhibition of its artists.
The Marc Chagall Museum (Musee National Message Biblique Marc Chagall) – presents the works of the famous avant-garde artist, while the central part of the exposition is 17 paintings painted by Chagall based on the subjects of the Old Testament.
Museum of Fine Arts (Le Musee des Beaux-Arts) – in the collection of this museum you can see works by Fragonard, Monet, Sisley and Degas, as well as sculptures by Rodin and Carpeau.
Museum of Archeology (Musee archeologique de Nice-Cimiez) – the museum contains exhibits discovered during excavations at the site of the Roman baths of the III century, as well as artifacts from different eras – up to the Middle Ages.
Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas– a unique Russian cathedral, built in the style of St. Basil’s Cathedral according to the project of the architect Preobrazhensky between 1903 and 1912, in the park of Villa Bermont – the former residence of the Romanov family.
Notre Dame Cathedral is the main Catholic cathedral in Nice, built in 1868 by the architect Charles Lenormad.
The Monastery of Notre Dame de Cimiez (Monastère Notre Dame de Cimiez) is a picturesque monastery of the 17th century, located in a park on a hill.
Hotel Negresco (Hôtel Negresco) is a luxurious historical hotel in the neoclassical style, built on the Promenade des Anglais in 1913. Many world celebrities have stayed at the hotel – from Picasso, Dali and Hemingway to Yves Montand, Michael Jackson and Catherine Deneuve.
Lascari Palace (Palais Lascaris)– a palace of the 17th century with luxurious interior decoration and a functioning old pharmacy.
The Kokad Russian Cemetery is an Orthodox Russian cemetery, opened in 1867, where more than 3,000 Russian emigrants are buried, including General Nikolai Yudenich.
Restaurants
Chantecler (Hotel Negresco) is a Michelin-starred luxury restaurant with antique décor and located in the legendary Promenade des Anglais hotel.
L’Ane Rouge (quai des Deux Emmanuel) is a Michelin-starred gastronomic restaurant overlooking the port and castle.
kei’S passion ( rue de France) is a Michelin-starred restaurant that serves French cuisine with Japanese accents.
Boccaccio (rue Massena) is a seafood restaurant with original nautical decor.
La petite Maison (rue St-Francois-de-Paule) is a favorite restaurant in Nice.
Le Melisande (Hotel Le Palais de la Maeterlinck) is a gastronomic restaurant with a panoramic view of the city.
Shopping
Nice has many shopping streets where you can find everything from fashion boutiques to souvenir shops and grocery stores. The main shopping street in Nice is Rue de France, which stretches to Place Massena. Most of the department stores and shopping complexes are located in the area of Avenue Jean Médecin – for example, the New Gallery (Nouvelle Galleries) with several floors. Nice Etoile – a large shopping center with boutiques of famous brands.
