Some hints for your visit to France
The old city of Nice, monuments of Nice, around the port,
the town center of Nice, the neighborhood districts, museums of Nice,
Nice a vegetable exception, and the carnival of Nice
informations about the city of Nice
Nice city
of dreams. Is this the softness of its climate, its situation coiled
between hills and sea which allures? Always is it that the Baie des
Anges 
bears
its name well, like if the place, had a small air of Paradise. Without
counting the stars and crowned heads of the whole world, who often remained
there, which allows today, to discover beautiful villas, or to admire
the majestic architecture of the large hotels of the Promenade des Anglais.
If the city is elegant, it is quite as popular, merry and animated, Nice will be able to guide that which will want to learn and to discover: Sardes districts of the port to the avenues Victoriennes de Cimiez, majestic panorama that one discovers of the Mont-Boron to the picturesque lanes of the Old city, of the pedestrian paths which connect the hills, to the dawdlings in the luxurious shops of the malls, Nice will reveal you all its faces. And as its history goes back to mists of time, to say as much to you that you did not finish learning some… top of page
Prehistoric sites of the
Lazaret and Terra Amata to the “folies” of the architecture
of the Belle 
Epoque,
Nice kept many vestiges of its past. The old city conceals a true treasure
of Baroque art of XVIIe and XVIIIe centuries. It is necessary to discover
the Lascaris Palate and the innumerable churches and vaults disseminated
in the lanes, without haste, at the time of pleasant dawdlings. With
the borders of the old workings, one will be able to also admire interesting,
pilot buildings architecture of the XIXe century: the Palate of the
Prefecture, Law courts, the Opera…
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The old Nice is an amazement. Step by step, you
will be able to discover the vestiges of the Middle Ages
there, by looking above certain 
shops
the “pointed arches”. They carefully were released and restored,
in particular in the streets of the Pont-Vieux and the Prefecture. One
will note also many lintels hones some on the frontages of the houses.
Old “the Palais Royal” builds
at the beginning of the XVIIeme century to place the Governors and the
Princes of Savoy when they remained in Nice. The current Opera
was set up on the site of the old municipal theater destroyed by a fire
in 1881. Inaugurated in 1885, it is an example characteristic of the
style Second-Empire. The Saleya course where
each morning (except Monday reserved to the second-hand dealers), is
held the market to the fruits and with vegetables and, all the day,
celebrates it flower market. You will see there also the Chapelle
de la Miséricorde, the first stone was posed in
1740, the vault was conceded with the 
Brotherhood
of the Blacks Penitent (or of the Mercy). Splendid architecture external
and interior dedicated with the baroque, the gilded color and the research
of the curved line. The House of Adam and Eve,
(Street of the Fish shop - Angle Saleya Course) is the only testimony
which it remains of these painted houses which decorated the old city
formerly. Low-reliefs carried out in 1584 in let us tons camaieux decorate
the frontage. The Church of the Annunciation (1
Rue de la Poissonnerie) that some will know more under the name of church
of “Sainte Rita”, owner of the despaired causes, was rebuilt
at the XVIIème century and was dedicated to Saint-Jacob (Saint-Giaume
in niçois). The Vault of the Holy Trinity (Street
Jules Gilly), if the religious offices were celebrated in the Vault
contiguous to the Saint-Suaire, property of theReds Penitent , the senators
had their reserved platforms there. It should be noted that in 1614,
the Senate corresponded to our Courses of Call of today.
Ponchettes, located between the course Saleya
and the sea, this continuation of buildings 
comprises
two arched rooms of the XIXeme century which were arranged by the Municipality
in galleries of exposure. The Saint Martin Church
(Place Saint-Augustin), the one of the first three parishes of the city,
shelters one moving “Pietà” allotted to Louis Bréa
(XVeme century). The Place Saint François
whose north-eastern angle dates from XVIeme century, was at last century
the terminus of “will courrieras” (diligences). It remains
very animated and accommodates each morning (except Monday) the fish
market. The Old Town hall, (Saint-François
Place) is a communal palate which was built in XVIeme century. It shelters
the Labor market today.
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The elegant Garibaldi place
of the XVIIeme century, the Rossetti place
with its terraces and its glaciers, are one of the most animated places
of Nice. 
On
this same place you will be able to see the Holy Cathedral
Réparate, set up with the XVIIeme to the young
Sainte Réparate martyrdom, sponsors town of Nice. The bell-tower
is XVIIIème century and one will admire the elegance of the gate
and, inside, the Master-hotel and the balustrade of the marble chorus.
The Church of Gesù (Droite street)
St-Jacques the major one, was built by the Fathers of the Society of
Jesus at the XVIIeme century, it is a remarkable example of decoration
baroque. The Hill of the Castle, the castle,
there remains only some sections of wall; but in this flowered park,
one will discover a single sight on Nice and the surroundings, artificial
cascade and the vestiges of the old cathedral dating from XIeme century.
One loses oneself with pleasure in this labyrinth of greenery and one
will appreciate, particularly in summer, the freshness of its under
wood.
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And then there is obviously
famous Promenade des Anglais. This superb
maritime boulevard always impeccably flowered which marries 
the
harmonious curve of Bay of the Angels, was in the broad beginning only
one two meters path! It is English, the Reverend Lewis Way, who had
made it build with her expenses in 1820. He was at once baptized by
the local population “way of the English”. In its final
form, two roadways separated by a quay level planted from palm trees,
the “PROM” was inaugurated in 1931 by the Duke of Connaught,
one of wire of the Victoria Queen. The Marble Cross
(France Street ) was drawn up in 1568 to celebrate the meeting between
the Pope Paul III, Charles Quint and François 1st, at the time
of a congress. Opposite this cross, a column “return of Egypt”
commemorates the stays of the Black and white Pope VII. The
Notre-Dame Basilica, (Which occurred J. Doctor), 1864-68,
is the largest church of Nice is the first modern religious building,
built in the middle of the new city after fastening in France. The low
sides which flank the nave are prolonged by a déambulatoire with
radiating chapels. Stained glasses end XIXeme by C. Champigneulle.
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The
Place Ile de Beauté, which opens on the port is an
architectural whole of neo-classic houses which surrounds on both sides
the church of the port. Notre Dame of
the Port, (known as Church of the Immaculate Conception)
is the place of veneration for all the sailors who move away from Nice
while carrying the blessing of Notre-Dame of the Port; a statue of the
virgin is placed above the porch.
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The Masséna Place, is really the heart of the city! Northern side, of elegant buildings on arcades relative of the famous red pompéien, with the east, a very beautiful prospect towards hills with the Tuscan charm. A large fountain, whose signed bronzes Alfred Janniot represent planets of the solar system, is the place of privileged appointment of many tourists. The Albert Ier Garden, built in two times at the end of last century thanks to the cover of the Paillon, is prolonged now beyond the Masséna Place. It is a vast place of walk and relaxation where a bandstand and an open-air theater were arranged. On the central lawn springs gigantic and daring sculpture, “the Arc” of Bernar Venet. top of page
The Cathedral Orthodoxe Russian Saint
Nicolas, (AV Nicolas II), this
cathedral was built at the beginning of the XXeme century under the
patronage of the last Tsar Nicolas II and his mother the customs Empress
Marie Feodorovna. The cathedral is the most beautiful religious building
of this rite apart from Russia and the most perfect representation of
the Russian religious art abroad. The Franciscain Church
and the Monastery de Cimiez : the franciscains occupy
these buildings since XVIème century. At the interior, three
main works of Louis Bréa, primitive painter niçois, and
a monumental carved wood retable, 
gilded
with the sheet. In the cloister of XVIeme century, you will be able
to see an exposure of engravings XVIIeme century. Opened 10:00 with
12:00 and 15:00 with 18:00. But the Monastery also has a museum where
you will be able to discover an evocation of the life of the franciscains
in Nice of XIIIeme at the XVIIIeme century, an illustration of the spiritual
and social message of Saint-François d' Assise, illuminations
paintings, sculptures, engravings, manuscripts, reconstituted frescos,
old vault and cell, Books of hours on parchment… On the Place
of the Monastery of Cimiez you will discover a cross whose original
is in the church and who goes back to 1477. High 5 m 80, out of marble,
it is decorated several finely carved figures of which the seraph which
appeared in Saint-François d' Assise. The Fort Of
the Mont Alban, built on a 222
meters height hill, is a massive work of XVIeme century with bastions
and échaugettes. The panorama which one discovers is exceptional:
since Italy (point of Bordighera), the Cap d'Ail, Saint-Jean Cap Ferrat,
la Baie des Anges, until Garoupe with Antibes… One even says that
by great good weather, one sees Corsica! The Holy Church
Jeanne d'Arc (11 Grammont street) is an astonishing modern
realization of concrete painted in white carried out by the architect
Jacques Droz. A bell-tower of 65 meters made up of twisted flames, three
heightened domes and an ellipsoidal porch form a beautiful unit which
deserves the turning in this district of the city where each morning
(except Monday) the picturesque market is held of the Release (Boulevard
Joseph Garnier).
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It should not be forgotten that Nice is the city
after Paris where there are the most museums : The Archaeological
Museum of Nice-Cimiez rested by Auguste of 14 before J.C.,
Cemenelum was of Ier in IVème century chief town of the province
of the “Alpes-Maritimae”. One can visit the public Arenas,
amphitheater, thermal baths (IIIème century after J.C.), the
paved streets and a paléochrétien unit (5th century after
J.C.). The Museum, inaugurated in January 1989, exposes
collections going of the age of metals (1100 before J.C.) until the
high Middle Ages: 
ceramics,
glasses, currencies, jewels, sculptures, tools… With the
Museum of Art and History (Masséna
Palate) you will be plunged in a sumptuous decoration First Empire,
primitive collections niçois and Europeans, coins of arms manufacture
of XVeme at the XVIIIeme centuries, porcelains and earthenware regional
and especially, a department reserved to the artists of the country
niçois. The Museum of Modern
art and Contemporary art offers to the public a synthesis
movements of avantgarde of plastician creation of beginning of the year
60 at our days. The International
Museum of Naïf art Anatole Jakovsky was inaugurated
on March 5th, 1982 in the old residence of the perfumer François
Coty, this museum owes its existence with the important donation of
Anatole and Renee Jakovsky: 600 fabrics, drawings, engravings and sculptures,
recall the world history of the Naïf art of the XVIIIeme century
at our days. Works of Bauchant, Bombois, Rimbert, Séraphine,…
Croatian, Haitian, Brazilian painters… A rich person deposit of
state of the National museum of Modern art Centers Georges Pompidou
still comes to enrich this unit. The Museum of the Art
schools is the heir to the first museum made up starting
from the deposits of the State desired by Napoleon III. It was installed
in 1928 in a sumptuous villa built at the end of the XIXeme century.
The collections of painting and sculpture recover more than five centuries
of XVeme at the XXeme century : Van Loo, Fragonard, Chéret, Dufy,
Impressionists, Rodin, Carpeaux. The Museum of Natural
history Barla Museum is the first of Nice built in 1846,
on the initiative of J.B. Vérany. Today, rich person of a cultural
heritage of almost a million specimens, of the Mediterranean, of Africa
or South America, the natural history museum of natural history has
the role to develop these treasures of the inheritance and to sensitize
the public with environmental protection. The Matisse Museum, In a villa
génoise of XVIIème entirely renovated, in the middle of
the olive grove of the gardens of Cimiez, the personal collection of
the painter who lived in Nice of 1917 until his death in 1954. Works
of all the times offer a very complete panorama: first tables of 1890
until the famous cut out gouaches, 236 drawings, 218 engravings and
complete presentation of the books illustrated by the artist. Museum
of Human Paleontology of Terra Amata with its camping
of hunters of elephants going back to 400.000 years, recontitutions
of prehistoric habitat, mouldings. Terra Amata is a museum installed
on the place of discovered of a prehistoric habitat. The
Lascaris Palate was the Residence of the family Lascaris-Vintimille,
this palate was built as from 1648. It remained the property of this
family until Révolution.Vendu in 1802, it undergoes important
degradations. Repurchased by the Town of Nice since 1942, the palate
was classified Historic building in 1946. The palate, influenced by
the style baroque génois, links with a whole of the XVIIeme century,
embellishments and modifications of the XVIIIeme century. The buildings
are scheduled around two small courses interior on which, by curved
bays, opens a monumental staircase. The vault of the hall of entry carries
the weapons of Lascaris-Vintimille.The noble stage, the apartments of
pageantry occupy each of the two wings of the building. The ceilings
of this continuation of rooms are decorated frescos with topics mythological
or ornaments of stuccos, end of the XVIIeme century and you can see
too a pharmacy founded in 1738.
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The Carnival of Nice dates from XIIeme century.
But it is at the XIXeme century that it structure in a true spectacle.
Thus,
as from 1873, tanks of Carnival then tanks of Battles of Flowers, tractor
drawn by horses, allure the inhabitants, but also wintering them prestigious:
as from time immemorial, the imperial family of Russia, the Queen of
England, Kings of Bavaria or Wur tember, the Prince of Wales, the Emperor
Pedro II of Brazil and their courses. Each winter, in February - March,
remains this tradition. Here the greatest festival of the Riviera reappears
which attracts nearly a million spectators and more than 300 journalists.
Its fame crossed all the borders : it belongs to the 3 most known carnivals
in the world with Venice and Rio which took as a starting point its
procession of tanks.
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Nice knew to preserve its inheritance of gardens
and exceptional green areas on more than 300 hectares. At the XIXeme
century, the European aristocracy discovers the Riviera, settles there
and, within the parks of its palates, imports there many trees and plants
of remote countries composing, with the liking
of their imagination, astonishing landscapes to the rare gasolines.
Palm
trees, emblems of the Walk bordered by its historical frontages, with
the olive-trees of the hills, Nice became the habitat of multiple species
which crossed the continents to reappear on its grounds. Each one of
these barks is single and reveals in itself a landscape which holds
of the imaginary one. All the trees have their virtue: symbol of peace,
power, protection, benefit. Peaceful beings, strange silhouettes, they
are closely related to the life with their sensitivity, their language,
their memory.
We hope by this text, to have sufficiently made you dream to incite you to discover Nice, or to see again, because can be do not have you all considering… One feels with this account how much the city is dynamic, how much are history must be enthralling and how much its architectural and cultural heritage is important. top of page
Many thankq to the tourist office of Nice for its assistance with the development of this article
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