Nice – The Original Winter Resort and Its Gallery of Rogues
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Nice – The Original Winter Resort and Its Gallery of Rogues

In 2021, Nice became a UNESCO World Heritage site. Following the UNESCO’s recognition of Nice as the original “winter resort town on the Riviera”, some parts of the city – essentially the old town with the port and the Promenade des Anglais – will now enjoy a special level of protection. But it was somewhere…

Notre Dame de la Garde – Where Marseille Wears a Smile
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Notre Dame de la Garde – Where Marseille Wears a Smile

I do not think that too many people will argue with me if I say that Marseille is not the most charming town in Latin Europe. Nor is it the most “easy-on-the-eye”. One reason for the city’s relative unpopularity is that it rarely manages to convey a sense of place. Marseille has neither the leafy…

The Discreet Charm of the Chateau des Terrasses
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The Discreet Charm of the Chateau des Terrasses

The showcase gardens of the Riviera fall into two categories: for drama and excitement, you can visit gardens like the Giardini Hanbury near Ventimiglia or Menton’s Val Rahmeh, which were conceived for maximum effect on the grandest of theatrical scales. But on the local tourist board’s shortlist of famous Jardins de la Cote d’Azur, you…

Gardens of the French Riviera: The Parc Chambrun in Nice
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Gardens of the French Riviera: The Parc Chambrun in Nice

Long urban and country walks are great but they do take up a lot of time: time to organize and to prepare, time to travel, time to do the actual walking. Such walks can easily become projects around which you have to structure not only the day itself but your entire weekend break, squeezing other…

Lou Camin Nissart: A New Trail to Explore Nice and Its Natural Environment
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Lou Camin Nissart: A New Trail to Explore Nice and Its Natural Environment

Lou Camin Nissart is the first of its kind in France: a Grande Randonnée, a top-category hiking trail, that goes around a town in a loop, similar to what the périphérique ring road does in Paris, only for hikers. And with far more pretty views, since the town in question is Nice, the scenic capital…

French Riviera Garden Festival: And the Winner Is …
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French Riviera Garden Festival: And the Winner Is …

Yes, all will be revealed today, but first, we must complete our tour around the Festival’s host towns and take a close look at the remaining six competition entries. For the first batch of the gardens, see last week’s post where you can also find some more details about this year’s French Riviera Garden Festival….

Back to Hiking – and the Red Rocks of the Riviera
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Back to Hiking – and the Red Rocks of the Riviera

Doing something again for the first time after a long and painful break tastes sweet, nearly as sweet as the first kiss that you are receiving from That Special Person In Your Life after a long period of separation. It is therefore only right and proper to treat such sweet returns to the habits and…