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Uncovering gems of Nice and Cote d'Azur

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A view of Nice Promenade from Castle Hill

Alongside the event was a press fam trip to explore some of the surrounding cities in the Cote d’Azur and TTN was fortunate enough to be part of it.

Nice, the fifth biggest city in France, was once frequented by Queen Victoria who spent the winters here. In itself, the city has so much to offer from the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and French Riverian climate to parks, gardens, cafes, restaurants and museums, all within walking distance.

In July 2021, Nice was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list of towns. The Promenade des Anglais (Walkway of the English) is a seven kilometre walkway, named after the English aristocrats who came to Nice in the 18th century. Not only can you walk, run or cycle, you can swim (the Nicoise swim year round, but it was a bit too cold in October for this writer!). One of the world’s most famous carnivals is held in Nice on this promenade. This event will be held from February 11 to 27 in 2022.

From the promenade you can also reach Castle Hill and enter the Old Town of Nice.

Castle Hill is nestled between the port and the Old town and houses nearly 20 hectares of wooded grounds. You can walk here from the Promenade, but have your guests prepared to as it is 92 metres above the sea via stairs and inclines, but it is well worth the panoramic view around the Bay of Angels, Old Town and mountains. (There is an elevator too, but it doesn’t start until 10 am.) There is no longer a castle here but some of the ruins remain. Here, locals and tourist alike can enjoy exercise classes like Tai Chi and other fitness/sporting activities, with city’s focus being on encouraging a healthy lifestyle).

Old Town has so much to offer from the daily markets of fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers as well as some local dishes. The market is open every day except Mondays from 8am to 1pm (the flower market stays open until 4 pm). It is worth making note, that those travelling with a big family and looking for value eats, can pick up inexpensive sandwiches and local dishes to dine in their hotels, eat in the park on Castle Hill or the Promenade. There is so much history in the Old Town as well as museums to bakeries and chocolateries like Maison Auer Chocolaterie. This particular one has been going since early 1800’s and was where Queen Victoria would come for tea! Of course, there are all the modern shops too from high street to luxury brands.

Gastronomy: There is so much choice from the hotels to the local restaurants servicing traditional Niçoise food (restaurants and vendors need to be certified to be classified as one of the traditional Niçoise restaurants) and one of these is Acchiado. This restaurant has been going for five generations and is now run by the Great Grandson Jean Francois.

There are many hotels in Nice and a number of them opposite the Promenade. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Méditerranée. This property has 187 rooms and suites with views over the city, mountains or the Mediterranean sea. The rooms run from 344 square feet to the spacious 645 foot Executive King. The suites run from 699 square feet to the 1290-square-foot suite Penthouse. For Dining, Le 3e is run by Executive Chef Cyril Cheype provides Mediterranean cuisine that changes with the seasons. Located in the centre of the hotel, near the pool, has a great view offer the Mediterranean and on a autumn day, when I enjoyed a snack and a beverage was ideal. The hotel also is ideal for meetings and incentives and in fact, is where the above workshop was held. The meeting space can accommodate small business meetings with their seven private meeting rooms up to a large scaled event like the Workshop at Salon Riviera with 820 sq m of meeting space, and of course, the accommodation to go with it.

Just a few doors down is where the Workshops Gala Dinner was held. Le Negresco Hotel opened its doors in 1913 so is one of the oldest luxury hotels in Nice – it has been host to Michael Jackson. The pre-function and the Royal reception rooms were spectacular with artwork from Louis XVI and Napoleon III to the most contemporary artists.

Although so much is within walking distance, Nice has a fantastic public transport system: two interconnecting tramways that cross the city including from Nice International Airport. The cost is so reasonable at just €1.50 ($1.69) to go anywhere including changes as long as its within approximately 1 and ½ hours. There is also an excellent bus service and of course taxis . Bikes are also readily available to rent.

What is a must to tell your clients is the French Rivera Pass. This pass provides free access to over 60 sites and is available for 24, 48 and 72 hour durations at rates starting from €26 ($29). Read more here www.frenchrivierapass.com

There is so much around Nice and the Cote d’Azur but here are some recommendations:

Menton: Menton stands on the tip of the French Riviera and a stone’s throw away from the Italian border and Monaco is also very nearby. Famous for its gardens, it’s no surprise the city is so green. Menton is popular for lemons, and in fact, the lemon is the symbol of the city of Menton and each year in February, there is a Lemon Festival. A walk through the Medieval Village with its narrow streets and tall houses, still inhabited, takes you through history and at the end sits a beautiful church Saint Michael the Archangel which is also accessible from the seaside. Menton too has a market that not only sells fruit and vegetables, but freshly cooked bread, a butcher for your fresh meats and clothes handbags and tourist souvenirs.

Eze: About 12 kilometres from Nice, and on the way to Menton, Eze is another Medieval village with fantastic views of the sea from its hill top. Another warning to your clients, that is quite a climb (goes up 400 metres) , but well worth it for the views, and the botanical gardens. There are many shops, art galleries, hotels and restaurants along the way to break up the climb.

One of the hotels we were able to view is La Chèvre d'Or, part of the Relais & Chateaux collection. The property is a collection of houses that now forms a 45 rooms and suites hotel. The hotel also has a 2 star Micheline star restaurant. It is not recommended for children as there are balconies, or those with limited mobility due the small spiral staircases some of the rooms have to the bathroom. The hotel is seasonal and closes in the winter.

The Maybourne Riviera is one of the Maybourne Groups newest properties which soft opened in the middle of November, will be fully operational by March 2022 and one the Middle Eastern clients would enjoy. Located very close to the border of Monaco, the contemporary designed hotel sits high on rocky Peninsula of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin with 24 rooms and 45 suites, all with stunning panoramic views over the Mediterranean where you can see Italy and Monte Carlo. Some of the suites also have a private swimming pool.

This is just a small taste of what the Metropolitan of Nice has to offer. I know that a number of your clients do travel to the Cote D’Azur but more to Cannes, Monte Carlo and Monaco, but I would recommend they take a couple of days to explore the Metropolitan of Nice and all the cities especially up towards the Italian border as they really are spectacular, full of history and offer a new perspective on the area.  

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