Let me talk to you about the beautiful city of Nice

Hi everyone. Today’s post will be a bit different then the usual. After what happened in Nice recently, I thought I would write something about Nice, France. This is a kind of a love letter to my hometown.

Nice. Or Nissa la Bella for the locals. I am what you can call a “Niçoise” – A local from Nice. I was born and raised in Nice. Studied there. Fell in love with my boyfriend there. Nice is my home. Nice is beautiful.

The beach and the promenade with the palm trees on the side of the road, the old town with the local shops and restaurants, the “coulée verte”, Cimiez and it’s beautiful hôtel where queen Victoria once stayed, the centre of town and the many many shops… The mountains 1h drive from Nice, the villages all around. How close it is to Monaco or Italy.

The local socca and pissaladière in the old town, or the amazing pizzas! I mean, you don’t need to go to Italy to have delicious pizzas, Nice’ ones are just as amazing! The ruins of the Castle with the city at your feet. The various fruit and veg and local product markets. The fish market with the sellers screaming about the prices of the fish of the day. The Jazz festivals in the summer (FIY, did you know that Nice Jazz Festival was the first jazz festival of international significance, with Louis Armstrong inaugurating the festivali in 1948?) The traditions in May with local folkloric dances and costumes in the Arenas of Cimiez. The carnival in February and the confetti’s in your clothes. The fireworks on Bastille Day. The local anthem in “Nissart” (Nice’s local dialect – Not really spoken – Probably only for the anthem actually). The noon cannon on the first Wednesday of the month.

Wintertime with Santa and Christmas trees everywhere. With the Christmas market and the ice-skating ring. With the smell of the churros stand and the long queue for them. The themed park, well known as Luna Park during winter, where you would spend afternoons there and being cautious about not loosing your phone of the rides. The views from the hills of the ocean. The parks you can wander around and sit by an olive tree. The sound of cicadas in the summer. And the gloomy rainy days at home. When it is warm enough to have the windows opened when it rains.

When you can go out without feeling too cold or to warm. Cause Nice has the perfect climat and temperature. Or when it’s snowing (probably happens once every 2 or 3 years), and everybody is looking out the window because it’s just so rare and magical at the same time – But then you have to go home because if you wait for too long then there aren’t any buses anymore because they don’t have the snow tires so they can’t drive up hill.

When you can have any food you want because Nice is such a melting pot you can have food from every country. Sushi, Ramens, Korean BBQ, Thai, Kebabs, Lebanese, Greek, Italian, Spanish tapas, Mexican Tacos, American BBQ… So many choices.

The sports events, rugby, football, ice hockey, swimming, tennis open, iron man… So many things to keep us entertained.

The many, many museums. MAMAC (Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain), Matisse Museum, Asian art Museum, Chagall Museum, Photography Museum, whatever you are interested in, you can find something that you will be interested in.

And the famous people coming from Nice! Laure and Florent Manaudou and Camille Muffat, Olympic swimmers. Hugo Lloris, football player, Lucas Bravo – Who plays Gabriel in “Emily is Paris” is also from Nice.

Your neighbours love to entertain us as well with the F1 in Monaco, the Cannes movie festival. The lemon festival in Menton, Isola or Beuil for skiing…. And the little villages around are so pretty to visit, Eze, St Paul de Vence, Grasse.

The view of the sea and the mountains when you land at the airport. I would probably say that Nice is one of the most beautiful and impressive cities when it comes to landing. You know you are going to have a good time.

I love you Nice and I am so sad about everything that has happened to you, it is terrible. But you are strong and fierce. After all, your name comes from Nike – Nike which means victory in Greek. You are such a wonderful place, and I am so thankful I had the chance to grow up there. I had an amazing childhood. And I will forever hold you in my heart. Viva, viva, Nissa la bella.

“Toujou iéu canterai

Souta li tiéu tounella

La tiéu mar d'azur

Lou tiéu cièl pur

(...)

Viva, viva, Nissa la Bella. »

Translated to :

"Forever I will sing

Under your arbor

Your blue sea

and your pure sky

(...)

Viva, Viva, Beautiful Nice."

Axelle