When you travel with Globus to Nice, any traveler will have the opportunity to journey amongst some of the oldest human settlements of Europe and become emerged into the enticing aromas of exotic flower markets!
If you have a spare afternoon in Nice, take a taxi ride to the promontory of Cap Ferrat, France’s most exclusive playground for the rich and famous. Its perfect beaches and steep hillsides are encrusted with fabulous dream villas built throughout the last century. Most of these are private, but the two most historic properties are open to the public and offer a glimpse into the storybook lives of millionaires past.
The first, a pink confection named the Île-de-France, was completed in 1912 as the creation of American heiress and socialite Beatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild. Commanding a staggering banking fortune, strong-willed Beatrice hired and fired four architects in the pursuit of her personal vision for the ultimate Riviera escape, a fanciful palace in a delicate Italianate style filled with Renaissance and 18th-century French art. She named her new abode after the grand oceanliner that first brought her to France, and had it surrounded by gardens that were landscaped in the shape of a ship’s prow. At her regular high society soirees, the staff dressed in sailor whites to enhance the illusion. Today, strolling through the house (now officially called the Musée Ephrussi de Rothschild) is a delight, since the playful style of its décor reflects Beatrice’s whimsical personality, right down to one parlor entirely decorated with a monkey motif.
As a monument to artistic eccentricity, however, the Île-de-France mansion may be outdone by the nearby Villa Kerylos, built by a wealthy French archeologist Theodore Reinach as a precise copy of an ancient Greek villa he had excavated in the Aegean. Completed in 1908, the structure is a marvelous living museum, with no expense spared on its authentic mosaic floors, marble columns, replica Greek furniture, and frescos. There is even a functional ancient kitchen, an imposing statue of Socrates, and a sundial as the only timepiece—each flourish made more wonderful by the jaw-dropping vistas from every window.
Everyone who has seen To Catch a Thief, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 classic, will recognize the Grand Corniche, that stunning coastal highway snaking along the cliffs above Nice to Monaco. In the film, Cary Grant and Grace Kelly speed in sleek convertibles around its hairpin bends with the wind in their hair, confirming the Riviera’s new golden age of celebrity glamour in the post-war years. For Academy Award-winning actress Grace Kelly, the romance with the area would endure, with tragic consequences.
In 1955, Kelly returned from the U.S. to Cannes for its famous film festival and met the dashing Prince Rainier of Monaco. They married the next year in a fairytale ceremony broadcast around the world. Kelly’s wedding dress was tailored by Hollywood designer Helen Rose and it took a dozen seamstresses six weeks to make. The 600 guests included film stars David Niven, Gloria Swanson, and Ava Gardner.
But in 1982, while driving the same stretch of the Grand Corniche that had been filmed with Hitchcock, the 52-year-old Kelly suffered a stroke, losing control of her car and plunging off an embankment with her daughter Stephanie. By a miracle, the daughter survived, but Kelly died. Her funeral was watched by 100 million people worldwide. Today, it is difficult to imagine such dark thoughts while navigating the Grand Corniche, with its endless views over the sparkling Mediterranean. But for anyone afraid of heights, there are convenient alternatives—the Moyenne Corniche and Corniche Inférieure (Middle and Lower Corniches), which provide the splendor without the vertigo.
We think of the Riviera as a summer resort, but it first took off as an escape for the winter months. During the giddy period known in France as la belle époque (the beautiful era)— the late 1890s and early 1900s, when the country enjoyed a delicious spell of prosperity and peace—a new railroad connection from Paris to Nice allowed aristocrats to easily swap the gloomy northern shores for the year-round sunshine of the Mediterranean coast.
The English were particularly fond of wintering in the Riviera, and their presence transformed Nice from a quiet fishing port to a chic seaside paradise. They funded the now-famous beachfront walkway, called the Promenade des Anglais (English Promenade), which remains the symbolic heart of the city. But to get the most vivid sense of Le Prom’s original glory, stop at the Hotel Negresco, the most beloved of Nice’s many Art Nouveau hotels since a Romanian immigrant, Henri Negresco, opened it in 1912. You can still picture Europe’s high society parading through its gilded portals to dance the night away in the Salon Royale. This ballroom is justly famous for the glass dome designed by Gustave Eiffel (of Paris’ Tower), as well as the magnificent Baccarat chandelier, containing 16,309 pieces of crystal. (It had been created for Tsar Nicholas II, but delivery was canceled due to the 1917 Russian Revolution and the Negresco acquired it. Its twin today hangs in the Kremlin.)
Virtually next door is the magnificent Massena Museum, housed in one of Nice’s most flamboyant palaces, owned by the Massena family. Today, it is a museum to the history of the city. A few steps further down stands the recently restored Art Deco hotel masterpiece, the Palais de la Mediterranée, the ultimate choice since the Jazz Age for a sunset cocktail.
Nice is located on the south east coast of France and is named after the saying Nice la Belle, which stands for Nice the Beautiful. It is the capital of the French Riviera and the fifth largest city in France, giving it a glittering reputation among tourists a year. It is a popular destination for visitors young and old, with something to offer for everyone. Having the advantages of a major city allows Nice to have fascinating culture, wonderful street life and excellent shopping and cuisine for everyone to experience.
The area of Nice is believed to be among the oldest human settlements in Europe. The spectacular natural beauty of Nice and its mild Mediterranean climate welcomes thousands of tourists each year seeking not only relaxation, but also inspiration. The clear and crisp air of Nice has welcomed some of the Western culture’s most outstanding painters. Their profound art work can be found in many of the city’s museums, enticing tourists from around the world to come and visit.
Nice is well known for its beautiful view on the Promenade des Anglais, its famous waterfront, and its ethnically diverse port city. Nice experience a Mediterranean climate, with moderately hot summers and mild winters. Its great climate year-round offers tourists the experience to soak up the sun and visit must-see art museums and archaeological ruins of the Romans.
It’s time to prepare for your favorite vacation where you will encounter your most amazing memories and unforgettable experiences that will last a lifetime. Whatever comes your way, this vacation will surely be an unforgettable experience when you plan your trip with Globus. Escape to one of the most exciting cities in France and start exploring all that Nice has to offer!
In celebration of the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison which took place on July 14, 1789, along with the start of the French Revolution, the French take off to enjoy the celebration of the day.
The festivities of the day are set off by a military parade which combines infantry troops, motorized troops, and an aircraft of an aerobatics team flying above. The parade, being the oldest and largest regular military parade in the world, has taken place on the morning of July 14th every year in Paris since 1880. It has become customary to invite units of France’s allies to the parade.
While the festivities of the day come to an end, the celebration is far from over. Following the military parade, the night becomes lit with a series of red, white and blue fireworks. The firework celebration explodes above the Eiffel Tower, sparking the beginning of the night’s festivities.
The Paris fire stations will then traditionally hold their bals des pompiers, meaning firemen’s balls, entertaining the idea to party into the night. It is now time to drink and dance in merriment.
Get ready to experience the history of this land first hand. Come prepared to establish unforgettable memories as you help to bring these festivities to life when traveling to France.
George Seurat’s famous pointillist masterpiece, “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” is set on an island in the Seine.
According to his will, Napoleon, who died in 1821, wished to be buried on the banks of the Seine. His request was not granted.
Dredging in the 1960s mostly eliminated tidal bores on the river, known as le mascaret.
The Parisii tribe’s motto can still be found today on the Paris coat of arms. It reads “Fluctuat nec mergitur,” which is Latin for “She is tossed by the waves but is not sunk.”
The American steamboat mogul Robert Fulton, in a move known as “Fulton’s Folly,” tried to launch a steamboat in the Seine River in 1803. It sank because the engine was too heavy. He would go on to engineer many successful vessels in the United States.
In ancient times the Seine was known by the Latin name Sequana, meaning “sacred river.”
The City of Light shines bright in the reflection of the Seine. Views of Paris from the river include Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower. Travelers can enjoy a candlelit dinner at a Parisian café or take in a world-class cabaret show.
Float gently down the River Seine, passing through suburban Paris, to discover the town of Conflans. Nearby, quaint Auvers-Sur-Oise is the inspirational town that Vincent Van Gogh called home. Those with an affinity for French history may want to visit nearby Château de Malmaison, the elaborately decorated estate of Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte. Further downstream, the riverside town of Vernon features the magnificent Bizy Castle and the immaculate gardens at Claude Monet’s country house.
Rouen, the jewel of medival France, is next. On the right bank, half-timbered, glazed-tiled houses and ancient architecture line the streets, prompting many to refer to Rouen as ville-musee, or museum town. Make time to admire the city’s Astronomical Clock and the Rouen Cathedral. The Cathedral was once the tallest building in the world and inspired an impressive series of Claude Monet’s paintings.
A short jaunt from the river, the historic Normandy Beaches pay reverent homage to the soldiers who fought so valiantly on these shores during World War II. The surrounding countryside is ripe with fragrant fruit and flowers. Travelers can delight in the region’s delectable French cuisine and meal-capping apple brandy.
Continuing down the Seine, Les Andelys presents the dramatic visage of Château Gaillard. Built by England’s King Richard the Lionheart in 1196, the château is truly a masterpiece of medieval military architecture.
The ancient Celtic Parisii tribe inhabited modern-day Paris near the Seine as early as 250 B.C. They excelled in navigation and trading all the way down to the Mediterranean Sea, building quays and tow paths along the banks. The Romans conquered the Paris basin in 52 B.C., leaving a permanent settlement on the left bank of the Seine called Lutetia, and later, Lutèce. Over the course of the following centuries, the city eventually known as Paris became prosperous, boasting a forum, palaces, baths, temples and an amphitheatre. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Paris was largely abandoned by its inhabitants and was little more than a ghost town.
While the Seine itself is a peaceful river with a gentle, meandering flow, it has set the stage for a number of tumultuous events in the history of France. In 885 A.D., the Vikings used the Seine to invade France, rowing hundreds of longboats and an army 40,000-strong inland to the heart of the country. And in the height of the Middle Ages, Joan of Arc was martyred in the shoreline city of Rouen after leading the French army in several important victories in the Hundred Years’ War. The Seine was a critical crossing in World War II, and the tragic final resting place of many victims of the Paris Massacre in 1961.
In recent years, the Seine River has been the subject of major conservation efforts in France dubbed “Operation Clean Seine.” In 1991, the banks of the Seine in Paris—the Rive Gauche and Rive Droite—were added to United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization’s list of World Heritage Sites in Europe.
The Seine River springs from picturesque Burgundy, France. It flows through the heart of “Sweet Paree” before threading its way through the orchards and fields-a-bloom in Normandy. Cruising along these waters combines the best of urban and rural French culture, from the burlesque cabarets of Paris to the sleepy medieval towns along the shoreline, and the breathtaking scenery in between. Historians will enjoy a journey back in time along the Seine, with glimpses into antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the most critical moments of World War II. Whether travelers possess an appreciation of the arts and fine wine, or rolling hills and time-tested architecture, the gentle roll of the River Seine provides a relaxing rhythm to any French discovery.
Fast Facts:
Country: France
Source: Burgundy, France
Mouth: The English Channel
Length: 482 miles
