Matthieu Colin
In 1822, the orange crop at Nice was bad and the workers faced a lean time, so the English residents put them to work building the promenade des Anglais. Split by "islands" of palms, it fronts the beach, home to magnificent 5 star hotel-palaces and cafes.
Home to the city's famous flower market, Cours Saleya sits just behind the promenade des Anglais in the shadow of the Colline du Chateau. Cafes line the sides so after bargain hunting, shoppers can enjoy a spot of people watching over a coffee or cocktail.
The city grinds to a halt for the Nice Carnival at the start of lent when the streets fill with garish floats and wild revelers. Usually in February or March, the event is one of the most colorful anywhere on the French Riviera and a must see.
The Palais Lascaris is associated with the Lascaris-Vintimille family, whose recorded history predates the year 1261. An intensive restoration by the city of Nice in 1946 brought back its original beauty, and the palace is now classified as a historic monument.
This museum honors Henri Matisse, who died in Nice in 1954. Seeing his nude sketches today, you'll wonder how early critics could have denounced them as "the female animal in all her shame and horror." Most of the pieces were painted in Nice and donated by the artist or his family.