Vieux Nice - Old Town, Nice

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Dedicated to the patron saint of Nice, Réparate from Palestine, la Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate dominates Place Rossetti, the heart of Old Nice. The Cathedral dates from 1699 AD, but was modified over the years. Its façade is distinctly Baroque in style and is complemented by a square bell tower and a grand dome.

Le Théâtre Municipal, better known as l'Opéra, was built in 1885 to replace a previous theatre destroyed by a fire four years earlier. The beautiful theatre was designed by a local architect François Aune who was clearly inspired by Opéra Garnier in Paris, particularly on the side facing rue Saint-François-de-Paule.

Located across from the Opéra in Vieux Nice (Old Nice), the church of Saint François-de-Paul was built in the 18th century. It has a beautiful imposing Neo-Classical façade that is now painted in two colours, grey and creme, to accentuate the architecture.

Just returned from a week in Nice. A truly beautiful city. We were fortunate enough to have the weather. So even though it was the start of Sept we could still swim.

Of all the things to do in Nice we found the most interesting were the guided tours. We did 3 which you can reserve from the Tourist Office. Each one offers an insight into the history and culture of Nice. After doing the tours you can revisit the same places with a better understanding of how the city of Nice is like it is.

The 3 tours we did were:
1. The walking tour of the Old Nice
2. Nice Cycle Tours
3. The small tourist train.

As I said each one can be reserved at the Tourist Office. Definitely recommended

Dave

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Old Nice is downright dripping with atmosphere. Its narrow streets are a one-stop shop for take-home finds, such as Provençal wares, household items, wine, gourmet gifts, hip clothing and more. There are numerous restaurants in the area, as well as several fun bars and nightclubs. Be sure to stop off for a delicious ice cream in this neighborhood.

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when I was in the Old Town, tired of walking in the summer heat I came across this little cool corner. A small take-away with few wooden tables in the street serving delicious "moules frites". that is mussels (and not muscles!) with chips!I am afraid I cannot recall the name of the place (but it was not expensive - that i would remember!), so I hope you get as lucky as I was and just bump into it!

In case you miss(ed) it, or don't plan to visit Nice soon, you can still bring the flavour to your home. Here's what you have to do:

- place the mussels in a saucepan with 2 finely chopped onions & 2 cloves of garlic, well crushed.
- cover with dry white wine, bring slowly to the boil, then simmer gently while stirring
- continue until the mussels have opened, discard the ones that don't open
- serve with french fries (or don't serve at all!) and white wine.

either way, enjoy!

This is one of the most well known landmarks in Old Town, located in the largest square of Old Town this Chapel has been prominently displayed in many different films, including most recently, the movie "Ronin", with Robert DeNiro. This is a excellent place to visit for the history and for the different cafe's that line the square. Its also a fun place to just sit and take it all in!

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The best part of Old Town is walking the narrow streets that are really no more than corridors. Every turn brings something new to see and there are an endless array of unique shops that catch the eye and empty the wallet!

Old Town is, in my opinion, the only true way to experience Nice. With it's rich history and its quaint , winding corridors that open up into various plaza's, Old Town is a must see. The pedestrian only streets cater to small shops and cafe's and at night the town is dimly lit which gives it a very old world feel. While the hip night life and action may be in modern Nice, the heart and soul of the city resides in Old Town.

There are a plenty of beautiful art galleries in old town.You can actually see artists working even as you step inside.The artist in the picture below was probably talking to his client.I loved his studio and all the paintings he had on display.