Nice & Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Café Terrace in Nice by Slim Aarons, 1957 / Getty Images
Nice, capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department on the French Riviera, sits on the pebbly shores of the Baie des Anges. Founded by the Greeks and later a retreat for the 19th-century European elite, the city has also long attracted artists. Former resident Henri Matisse is honored with a career-spanning collection of paintings at Musée Matisse. Musée Marc Chagall features some of its namesake's major religious works. Here is our city guide to Nice, France.
STAY
LA COLOMBE D’OR For a taste of the picturesque countryside, look no further than La Colombe d’Or in Provence. Tucked between the hills of Nice and Alps Maritimes, this family-run inn, once favored by the likes of Picasso and Matisse, prides itself on a discretion decidedly unusual for the South of France. Here, this quiet rustic hotel has amassed a museum-worthy art collection of 20th century masters—Chagall, Calder, Braque, Matisse, and Picasso—all of whom were regulars and donated works in exchange for a stay or a few meals. A large Calder mobile hangs over the swimming pool; there’s a Léger mosaic mural overlooking the terrace. The rooms, housed in a simple stone façade, have a quiet, understated beauty, with four-poster beds, white duvets, and worn-in Oriental rugs. La Colombe d’Or remains delightedly old school, and bookings must be made by phone or requested in writing. The hotel is closed from October through Christmas.
GRAND-HOTEL DU CAP-FERRAT Technically in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, this legendary property has been open since 1908 and is one of the Côte d’Azur’s most prized gems. Now a Four Seasons hotel, this paradisiacal retreat sits on 17 verdant acres and has only 74 accommodations, including a private pink hued villa with its own pool, tennis court, and garden. The resort’s Club Dauphin—which can be accessed by a glass funicular should you want to forego walking up and down steps—is outfitted with a saltwater pool, private cabanas, views of the sea, and a restaurant serving light Provençal fare. But if you’re going to really experience the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, then a visit to the 8,000-square-foot spa must be arranged, where results-driven products by Biologique Recherche, Dr. Burgener, and all-natural beauty line Sodashi are used. For dinner, make a reservation at Le Cap and ask for one of the tables on the terrace. Enjoy the Riviera’s sublime weather, and delight in chef Yoric Tièche’s Michelin-starred creations. 71 Bd du Général de Gaulle; fourseasons.com/capferrat
HOTEL BOSCOLO Hotel Boscolo welcomes guests into its artful lobby illuminated by a giant skylight. Rooms are spacious and chic, as are its subterranean spa and two Italian-inspired restaurants. Reserve time for the hotel’s breezy rooftop lounge, where you can dip into the plunge pool by day, and sip cocktails during mellow DJ’ed evenings. 12 Bd Victor Hugo; boscolocollection.com/nice
DRINK | DINE
ACCHIARDO A family-run restaurant where you’ll find locals and tourists alike dining on delicious traditional Niçoise cuisine. Afterward stop for gelato that rivals that of Italy’s at either Oui, Jelato or Cesar Milano. 38 Rue Droite
LAVOMATIQUE With Hugo and Grégoire Loubert , two brothers passionate about bistronomy, in charge this former launderette is now a beautiful tapas bar tinged with French influences. Here you will find a seasonal menu crafted according to the findings of the market. Delicious dishes such as roasted pumpkin with spaghetti and peppers or and smoked leeks can all be enjoyed with a glass of organic wine. Mélanie Tuz has dreamed up a selection of gourmet deserts such as a roast pear tartest, ginger whipped cream or a candied ginger biscuit. 11, rue du Pont Vieux; lavomatique-restaurant.business.site
LA MERENDA Taste the famous pesto pasta by Dominique Le Stanc in the alleys of Old Nice. The place is tiny and you have to dine while sitting on small stools side by side with other customers, however, the food is so good that regulars don't abandon this true temple of the Nicoise cuisine. 4, rue Raoul Bosio, 06300 Nice, lamerenda.net
RESTAURANT JAN Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen’s restaurant looks like an 18th-century villa. The decor with arcades in stone, candelabrums on the tables, wicker seats creates a romantic atmosphere that surely will thrill couples. Over a candlelit dinner, you can savor a wild wolffish, carrots, and quince followed by a confit peach and condensed milk. We recommend trying one of the bottles of divine African wines. 12, rue Lascaris; restaurantjan.com
ANTOINE’S BISTRO In search of a good restaurant serving local cuisine at low prices, consider visiting Le Bistrot d'Antoine . With Armand and Sophie Crespo at the helm, who are already at the head of two other restaurants in Nice, the address has the charm of southern tables where your meal is served with a singing accent. À la carte, you will find dishes that will delight meat lovers such as pan-fried foie gras, black pudding, or duck breast. Le Bistrot d'Antoine is a beautiful culinary discovery. 27, rue de la Prefecture
LA PART DES ANGES The very first dining cellar in Nice, opened in 1988, deserves its place in this selection. From young winemakers to the great classics of enology, the good bottles unearthed by Olivier Labarde could be paired with mischievous dishes. The recipes such as pacchieri with anchovies and broccoli, razor clams with parsley, ravioli with chanterelles pay great tribute to bistronomy. Among the 300 references of the wine cellar, we recommend the bottle of Chablis de Moors (2015). 17, rue Gubernatis; lapartdesanges-nice.com
MAIDO It's possible to find a piece of Japan in Nice. Matthieu and Kanako have made Maïdo the best Japanese canteen in the city, with traditional dishes from the Land of the Rising Sun. On the menu, there's no sushi, but a home-baked Don Buta Kimchi, mini Okonomiyaki ("Japanese pancakes"), lotus roots in tempura or a salmon chirashi with edible flowers. A favorite for ultra-gourmet dessert lovers is a cherry blossom cake with strawberries and matcha cream. 29, rue Tonduti de l'Escarène; restaurant-maido.fr
O’QUOTIDIEN Just a stone's throw from the harbor, in the Bonaparte district, the coolest grocery store in Nice is the place to go for healthy food. Market-oriented, the dishes celebrate fruit and vegetables as they should be, from arancini’s squash with mozzarella to risotto verde with purple artichoke cream and spinach topped with roasted nutmeg and cheese. For dessert, apples stuffed with cashews are a must. 2, rue Martin Seytour
LE CHANTECLER The sumptuous decor and the woodwork dating from 1751 pronounce the color. On the Promenade des Anglais, the legendary palace of the Riviera is home to a two-starred restaurant. Chef Virginie Basselot's "surprise" menu seduces with its perfect combination of flavors, like scallops with celery and green apples, pomegranate foie gras and hibiscus flower, or savory honey pear, creating an idyllic culinary escape. 37, promenade des Anglais; hotel-negresco-nice.com
LA PETITE MAISON La Petite Maison (LPM), which already took over London, Miami and Dubai, originated in Nice, where Nicole Rubi serves sundrenched cuisine to the local elite. On the terrace of this address halfway between a restaurant and a private club, the hand-picked clientele enjoys linguine lobster, truffle scrambled eggs or the famous little stuffed delicacies alongside Bono or Elton John . This is a festive restaurant reserved for the crème de la crème of fashion, arts and politics. 11, rue Saint-Francois de Paule
PURE & V The six tables of this micro-bar are stormed by customers every night. The reason for that? The Danish chef Mathias Silberbauer (ex- Relæ in Copenhagen) and Vanessa Massé serve creative cuisine, outgoing and above all to die for! Composed at the mercy of the market, the plate evolves between a grouper with parsnip chips, coffee and blood orange, a wolffish with celery and emulsion of chestnuts, or hay ice cream, mushrooms, pecans and confit cep butter. A must-try for all of those who think outside the box. 15, rue Bottero; pureandvrestaurant.com
LA TAVERNE NISSARDE A notably different style of gastronomy that reflects the region’s Ligurian (Northern Italian) influence. Based on seasonal ingredients that bring fresh salads and fruits in summer, and root vegetables and stews in winter, Nissarde cooking often involves eggs, olives, mushrooms, and deep-sea fish like tuna and sardines. 61 Bd René Cassin; latavernenissarde.eatbu.com
LOU BALICO On every Nissarde menu you’ll find merda de can, green gnocchi topped with pistou—pesto made without pine nuts, the Ligurian way. Lou Balico serves one of the best versions, in shareable portions, along with a superb Niçoise salad, made traditionally with anchovies, pickled vegetables, and artichokes, served over greens with fresh tuna, tomato, olives, and boiled egg. On any Nissarde menu you’ll also find pissaladière, a filling, focaccia-like flatbread topped with caramelized onions, anchovies, and olives. 20 Av. Saint-Jean-Baptiste; loubalico.com
ART | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES
VILLA EPHRUSSI The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, also called Villa Île-de-France, is a French seaside villa located at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera. Designed by the French architect Aaron Messiah, it was built between 1907 and 1912 by Baroness Béatrice de Rothschild.villa-ephrussi.com/en
MUSÉE MATISSE The Musée Matisse in Nice is a municipal museum devoted to the work of French painter Henri Matisse. It gathers one of the world's largest collections of his works, tracing his artistic beginnings and his evolution through his last works. 164 Av. des Arènes de Cimiez; musee-matisse-nice.org
MUSÉE MARC CHAGALL The Marc Chagall National Museum is a French national museum dedicated to the work of painter Marc Chagall – essentially his works inspired by religion – located in Nice in the Alpes-Maritimes. Av. Dr Ménard; musees-nationaux-alpesmaritimes.fr/chagall
MUSÉE DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE CHARLES NÈGRE Museum in a quaint locale featuring a broad collection of local & international photographic art. 1 Pl. Pierre Gautier; museephotographie.nice.fr
COURS SALEYA DAILY MARKET A fresh flower and seasonal produce market. Visit the Theresa Socca stand to try the simply divine local snack that is socca, a savory crepe made from chickpea flour. Cr Saleya
MUSEUM OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART The Musée d'art moderne et d'art contemporain, also known as MAMAC, is a museum dedicated to modern art and contemporary art. It opened on 21 June 1990, in Nice, France. In 2010, the museum welcomed 162,951 visitors, making it the second most frequently visited single site in Nice. Place Yves Klein; mamac-nice.org
ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM OF NICE/CIMIEZ Located on a Roman archeological site, this museum features statues, coins & other ancient finds. 160 Av. des Arènes de Cimiez; musee-archeologie-nice.org