Nice Nice

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You must be confused with the title… While the former Nice is an adjective, the latter is the largest city in the Coastal border of France. My two day brush with this ravishing escapade, started with one of the most attractive tourist spot called as Promenade des Anglais. It is a seven kilometer sea facing “U” shaped stretch divided into a pedestrian zone and a main road. The pedestrian zone is very popular with strollers, joggers, cyclists, nature lovers, photoholics and beach gamers. The “I Love Nice” iconic sign on the elevated part of the Promenade with the  Nice cityscape is the highlight of the stretch. A walk from the Promenade  leads to the Old Port called Vieux and also to the light house. The allure of the place is heightened at dusk when the Promenade is lit up and the reflection of light falls on the sea.




                Small streets from the Promenade leads to the old town Vieille Ville, the Nice downtown and to Place de Massena. The vibrant old town with daily markets of flowers, fruits, vegetables, antiques and accessories; the narrow alleys stuffed with souvenir shops, Cathedrale Saint Reparate, bistros ensure procrastination of your pre- planned itinerary. How I wished, I could stand here forever. The old town also leads to the Castle Hill where one can have stellar view of the sweeping panorama of the city. In addition to that, the white clad cemetery, the cascade, the jardin provides a relaxed ambience.



                Place de Massena is the historic square of the city having the statue of Apollo in the centre. Red ochre buildings, close by upmarkets  and stalls, the seven special illuminated resin statutes of men perched on a top of poles resembling somewhat like Lord Buddha changing colours at night are mesmerising. At night tourists can either gawk upward or enjoy the red- blue- white dancing water in the adjacent park or eat or shop. Option galore could be the best tag line for Massena square.



                Nice has also beautiful churches form the medieval era- the Nice cathedrale looks beautiful at night in illuminated multicoloured hues and the pristine Russian Orthodox church has an uncanny resemblance with the St. Basil’s Cathedral of Moscow.



                Nice can be best enjoyed on foot though trams and buses move across all important routes. The slumber time for the city dawns quite early at around 7:00 PM.


  Nice is a place to chill out, to have leisure walk, to romp and play across the beachside, to shop and to go binge eating, to forget your daily chores and to get lost into the beauty of nature. Let me caution my readers with one point, Nice is a place not for any monumental significance. If you are seeking to be a sloth for a few days or you are a bonafide nature lover or you are seeking respite from the humdrum of daily monotonous life then this is definitely the place to be.

Photo: Tomal Bhattacharjee

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