But when the spring

But when the spring came, they all left, andNice became quiet again. Until the early 1920s,when wealthy Americans arrived and attractedartists of the day, including Picasso, Cocteau,Man Ray, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. And Nicebecame the place to go in summer, too.And it remains a year-round destination.What to see and doNice is a city of the senses, sights, sounds,smells, touch and taste.Apollo Fountain, Place MassénaBaccarat Chandelier at the Negresco HotelChef Alain at Atelier Cuisine NiçoiseIt’s hard to do justice to the colours of Nice,the black and white checked Place Massénawith its fountain featuring the Greek Sun GodApollo, the marbled entrance to the windingcobbled streets of the old town where laundryflutters above the narrow alleys, lined withbright terracotta-coloured buildings, theglittering rays of the sun reflected on thewaves, a hint of salt in the sea air, the sweetperfume of bougainvillea that tumbles frombalconies and festoons walls, the harbour withits white-sailed yachts and colourful woodenboats – all under an azure blue sky – theintensity of the colours is striking.The buzz of the pedestrianised marketof Cours Saleya (Tuesday to Sunday), anItalianate square lined with restaurants; thesound of birds singing in the trees along thepromenade and of the waves crashing on thepebble beach; and the surprising sound of thenoonday cannon. Yes, you read that right! In1861, Englishman Thomas Coventry persuadedthe city of Nice to fire a cannon from the hillof the Castle to mark the hour of noon. It wassaid Mr Coventry wished to remind his wife itwas lunchtime, as she was often late returningfrom her morning walk, distracted by Nice’smany charms and also being a rather talkativewoman—good story but… not true. MrCoventry simply had a passion for chronology!In 1867, he handed over his cannon to the city;a decree was passed that it should continue tobe fired at noon. These days it’s a firework youhear, but – it can still make you jump!Entry from the new town to the old townfeaturing magnificent trompe l'oeil marble wallsArt and cultureNice has long been a source of inspiration forartists – Chagall, Renoir, Dufy, and many morehave been captivated by the colour and light.There are multiple museums and galleriesin Nice (second only to Paris), including theMusée Matisse, which features a collection ofpaintings spanning from 1890 to the gouachedrawings that Matisse produced at the end ofhis life. The artist lived in Nice for 27 years andretired to nearby Vence, where he designed achapel which he considered to be the greatestwork of his life.For something unique – head to the Negrescohotel, a legendary landmark in the city, andthe choice of the rich and famous since itopened in 1913 - including Queen ElizabethII, James Dean, Grace Kelly and the Beatles.Either stay as a guest (very expensive), orindulge in a meal in one of the two restaurantsand you’ll be able to view the hotel’sprivate art collection of more than 6000pieces spanning five centuries, including amagnificent Baccarat chandelier with 16,000crystals – a gift from Czar Nicholas II.A Taste of NiceCours Saleya, lined withrestaurants and, at thefar end, the yellow housewhere Matisse once livedFor me, one of the best ways to reallyexperience a place is via the local cuisine,and in Nice, you really are in for a treat.Cuisine Nicoise is unique – a blend of ItalianThe mouth-watering lunch we preparedand Provençal flavours in traditional recipeshanded down from generation to generation.At the Atelier Cuisine Niçoise, a cookingclass in a 16 th century building in the old town,you’ll learn about, make and eat some ofthe traditional dishes. It’s food that ordinarypeople have eaten for centuries, not hautecuisine. It’s about the produce that comesfrom the land that a family could grow forthemselves, fish for, forage or afford atthe market. The vegetables came from themountains: artichokes, chard, onions, olives,herbs, and garlic. These vegetables, along withsalad and chickpeas, can be used in a varietyof ways, including to make flour, which is usedto make socca (a flatbread mixed with water,12 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 13