salt, and olive oil).

salt, and olive oil). Piedmontese cuisine alsohad an influence, introducing potatoes forgnocchi. Meat was reserved for Sundays aftermass, or for festival days.My lesson with Alain the chef included panbagnat, a bread roll drenched in olive oiland balsamic vinegar, and filled with finelychopped seasonal vegetables, fresh broadbeans, and basil leaves. Then we made asimple pastry for pissaladière, a caramelisedonion tart decorated with salty anchovies andpiquant black olives.Then gnocchi – chickpea flour, minced boiledpotato and chard dough, hand-rolled intosausage shape and cut into small pieces(which locals refer to as ‘merde de chien!)served piping hot with pistou - a staple of thesouth - an olive oil, garlic and basil sauce.“There’s no such thing as too much oliveoil”, said Alain as he poured with abandon.“Nicoise cuisine is like the people of Nice– colourful, generous, joyful.” I suspect thepeople of Nice also have olive oil in their veins.Stroll through the old town atdusk and the aromas of garlic andbasil fill the airMaison de MarieNice is all about food, and the city has somany restaurants that it gives Lyon (AKA thecapital of gastronomy) a run for its money,and thanks to the seemingly endless sunshine,there are more tables outside than inside mostof the year round. Restaurants with the CuisineNissarde label serve authentic cuisine of Nice.Locals Love: Maison de Marie, tucked awaya tiny walk from Place Massena, through anarch which emerges into a stunning courtyard.There are no namby-pamby portions here,generous food, indulgent and epicurean -impossible to resist. “Food of the Gods”, mygourmet dad would have said with relish.Nice: roasted peppers, stuffed tomatoes,panises - chick pea chips, polenta, pisaladiere,green and black tapenade, chickpeas, meatymushrooms in a pesto sauce and a few morethings. Do not eat before you go there!Restaurant Felix –Belle Epoque glamourDon’t miss: Restaurant, bar (including aspeakeasy!) Felix – stunning décor, thinkBelle Epoque deluxe, superb menu, greatambience and excellent cocktails (DJ setson weekends).LE MOULINSUR CÉLÉWhere to stay: The lovely Hotel la Villa is just acouple of minutes’ walk from the old town.Discover what to see and do in Nice and itssurroundings: explorenicecotedazur.comBasket shop in the old townAn enchanting luxurious riverside retreat in the beautiful Célé ValleyExperience la France Profondewww.lemoulinsurcele.comA taste of Nice at Lu Fran CalinLove local: Lu Fran Calin in the old townwhere I can highly recommend the tastingplatter if you fancy an authentic taste of14 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 15