Nice  Pop. : 342,450 Departement : Alpes Maritimes

Both elegant and simple, Nice's charm comes from its exceptional climate as well as its beauty. Even in the winter the café terraces are filled with people happily drinking and contemplating the ultra famous Promenade des Anglais. Always in flower this wonderful walk follows along the bay, looking out ontc the Baie des Anges and the beaches on one side, and on the other such luxury hotels as the Negresco.

The architecture of Nice can be astonishing with the wild exaggerations of the Belle Epoque style or the Baroque influenced houses and marisions on the hills of Mont Boron. Fabulous creations have been realized in the floral gardens and parks of the hills of the Chateau, the Chambrun park or the Espace Masséna.

The only way to get to know the real Nice is by strolling through the ochre colored streets listening to the "Niçois" speaking their own language (Nissart) and by tasting their savory cooking, One musn't miss the onion, anchovy and olive tarts

called Pissaladières, the vegetable and tuna sandwiches known as Pan Bagnat, the Salade Niçoise or the famous Ratatouille (tomatoes eggplant and zucchini squash stew). The main cooking ingredient is olive oil ot course, and many of the dishes are garnished with the succulent little black Nice olives called Caillettes.

Nice is also a city of art and culture and after Paris, has the most museums in France. The city is animated at night as well as in the day especially in the summer with the Nice Jazz Festival held in the 

arena, the gardens of Cimiez, and the flower "war" on the Promenade des Anglais in which participate the prettiest women on the Côte d'Azur (French Riviera). Each day on the Cours Soleya there is the great flovver market where one can also find fruit and vegetables in the mornings. Each quarter in Nice is alive with markets, boutiques and restaurants making the whole city a lively place to visit.