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A Weekend in:

The French Riviera is commonly known as a region full of expensive yachts and heavy wallets, but Jordan Webb travelled to Nice to explore the somewhat more affordable side to the Côte d’Azur...

NICEThe lavish blue ocean

is the first thing that catches my attention as

the plane swoops over the rugged coastline and over the sumptuous cliff-top villas of Antibes.

Leaving behind gale force winds and Arctic temperatures back in London, the beating sun and 20 degree heat is an absolute God-send as I step off the plane and immediately tear off my incubated gillet.

A short hop on the number 98 bus takes me straight to the heart of town, and €6 down and 20mins later, I find myself strolling along the Promenade des Anglais, named so after Queen Victoria’s frequent visits to the city during her reign.

Big-spendersNice is one of many cities and

towns that make up the French Riviera, with Cannes, Saint Tropez and even the sovereign state of Monaco making up the highly sought after destination of choice for billionaires from around the globe.

And it’s difficult not to see why. For a start, Nice sees around 300 days of sunshine every year, with temperatures rarely dipping below 10degrees.

The casinos of Cannes and most notably Monte Carlo in Monaco are a haven for those big-spenders who fancy splashing some cash. Expensive cars are

a common-sight along the entire region and I found myself feeling somewhat cheap having only brought €250 to see me through my four-day trip, which, I must add, wouldn’t even have been enough to place an initial bet at any of the casinos I visited! Madness!

Admittedly, there isn’t a vast amount to do in Nice itself, but that doesn’t mean you’ll find yourself twiddling your fingers and straining your best GCSE French linguistic skills to bide the time.

I found myself traversing across the city for hours, constantly discovering new and exciting vintage points, meeting friendly and interesting locals and best of all, soaking up the sunshine that my frail English body had so

Nice harbour

dearly missed. The view from Castle Hill

provides a magnificent vista over both sides of the city, looking east over the harbour with its ridiculously expensive yachts and boutique eateries. To the west, the majority of the city and its seafront airport stretches out across the horizon, the pebbled beaches packed full of sun-worshippers even in the wintery months (if you can call 20 degrees a winter temperature).

Vieille VilleThe town is steeped in history,

with the Old Town of Nice, Vieille Ville, acting as its very own unofficial museum. Situated precariously close to the Italian boarder, Nice became French

during Napoleon III’s reign, and was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia beforehand, now known as Italy. And it is these Italian roots that still gives Nice that unique and un-French feel about it.

The Rue Massena is the town square, a beautiful location full of stunning architecture and the atmospheric nerve-centre of the city. A grand Ferris-wheel provides another astonishing view across the entire region, but at €7 a ride, I much preferred the cheaper alternative of Castle Hill, albeit up over 1000 steps to the top.

Public transport is surprisingly cheap in an area so notorious for its lavish and expensive heritage, with the town also popular with Russian billionaires since the end of the Crimean War when it was agreed that the Russian fleet could anchor at nearby Villefranche-sur-Mer, after being banned from the Black Sea.

“Nice sees around 300 days of sunshine every year, with temperatures rarely dipping below 10degrees”

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Buses are frequent and a return trip across town will almost always come to less than €5. But for those who are so inclined, Nice boasts a similar bicycle hire system similar to that in London. But beware, despite paying just €1 a day, with the first half hour of cycle hire free and then €1 for every other hour, the Velo Bleu system is predominantly written and explained in French, meaning many are oblivious to the €150 deposit for each day of bicycle hire.

In Nice, if you don’t jog, you cycle. If you don’t cycle, you roller-skate. And if you don’t roller-skate, then you’re most probably a tourist. The truth is, Nice is a precariously active city and the balance between energy and relaxation is perfect.

After a mid-morning bike ride along the promenade to the nearby town of Cannes-sur-mer, I found a quiet cafe nestled in amongst the cliff-edge, where I could enjoy a Franco-Italian fusion of coffee, whilst picking at a local delicacy, Socca. La Socca is one of the oldest specialties in the region and at first glance presents itself as a glorified crepe. Made from chick-pea flour and olive oil, Socca is prepared on a wood fire in large copper platters, it’s notably salty flavour urging me to reach for the wine menu, another surprisingly cheap delicacy.

MonacoNearby lies the second smallest sovereign state in the world, Monaco. For just €7 return and a mere 20minute train journey away, there

is very little reason not to visit this unique and petite country.

Set entirely upon the cliff-edge of the southern tip of the European continent, Monaco is a name we most associate with the Monte Carlo casino and the Formula One...and quite frankly, that is all.

Rather than a showcase for the rich and famous to parade their recent Prada purchase or brand-spanking new Bentley car, Monaco really doesn’t boast much else. After having spent a mere two hours traipsing up and down its steep hills, I found myself back at the, admittedly, majestic train station and on my way back to Nice.

The nightlife in Nice is an odd affair. If a bar does not advertise itself as Irish or British, then it

probably isn’t open. But hey-ho, who doesn’t love a good old pint served luke-warm at the cost of €7! Nice is most certainly not the destination of choice for those in search of a vibrant nightlife, but rather it presents a more intimate and warming evening, with live jazz and blues bands playing nearly every night.

My €250 did run out, but not unnervingly quickly. Two nights out with Canadian and Australian backpackers saw my funds depleted with ease, but food and drink in the day was comfortable on my balance. Nice was, excuse the pun, nice. It made for a perfect getaway over the colder months (at home) and with its immaculate architecture, it makes for one of the most beautiful cities across the entirety of Europe.

Promenade des Anglais

HOW DO I MAKE IT HAPPEN?

*EasyJet and Norwegian Air Shuttle both fly to Nice from London Gatwick; easyJet also flies from Bristol, Newcastle and Edinburgh (from £39 o/w; easyjet.com). Bus number 98 runs from both terminals at the airport straight to the centre of town via Promenade des Anglais (o/w €6).

*Hostel Meyerbeer is one of Nice’s mostly highly recommended hostels and is situated just off the Promenade and only a 5minute walk away from Rue Messena and the Old Town of Nice. The hostel boasts private and shared accommodation, depending on your budget (from €15 per night; hostelmeyerbeerbeach.fr).

Socca served with lamb

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