LUX The Holiday Edition: Nice
CONTENTS Les MarchĂŠ aux Fleurs
Monte Carlo Casino
2
Museum Review
Holiday Checklist
3
“To Travel is to Live” Hans Christian Andersen
Galets or pebbles from La Plage de Beau Rivage, Nice. ®
4
Hello! Welcome to this month’s edition of Lux! Now that’s us officially into Winter- it’s time for Pumpkin Spiced Lattes, fluffy socks and hats and scarves! What have you got planned for this up-coming Christmas season? Have you ever considered taking a break away for some last-minute Winter Sun? As a little pick-me-up this dull November, the team at Lux have decided to put together a holiday special for our lovely readers – just in case you need a little inspiration to get you through these long, dark days! If you remember back to last month’s edition, we asked you all to send us in your favourite holiday destinations. Hundreds of you got in touch, and there was one clear winner. As promised, this destination is our theme for this month’s issue!
Next stop... Nice! Nice is absolutely a worthy winner- it’s one of my favourite places to visit. I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as I did, and here’s hoping you find some inspiration for your Winter Sun break!
Stunning views of La Plage de Beau Rivage, Nice. ®
Lots of love,
Jaimee-Lee xx
5
If
And nestled right in between the flower markets are tiny tables laden with regional novelties: lavender soaps and perfumes, hand-decorated scented sachets, and paintings of the beautiful Nicoise landscapes.
there’s one place that you should visit on your trip to Nice, it’s the Marché aux Fleurs in the Old Town. Hidden away in the centre of Vieux Nice, this bustling daily market is a hub of activity for both tourists and locals.
To say that that Cours Saleya is like a picturesque scene from a movie is an understatement. It is without doubt one of the many places in Nice that is a must-see for tourists!
Vendors man their stalls from 6am-5pm daily (except on Mondays), and the flowers they sell here are some of the most beautiful
Every
in the region.
single element of this place- from the meandering, hidden streets to the red and white peppermint stripes of the stalls- feeds the archetypical perception of France.
The moment you set foot onto the Cours Saleya, the scent is overwhelming- sweet, fragrant lilies, delicate Geraniums- all manner of beautiful blossoms are available here.
Nice has long been hailed as one of the world’s favourite haunts of those searching for inspiration and revelation; and spending even a little time here clearly shows you why.
Strolling
past the various booths, a melee of colours and smells draws your attention to the exquisite blooms; making it almost impossible to know where to look.
With such beauty and originality, how could one be un-inspired while visiting Nice?
6
7
VISIT
Why not take a stroll through the beautiful Gardens of Monte Carlo Casino? It’s a stiff climb from the bottom end of the city, but it’s more than worth it when you see the sensational panoramic views! Plus, the train ride from Nice takes less than 15 minutes!
8
9
“All that Glitters is Art” When you think of Nice as a whole and what it is most famous for, where does your mind drift to first? Most people would say its perfume and cosmetic exports (which serve almost 20% of the world’s demands), or perhaps its massive lavender production. (France produces 50% of the world’s lavender each year!) But in reality, one of Nice’s slightly lesser-known but still vitally important exports is that of art. Paris may be known as the “city of love and art”, but Nice is definitely a close second in terms of its artistic emergence. Home to the Musées Marc Chagall and Matisse, Nice boasts some serious credentials of its own in the art world.
“Upon entering the Musée d’art Moderne et d’art Contemporaine, I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the building. From the outside, the massive glass-fronted building looks slightly imposing against the backdrop of the older, more frail-looking houses and shops.
But despite its daunting appearance, the cavernous museum is incredibly beautiful inside. Crisp, white walls and glistening marble tiles make me feel like I am walking through a palace. And the cool air emanating from the fan overhead is a welcome relief from the blistering August sunshine. Being a novice to museums in general, I feel a little out of my depth. Trying hard to act like I know exactly what I’m doing, I make my way over to the main welcome desk. As I attempt to pass a 10 Euro note across the desk to the slightly bored-looking assistant (as per the sign), she shakes her head and tells me in broken English: “Free. Free. No charge for you.” I’m absolutely delighted- students are treated exceptionally well here in France! Thanking her in what is probably terrible French, I make my way over to the lockers where we are directed to leave our belongings. Excited to finally explore an established art museum for the first time (especially one in Nice!) I start to wander around the vast space. A little lost, I start to stroll around.
As I travel between the four floors of the Contmporary Art Museum, I’m seeing images of things that are like something lifted straight from imagination. Life-sized models gaze with vacant expressions; pictures that are perfectly un-done hang on the walls; a life-sized bridge even rests in one corner of the museum! But without a doubt, my favourite section of the entire museum is a little box room dedicated to artist Ben Martinez. Floor-to-ceiling pictures hang on the walls, and every inch of the space is decorated with scrawling handwriting. Although everything is French, I can pick up the jist of what each piece means. The most striking piece is a golden peacock hoisted up on the wallright at the top. It reads: “all that glitters is art”. It’s almost inspirational. But then I turn around and smash head first into a severed doll’s head that is hanging from the ceiling and I quickly change my mind. The majority of the pieces I view are amazing, but there are a few that are rather disturbing and distressing. Confused at my disgust towards some of the exhibitions, I wonder if this is why I have never been to a museum before. I quickly decide, yes. That’s why.”
10
“All that glitters is art...” What about that peacock?!
One of the more unique pieces in the museum- an 8ft canvas adorned completely in swear words!
One of seven statues that rests outside the Muséeabout 30ft in the air! They strategically change colour at different times during the night. Very beautiful!
11
Nestled right in the centre of Nice, the Fountain on the Promenade du Paillon is one of the city’s best free attractions. Children and adults alike love to play in the water spray on those too-hot Nicoise summer days!
12
13
If you are still undecided about where to go on your lastminute holiday, the team here at Lux really hope we’ve given you some food for thought with our Nice: Special Edition! It really is a beautiful city, and regardless of whether you’re in search of some inspiration, a chilled few days away or maybe a romantic getaway; we’re sure you’ll find it in Nice! Our editor Jaimee-Lee visited Nice for the first time just last summer and loved every second of her trip! Here are a few fun facts to help you understand the city a little better:
FINAL WOR DS
1- Nice’s official name is ‘Nice La Belle’ or ‘Nice the Beautiful’. 2- The average winter temperature is 15 -20 degrees! 3- Nice has dozens of beaches to choose from- most of them being naturally occurring pebble beaches. 4- There are hundreds of restaurants in and around Nice- a place for every palette! 5- Old Nice hosts a tremendous old castle, and it sits right on top of a beautiful waterfall. 6- Marc Chagall painted pictures especially for the Chagall Museum in Nice, and even decided where to hang them!
We would love to see your holiday pics- wherever you decide to go! For a chance to be featured in the next issue of Lux, send all photographs to: 1317175@rgu.ac.uk
Editor JL enjoying the Nice sunshine!
14
EAT
Along another of Nice’s ‘famous’ hidden streets lies this little gem of a shop- where all the produce is made of Marzipan!
You simply cannot leave Nice without visiting one of its many beautiful Bakeries- or Patisseries as they are called in France! Here you will find delicious treats of all varieties to suite every palette. If you’re feeling especially naughty, why not try one treat per day of your holiday? Because calories don’t count when you’re on holiday, right?!
15
Be warned though; a bag of this beautifully hand-crafted marzipan will set you back about 15 Euros!
Passport
Clothes
Sunglasses
Boarding Pass
Underwear
Headphones
Mobile Phone
Shoes and Flip Flops
Currency
Camera
Swimsuits
Books and Magazines (Lux!)
Adapters
Suncream and After Sun
Insurance
Chargers
Hair Dryer and Straighteners
Transfers to and from airport
Plasters/Medecines
Brushes and Combs
Online Check-in
Toiletries and Make-up
Sun Hat
Pocket Translator
iPod/iPad/MP3 Player
Jewellery and Handbags
Towels and Facecloths
Check out this fab Holiday Checklist- follow this and you’ll have a stress-free packing experience! (It’s okay ladies, you can thank us later).
16