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In Nice, It’s All About the Water

One can talk all day long about the beauty of the French Riviera, but these images say it all. Gazing at the water of the Mediterranean Sea along the Promenade d’Anglais in Nice is a cure for what ails you.

There’s still time to book your ticket for August, rent one the gorgeous apartments from Paris Nice Vacations (there’s still availability), put a few swimsuits in a suitcase, and head to the French Riviera.

Seaside Dining:

View from L’Eden near the Old Town, Nice

No matter what time or year, no matter that it’s raining, dining outside is a way of life in Nice. You’ll find restaurants to fit any budget, but one of my favorites is just outside the Old Town in Nice, Le Eden. This sidewalk café has one of the best views of any of the restaurants along the sea wall in Nice. Omelets, frites, a carafe of wine, or a cold beer on a hot day, you can usually stroll right in and get a seat. If you’re very lucky, you can get one of the places on the second level balcony, where you can watch the sun set over the sea. Prices are very reasonable! No need to break the bank for a spectacular meal on the French Riviera. https://www.facebook.com/brasserieleden/

  The Beaches of Nice:

Coco Beach, one of the less touristed beaches of Nice on the east side of the port

For me, this is the reason to travel to Nice in summer. The heavenly blue water lures you in, and cools you off. And in Nice there are so many beaches to choose from: the public beaches with lifeguards just steps away from restaurants and the Old Town; the private beaches where for around 16 Euros/day, you can fall asleep on a lounge chair under an umbrella between swims, and have a proper meal of Carpaccio de Boeuf and a bottle of wine; or, if you prefer to be away from the crowds, you can head to one of the less touristed beaches on the other side of the port. http://www.operaplage-nice.fr

  Day Dreaming:

The Ferry to Corsica

The boat to Corsica comes and goes, comes and goes, all day long, beckoning you to forget your life back home and sail off to an island in the Mediterranean. The ferry leaves from the port several times each day, and takes approximately six hours to arrive in Bastia, the northern-most city on Corsica. You can stay in Bastia, or rent a car and explore the island. Round trip fare is around $120, and you can book your trip from home before you leave. https://www.directferries.com/corsica.htm

  Gourmet Picnics:

 A tisket, a tasket, a handmade woven basket

In the Cours Saleya market in the Old Town of Nice, you can pick up sun-ripened tomatoes, a fresh baguette, a bottle of wine, a wedge of cheese and an exquisite lemon tart. Just fill up the woven basket you just bought at La Vannerie, along with a beach towel and your sun hat, and head off to the the Parc de la Colline du Chateau for a picnic with a 180 degree view of the blue, blue sea . https://www.lavanneriedaujourdhui.fr/fr/

Le Port:

Le Port de Nice

In Nice you are surrounded by a culture that lives and breathes and has made their livelihood from the sea. Strolling along the port in the evening, you can glimpse the boats of the rich and famous as well as the colorful fishing boats that line the quay. Restaurants are serving up mussels and frites, and the huge ferries to Corsica are loading up for the next sail. It’s a lively working area surrounded by pastel-colored buildings that glow in the setting sun. It’s more than picturesque. It’s a work of art.

I believe author Isak Dinisen says it best. “The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea,” and in Nice, you’ll find a whole lotta salt water.

Guest Post & Photographs by Seattle travel writer, Mary Kay Seales. Visit her website at: www.marykayseales.com

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Summer Nights on the French Riviera: What To Do?

Cinémas en Plein Air

by Mary Kay Seales

One thing many travelers want desperately to do is to somehow connect with the locals when they travel abroad. Have a real conversation. Beyond the restaurant, store or bakery chit-chat. This can be difficult, right?

Usually language is the major problem when traveling, but if you’re going to France, many or most of the people you meet speak at least some English, and you will find the French people completely lovely and willing to share their local knowledge with you IF you can just find a way to somehow not be a tourist for a minute

Perhaps, you wish you could find a way to practice the conversational French you’ve been learning back home, and would love to interact with the local people in a more natural way. But again, how do you move beyond that role of tourist? 

Here’s one solution I’ve found for this, which has worked for me when I’m traveling on the French Riviera, though you could also do this in Paris and probably most cities in France in the summer:  Go to the cinémas en plein air, or open-air cinemas, which occur regularly in many French cities during the summer months!

Cannes, Monaco, Villefranche-sur-mer, and many other cities along the coast offer outdoor movies for locals and tourists alike all summer long, as does Paris.

But I Don’t Speak French! How can that work?

You might be asking, ‘Aren’t the movies in French? I don’t speak that well, and certainly not enough to understand a whole movie.’

But here’s the thing. Many of the movies are shown in the Version Original (VO), the original version, meaning they are often in English with French subtitles. For example, one movie I hope to see this summer when I’m in France is the latest iteration of the Ocean’s movies, Ocean’s 8, with an all-star female cast. This one is being shown in English with French subtitles at several of the open-air cinemas, for example in Monaco and Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Monaco

Monaco’s open-air cinema, as you would expect, is quite polished, like a regular movie theater. But hey, no roof! Sitting in your plush seat with a glass of wine, waiting for the movie to start while the sun sets over the Mediterranean, which is just a few feet away, is just a perfect way to spend an evening, and meet some locals.

Villefranche-sur-Mer

The Cinema de Plein Air in the charming town of Villefranche, my personal favorite of these open air cinemas, takes place in a bloody (not really) 16th Century castle – La Citadelle de Saint-Elme. It’s a WOW setting, and quite a treat to wander through the castle grounds before the movie, and then settle in for the show with a view of the sea below.

    Beaulieu-sur-Mer

Beaulieu-sur-Mer, the little city just next door to Villefranche, has their movies on a little outdoor area above their posh yacht club with room for only about 50 chairs. It feels quite intimate, like being in someone’s back yard. I plan to catch the restored classic, Cinema Paradiso, which will be shown at Le Cinéma de Beaulieu en Plein Air this summer on July 20.

When I went to this little theater in Beaulieu last summer, I was the only outsider in attendance, the rest of the spectators mostly older French locals enjoying a summer evening out. An older gentleman sitting next to me started a conversation while we waited for the movie to start, and ended up giving me a ride back to my apartment in Villefranche. That was great, and since he didn’t speak much English, I could practice my newly learned French phrases.

Cheap, Easy & Oh, So Lovely

The backdrops for all the movies couldn’t be better as they always involve a view of the setting sun over the ever-blue Mediterranean Sea. And for me this combines several of my loves all at once: the sea, movies, the outdoors, summer, the French Riviera, and popcorn!

 I also love hanging out in France in a setting that puts me in the middle of everyday people who are just living their lives, in a setting where you can engage in a real conversations with the locals.

So if you’re looking to do something fun, off the beaten track, and completely non-touristy, try the open-air cinemas on the French Riviera, and other cities throughout France. They’re fun, cheap easy, the settings are truly spectacular, and you might have a chance to practice your bonjours and bonsoirs. Really, what more could you want?

“Cinema is universal, beyond flags and borders and passports.” Mexican Film Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

 Cinemas en Plain Air on the French Riviera & Paris:

Cannes:  Cannes Ciné Quartier

http://www.cannes.com/fr/evenements/grands-rendez-vous-mois-par-mois/cine-quartier.html

Villefranche Cinéma de Plein Air:

https://www.facebook.com/Cin%C3%A9ma-plein-air-La-Citadelle-694031220668936/

 Monaco:  Open Air Cinema Monaco

Terrasses du Parking des Pêcheurs, Ave de la Quarantaine 

http://www.cinemas2monaco.com/index2.php?page=12oa&film=55

Beaulieu-sur-Mer: Le cinéma de Beaulieu en plein air:

http://www.otbeaulieusurmer.com/fr/agenda//cinema-de-beaulieu-en-plein-air_8.html

Paris: Festival de Cinema en Plein Air 2018

https://lavillette.com/en/evenement/open-air-cinema/

Our apartments in Nice and Paris will give you an ideal base to visit these shows. In Nice take the train – quick cheap and saves parking issues. In Paris the Metro involves one change to get on Line #1 one to La Villette

Guest Post & Photographs by Seattle travel writer, Mary Kay Seales. Visit her website at: www.marykayseales.com

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Roman Ruins, Art Galleries, Gardens & Tombstones

                                                                      Le Cheval roux by Marc Chagall

The beaches of Nice are nice, but don’t forget to also head for the hills

 So much of the French Riviera is about the water, and nowhere along the French Riviera is that more true than in Nice. Its seven-kilometer stretch of coastline along the impossibly blue waters of the Mediterranean is enough to keep you blissfully happy, end of story.

However, if you do want to explore more of the city, and/or if the day is too overcast for the beaches, then heading up to the suburb of Cimiez on the hill behind the city is well worth your time.

  Head to the Hills of Nice: 5 Worthy Sites to See From the Top Down

EGLISE ET MONASTERE DE CIMIEZ (Church and Monastery of Cimiez)

A short bus ride from Place Massena on Bus #15 or 17 will take you up to the top of the hill where you can start your day at the 15th Century Franciscan Monastery of Cimiez.

It’s always lovely to walk into the churches of France, but here you can also visit the Franciscan Museum (it’s free), dedicated to the life of Franciscan monks past and present. You may catch a few actual monks walking around in real life there.

 CEMETIERE DE CIMIEZ

Just next door to the church is a fascinating cemetery. It might seem strange, but cemeteries can be delightful places to visit when traveling. So elaborate, even artful, the tombstones, some with well-known names, are fascinating to read. Look for the tombs of painters Henri Matisse and Raoul Dufy.

Also notice the spectacular view for these souls resting in peace, which is the city of Nice far below.

                                                                                                    Matisse tomb

  JARDIN DU MONASTÈRE DE CIMIEZ

  The Monastery is surrounded by lush, well-tended gardens. With over two acres of trees, flowers, walkways, and a bird’s eye view of the city, it is one way to escape the summer crowds on the beaches below.

Gardens at the Monastery of Cimiez

MUSEE ARCHEOLOGIQUE DE NICE-CIMIEZ

From the gardens you can walk through the olive tree grove to reach the next stop for your day on the hill, the archeological museum of Cimiez.

Cimiez was once the Roman capital for this area of the Roman empire, conquered and annexed for Rome by Julius Caesar before Jesus was born. Most of the Roman city is buried beneath this modern, and upscale, suburb of Nice, but a few things remain: the ruins of the Roman baths and the Arena (think gladiators).

The Archeological Museum is close by the ruins, but bring your English-French dictionary.

Roman Bath Ruins on Cimiez

MUSEE MATISSE

But wait! There’s more! Besides the Monastery, the Cemetery, the Gardens and the Roman Ruins, all very worthy, you can also pop into the Matisse Museum.

Musée Matisse is housed in a rose-colored mansion with pale green shutters, and is home to “68 paintings and gouaches, 236 drawings, 218 prints, 95 photos, 57 sculptures and 14 books illustrated by Matisse, 187 objects that belonged to the painter, and prints, tapestries, ceramics, stained glass and documents.” That should keep you busy if you’re a fan of Matisse

                                                                                                     Musee Matisse

On the return trip down the hill to the next stop, you will pass the exquisite Excelsior Regina Palace,  once an exclusive hotel, but now private condos, where Matisse spent his last years in Nice. There’s a delightful café here near the entrance that makes a great stop for lunch.

Hotel Regina

  “When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what color really is.”  Pablo Picasso

  MUSEE CHAGALL

Your last stop on this tour of the hill, is the lovely, lovely, not-to-be-missed Chagall Museum, where you will most definitely fall in love with this painter and his work.

  Each room of this small museum gives a different experience with Marc Chagall, the main hall showing off his large canvases: Adam and Eve being chased from the garden of Eden on the back of a red rooster, Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from God, and Noah gazing up at the Rainbow after the flood.

    Main Hall of Chagall Museum

Be sure, if you go, to stay for the short film which is shown regularly in the stained glass chapel/auditorium. It tells of the life of Chagall through images of his childhood in a Jewish shtetl in Russia to his life as a young artist in Paris.

There is so much to see in this beautiful museum, and in just one of his paintings. I visit this museum on every trip to Nice.

You are going to be exhausted at this point, for sure, especially if you have taken in all these sites. Luckily, there is a little café on the museum grounds where you can have a well-earned glass of rosé or a coffee before heading back down to the city.

I actually like the walk back from here, which passes through working neighborhoods of Nice, where the locals live, eat and shop.

La Buvette du Musée Café at the Chagall Museum

  Practical Information For Your Day on the Hill

 Getting there: Catch buses 15 or 17 from just behind the Galleries Lafayette near Place Massena [Cost €1.50]. If you’re not sure where to get off, just ask the driver, or follow the other tourists.

You can also catch an Uber, or if you’re up for a hike, it’s possible to walk. I did that the first time I was in Nice, when I didn’t know how to catch the buses. It’s a ways, though, and all up, so be forewarned. Maybe better to walk down afterwards.

Museums: Entrance fees are generally 10 Euros for adults, but be sure to check out the 24-hour and 7-Day museum passes for Nice. http://en.nicetourisme.com/Museums

Where to stay: We have 4 luxury apartments in Nice available for your consideration

  Guest Post & Photographs by Seattle travel writer, Mary Kay Seales. Visit her website at: www.marykayseales.com

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Using a US/Canadian cell-phone in France

Having an active mobile phone while traveling is essential today. There are many options: from using your existing phone-service/phone to having unlocked phones and using a local SIM card.

How to dial: 1. You need to know the country code. 33 for France or see https://countrycode.org/ for others. When you dial always enter +, followed by country code 2. Local numbers in France and other countries often begin with 0 [followed by 1, 9 or 6 in France], the 0 is always dropped. So 01 xx xx xx xx becomes +33 1 xx xx xx xx. 3. Calling back to US or Canada – dial +1 xxx xxx xxxx

ATT – you will need to subscribe [$$’s] to an international plan for calls or texts. Make sure data roaming is off [to avoid extremely nasty bill when you get home] and connect to WiFi whenever possible. Making calls? See http://soc.att.com/28VEsSF

T-Mobile – no subscription and 20¢/min for calls from EU. Texts free. No data limits. See http://t-mo.co/28WF5Zt

Verizon – like ATT you need to subscribe at $10/day/line + charges/call or text or data. See http://vz.to/28VFEFx Rogers – various deals but basically $10/day http://bit.ly/28WnRKK

Other useful resources can be seen here and here and here

Other Options: [if you have a wifi connection]- many cafes have this for free and of course it is available in our apartment

WhatsApp: Go to app store on you Android or iPhone and download – also see here.     Receiver must have WhatsApp installed and active. Can also do video calls

Skype: Down load app – calls free if both have Skype or a few cents/minute if not. Voice and video calls

Facebook Messenger: Download ‘Messenger’  from App-store. free calls and video

Facetime: For iphone and iPad users

Bottom line: Understand charges and choose plan before you leave. Use data service minimally UNLESS you are connected to WiFi to avoid massive charges [except T-mobile]. Unlocked phone and local SIM is useful but you will also have local number that you probably can forward your existing US/Canadian number to. Enjoy!!

Posted by Ralph First published at http://parisnicevacations.net/

#travel #Paris #Nice #cell phone

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Christmas in Paris

Christmas in Paris and the New Year is always a magical time.  The city of lights is truly lit up with magnificent light displays along the Champs Elysee and many other streets until after New year. Then there are the displays in the big stores of which the Galleries Lafayette is a delight for both children and adults. This year the theme is  an Artic Christmas. The window displays along the Blvd Haussmann tell the story of a family of polar bears playing on an ice pack before making their way back to the North Pole. See “Galeries-Lafayette”

Christmas markets abound, with about a dozen spread over the city. They range from a mega-market in La Defense to a small market in Montmarte. All along the Champs-Elysées are dozens of stalls selling Christmas trinkets and food AND ‘vin chaud’ to warm you up.

More information about events over the Christmas New season can be found here –  “christmas-in-paris”

If you need a place to stay check out our 2 bedroom apartment in Montmartre – we have special deals for the Christmas season

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Monet's Garden in Giverny: a day-trip from Paris

Giverny is a quiet and picturesque village that is located only about 80 kms outside the city of Paris and can be easily reached either by car or train. With a car, it will only take an hour to reach Giverny [once outside central Paris]. However it is more convenient to take the train, from St Lazare station in Paris and this will take you about 45 minutes to get to Vernon. As soon as you get to Vernon, just follow the crowds and then hop on a bus that will take you to Giverny in about 20 minutes.

About Giverny Gardens

The flowers found at Claude Monet’s garden in Giverny actually resemble his paintings in that, most of them are brightly coloured with balanced but messy patches. He used flowers as his brush strokes and it was during his last 30 and most creative years that he spent cultivating his art and garden at Giverny.

When you visit Giverny, you’ll see that there is much to admire and you’ll see why so many people flock there. If you adore gardening, you will definitely admire the layout and elegant landscapes. Botanists will also find something to talk about in regards to the vast variety of plants found there. Art lovers will absolutely see paintings that they have always admired come to life. To visit, plan for between late March and the end of October, each month has an evolving carpet of flowers so that there is always colour until the 1st frost.

Tips for visiting

Springtime is considered the best time to visit Monet’s garden because at this time, the lily ponds are in bloom. This is also when you will find the Japanese bridge covered with wisteria and sunny days are experienced quite often. Since this is usually a busy time of the year, arriving early is recommended.

Booking online is advised since there are usually long queues at the gate. Note that online tickets are for a specific day, i.e. not valid on other dates.

When you get to St Lazare station – the trains to Vernon [final destination Rouen/Le Havre] leave to the right side of the station near the ticket office where you can buy your return ticket. Don’t forget to get your ticket stamped before you get on the train.

At Vernon the shuttle buses to Giverny coordinate with train arrivals [fare €8 round trip] – Follow the footstep on the pavement

When you return from Gardens: you need to coordinate your departure for your train back to Paris. However, more frequent buses run to the town of Vernon. This will give you a chance to walk through the town.

The Garden

The first section, called Clos Normand consists of rows of flowers that are in all colours and shapes. You’ll see that negotiating your way through the garden is totally enjoyable and manageable even when crowded. You’ll also hear the birds singing as you enjoy your walk through the garden and the array of colours that are on display is simply stunning!

            What you will notice from the start is that everyone automatically becomes a flower enthusiast, expert flower photographer and lover when in the garden. Admiring the beauty of the garden together with exploring and capturing memories is what you can do either digitally or the old-fashioned way.

Across the road, you can walk through trees and weeping willows and see the beautiful Japanese-inspired water garden with the famous water lilies that are immortalized in his paintings.

When you get back to Paris don’t forget to visit the Orangerie museum in the Tuileries garden – there you can immerse yourself in the giant painting of the lily pond [Nymphéas], that encircles two elliptical rooms. How that came to be and survive is a story in itself .

The House

Monet had a cute home, which resembled his paintings and one outstanding thing about it is that it has cheerful and soft pastel colours. The living room is where you will find a number of paintings that have been put on display and see familiar scenes taken from parts of Europe and the garden that characterise the paintings. The Monet bedroom windows have gorgeous views and you can imagine what it was like waking up to that on a bright spring day, simply breathtaking! As for the kitchen – wow! Have you ever seen a stove like this, not to mention the beautiful tile work?

Vernon

The Giverny and Vernon villages have museums and art galleries that you can indulge in after leaving the Monet house and garden. Every Saturday there is large open-air market in Vernon if you want to start the day early [8h to13h]. The A.G Poulain Museum has 2 original Monets on display; the “Nympheas” 1908 and “Effet de soleil couchant à Pourville” 1896

Spend a whole day touring the gardens and village; you will be glad that you did!

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Should you be concerned about the security of you passport information?

Every wondered about the data contained in your passport that is read at airports by the airlines and border security. It has a microchip embedded in the cover, shown by the circle inside two bars symbol on the cover.

Is it secure? Can someone with a RFID [radio frequency identification reader] steal the data?  Well this detailed report gives you the scoop.

Bottom line is that you are fairly safe – of more concern is your mobile phone [see the article], electronic car key and credit cards. 

Best solution is to keep credit cards in Faraday sleeves in your wallet.  Its easy for a potential thief to stand next to you at supermarket checkout & read the information on your card. These thin sleeves protect you.

Did you realize that that convenient electronic car key is an invitation to steal your car or its contents. Don’t store your electronic key fob near front door of your house, thieves can read it from just outside and take your car or content – store them as far as possible from outside wall. Faraday sleeves are available to protect you on the go.

Hope this note helps you keep your personal information safe while at home or on your travels