Day 3085 (Tuesday) 18th November 2025

This is the Negresco Hotel in Nice

and this is Petite Afrique beach in Beaulieu.

There was a beautiful sunrise this morning

and we had a clear blue sky later on.

 

Pat phoned Huw this morning because he needed help getting his TV into the car to take it for repair. We were going to Nice anyway so we stopped at theirs on the way and Pat was waiting for us. These are his latest toys…

It didn’t take long at all and we were soon on our way. The Christmas decorations in Nice are so much nicer than ours in Villefranche.

The picture-perfect blue sky was wonderful, it’s still cool out of the sun but it’s lovely.

While we were sitting in the park midday came and Huw jumped out of his skin yet again when he heard the 12 o’clock cannon – it gets him every time and I laugh every time.

Before going for our weekly fix of a kebab we went to visit one of the 17 Hidden Gems of Nice – the church of Saint James the Greater in the Old Town. Some of the back streets of the Old Town are pretty grubby but they have a certain charm about them.

We saw a pizza dispensing machine.

We found the church easily enough thanks to Huw’s map reading skills and it’s huge, it really is a Hidden Gem.

 

This is inside the church, it’s one of the most ornate churches we have ever seen.

There was a priest sitting in a confessional box advertising the fact that he took confessionals in French, English and Italian – how very cosmopolitan.

CHURCH OF SAINT JAMES THE GREATER, ALSO KNOWN AS THE GESÙ

Located on Rue Droite in the heart of Old Nice, the Church of Saint James the Greater, commonly known as the Church of the Gesù, is an imposing historical monument in the Baroque style whose construction dates back to the 17th century.

With its bluish facade, the imposing Church of Saint James the Greater dominates the small square of the same name, one of the most secluded in Old Nice. Originally built at the behest of the Jesuits, its architecture inspired the design of most other Baroque churches on the French Riviera. It consists of a nave whose layout echoes that of the nave at the heart of the Church of the Gesù in Rome. This nave is surrounded by six chapels, each honouring a divine being. Inside, numerous frescoes recount the life of Saint James the Greater, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ.
The church is crowned by a 42-metre-high bell tower. Located in the very heart of the old town, it is surrounded by numerous restaurants serving traditional cuisine that delight tourists and, above all, locals. Among them are established establishments such as the Gesù restaurant, Chez Theresa, and the Acchiardo family's restaurant. The Church of the Gesù was classified as a Historical Monument in 1971.

After visiting the church we went back to the park and thoroughly enjoyed a kebab in the sun without wearing a jacket and Pat joined us. He usually goes to a different kebab shop but I think we have converted him to ours, he’s going to try one more and then decide the winner.

I found this article about Nice, which I thought was well written…

Nice, symbol of a Mediterranean way of life

On the Mediterranean coast, only a few kilometres from Italy, Nice has all the charm of a southern city.

Even before you land on the Nice tarmac, you will be breathless by the view that awaits you through the window. No wonder Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport has been on the podium of the most beautiful approaches in the world for several years in a row. In addition to the extraordinary monochrome of the Mediterranean Sea, the panorama of the mountains (snow-covered in winter) is also awe-inspiring.

Capital of the French Riviera, Nice is the perfect embodiment of the art of living

The blue of the Mediterranean, the marvellous light that can only be found here, breakfast on a sunny terrace, a quiet stroll through the narrow streets of the old town, lunch on a hotel terrace, an afternoon of shopping in the city’s prestigious boutiques, a dip in the sea, an aperitif on the Cours Saleya, a classical music concert at the Opera, a gala evening at the Casino, a candlelit dinner in a Michelin-starred restaurant…Nice is all of these things and more.

Old Nice is, in itself, a festival of sensations.

Narrow streets, yellow and ochre facades, craftsmen’s shops and small boutiques, restaurants, and lively squares make up the soul of this old quarter, which is alive day and night, not forgetting, of course, the Cours Saleya market, classified as one of the exceptional markets in France. From the top of the listed site of the Colline du Château, you can enjoy a remarkable view of the Baie des Anges, the old town, and the port, from sunrise to sunset.

(The following photos are not mine.)

A successful trip includes a taste of the local gastronomy

Fresh salads, grilled fish, seasonal vegetables, local wine… Nice’s cuisine is above all a simple and sunny cuisine that honours the products of its land, such as olive oil, harvested on the hills with a protected designation of origin (AOP). Valued and protected by the label “Cuisine Nissarde, le respect de la tradition”, Nice’s cuisine is now part of France’s intangible cultural heritage and is the subject of an application for inclusion in UNESCO’s Inventory of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity. All the diversity of the local cuisine can be savoured in a small bistro, a gourmet table or on the terrace, accompanied by a view of the port, Old Nice or the Baie des Anges.

Nice, on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

The recent inscription of Nice by UNESCO is the recognition of the exceptional universal value of Nice’s architectural, landscape and urban heritage, a fusion of international cultural influences.

A true open-air museum, Nice offers you its extraordinary architectural heritage of the Belle Époque, Art Deco, Baroque or even modern. Just look up and let yourself be surprised by so much diversity and refinement.

From time immemorial, artists have been fascinated by the light of Nice and have frequently taken up residence on the Côte d’Azur, bringing with them all the currents of pictorial art in their immense diversity. Take advantage of your stay in Nice to visit the museums and galleries and the prestigious collections of Matisse, Chagall and the famous École de Nice.

Helpful hints

For your cultural and leisure visits, adopt the French Riviera Pass, an open sesame that will facilitate your stay and offer you many advantages.

As you can see, Nice Côte d’Azur is a unique and multiple destination.

With its international airport 15 minutes from the city centre, its range of nearly 200 hotels, its many museums, its architectural heritage, its climate, its seaside, its festivals and its art of living, it is the ideal destination that knows how to get everyone on the same wavelength… All those who stay here are surprised by how much there is to do.