The allure of the Riviera city comes from its mixed pedigree and from the frisson of French urban bustle and beachside bliss, writes Orla Neligan
HAZELNUT-TANNED retirees and poodle accessories notwithstanding, Nice has shrugged off its dubious reputation, earned from decades of corruption and an elevated crime rate, to become a hot spot of the Riviera.
Like Cannes, its smaller but better-mannered neighbour, Nice has been luring outsiders into its fold since the days when Brigitte Bardot frolicked on the sands of St Tropez and, before that, Matisse took up residence along the sun-steeped coastline. Its residents spoke Italian until the 1920s - the city was formerly part of the kingdom of Savoy. It then regained its French edge. Evidence of cultures colliding remains, its architecture and food - such as ravioli, a Nicoise invention - accenting the Italian connection.
This mixed pedigree, married with the hypnotic blue of the Mediterranean, the pastel facades of the Old Town and the frisson of urban bustle and beachside bliss (albeit a rocky one), gives France's fifth-largest city an added sparkle and a unique identity. Even Parisians are rediscovering it as a favourite weekend bolt-hole, and that's saying a lot.
The five-kilometre palm-studded Promenade des Anglais, a monument to the 19th-century British aristocrats who put Nice on the tourist map, is a good place to start your discovery of the city. Hugging the coastline, it is the ideal stage to ogle the azure waters of the Baie des Anges and the belle-époque buildings lining the shore.
At the head of the bay is the Colline du Château, the ancient site of the Sainte-Marie cathedral. Unfortunately, only ruins remain, but the shady trees and waterfall make for the perfect spot to escape the midday sun, and the panorama from the numerous viewing platforms is well worth the hike.
If you descend on the east flank, you will join Rue Catherine-Ségurane into Place Garibaldi - a grand Italian square and a good place for a pit stop, with its archways, colonnades and cafes. Fish-lovers will revel in Cafe de Turin's menu of fruits de mer, while sweet teeth can feast on heavenly pastries at Patisserie Cappa, next door.
Place Garibaldi anchors the north of the Old Town, so once fed and watered you can take Rue François into the tangle of alleyways that makes up the postcard-perfect Vieux Ville. Among the labyrinthine streets you'll find another Nice - brimful of cafes, bistros, squares and Provencal shops selling olive oil, spices, pottery and embroidered cloths, which stretch as far as the Cours Saleya. They say you can easily spot the locals - they're the ones always eating - and nowhere is this more evident than on this pretty market street, which comes alive with food and flower vendors every day except Monday, when antiques take their place.
The beauty of Nice is its multiple personalities, and you will find that if you spend long enough in one place you are likely to experience its metamorphosis; as dusk falls cafes turn to bars and buzz with young and old quaffing pastis and bières pressions, quiet squares come alive with music and performers, and behind modest facades are lively restaurants and animated conversations.
There is no shortage of beauty spots in which to steal some quiet time, either. Hop on the No 22 bus from outside Galeries Lafayette to the well-heeled suburb of Cimiez and soak up some art in the Matisse Museum, or stroll around the nearby gardens of the Franciscan monastery. Either way, Nice is best enjoyed like a good cocktail - a mix of everything, shaken and stirred.
Go there
Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) flies to Nice from Dublin every day, and from Cork and Belfast on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) flies from Dublin to Nice daily. Air France (www.airfrance. ie) flies from Dublin to Nice via Paris every day. EasyJet (www.easyjet. com) flies from Belfast International to Nice daily.
Where to stay, where to eat out and where to go if you're heading to the city for a weekend away
5 places to stay
• Hi Hotel. 3 Avenue des Fleurs, 00-33-4-97072626, www.hi-hotel.net.
Technophobes beware: this übercool creation requires extensive remote-control knowledge, but this is tempered by friendly staff and organic cuisine to be enjoyed poolside on the rooftop terrace overlooking the Med.
• Palais de la Mediterranée. 13-15 Promenade des Anglais, 00-33-4-92147700, www.lepalaisdelamediterranee.com. This casino turned art-deco landmark was a hang-out for the bold and the beautiful stars of the jazz age until it went bust in the 1970s. Thanks to the Taittinger Champagne family it has been returned to its former glory, offering amenities from the ambitious Padouk restaurant to the indoor-outdoor pool.
• Beau Rivage. 24 Rue St-François-de-Paule, 00-33-4-92478282, www.nicebeaurivage.com. A modern makeover has pushed this 1930s hotel into the age of minimalism. It also boasts one of the only private beaches along the strip.
• Hotel La Perouse. 11 Quai Rauba-Capeu, 00-33-4-93623463, www.hotel-la-perouse.com. Perched on a corniche overlooking the bay, this authentic Provencal hotel is all about tranquillity. Added luxury comes in the form of a picturesque pool and sun deck.
• Villa Victoria. 33 Boulevard Victor Hugo, 00-33-4-93883960, www.villa-victoria.com.
More modest in size and price, this small hotel offers generous rooms and its own botanic garden in the heart of the city.
5 places to eat
• Luc Salsedo. 14 rue Maccarani, 0033-4-9382-2412, www.restaurant-salsedo.com. A humble eatery, chaste in its demeanour but packing a punch with its small but hearty menu of Provencal dishes.
• Terres des Truffes. 11 Rue St-François-de-Paule, 00-33-4-93620768, www.terresdetruffes.com. The house ingredient is, as the name suggests, truffles. Foie gras, ravioli and even ice cream come with the signature speciality.
• Le Safari. 1 Cours Saleya, 00-33-4-93801844. A less lavish affair, this popular spot on the Cours Saleya offers inexpensive traditional cuisine of roast rabbit, baked sea bream and wood-fired pizza.
• Chantecler. 37 Promenade des Anglais, 00-33-4- 93166400; www.hotel- negresco-nice.com. A riot of gilt and grandeur, the Michelin-starred Chantecler at the pink-domed Negresco Hotel is Nice's most prestigious restaurant, with good reason.
• La Merenda, 4 Rue de la Terrasse. Dine with the locals at this tiny bistro run by a former chef of the Negresco. Space is limited and there is no telephone, so booking might be tricky, but it's well worth the effort.
5 places to go
• Matisse Museum. 164 Avenue des Arènes, Cimiez, 00-33-4-93810808, www.musee-matisse-nice.org. This bright villa has a wonderful collection of the artist's wide spectrum of work, from his colourful paper cut-outs to his bronze figurines.
• Cimiez Monastery. Place du Monastère, Cimiez, 00-33-4- 93810004. Survey the red-tiled rooftops of the city and the sparkling sea beyond from beneath the orange groves and rose pergolas in these stunning gardens adjoining Matisse's burial ground.
• Palais Lascaris. 15 Rue Droite, 00-33-4-93627240. You'd easily miss this hidden gem, tucked away in the heart of the Old Town, if it weren't for its rich ochre facade. Dating back to the 17th century, it remains a classic example of a baroque palace, replete with trompe l'oeil paintings, elaborate plasterwork and period furnishings.
• Opera House, 6 Rue St-François-de-Paule, 00-33-4-92174000. Antique frescoes adorn this most decorative of French theatres, built as an imitation of the Palais Garnier in Paris.
• St Nicholas's Orthodox Cathedral, Avenue Nicholas II, 00-33-4-93968802. Like a big pink wedding cake, the cathedral is a spectacular sight, its glittering onion domes jutting out between palm trees. Built in 1912, it remains the landmark legacy of the Russian aristocracy who made the Riviera their stomping ground in the winter months. The cathedral is open daily from 9am to 6pm but closed to tourists on Sunday mornings when services are in progress.
Coffee break
• The Scotch Tea House. 4 Avenue de Suède, 00-33-4-93877562. It doesn't sound very French, but this traditional salon de thé does a delicious breakfast and afternoon tea - just expect to pay over the odds for it. For naughty-but-nice takeaway treats, try Boulangerie Multari, 8 Boulevard Jean Jaurès, on the corner of Rue Alphonse Karr.
Hit the shops
• One-stop shop Galeries Lafayette and countless high-street chains line Avenue Jean Médecin and Place Masséna, so the Old Town is the place for authentic French goods. Don't leave without stocking up on some of the region's best olive oil, from family-run Alziari, on Rue St-François-de-Paule. For luxury labels try the pretty tree-lined Rue Alphonse Karr. Bargain-hunters can join the hoards of hungry shoppers who board the train from Nice Gare Ville every Friday evening to shop at Ventimiglia, a sprawling open-air market a few kilometres over the Italian border. "Fake" is the currency here, so if you want those Gucci sunglasses, best bring your haggling skills.
Hot spot
• La Havane. 32 Rue de France, 00-33-4-93163616, www.lahavanenice.com. For dining and dancing after dark, hit this surprisingly spacious bar and restaurant, lush with tropical plants and alive with colour and live Cuban music every night.
Top tip
• Taxis from Nice airport to the centre of town are notoriously expensive. Expect to pay €30-€40 for a 15-minute drive. A cheap alternative is the No 98 bus, which departs from terminals 1 and 2 and costs €4.