Nice France Travel
CLUBS
Saramanga, 45-47 promenade des Anglais. A tropical theme reigns in Nice’s hottest club, replete with exotic drinks, Hawaiian shirts, and fire-juggling showgirls. Cover 15. Open F-Sa llpm-5am.
La Suite, 2 r. Brea. This petite boite attracts a funky, well-dressed, moneyed crowd. Cover 13. Open T-Su llpm-2:30am.
Blue Boy, 9 r. Jean-Baptiste Spinetta, in west Nice. Though far from town, Blue Boy’s foam parties make it Nice’s most popular gay club. Sa cover 9. Foam parties on W, June-Sept. Open daily llpm-6am.
Le Klub, 6 r. Halevy. Popular gay club caters to well-tanned crowd. Cover 11. Open T-Su ll:30pm-6am.
THE CORNICHES
Rocky shores, pebble beaches, and luxurious villas glow along the Comiches, between hectic Nice and high-rolling Monaco. More relaxing than their glamorous neighbors, these tiny towns have interesting museums, ancient finds, and breathtaking countryside. The train offers a glimpse of the coast up close, while bus rides on the high roads allow bird’s-eye views of the steep cliffs and crashing sea below.
VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER. The town’s narrow streets and pastel houses have enchanted Aldous Huxley, Katherine Mansfield, and many other artists. Strolling from the train station along quai Ponchardier, a sign to the vieille ville points to the spooky 13th-century rue Obscure, the oldest street in Villefranche. At the end is the Chapelle St-Pierre, decorated by Jean Cocteau, former resident, filmmaker, and jack-of-all-arts. (04 93 76 90 70. Call ahead for hours. 2.) Trains run from Nice. (7min. every hr. 1.30.) To get to the tourist office from the train station, exit on quai 1, head inland on av. G. Clemenceau, and continue straight when it becomes av. Sadi Carnot; it will be at the end of the street. ( 04 93 01 73 68. Open July-Aug. daily 9am-7pm; Sept.-June reduced hours.)
ST-JEAN-CAP-FERRAT. A lovely town with an even lovelier beach, St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is the trump card of the Riviera. The Fondation Ephrussi di Rothschild, just off av. D. Semeria, is a stunning Italian villa that houses the collections of the Baroness de Rothschild, including Monet canvases, Gobelins tapestries, and Chinese vases. The seven lush gardens reflect different parts of the world. (Open July-Aug. daily 10am-7pm; Sept.-Nov. 1 and Feb. 15-June 10am-6pm; Nov. 2-Feb. 14 M-F 2-6pm, Sa-Su 10am-6pm. 8, students 6.) The town’s beautiful beaches have earned the area the nickname “presqu’ile des reves” (peninsula of dreams). The tiny tourist office, 59 av. Denis Semeria, is half-way along the winding street that runs from Nice and Monaco to the port. (04 93 76 08 90; fax 04 93 76 16 67. Open July-Aug. M-Sa 8:30am-6:30pm; Sept.-June reduced hours.) Two buses per day run from Nice via Villefrance-sur-Mer (9:10 am and 12:15 pm, 1.60).
EZE. Three-tiered Eze owes its fame to the pristine medieval town in the middle tier. It features the Porte des Maures, which served as a portal for a surprise attack by the Moors, and the Eglise Paroissial, containing sleek Phonecian crosses mixed with Catholic gilt. (Open daily 9am-7pm.) The best views are 40min. up the Sentier Friedrich Nietzsche, a windy trail where its namesake found inspiration; the path begins in Eze Bord-du-Mer, 100m east of the train station and tourist office, and ends near the base of the medieval city, by the Fragonard parfumerie. Frequent trains run from Nice (15min. every hr. 2).
