"Tell Me What You See, A Tourist In A Dream"

Our final leg of our Euro '22 vacation brought us to Nice in the French Riviera; and let me tell you, it was not just a clever name.

Nice, named after the Greek goddess, Nike, who personified victory.  Legends say Greek mariners founded many of the colonies along the French Riviera and battled with neighboring combatants; in this case, the people of the Ligures. (region of present-day north-western Italy).  To mark their victory, in this case, they decided to name the city after the goddess of victory.

Our first day in the city began with some historic sight-seeing.  We started at La Colline du Château, or Castle Hill.  Built in medieval times, the castle once was known for it's impenetrable citadel, which was eventually dismantled by King Louis XIV's soldiers in 1706.  A park and visiting area was then established in 1829.  It is a bit of a hike to reach the top of the hill, but the reward outweighs the work, as you will get STUNNING views across Nice and the shoreline.  There is also a beautiful waterfall (artificial) on the hill built in the 18th century.

As you meander down from Castle Hill you can quickly find yourself in the heart of Nice, Old Town.  This area consists of markets, baroque churches and colorful homes.  Much of the architecture in this area is Italian-influenced.  You can also take a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, which stretches over a few miles near the water and offers lots of entertainment in the evening.

(Non-sequitur--because I think it's worth noting) One of the best burger's I've had in my life was at a small restaurant in Nice called Bubu Burger.  If you're needing a break from French cuisine or just love a tasty burger give it a whirl! There's only a few tables inside, so you may have to just take it to-go.

With an extra day to enjoy, we decided to take a day trip along the coast.  We considered heading north to Monaco but ultimately balked, as we were intimidated by the vast luxury (and dollar signs) associated with the area.  Instead, we took a train south to the city of Antibes.

Originally known as Antipolis, a Greek trading post, Antibes became a Roman town, and from 1384 to 1608 and acted as a fief for the Grimaldi family.  (House of Grimaldi--Monaco)  We started our visit with a walk through Antibes' Old Town, a centuries-old neighborhood bursting with fresh produce markets and meat purveyors.  The winding sidewalks in the area are beautifully-lined with cobblestone and will guide you throughout.

Other things you can checkout while in Antibes is the Picasso Museum, (he lived in the area in the 1940s) Musée d'Archéologie, and Cathedral Notre-Dame.  You can also take time to relax by the sea shore.  The water was water was beautiful, but we couldn't get in, due to a large concentration of jellyfish during the time of our visit.

After we ventured back to Nice, we had to pack for our final leg of the trip; Paris.  Neither of us had been to Paris before, and although I was preparing myself to be mesmerized by the architecture, I was NOT prepared to experience the utter-deliciousness in baked goods/pastries from local boulangeries.  I don't know if it's something in their flour or ovens, but I was glad we were walking about 10,000 steps per day, because I was a carb's worst nightmare in Paris.  My personal favorite establishment was Boulangerie LIBERTÉ (in the 7th arrondissement).

As many of you are probably familiar with Paris, we hit the major stops; Louvre, Eifel Tower, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, all STUNNING to see in person.  If anything I will just say to make sure you have your fuel-tank of patience filled, as we spent a good 2 hours getting into the Eifel Tower and 30-45 minutes getting into the Louve.  If you wait that long at the Eifel Tower, splurge a little more to go to the top and get a bird's eye, 360 view of the city.

One other highlight of Paris was though was surprising my wife with concert tickets to see Leon Bridges at L'OLYMPIA.  He is a musician we both love and hadn't previously seen live so it put the cherry on top of this memorable trip we can one day tell our children.

We feel extremely blessed God has continued to allow us to see the beauty he has put in this world and are hopeful to experience more in the near future...until then, I'm comin' home, baby!

 TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• French Rivieria
• Nice, FR--La Colline du Château (Castle Hill),  Old Town, Promenade des Anglais, Place Rosetti
• Antibes--day trip
• Eifel Tower, Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral
• Leon Bridges concert @ L'Olympia

RECOMMENDATIONS

• We rented an AirBnb's in Nice and a B&B in Paris.  Consider all options as well as doing some research of the area, to make your stay safe and cost-feasible.
• French Riviera has convenient trains for day trips along the coast
• There are pebble beaches in Nice rather than sand; you may consider opting for water shoes.
• If you're going to do the Eifel Tower be prepared to wait 1-2 hours
• Try as many boulangeries as possible!  You'll burn off the carbs walking