Nice France City Facts
Prehistoric
Signs of prehistoric man have been excavated at Nice, and an excellent
display was presented at the excavation location in the Musée
de Terra Amata.
Ancient
The foundation of ancient Nice was on the Chateau Hill (Colline du Chateau),
overlooking and between the present old town and the port. The only
archeological remains recovered there were some ceramic fragments, possibly
dating to the Greeks of Marseille of the 6th or 5th century BC. The ruins of a
10th century cathedral can now be seen there (photo).
On the hill of Cimiez, 3 km north of Le Chateau, were the remains of an
oppidum belonging to the Ligurian tribe.
Greek
The Greek Massaliote colony of Nikaia was probably located at the present
old town (Vieux Nice), where the Paillon river joined the sea. The name Nikaia
may have derived from "Nike", or victory, following the defeat of the
local Ligurian tribe. Although there was a Greek acropolis on the Colline du
Chateau, the Greeks were probably here along with the Ligurians, and with their
cooperation.
In 154 BC, the Romans helped Massalia defend Nikaia and Antipolis
(Antibes) from attack other (non-Vediantii) Ligurians.
Roman
Auguste conquered the Alpine tribes, and in 14 BC established Cemenelum,
at Cimiez, as the regional center of the Alpes Maritimae. Cemenelum was
not an important city. It wasn't walled, had no fort, forum or temple, and was
never seriously threatened until the end of the 4th century. The barbarians
passed through at the end of the 4th century, laying waste and destruction,
beginning the decline of the Roman occupation along with the Western Roman
Empire.
There was an amphitheater, and the remains can be seen today in the park at
Cimiez. The main Roman site at Cimiez, which can be visited through the museum,
have extensive baths. The Moureille aqueduct water distribution point began
here, and water still flowed in lower sections of the aqueduct up to 1974.
Medieval
Medieval Nice grew up around the cathedral on the Colline du Chateau. In the
12th century, Raimond-Bérenger V, the Count of Provence, ruled Nice. In 1388,
eastern Provence passed under the rule of the Maison de Savoie, and the "Comté
de Nice was formed as a new province, with Nice as the principal city.
Nice remained the key defensive point for the Var, centered around the
Colline du Chateau. In 1543, after combined French and Turkish forces took
momentary control of the citadel, the inhabitants of the upper city regrouped
down below, at the site of old Nikaia, to form what eventually became the
present city of Nice.
Nice suffered from most of the plague
epidemics along the Mediterranean, aggravated by bad sanitary conditions.
The plague of 1631 caused over 10,000 deaths.
Recent
End of the Chateau. Louis XIV occupied Nice in 1691-1696, and again
in 1706-1713. This second time, he destroyed the chateau and all other military
installations.
The Port. Digging of the "Port of Lympia" was started in
1748.
"Les Anglais" and the Republic. The English began arriving
for their winter vacations around 1730. Troops of the new French Republic
invaded the Comté de Nice in 1793, and Nice was the capital of their department
Alpes-Maritimes from 1793 to 1814. At the start of the Restauration,
in 1814, Nice returned to control of Savoy, and became even more popular with
foreign visitors, especially the English. The Promenade des Anglais was built,
along with other amenities for the visitors.
Nice is French. The treaty of 24 March 1860, followed by a plebiscite
on 15-16 April, returned the Comté de Nice to France, and its popularity as a
winter resort increased even more. In 1887, the poet Stéphen Liégeard baptized
the region the "Cote d'Azur".
The "Belle Epoque" was the period from 1880 to 1914. Queen
Victoria visited regularly from 1895 to 1899, staying at what is now the
Victoria Hotel at Cimiez. The Carnival dates back to the Middle Ages, but
took its current form in 1873 with the creation of the Comité des Fêtes
The airport was opened in 1945. The University of Nice began in 1965,
followed by the Conservatoire National de Musique and the Opera.
|
Major
city: Nice,
Cannes, Monte Carlo (Monaco)
Mediterranean beach
resorts and casinos
Sunny, mild climate
Small villages perched on cliffs or coastal fishing villages
Excellent and numerous golf course
The French Riviera along the
Mediterranean coast, provides its guests with fashionable
elegant surroundings in an international atmosphere. Visitors
can choose between the livelier towns of Nice and Cannes, home
of the famous film festival, and the calmer more discreet
villages of Beaulieu, Menton or Cap Ferrat.
The quaint harbor fishing
villages have become chic tourist destinations, now full of
pleasure yachts and crowded summertime beaches. The famous
resorts of Juan-les-Pins and Cap d'Antibes attract the stylish
jet set.
Up in the hills are the quieter medieval villages. Sainte-Agnès
offers magnificent panoramic views of the sea and mountains.
In St. Paul-de-Vence tourists can browse through shops and
galleries set on narrow winding cobblestone streets.
Throughout the region are charming country homes and terraced
private villas overflowing with colorful flowers.
Grasse is the perfume capital of the world. The factories
invite tourists to visit and learn how French perfumes are
made.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Antibes
|
17th-century
ramparts, 12th-century castle with a 16th century tower, old
city, Archeological Museum, Picasso Museum, beaches, Chateau
Grimaldi, Marineland, Church of the Immaculate Conception
|
Biot
|
Antique shops,
outdoor cafés, Fernand Léger Museum
|
Cannes
|
Popular for
conventions and festivals, Cannes Film Festival, la Croisette,
old city, Castre Museum, Palm Beach Casino, beaches
|
Grasse
|
Capital of
perfume industry, cathedral, Art and History of Provence Museum
|
Juan-les-Pins
|
Popular
nightlife spot
|
Mandelieu
|
Famous golf
course, chateau, casino
|
Menton
|
Warmest of
coastal cities year-round, Cocteau Museum, Parvis and Church of
St. Michel, Promenade du Soleil, Bioves Garden
|
Monte
Carlo
|
Main city of
Monaco, casinos, gardens, Napoleon Museum, Oceanographic Museum,
Wax Museum, views from the Corniche
|
Mougins
|
Golf course
|
Nice
|
Promenade des
Anglais, fine arts museum, Matisse Museum, Chagall Museum, Ruhl
Casino, Parc des Miniatures
|
Roquebrune
|
Chateau,
Ste-Marguerite Church, golf course
|
Sainte
Maxime
|
Fishing port,
Tour Carré des Dames, Phonograph Museum, golf course
|
Saint
Paul de Vence
|
Medieval
village, Maeght Foundation
|
Saint
Raphael
|
Archeological
Museum, old port, church.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Perfume factories,
flowers, pottery, leather goods, wood carving, glass and stained glass.
Water sports, biking, golf, tennis, horseback riding, winter sports.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Rivera shares its
cuisine with Provence enjoying the same vegetable and fish dishes
prepared with vivid seasonings. the most famous are
bouillabaisse, a fish soup, anchoyade, soupe au pistou, pissaladière,
ratatouille and salade Niçoise. Anise flavored pastis
is the Riviera's favorite drink.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Calling
all Francophiles, along with those who love to discover more about French
culture... All those who enjoy history, culture and the art of living
well: we invite you to join us as we explore France throughout its châteaux,
museums
and monuments.
Presenting
200 of the most prestigious sites, guardians of our past and of our
history, we offer an open door to our exceptional heritage. From prehistoric
caves to the standing stones of Carnac; from the finest art collections in
the Louvre or Orsay museums, to parks
and gardens
that offer a moment of reverie; from the architectural masterpieces of the
past abbeys, cathedrals and châteaux such as Chenonceau, Blois and
Chantilly, to today's impressive monuments
like the Arch at La Défense, or the Centre Georges Pompidou; from sites
of intimate charm like the Clos-Lucé d'Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci
once lived, to the château of Auvers-sur-Oise where Impressionism
blossomed, each tells its own story - its traditions, its residents, its
character.
France is proud
of the diversity and richness of its heritage. The French Tourist Office
is working along these châteaux, museums and monuments to publicize to
and welcome visitors.
|
EUROTOURPASS.COM
provides independent travelers with low cost Museum and Transportation
Passes to France along with the best City Tours and excursions to Paris, Rome,
London and more...
Get instant
confirmations on Museum Passes, Excursions, Car transfers and the best
sightseeing and "hard to find" essentials to any trip to Paris and
France in General.
NEW:
You can now book at the very last minute: You can
print your own voucher for 90% of our excursions and redeem it once in France.
No shipping - no waiting - 100% secure.
T hough the English aristocracy of the mid-19th century somewhat
arrogantly like to claim the RIviera for themselves, the majority of the towns
along the coast of the Mediterranean have a truly ancient history - and Nice is
no exception.
The citizens of Nice trace their city's name back to the Greek Nikaia- City
of Victory. Though other accounts say that it was founded by the Marseillais in
350 BC.
Whichever is the closer to truth matters not. Nice has been created and
shaped by successive waves of foreigners who occupied the eastern end of the Bay
of Angels facing Antibes .
Of course, the Romans had their
time in Nice (as they did in most of Europe). After their decline and fall,
the city became part of Provence until 1388. Then the Savoies of Switzerland and
Northern Italy took over.
In 1543, the Niçois had an opportunity to demonstrate their sense of humour.
In order to frighten off advance guards of an invading Turkish army, a common
laundress of ample proportions who was also exceedingly ugly, climbed a ladder
and showed them her vast and bare derriere. With surprising good sense, the
Turks retreated and the new heroine of Nice was adopted as the patron saint of
the city. No simple virgins for the Niçois.
In mid-19th century while Nice still belonged to Italy, King Immanuel III
hit on a plan to enrich his country the easy way. He sold Nice to Napoleon III
in exchange for French financial and military help. Although the deal was done
secretly the Niçois were allowed to vote so they could not say that they were
being sold down the river. Although that famous statesman Garibaldi - who was
born in Nice - urged them to vote against the deal, there was an overwhelming
majority in favour. The voting booths were manned by units of the French army
and this may well have affected the outcome.
So the English were by no means the first settlers here. But, when they did
arrive, they brought a prosperity to the Niçois never before known. Even before
the end of the 18th century there was no shortage of English food and drink. The
English built houses, and because they were religious they built churches. Soon
they would need a cemetery - and so the place expanded. But during the winter of
1821-22 an unusually sharp frost prohibited more building and there was much
unemployment. The English church demonstrated its practicality by raising funds
and putting many of the unemployed to work to build a walkway by the sea. This
is how the Promenade des Anglais came
to be built - and named.
After the incorporation of Nice into France, the railway from Marseilles was
extended. That of course really put Nice on the map, and as a result, Nice
became the first city to have a tourist-based economy. Until then, people
travelled for economic, religous, or cultural reasons. Now, for the first time
people travelled for pleasure. They came south to "get away from it
all" and "to get away with everything". The modern tourist
industry was born. Pretty impressive, as the word tourist did not even exist in
the French language at that time.It does now - Le Tourism
.
One final point is worthy of mention. The eagle's head on the coat of arms,
which had swivelled from left to right depending on whether Nice was owned by
France or Italy, now became permanently facing to the right, and so it remains
to this day - to the relief of the Niçois. In heraldic conventions, a
left-facing eagle denotes an illegitimate branch of the family.
The best way to get around Europe is a train pass. I know. I have visited
Europe more than twenty times. I never rented a car. The trains of Europe are
fantastic. And a bargain as well,
Read about my suggestions for what I can EurailHotel to save money. Click HERE.
For more than 60 years, Rail Europe has been showing North Americans what
Europeans have known all along: the best way to travel in Europe is on the
trains! Find information about Eurail passes, Point to point tickets and high speed
trains like the TGV and Eurostar (the channel tunnel train)! Click this button
for more details on this excellent travel tool.
If you eventually do plan to go to Europe, here are some tips I offer to help you have a great time.
|
