A Nice day!

Day 18 Sun 14/5/17

We had a slower start today but then had a full day of activity. Howard was intrigued by the Velobleu scheme (the Boris bikes of Nice) so set up an account while we had breakfast.  We picked up bikes very near our apartment and cycled along the promenade to the old town, which was really great fun.

The Vielle Ville fountain

Sunday market and huge queues for this delicacy - Socca

Having docked the bikes we were then free to explore the old town with its medieval street lay out, narrow alleys, stunning churches and a Sunday morning market in the Cours Saleya. We were intrigued by the Socca, a Nice delicacy, which was on sale at a couple of stalls but the queues to buy it were horrendous so we found a café at the edge of the square where we could sit back with a coffee and enjoy a portion of Socca in comfort. Socca is a kind of chickpea flour based galette and it was fantastic.

Our cafe served Socca

Coco Tomatoes

Baroque Church

We wandered the streets of the Old town and loved the narrow streets filled with shops and bars. Very like old Barcelona. We visited an old Barowue Church followed Nice Cathedral while a service was going on.    

Nice Cathedral

From the cathedral we wandered on through the old Town, and eventually up onto the hill where the old Castle sits. Not much remains of the Castle except its walls and a waterfall. 

But the views over Nice were great.

 

We then walked down the steep slope from the castle to the port area where we found a café with a good view and grabbed some lunch, sharing an amazing platter of meat, fruit and salad. Whilst at lunch we looked across to Mont Boron on the astern edges of Nice and decided we should explore that area. Another bike ride took us around the port with its share of super yachts and these brightly coloured small fishing boats. Malta influence perhaps?  

We strolled along the edge of the sea amazed at where cafes might be perched....

...or yet where bathers might perch themselves. It was t THAT warm today! 

We then walked up some serious steps looking for the Grotte du Lazaret which is famous for prehistoric finds but it is not open to the public. Never daunted, we continued up Mont Boron and walked round the ruins at the top where we could see back to the harbour at Nice....

 ....and further east along the coast to Cap Ferrat and Villefranche.

We then found that one of the best preserved 16th century French forts was located on an adjoining hill at Mont Alban so we walked there too.....

...and then came  back down the very steep hill to pick up another bike.

Back to the cathedral square for a Happy Hour drink and then a final walk along the promenade to our apartment for a brief toe dip in the pool (it's freezing!)....

...drinks on the balcony and then dinner. A really “Nice” day.