Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Fine Arts Museum
Lush villa shows off impressive paintings by Monet, Sisley,
Molinard Perfume Museum
Two-room museum in storefront boutique tracing the
history of perfume.
Hours:
Daily April-Sept 10:00-19:00, Oct-March 10:00-13:00 &
Marchstraightthroughthelobby(asifyou'restayinghere)intotheexquisite
SalonRoy-
al,
an elegant place for a drink and a frequent host to modern art exhibits (opens at 11:00).
ThechandelierhangingfromtheEiffel-builtdomeismadeof16,000piecesofcrystal.Itwas
built in France for the Russian czar's Moscow palace...but thanks to the Bolshevik Revolu-
tion in 1917, he couldn't take delivery (portraits of Czar Alexander III and his wife, Maria
Feodorovna—who returned to her native Denmark after the revolution—are to the right, un-
der the dome). Saunter around the perimeter counterclockwise. If the bar door is open (after
about 15:00), wander up the marble steps for a look. Farther along, nip into the toilets for
either an early 20th-century powder room or a Battle of Waterloo experience. The chairs
nearby were typical of the age (cones of silence for an afternoon nap sitting up).
Grab a blue chair and face the sea. The body of Nice's patron saint, Réparate, was sup-
posedly escorted into this bay by angels in the fourth century. To your right is where you
might have been escorted into France—Nice's airport, built on a massive landfill. On that
tip of land way beyond the runway is Cap d'Antibes. Until 1860, Antibes and Nice were in
different countries—Antibes was French, but Nice was a protectorate of the Italian kingdom
of Savoy-Piedmont, a.k.a. the Kingdom of Sardinia. In 1850, the people here spoke Italian
and ate pasta. As Italy was uniting, the region was given a choice: Join the new country of
Italy or join good old France (which was enjoying good times under the rule of Napoleon
III). The vast majority voted in 1860 to go French...and voilà!
The lower green hill to your left is Castle Hill (described later). Farther left lies
Villefranche-sur-Mer (marked by the tower at land's end, and home to lots of millionaires),
then Monaco (which you can't see, with more millionaires), then Italy (with lots of, uh,
Italians). Behind you are the foothills of the Alps (Alpes-Maritimes), which trap threatening
clouds, ensuring that the Côte d'Azur enjoys sunshine more than 300 days each year. While
half a million people live here, pollution is carefully treated—the water is routinely tested
and very clean.
Stroll the promenade with the sea starboard, and contemplate beach time (see next) on
your way to the Albert 1er Park.
