Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GettingThere:
YoucangettothetopofCastleHillbyfoot,byelevator(free,runsdaily
10:00-19:00, until 20:00 in summer, next to beachfront Hôtel Suisse), or by pricey tourist
train (described under “Tours in Nice and the Riviera,” earlier).
Meandering along Nice's seafront on foot or by bike is a must. To rev up the pace of your
saunter, rent a bike and glide along the coast in either or both directions (about 30 minutes
eachway;forrentalinfosee“HelpfulHints,”earlier).Bothofthefollowingpathsstartalong
Promenade des Anglais.
Thepathtothe
west
stopsjustbeforetheairportatperhapsthemostscenic
boules
courts
in France. Pause here to watch the old-timers while away the afternoon tossing shiny metal
balls. If you take the path heading
east,
you'll round the hill—passing a scenic cape and the
town's memorial to both world wars—to the harbor of Nice, with a chance to survey some
fancy yachts. Pedal around the harbor and follow the coast past the Corsica ferry terminal
(you'llneedtocarryyourbikeupaflightofsteps).Fromtherethepathleadstoanappealing
tree-lined residential district.
To bring culture to the masses, the city of Nice has nixed entry fees to all municipal mu-
seums—soit'sfreetoenterallthefollowingsightsexcepttheChagallMuseumandtheRus-
sian Cathedral. Cool.
The first two museums (Chagall and Matisse) are a long walk northeast of Nice's city
center. Because they're in the same direction and served by the same bus line (buses #15
and #22 stop at both museums), it makes sense to visit them on the same trip. From Place
Masséna, the Chagall Museum is a 10-minute bus ride or a 30-minute walk, and the Matisse
Museum is a 20-minute bus ride or a one-hour walk.
Even if you're suspicious of modern art, this museum—with the world's largest collection
of Marc Chagall's work in captivity—is a delight. After World War II, Marc Chagall
(1887-1985) returned from the United States to settle in Vence, not far from Nice. Between
1954 and 1967 he painted a cycle of 17 large murals designed for, and donated to, this mu-
seum. These paintings, inspired by the biblical books of Genesis, Exodus, and the Song of
Songs, make up the “nave,” or core, of what Chagall called the “House of Brotherhood.”
Each painting is a collage of images that draws from Chagall's Russian folk-village
youth, his Jewish heritage, biblical themes, and his feeling that he existed somewhere
between heaven and earth. He believed that the Bible was a synonym for nature, and that
color and biblical themes were key for understanding God's love for his creation. Chagall's
