COTE AZUR-NICE-OLD TOWN(2)
Jack
http://home.earthlink.net/~primos and with pictures on
http://i.am/jack_travel
At the exact place where the promenade des Anglais changes into the
quai des Etats-Unis, near the Casino Ruhl, now a simple building, lays
the Jardin Albert 1er. It’s a nice park, used to be a swamp and has a
statue symbolizing the incorporation of Nice (then Nizza) to France in
1860. Near the jardin Albert 1er, let’s enter the rue
Francois-de-Paul. You are in old Nice. It’s an ideal place to loiter,
taste, smell and look around. A typical Italian market area. It is a
genuine walk ad, climb domain, a maze of winding alleys and very small
streets with stairs covered by hanging laundry. A lot of small
restaurants, exotic shops, cafes, open air stalls wits sausages,
cheese, pizzas, fruits confits and broiled sucking pigs. High maison
de maitre and picturesque squares with strange odors.
The rue Pairoliere gives access to the adorable place Saint-Francois.
Every day a picturesque fish market is held. A hint: the excellent
Auberge des Arts in the rue Pairoliere at no. 9. From there take the
rue Droite where we arrive at the PALAIS LASCARIS, house of the noble
family Lascaris-Ventimiglia, in Genoan baroque style. The city of
Nice bought it in 1942 and restored it thoroughly twenty years later.
As soon as you enter you notice the vast hall with open staircase and
the family shield on the ceiling. Several museums house on the floors.
The first with a Goblin and a wall painting from Carlone and styles
furniture. The third is a folkloristic museum. Continuing the rue
Droite, next important church, CATHEDRALE SAINTE-REPARATE on Place
Rossetti. Built in 1650, a clock tower was added in the 18th century.
Look at the roof, special design and material!. The interior of the
church shows the exuberant manner of the almighty baroque style in the
17th century Nice. Follow now rue Sainte Reparate until the rue de la
Prefecture, and make a right. Pass the Palais de Justice, cross the
place du Palais and enter the rue Gassin, leading you to the church
SAINT-FRANCOIS-DE-PAUL. Typical baroque church of the 18th century
(1736) with neo-classic influences. Inside the columns are gilded.
Across the street lies the Nice Opera House with a monumental façade
with columns and sculptures.
If you care to look and find the rue Rossetti, make a stop at the rue
Benoit-Benico and imagine the area a few centuries ago. Just a little
effort of your imagination ;-). You are standing in the middle of the
ancient Jewish ghetto. The street, former rue Guidaria (Jews street)
used to be closed at sunset by a chain and grates. The law, dating
from 1430 said it was to protect the Jews, but of course a
disciplinary measure and vexation as there were so many in the middle
ages. But Jews are not so easily taken off guard. A maze of cellars,
caves and sewers gave the population the opportunity to get outside
and do their business as usual. We had during WWII the still vivid
example of the Warsaw ghetto and their ways of surviving thanks to the
same kind of contact with the outside world. In the 18th century, the
king of Sardinia, more open (but ugly) minded, ordered the Jews to
wear a yellow star. Adolf invented nothing! This measure was only
abolished during the French revolution.
Go now to the famous PLACE SALEYA, the famous flower market (flea
market on Mondays) where all tourists visiting the old town meet and
take a rest at one of the numerous terraces. But also a lot of French
like to come here, the atmosphere being fresh and special. Just sit
down to take a coffee, beer or glass of wine. Or eat a quick pizza at
one of the numerous stalls outside shops, selling also sausages,
cheese and fruit. The show is permanent. Maybe you could try the only
decent place around here: the Mille Pates, or else go in the narrow
rue de l’Abbaye in the very animated "Ville de Sienne "(Penne a
l’arrabiata, followed by a saltimbocca a la Romana with a cool and dry
Orvieto Secco).Let’s return to the place Massena to continue our walk
in Nice.Bibliography: Mary Blume, "Cote d'Azur. Inventing the French
Riviera" (Thames and Hudson, London 1982) Stephen Liegeard, "La Cote
d'Azur (Ed.Serre, Nice 1988), Georges Poujouly,"Nice, une ville
méconnue" (ed.Frontieres, Grasse), "Guides du routard 1998-99,
ed.Hachette)
Jack
My Paris and Provence posts are open again at
http://home.earthlink.net/~primos and http://i.am/jack_travel