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In Nice, France, Castle Hill offers panoramic views of the harbor, beaches and the mountains in the distance. The harbor is a popular stopping place for both private pleasure boats and tour liners.

In Nice, France, Castle Hill offers panoramic views of the harbor, beaches and the mountains in the distance. The harbor is a popular stopping place for both private pleasure boats and tour liners. (Leah Larkin/Special to Stars and Stripes)

In Nice, France, Castle Hill offers panoramic views of the harbor, beaches and the mountains in the distance. The harbor is a popular stopping place for both private pleasure boats and tour liners.

In Nice, France, Castle Hill offers panoramic views of the harbor, beaches and the mountains in the distance. The harbor is a popular stopping place for both private pleasure boats and tour liners. (Leah Larkin/Special to Stars and Stripes)

Modern sculpture makes a statement in front of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nice, France.

Modern sculpture makes a statement in front of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nice, France. (Leah Larkin/Special to Stars and Stripes)

Pastel facades are a feature of many of the buildings in Vieux Nice, or Old Nice, one of the most interesting parts of Nice, France.

Pastel facades are a feature of many of the buildings in Vieux Nice, or Old Nice, one of the most interesting parts of Nice, France. (Leah Larkin/Special to Stars and Stripes)

Belle Epoque mansions line the streets in the Cimiez district, which sits on a hill above downtown Nice, France.

Belle Epoque mansions line the streets in the Cimiez district, which sits on a hill above downtown Nice, France. (Leah Larkin/Special to Stars and Stripes)

Yellow mimosa is the dominant flower at the flower market in Nice, France, during winter months.

Yellow mimosa is the dominant flower at the flower market in Nice, France, during winter months. (Leah Larkin/Special to Stars and Stripes)

The terrace of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art offers splendid views of Nice, France.  Seen here are the Acropolis Convention Center and the 'Square Head,' a monument-sculpture that is a symbol of the city's contemporary architecture.

The terrace of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art offers splendid views of Nice, France. Seen here are the Acropolis Convention Center and the 'Square Head,' a monument-sculpture that is a symbol of the city's contemporary architecture. (Leah Larkin/Special to Stars and Stripes)

A couple enjoys seafood at an outdoor restaurant in Nice's marketplace as workmen clean the streets of the just-closed market in the background.

A couple enjoys seafood at an outdoor restaurant in Nice's marketplace as workmen clean the streets of the just-closed market in the background. (Leah Larkin/Special to Stars and Stripes)

After many, many years in Germany, my husband and I and our two cats left Deutschland and moved to the hinterlands of Provence in southern France. We’ve been here five years, and it’s lovely. We don’t regret the move. But I’ve found a corner of this part of the world I like even more: Nice.

Our quiet life in the countryside has its pluses, but I miss the vibrancy and excitement of a city. Nice offers that, as well as the sea and beaches, museums, markets, an intriguing old town, excellent restaurants, lush parks and outstanding architecture, all wrapped in a dynamic ambience.

France’s fifth largest city is the capital of the glamorous French Riviera. There’s plenty of elegance along the Promenade des Anglais, its seaside boulevard lined with palms and turn-of-the-century hotels and grand apartments. There are traces of North Africa in the tangle of dark alleys of Vieux Nice (old Nice). The outdoor markets and restaurants, as well as the numerous street stands, capture the flair of neighboring Italy. It’s an irresistible mélange.

Nice’s roots go back thousands of years to prehistoric times. By the 4th century, it was settled by Greeks, followed by Romans, then Saracens. Nice was part of the House of Savoy (Italy) from 1388 until 1860, when citizens voted to join the Second French Empire.

The English discovered its charms in the 18th century, followed by those from other countries, especially Russians. The Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, commissioned by Czar Nicholas II and inaugurated in 1912, is the largest Russian religious edifice outside Russia and a top tourist attraction.

By the 19th century, Nice had become a favorite winter haunt for the British. It was an Englishman, Reverend Lewis Way, who is responsible for widening a former water front footpath in 1820 at his expense, which was dubbed “Chemin des Anglais” (road of the English). In 1931 it took its final form, two roads with a palm-planted center strip, and became known as the Promenade des Anglais.

On one side of the famous avenue are the Belle Époque buildings. On the opposite side are miles of beaches. Thanks to Nice’s microclimate, even in winter you can sit at a beach cafe and soak in the rays. You might even see brave souls who spread their towels in the sand and sunbathe in bathing suits. In summer, of course, the beaches are crowded with both tourists and locals.

During our visit last winter, after a stroll along the beach we climbed the steps to Castle Hill where a citadel once stood. It’s now a maze of greenery, perfect for getting some exercise and enjoying superb views of Nice, its beaches and harbor, with the backdrop of hills and the distant Alps.

We took the easy way down, riding an Art Deco lift that deposited us on the edge of Vieux Nice. I love taking pictures at the flower market on the Cours Saleya in the heart of the old town. I also love wandering in the labyrinth alleys in this part of the city, checking out funky boutiques, admiring Baroque churches and taking more pictures.

One place that has become a favorite is Oliviera, a shop with 17 kinds of olive oil, where owner Nadim Berouti is happy to offer tastings. The shop also has a mini-restaurant. (For more about food in Nice, see story on Page 14).

“When I understood that every morning I would see again this light, I could not believe how happy I was,” artist Henri Matisse wrote about Nice. The light of the Riviera has inspired numerous artists, not just Matisse, who lived in the city from 1917 until his death in 1954. Seeing his work is a must while in Nice.

We rode a bus up the hill to the Cimiez district, where a museum devoted to his works is located in a 17th-century Genoese villa. Works from every period of the artist’s life are on display, including early paintings, the famous gouache cut-outs, studies (drawings, etc.) for his renowned chapel in Vence, and even personal effects, such as Venetian furniture and Oriental wall hangings.

It was a long hike back to the center, but worth the trek to admire great pillared houses and rows of cypress trees along the route.

The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in the heart of the city is another gem, with a collection of 400 works, including sculptures and canvases by New Realists; Pop artists including Andy Warhol; whimsical creations by one of my favorites, Niki de Sainte-Phalle; and more. The avant-garde building with glassed-in ramps around an atrium is a sensation, as are the great views from its roof terrace.

We ran out of time and postponed a visit to Nice’s Marc Chagall National Museum for another trip, when we returned and rode the Nice hop-on, hop-off tourist bus to the museum. I was in awe. The 17 huge, colorful paintings depicting biblical scenes are amazing. So are the museum’s mosaics, stained glass windows and tapestries.

The bus stops at other tourist highlights, including the Russian church. It’s a great way to take in the city, its neighborhoods and seaside panoramas, as well as travel to the sights. Headsets offer fascinating commentary in numerous languages.

Photojournalist Leah Larkin lives in France and can be contacted through her Web site, www.leahlarkin.com, or blog address, www.provencetales.typepad.com.

Know & Go• Le Grand Tour, Nice’s hop-on, hop-off tourist bus with 14 stops, charges 20 euros for a one-day pass and 23 euros for 2 days. Find details at www.nicelegrandtour.com.

• The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Promenade des Arts, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Mondays and some holidays. Entrance is free. See www.mamac-nice.org

• The Matisse Museum, 164 avenue des Arènes de Cimiez, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Tuesday. Entrance is free. See www.musee-matisse-nice.org.

• Marc Chagall National Museum, avenue du docteur Ménard, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Tuesday and May 1 from May to October; from November to April it is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on same days, closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Admission is 7.50 euros adults, 6.50 euros for those qualifying for reductions. See www.musee-chagall.fr.

• Excellent centrally located accommodations at the four-star Hotel Le Grimaldi, 15, rue Grimaldi. Rates vary with season, starting from 99 euros for a double in low season. See www.le-grimaldi.com.

• Oliviera, which sells olive oil and small meals, is at 8 bis, rue du Collet in Vieux Nice. Find more details at www.oliviera.com

• Nice’s flower market on the Cours Saleya is held 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily except Monday when it is replaced with an antiques market.

• For more information, see www.nicetourisme.com.

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