cheap vs chic

Whether you’re in Nice to blow the budget or keep it in the bank, we’ve sought out the most glamorous parts of the French Riviera to make you feel so very ooh la la!

by Georgia Barclay

cheap

snooze in style

Follow the bohemian crowd in search of a hip bargain and check into Hotel Windsor. Right in the middle of Nice’s shopping district and only three blocks from the beach, the hotel has 24 rooms, each individually decorated by up-and-coming French artists and interior designers. The restaurant serves locally caught grilled fish in the cosy bar or on the patio, and there’s a pool set in lush gardens. Rooms from €85 per night. www.hotelwindsornice.com

chi chi shopping

A warm, dry climate makes the South of France perfect for growing olive trees – and olive oil plays a big role in niçoise cooking. Among the best local suppliers, Alziari (tel: +33 (0)4 9385 7692) on rue St-François is a shrine for devotees of the luscious drop. Or check out specialist shop Nice Art (tel: +33 (0)4 9385 6552) on rue de I’Hôtel des Postes for a good choice of local olive oils. You can try before you buy at Oliviera (www..oliviera.com) on rue du Collet. Prices from €3 for a small bottle.

great escapes

For a day out of bustling Nice, catch a boat to the idyllic Ile Sainte-Marguerite, off the coast of Cannes. This peaceful island sanctuary has numerous winding paths, rocky creeks and towering pine trees. The Musée de la Mer (tel: +33 (0)4 9338 5526) in the island’s Fort Royal is, according to legend, where the Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned. Boats for the island depart from the port of Nice Tuesday to Friday and Sunday at 9am, and return at 7pm. The trip takes an hour each way and costs €23. Entry to Fort Royal is €3.

bon appetit

Try the cheap but delicious niçoise snack of socca from Chez Theresa at the Cours Saleya market. These paper-thin chickpea crêpes are cooked with a flourish by Theresa, and are best eaten hot with a sprinkling of pepper. The colourful market is in the old town area and is open Tuesday to Sunday. If you prefer a sweeter snack, hunt down the locals’ favourite ice cream shop on Place Rossetti: Fenocchio (tel: +33 (0)4 9380 7252) has been making ice cream for over 50 years, including flavours such as lavender, tomato and Guinness!

learning curve

Nice isn’t just for beach bunnies; it’s also a great base for learning to ski. You can reach the local ski resort, Isola 2000 in the southern French Alps, within two hours on the ski-bus (www.santa-azur.com), which departs from the centre of Nice. The round trip costs €29, including ski-pass. Equipment can be hired at the resort, and group lessons with Ecole de Ski Français (tel: +33 (0)4 9323 2800) start at €23 for three hours of tuition. www.isola2000.com

chic

snooze in style

Spoil yourself à la française with a stay in one of Hotel Negresco’s antique-stuffed suites, with views over the sparkling Med. Bring along your pampered pooch and you’ll both be in heaven. Lucky pets are greeted with their own blanket, bowl and friendly dog walker to take them on a daily trot along Promenade des Anglais. Built in 1912, the pink and white hotel was classified a National Historic Monument in 1974. Basic suites start at €280 per night, but to check into the Presidential Penthouse you’ll need to cough up €1,600 per night. Your decadent doggie need only pay €17 per night. www.hotel-negresco-nice.com

chi chi shopping

Matisse, Monet and Picasso were all lured to the French Riviera in their day, transforming Nice into a hedonistic, high-glamour hotspot. L’Atelier Soardi (tel: +33 (0)4 9362 3203), once the workshop of Matisse, is an art gallery offering private guided artistic tours of the town; from €200 per person for a half-day tour. Or for your very own original Matisse lithograph, squeeze into the tiny shop Matarasso (tel: +33 (0)4 9387 7455) on rue Longchamp, which also has a selection of rare first-edition books. Original lithographs start at €4,500.

great escapes

Rev up your favourite sports car and zoom along Moyenne Corniche – one of the world’s most beautiful cliff-top highways. Ogle the opulent villas along Cap Ferrat’s seafront, then head straight to Monaco’s Casino de Monte-Carlo. Designed in 1868, its lavish interior and splendid views are worth a peek whether you have a flutter or not. Entry to Salle Europe, where roulette is played, costs €8, but to place a bet in the Salles Privées (private rooms) you’ll need to be a high roller – starting bets from €150. www.casinomontecarlo.com

bon appetit

Eating while enjoying a spectacular view of the Côte d’Azur is best done from Château de la Chèvre d’Or. Perched on a cliff-face in the charming village of Eze, the Belle Epoque-styled restaurant is just 20 minutes from Nice. Work off lunch by walking Eze’s steep, yet quaint, cobbled streets. The stone shop fronts hide gorgeous boutiques selling locally made gifts in olive wood, leather and silk. www.chevredor.com

learning curve

Does your knowledge of the local cuisine start and end with a salade niçoise? If so, enrol on a regional cooking masterclass with Les Petits Farcis. Rosa Jackson, a passionate Cordon Bleu-trained cook, will help you shop for ingredients at her favourite Nice food emporiums. Later, at her delightful 17th-century apartment, she’ll teach you to make a four-course French feast – which you can tuck into at the end of the day! From €200 per person, including ingredients. www.petitsfarcis.com