My Unfiltered Thoughts On Visiting Nice, France As An American (The French Riviera)

If you want a weekly travel tip and an update from where I am, feel free to follow my newsletter: bit.ly/TheTuesdayTravelTip

It’s not a regional thing - we moved to France several months ago knowing that the thing people say about the french is summarily untrue. I’ve always found them to be some of the kindest, most genuine & hospitable folks as a culture that I’ve ever experienced. As Expats we have no shortage of tales from local folks helping us out when they had no reason to except that they were being kind and gracious. It’s France

Have you noticed the light in February ? Winter is incredible in Nice. That's why painters like Matisse for example, came here to paint and stayed fore a lifetime.

I'm an American who has lived in this region for 15 years and still lives here. (1) Nice is way more friendly than other nearby cities. I live in Antibes, and the service is not as pleasant and accommodating. Antibes has a strong British community due to the boating industry, and I think the French in this area get annoyed with them. Antibes' atmosphere is slightly more sophisticated than Nice's, so the mentality differs. (2) Cannes and Antibes, as well as a 'subsidy' of Antibes (Juan-Les-Pins), do you have some sandy beaches. Not all of them are natural, but they are sandy. (3) If you don't have food allergies, limitations, etc., you can eat for way less than $100 daily, especially if you're on a budget. There are plenty of sandwiches, boulangeries, markets, etc., to get fresh food. (4) As far as Eze is concerned - you went at a good time if you went in February. Beginning in May, Eze is complicated to navigate due to over-tourism. It is a spectacular village, but if you go during peak season, you won't experience the real essence of the village. (5) Regarding Sundays! Since you arrived in February, many stores, restaurants, etc., will be closed for the season and will reopen around Easter. In the summer, Nice is entirely different; I'm always amazed at how different it is compared to the winter months. Even clothes stores are open until late, so it's an entirely different vibe in the summer. Many locals make their money during peak seasons and then close for months in winter. One benefit to coming during the off-season is there are WAY fewer people, so it's easier to navigate, and you actually see the cities at their best. (6) Regarding clothes, the French dress nicely, but many tourists overdress because they think it's "the French Riviera." Locals actually don't think of it the same way tourists do. The French do not leave the house without looking presentable, but it's more of a basic classy look; they don't overdo it, either. It's changed quite a bit since I moved here 15 years ago. Younger people are dressing more casually than they used to. Ok. That was longer than expected, but I wanted to provide insight since I lived in the U.S., too. Thank you for a wonderful video. I love hearing how other Americans view the area; you eloquently explained it. Bravo!

We spend the month of March in Nice, and everything you have said is true. Plus, we found some things out that we hadn’t noticed. Here is something you didn’t notice or maybe just didn’t mention. Eyeglasses. Glasses are really a fashion statement in France and especially Nice. There are literally dozens of places to buy the most stylish glasses we have ever seen. We are always telling people how wonderful Nice is. We’ll now link and recommend your video/site.

This is your first video I've watched -- perhaps because I needed a break from news and current events in the U.S. In any event I really like your tone and pace; engaging, but modest and generous. I felt like I would enjoy talking with you.

I never understand the whole "French are rude" thing. They're proud of their culture and country. If you're respectful, they'll be nice to you and if you're disrepectful, they're going to respond in kind. Funny how American tourists call drawing boundaries "rude." Maybe they're too used to being catered to and pampered like they're at Disney World or something. I remember being in Nice a couple years ago and walking around the markets. A cruise ship full of tourists docked and they all just spilled into the market area like rats. Stomping around, talking loud, yapping at all the vendors in English without even trying to be polite to them. To me, THAT is being rude. The lack of self awareness in people is crazy.

I lived in Cannes then Mougins for 12 years. Was the best time of my life. 🇫🇷

As a local, I can confirm that the fact places are closed when it says open is a constant issue. Also, finding quality labor is really difficult. Start a business as a plumber and you will be booked instantly. With the pebble beach, a huge plus is being able to casually walk on it, fully dressed and have a drink or meal. It's not messy. Plus the water is very clear. As far as trips, the coast is great but there is also an entire world to be discovered. About 90 minutes away and it looks like Switzerland. Many spots are accessible by bus, some by train. If you are staying more than a few days, check out towns like Valberg or Auron, even in summer. In winter of course, we take day trips to world class ski resorts. Why people are nice here? Mostly because we are used to tourists. In general, locals will be friendly.

I visited southern California and south of France within the last few months - south of France beats SoCal in almost every category that I found relevant, it's not even a competition. The only thing that the French Riviera lacks and SoCal has is amusement/water parks.

Camden you figured out what makes nice magical: it’s the sound of the rocks being pulled and tossed. I lived there for two years as a preteen with my mom, and have wanted to move back ever since. Regarding Eze, there are hundreds of little mountain villages within a 1 Hour Dr. from Nice. Each and everyone is unique in a own way. As is more touristy and commercial, but there are many others that I’ve just as wonderful. You should come back and explore again.

Just found your channel and really appreciate observations. You seem to approach a location from your senses rather than the typical "tourist tips" from other channels. Those tips have their place but it's really nice to hear how a place feels.

I agree with everything you said! Everyone was nice and it was more affordable than expected . Loved Nice❤

Thank you for the wonderful video on Nice. It’s an incredible city and I agree with all of your points. Keep up the good work.

Love Nice! I’ve been there twice for longer stays to explore the Riviera. You are correct that using public transportation is very easy within Nice (streetcars and buses). The main train station is a little crowded and confusing - just leave plenty of time to get tickets and find the right track. There is a lot of culture in Nice - great art museums (Chagall, Matisse). The food is excellent and quite different than other areas of France - lighter, a lot of Italian influence, lots of fruits and vegetables. We were there in mid September - still beach weather. The beach clubs can be a fun but pricey day. It’s great to rent a chair and umbrella, bring some food and drinks - or enjoy seaside restaurant service.

As for the closed restaurants and stores if you were there in February that isn’t surprising. I’m sure Nice is seasonal. I live in a beach town in the Florida panhandle and we have the same issues. Late times in summer. Early times in the shoulder season and closed days during the winter.

There are places nearby with sand. Villefranche-sur-Mer is sand/very fine pebble and Juan-les-Pins has sand. It's nice though, to splash out on a private beach with a sunbed.

Hello from South France, David, 🌴🌞 Tourism has truly become a major problem in France, whether in Paris or in the big cities. But, the worst is for these small villages that have become impassable during the high season. Of course, it brings money to the state coffers and to the merchants. But it completely distorts the spirit of these small towns and villages, which were already magnificent before tourists from all over the world came to invade them. Thus, it has only gotten worse over the last twenty years with the proliferation of vlogs that have hundreds of thousands, even millions, of views. I thoroughly understand that people, wherever they come from, want to see these superb places that they have discovered thanks to these videos. I'm in total osmosis with their enthusiasm. It's natural. However, I feel sorry for the locals who live there year-round and can no longer peacefully walk their streets, sit on their packed terraces or spend a quiet afternoon in their garden without a parade of tourists passing by all day long. That some of them take pictures of their house and sometimes even try to enter it (I've seen this several times in vlogs) to take a picture of a fountain or film the whole place. I lived for forty years in Paris, where I was born, seven years in Orléans, and now 10 years in Perpignan, all very touristy places. Over the years, this effect has radically increased. However, in big cities, it's a little more bearable (although currently, it has really become a problem, especially in Paris). Unfortunately, there will come a close time when we'll have to limit the number of people who can access these places if we want to protect them. Peace, folks. ☮👈😎

HI! I'm Belgian and live in NYC. My brother and parents live in Nice. So I go visit them every year for 3 weeks to a month for the Christmas break. I've done this for 10+ years now. None of your observations surprised me. Except one. You mentioned seeing so many gyms. That made me laugh. I must not be very observant but I don't think I ever stumbled on one. I am sure I must have but I never noticed. I will pay more attention next time around!

We live in Nice and find it a combination of Miami in some parts by SOBE, NYC with its density and even Los Angeles with the mountains and beautiful homes around them . Yes, its true the locals are very friendly. We lived in Bordeaux for about 8 months prior and loved that city too BUT tired of the grey , cold rain that happened this last winter. BDX locals were less open to meeting new people. Here in Nice they always smile easily.