No visit to Nice is complete, or even possible, without a visit to the Promenade. The Promenade des Anglais, to give it its full title, is the heart of this city, a link between land and sea, perfectly framing the sweeping curve of the magical Bay of Angels and Nice's famous pebble beach.
Nice promenade is more than just a physical link between land and sea, it is a link between the past and the present. Nice was never particularly a fishing town. The original city, built by the Greeks, was perched high on the hill that sits between Old Nice and Nice Port, hidden behind high city walls against frequent and violent attack. It was famously described as a city with it's back to the sea. The Promenade did not at this early stage exist and there were bigger fishing ports in activity at Villefranche and in Monaco.
The first big change in this situation occurred when the French troops of Louis XIV waged a siege against this small rogue city that withstood the frequent barrages of the great French army. Louis XIV, driven mad by this slight, bombed the ancient city of Nikaia to destruction and claimed Nice as French territory.
Rather than wiping out the city, as the king had intended, it had the complete opposite effect of opening the city of Nice up, like a flower bud waiting to bloom. Nice stretched its reach along the sunny shores and eased out into its vast hinterland as we know it today.
This coincided with a slightly more peaceful time under the protectorate of the French and therefore the arrival of the first true tourists to the are in the form of the British, in the 1760's.
Nice was literally prescribed by British doctors as a cure for ailing Brits with respiratory problems. They were instructed by their physicians to go South and to take the sea air. With the arrival of these wealthy visitors, as only the very wealthy could afford such treatment, Nice city began to prosper. The Ponchettes were built at the foot of the former site of the ancient city and local fishermen felt safe to fish the waters without fear of attack.
The terraces were built, or fishermen's cottages, with a walk way along the top. This shaped the future for Nice and changed its relationship with the sea from one of fear and utility to one of pleasure, imported in no small way by the recuperating British. The Promenade was built to accommodate the new influx of visitors who liked to stroll and 'take the sea air', although it was not built in its entirety yet nor given it's official name.
It was added to and extended over the years when the success of it became apparent. Grand Hotels and Villas were being built and the townsfolk were finding new opportunities to work in an industry other than farming and fishing.
In 1844, Count d'Aspremont Jules Cavaradossi Mayor of Nice gave the Promenade its title of Promenade des Anglais and ordered the planting of the trees and shrubs. It is thought to be the first coastal path of its kind that was built solely for the purpose of leisure. Today Nice Promenade des Anglais is an integral part of the city, it is used for events, concerts, shows, parades as well as the simple pleasure of sitting and exploring the vast blue yonder.
A beautifully appointed large studio in a gated art deco haven with direct access to the Promenade des Anglais. Enjoy al fresco dining on the balcony with sea views overlooking the private gardens.
Lovely one bedroom apartment with super sea views on the Promenade in Nice. With a lovely balcony on which to relax and enjoy the view, this is one of the best locations on the Riviera.
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Bedrooms: 1
