Nice, France, a glorious destination

While many French regions will claim their cuisine is the finest in France, there's something about Provence and the Cote d'Azur that gives it an edge. Almost certainly the climate plays a part, for who can resist sitting outside a Provencal restaurant and eating a selection of the region's famed dishes. Shopping in the local markets is an experience too. One of the most famous, the Cours Saleya market in NIce, for example, is an experience that will delight any lover of fine food.

A short city break in Nice offers so many culinary delights that it's worth a trip at any time of the year, although August does find the city so packed that the best restaurants may be difficult to get into. August is famously the time the French enjoy a month of relaxation, although the traffic, noise and bustle makes Nice somewhat less relaxing than normal.

Cheap flights to Nice make it a very easy to get to while the superb French railway network, with half a dozen fast trains a day from Paris, mean you can enjoy Nice without having to fly. There's probably a wider choice of hotels and apartments than any French city, with the sole exception of Paris. And while Paris may have now installed its artificial beach on the banks of the Seine, it cannot compare with the delights of Nice's beach and the Promenade des Anglais.

Eating on the beach can be a delight too. Many of the 'private' beaches not only offer the comfort of an umbrella and pair of sunbeds, their restaurant would put many city centre establishments elsewhere to shame. They are not cheap, but for sheer pleasure, sitting on the beach, sipping a chilled Provencal rosé wine and feasting on top quality food takes some beating. And afterwards you can be back on to your sunbed, relaxing, and then slipping into the water for a cooling swim.

Enjoying 'Nicoise' specialties can start at breakfast each day. Socca is an institution, and for football fans from the States, this particular 'Socca' has nothing to do with the 'beautiful game'! It's a flat pancake made of chickpea flour and has been the local artisans way to start the day for generations.

While aoili, Salade Nicoise, bouiilabaisse and stuffed peppers are important in the local cuisine, there's much else to explore. Tripe is a local delicacy while an alternative to a fish soup is Soupe au Pistou. It's very much like a minestrone with an added sauce featuring basil, oil, cheese and garlic, a little like the more famous 'pesto' from along the coast in Liguria, Italy.

Indeed, Italian favorites are to be found everywhere during your Nice holiday. Not only is the city a short train journey away from the border, but Nice was for a long time part of Italy - albeit Piedmont as the Italian state was only a twinkle in Garibaldi's eye when the locals voted to be part of France in 1860.

Pizza and pasta is everywhere. You'll find some lovely small shops making and selling pasta in hundreds of varieties in the Old Town and elsewhere in the city. If you are self-catering, it's an ideal way to produce a fine meal, perhaps followed by a fresh fish from the many stalls surrounding the Cours Saleya.

Eating out offers a bewildering choice to suit all pockets in Nice. The restaurants around the market and in the Old Town have great character, and some wonderful food. You can find restaurants offering a range of Nicoise specialties while others cater for cuisines from elsewhere in France. Inevitably, food from around the world, including Vietnam, China, Thailand, Mexico and Japan, is now available too.

So, if you want to enjoy a perfect break with excellent food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, put Nice on your list of favorite cities. The combination of sun, beach, local cuisine and culture really do take some beating.

Nice Holidays
Online travel guide to Nice, France.