The clouds parted for us when we landed in Nice, France. And we mean that literally. After weeks of wet and overcast weather, we were greeted by blue skies and bluer waters in the Côte d’Azur.

After two trains and a tram, we arrived at our latest Airbnb on a rather busy street in the Quartier du Port. Our host met us at the door and gave us an exhaustive tour, after which we knew exactly how to operate every button, dial, and knob in a half mile radius.

There was a lot to love about the place. We especially took to the shaded balcony and the gas burning stove, the latter of which we broke in by cooking a traditional French dinner of…sweet and sour chicken with fried wontons.

Our first outing the next day drew us inevitably toward the water. We walked along a sunny beachfront promenade, soaking in the pure ultraviolet light that had been so cruelly denied us in previous towns. We were dazzled by the strikingly blue water and frequently stopped just to stare. What can we say — it was Nice!

Being a thoughtful and responsible adult, Nate made sure we stopped at a boulangerie every day so that our kitchen was stocked with pastries. We quickly found our favorite spot, Jean Marc Bordonnat_, which was dangerously conveniently close and therefore became a part of our daily routine.

After exploring our neighborhood, we ventured further to the nearby town of Villefranche-sur-Mer. It’s a charming smaller sibling to Nice, tucked away over a hill to the east. We wandered down through its charming alleys to the waterfront, a quiet street lined with seafood restaurants and sailboats. Later, we had lunch at a small, unassuming shack whose owner seemed to know every passerby. It was that kind of town.

Later in the week, Nate took a lazy day at the apartment while Shruti explored the medieval village of Èze. Shruti travelled here with her family over 10 years ago and it felt exactly the same with the stacked houses and narrow alleys. She took the bus there, then walked the entire 10km back, setting a record 20,000 steps for the day! Nate walked about 100 steps to the cafe down the street.

We filled our remaining hours wandering the cobblestone streets of Vieux Nice, the old town district. Its pastel-colored buildings and outdoor markets put us in a summertime mood, until the sun went down and we donned our winter jackets again.

We climbed up to the Colline du Château, a hilltop park with panoramic views and a man-made waterfall. After, we had Tartufo sandwiches at Panineria Ceresola, where the pigeons were bold enough to jump on the tables. It was easy to lose the afternoon people-watching from a restaurant patio, and we understood why the French do it so often.

Shruti reserved us a spot for dinner at Lavomatique based on a friend’s recommendation. We ate while chatting with the chefs as they cooked in an open kitchen. Garlic shrimp, ruby red squash, and BBQ pork rib were among the highlights. Nate had his second vermouth of the trip and began to wonder if he’d found his new favorite drink. “Am I a vermouth guy now?”

Sapphire skies gave way to clouds as we headed to the airport on our last day, as if to draw the curtain on our visit. This little beach vacation marks the halfway point of our European tour; next, we’ll head north into the cooler climes of Amsterdam and Germany.

Until next time, it’s been Nice!

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