Nice (France) | Bonjour la France - Day 34

For the first time in 2-days, it is raining this morning. For me, Dublin feels a bit disconnected from the rest of my trip. The weather in Dublin was hot, atypical of what I experienced this month. I met more tourists than Irish folks, partly due to staying in a hostel. Nevertheless, I miss interacting with the Irish already. The magnificent modern buildings in the city lack that traditional Irish charm that is so easy to recognize. Dublin is a place I want to on my next trip to Ireland. When will that be?   

While I wait for the 930 Dublin Express bus to the Dublin airport, I try to stuff my backpack into my Dyneema travel bag to protect it from the baggage transit at the airport. Uh oh. The bus arrives, but I am still unable to close the rolltop of the Dyneema bag. Shit! I toss my unsecured belongings into the boot and climb aboard the bus. The bus ride takes about 20 minutes. What did I do wrong in packing my backpack? I think back, I know I did not acquire anything substantial while in Ireland. 

I step off the bus at the airport and immediately try again. I unload it on the curb as people walk past me. After reshuffling the order of the interior contents, I try again. Bingo! I roll the top on the bag, secure the latch, and lift the bag into my arms as I head for the check-in counter. 

About 4 hours later (a 3-hour flight), I step off the Aer Lingus plane and walk into the Nice (Nees) airport. I notice the sky is free of clouds, the sun is bright, and it is pretty warm. Although the temperature is about 85 F (29 C), the air feels noticeably lighter. I check my phone, and 66% humidity, about 25% less humid than Ireland. 

Nice has a climate that is perfect for tourists. I now realize why it is so popular. It feels tropical and reminds me of a cool version of Mexico.

Nice, the most popular and best-known destination, on the Côte d’Azur (a.k.a French Riviera). The city was founded by the Greeks around 350 BC. It was occupied by the French several times in the 17th & 18th centuries. During the Treaty of Turin 1860, Napolean III and the Prime Minister of Sardinia agreed to cede the Italian-speaking province of Nice to France in exchange for supporting the unification of Italy by the Sardinians. 

The population of Nice has been steadily increasing, on a linear trajectory, since the 1950s. It has grown from 400K to nearly 945K in 2021. Today, the density of people in Nice is estimated to be 4,800 people per square kilometer (12,000 per sq mi). Compared to Fort Collins, Colorado, it is about 4X denser and 3X denser than Montréal. Although 86% consider themselves French, Nice is quite diverse culturally, with influences from France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, North and Western Africa, and Southeast Asia. 

Below is a street view on the way to the hostel, I pass this little market selling fresh produce. Tall residential buildings line both sides of the streets. I notice shops and restaurants are located at ground level. 

After getting checked in, I make my way down the beach. The french love baking in the sun. You will not find any sandy beaches here. All the beaches are comprised of cobblestones. Each spring, workers from the City repair the erosion from the preceding winter by adding new cobblestones, called galets (gal ettes), to the beaches. View south.

The galets are washed down by three of the surrounding rivers. The french love the cobblestones and refuse to have a sandy beach. They believe this makes the region unique.  View north.

View of the beach along the Promenade des Anglais (a.k.a The Engish Way) is a paved walkway that extends 7 km (4.3 mi) along the coastline in Nice. Named after the English who built it in the mid-1860s. The city has since taken over maintenance and extended it to its current length. 

This photo was taken along Place Masséna, the main square in Nice. In the evenings, these sculptures light up and change colors frequently.

Changing colors of the sculptures.

Just north of Place Masséna, I pass the beautifully lit Basilique Notre-Dame de Nice, a Roman Catholic Church. The church was built during the 1860s after Nice was ceded to France. It is a beautiful example of a Gothic-style church. On October 29, 2020, three people were killed inside the building during an act of Islamic terrorism. 

What a great start to a whole new experience. I can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store.