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Roman Ruins, Art Galleries, Gardens & Tombstones

May 2, 2018 by RalphM

Le Cheval roux by Marc Chagall
                                                                      Le Cheval roux by Marc Chagall

The beaches of Nice are nice, but don’t forget to also head for the hills

 So much of the French Riviera is about the water, and nowhere along the French Riviera is that more true than in Nice. Its seven-kilometer stretch of coastline along the impossibly blue waters of the Mediterranean is enough to keep you blissfully happy, end of story.

However, if you do want to explore more of the city, and/or if the day is too overcast for the beaches, then heading up to the suburb of Cimiez on the hill behind the city is well worth your time.

 

Head to the Hills of Nice: 5 Worthy Sites to See From the Top Down

EGLISE ET MONASTERE DE CIMIEZ (Church and Monastery of Cimiez)

A short bus ride from Place Massena on Bus #15 or 17 will take you up to the top of the hill where you can start your day at the 15th Century Franciscan Monastery of Cimiez.

It’s always lovely to walk into the churches of France, but here you can also visit the Franciscan Museum (it’s free), dedicated to the life of Franciscan monks past and present. You may catch a few actual monks walking around in real life there.

 CEMETIERE DE CIMIEZ

Just next door to the church is a fascinating cemetery. It might seem strange, but cemeteries can be delightful places to visit when traveling. So elaborate, even artful, the tombstones, some with well-known names, are fascinating to read. Look for the tombs of painters Henri Matisse and Raoul Dufy.

Also notice the spectacular view for these souls resting in peace, which is the city of Nice far below.

Matisse tomb
                                                                                                    Matisse tomb

 

JARDIN DU MONASTÈRE DE CIMIEZ

 

The Monastery is surrounded by lush, well-tended gardens. With over two acres of trees, flowers, walkways, and a bird’s eye view of the city, it is one way to escape the summer crowds on the beaches below.

Gardens at the Monastery of Cimiez, Nice
Gardens at the Monastery of Cimiez

MUSEE ARCHEOLOGIQUE DE NICE-CIMIEZ

From the gardens you can walk through the olive tree grove to reach the next stop for your day on the hill, the archeological museum of Cimiez.

Cimiez was once the Roman capital for this area of the Roman empire, conquered and annexed for Rome by Julius Caesar before Jesus was born. Most of the Roman city is buried beneath this modern, and upscale, suburb of Nice, but a few things remain: the ruins of the Roman baths and the Arena (think gladiators).

The Archeological Museum is close by the ruins, but bring your English-French dictionary.

Roman Bath Ruins on Cimiez
Roman Bath Ruins on Cimiez

MUSEE MATISSE

But wait! There’s more! Besides the Monastery, the Cemetery, the Gardens and the Roman Ruins, all very worthy, you can also pop into the Matisse Museum.

Musée Matisse is housed in a rose-colored mansion with pale green shutters, and is home to “68 paintings and gouaches, 236 drawings, 218 prints, 95 photos, 57 sculptures and 14 books illustrated by Matisse, 187 objects that belonged to the painter, and prints, tapestries, ceramics, stained glass and documents.” That should keep you busy if you’re a fan of Matisse

Musee Matisse
                                                                                                     Musee Matisse

On the return trip down the hill to the next stop, you will pass the exquisite Excelsior Regina Palace,  once an exclusive hotel, but now private condos, where Matisse spent his last years in Nice. There’s a delightful café here near the entrance that makes a great stop for lunch.

Hotel Regina
Hotel Regina

 

“When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what color really is.”  Pablo Picasso

 

MUSEE CHAGALL

Your last stop on this tour of the hill, is the lovely, lovely, not-to-be-missed Chagall Museum, where you will most definitely fall in love with this painter and his work.

 

Each room of this small museum gives a different experience with Marc Chagall, the main hall showing off his large canvases: Adam and Eve being chased from the garden of Eden on the back of a red rooster, Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from God, and Noah gazing up at the Rainbow after the flood.

 

 

Main Hall of Chagall Museum
Main Hall of Chagall Museum

Be sure, if you go, to stay for the short film which is shown regularly in the stained glass chapel/auditorium. It tells of the life of Chagall through images of his childhood in a Jewish shtetl in Russia to his life as a young artist in Paris.

There is so much to see in this beautiful museum, and in just one of his paintings. I visit this museum on every trip to Nice.

You are going to be exhausted at this point, for sure, especially if you have taken in all these sites. Luckily, there is a little café on the museum grounds where you can have a well-earned glass of rosé or a coffee before heading back down to the city.

I actually like the walk back from here, which passes through working neighborhoods of Nice, where the locals live, eat and shop.

La Buvette du Musée Café at the Chagall Museum
La Buvette du Musée Café at the Chagall Museum

 

Practical Information For Your Day on the Hill

 Getting there: Catch buses 15 or 17 from just behind the Galleries Lafayette near Place Massena [Cost €1.50]. If you’re not sure where to get off, just ask the driver, or follow the other tourists.

You can also catch an Uber, or if you’re up for a hike, it’s possible to walk. I did that the first time I was in Nice, when I didn’t know how to catch the buses. It’s a ways, though, and all up, so be forewarned. Maybe better to walk down afterwards.

Museums: Entrance fees are generally 10 Euros for adults, but be sure to check out the 24-hour and 7-Day museum passes for Nice. http://en.nicetourisme.com/Museums

Where to stay: We have 4 luxury apartments in Nice available for your consideration

 

Guest Post & Photographs by Seattle travel writer, Mary Kay Seales. Visit her website at: www.marykayseales.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Travel Tip created by Ralph in association with Vacation Soup

Filed Under: Architecture, Art, Blog, Featured Articles, Gardens, History, Museums, Nice, Sightseeing, Things to do in Nice, Travel Tips Tagged With: #holidayinNice, #parisnicevacations, #vacationinNice, Chagall, CôteDAzure, France, french riviera, HotelRegina, Matisse, Nice, VacationSoup, whattodo, whattosee, wheretostay

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