Queen Victoria loved the French Riviera – and who can blame her? The aging widow first visited in 1882 and returned many times, delighting in its zinging colours, vibrant culture and stunning nature.
Why autumn is the best time to go
These days, July-August is peak season, but not in the days of Victoria. Instead, the shimmering Cote d’Azur used to be the place to overwinter. From the mid-18th century this sleepy spot began attracting wellness-seekers looking to escape the seasonal gloom; the royal seal of approval saw numbers boom. Elegant parks, hotels and villas were built, with Nice a particular hub for aristocrats. Indeed, in 2021, Unesco designated “Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera” a World Heritage site.
© Getty Images“In summer, it’s mass tourism – people come to drink, party and sit in the sun,” said the guide Gaëtan Onteniente as we sat in the jungly garden of the cool Hôtel Windsor, submerged in bamboo and bougainvillea. “Winter is when the most interesting people come.” Did that make me interesting? It was October, and I’d left a chilling UK for Nice, where the sun was dazzling, the temperature was in the mid-20°Cs and autumn seemed a distant prospect.
The role of a Nice Greeter
Gaëtan was a Nice Greeter, one of the city’s volunteer ambassadors, happy to show visitors around for free. Meeting him was a great way to get orientated, and to pick up tips. He recommended eating at Acchiardo (“excellent food, same family for five generations”); swimming with the locals at Plage de la Réserve or Coco Beach; and trying socca, Nice’s speciality chickpea pancake, with a chilled rosé – “always rosé,” Gaëtan said.
© Getty ImagesOver the next few days, I happily followed his advice. I ate rich daube (beef stew) at Acchiardo, snacked on socca straight from the cast-iron pan at Cours Saleya Market and swam off Coco’s limestone rocks: despite the season, the sea was well over 20°C.
How to explore Nice
I also made the obligatory stroll down Promenade des Anglais, which was built by wealthy English tourists in the 1820s. On one side lay the glittering Bay of Angels, on the other, swaying palms and a procession of apartments and fine hotels. Some have been there for years – like the luxurious Le Negresco, a white-pink Belle Époque beauty, opened in 1913, that’s hosted everyone from Marlon Brando to Queen Elizabeth II.
Next, I walked away from the sea, ambling the ice-cream-toned alleys of the Old Town, before heading up to the Marc Chagall National Museum. The building, full of the artist’s bold, striking works, was designed by Marc himself; he moved to the Riviera in 1949, drawn by its magical light. Then I continued further uphill into the Cimiez district, weaving amid handsome villas in a smorgasbord of styles: art deco, Swiss chalet, cruise-ship-like. Here, I passed the Régina, a neoclassical pile that’s apartments now, but was originally a hotel, named for Queen Victoria; the western rotunda, where she stayed, remains topped by a wrought-iron crown.
Explore uber-exclusive Cap Ferrat peninsula
Nice is nice for a few days, especially in the quieter autumn months. However, even better is spending a few days more, and exploring further by train and bus. One day I made the short journey east to Beaulieu-sur-Mer and walked the path around the uber-exclusive Cap Ferrat peninsula. It was almost too much to take in; this buffet of billionaire villas interspersed with nature’s deep greens and popping pinks, and a backdrop of brilliant-blue sea.
© Getty ImagesAt Cap Ferrat’s Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, I got an insight into how the other half live. This rosy fondant-fancy of a mansion was built from 1907 to 1912 by Béatrice de Rothschild after she inherited her banker father’s vast riches. Now, it’s open to visitors. I wandered the themed dream gardens, with their exotic blooms and dancing fountains, and gawped at the gilded state rooms, before lunching on the terrace; my excellent Niçoise salad was marred only slightly by the English ladies at the next table complaining the teabags were too weak.
© Getty ImagesBe surrounded by stars in Cannes
Another day, I took the train west to glitzy Cannes where, although the film festival wasn’t in town, I was still surrounded by stars. Along the Les Chemin des Étoiles, all the A-listers have left their handprints in the ground, while the painted walls (huge murals dotted across the city) illustrate movie icons. The Cinéma Cannes mural on Place Bernard Cornut-Gentille celebrates 100 years of cinema, and I spent a while trying to identify everyone in it – from Charlie Chaplin to Leonard DiCaprio – before heading to the nearby port for my last adventure.
© Getty ImagesFrom here, ferries leave year-round for Île Sainte-Marguerite, a little slice of Mediterranean utopia reachable in just 15 minutes. No cars or even bicycles are allowed on this tiny isle. There’s little here except rocky coves, walking trails weaving through the pine and oak woods, and a 17th-century fortress that once imprisoned the Man in the Iron Mask. I visited the mystery man’s cell, then hit a shady path, looking for a place to picnic.
Eventually I found a spot, unpacked my pan bagnat (a Niçoise salad in a bap) and ate overlooking the sea. I’d swim afterwards. I swam afterwards, drank at a rooftop bar and dined outside: all summer behaviour, in October, with only a light sweater required.
Sarah was a guest of Explore Nice Cote d’Azur. All hotels and experiences have been independently reviewed by our expert writers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis, but this never affects our review process.
