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Europe 2016 Nice
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Nice lies on a flat plain surrounded by steep hills. It has quite a large Old Town near the old harbour, but most of it is fairly modern, with large, airy spaces at its heart.

It is worth mentioning that Nice was originally an Italian city and was annexed by France only in 1860. Of course that is not quite accurate as Italy itself only became a unified State finally in 1861. France acquired the predomonantly Italian-speaking Nice from Piedmont-Sardinia. A complicated history.
There is only one tram line, so it is hard to get lost in Nice. The trams are modern and well patronised.
A friendly monster fountain.
Running along the beachfront is the famous Promenade des Anglais.

Wikipedia has this to say about the Promenade:

"Starting in the second half of the 18th century, the English took to spending the winter in Nice, enjoying the panorama along the coast. In 1820 when a particularly harsh winter up north brought an influx of beggars to Nice, some of the English proposed a useful project for them: the construction of a walkway (chemin de promenade) along the sea. It was paid for by the Rev Lewis Way.


"The city of Nice, intrigued by the prospect of a pleasant promenade, greatly increased the scope of the work. The Promenade was first called the Camin deis Anglés (the English Way) by the Niçois in their native dialect Nissart. After the annexation of Nice by France in 1860 it was rechristened La Promenade des Anglais, replacing the former Nissart name with its French translation."
Enjoying the Promenade des Anglais.
Just within the old defensive walls along the sea shore, there is now a bustling market.
The English were not the only foreigners who adopted Nice as their Mediterranean getaway. Wealthy Russians came in droves in the mid 19th Century,

This gorgeous Russian Cathedral was consecrated in 1912 in memory of the Tsarevich of Russia, Nicolai Alexandrovich, who died in Nice.

Unfortunately, one is not allowed to take photos inside the Cathedral.
The two-head eagle of Tsarist Russia flies among the coloured domes of the Cathedral.
This is the Basilique Notre Dame de l'Assomption.
There is a substantial Old Town in Nice with squares and narrow streets reflecting it's Italian heritage.
The Cathedral of Nice is located in the Old Town.

It's full name is the Basilique-Cathedral Sainte-Marie et Sainte-Reparate de Nice. It was consecrated in 1699.
Nice was first colonised by the Ancient Greeks at about 350 BC. Its port has been in use since those times and is still busy with ships and yachts galore.