A guide to Marché aux fleurs,
Nice's must-visit flower market
March the 11th, 2019
Near the Old Port, Marché aux Fleurs in Nice, France has been selling flowers to the public for more than 100 years. Today, it is still one of France’s foremost markets, selling delicious fruit and vegetables as well as local flowers. Locals come to ask advice on how to grow plants and tourists wander through the aisles, taking photographs of the brightly coloured displays, sampling the homemade local delicacies.
While the market today, at the entrance to Old Town, is known just as much for its deliciously tempting food, it still keeps its old name from when it first began in 1897. Traditionally, farmers would arrive very early in the morning from the surrounding areas to sell to wholesalers, who would then whisk the flowers off to the far corners of Europe by train. It became a vital part of the local economy.
After the wholesalers had left each morning, the market would be open to individuals, much as it is today (the wholesalers now purchase their flowers at a different market). It is said that the Russian Tsar, Nicholas II was so taken with the flower market that he decided to create one in Saint Petersburg, with flowers bought in Nice and arriving by train two days later.
Eze-sur-Mer...
the magic of the hinterland
February the 19th, 2019
Dating back to the medieval period, this charming little village is often described as a ‘jewel’ along the French Riviera. Just 30 minutes from Nice, Eze-Sur-Mer is a cluster of stone buildings and winding, narrow streets, topped with the spire of l’Eglise d’Eze. The village is situated on a hill, proudly showcasing the blue hues of the Mediterranean Sea which surround it.
Before visiting Eze, I didn’t know much about this seemingly magical place. As usual, I had decided I wanted to visit after seeing photos on Instagram and Pinterest, and wondered if it would live up to the fairytale status everyone seemed to give it. We arrived on a warm day in late April, when our first obstacle was finding a place to park. I squeezed into a gap that may or may not have been a legitimate parking space, but that’s a perk of having a Fiat 500 as your rental car!
Eze-sur-Mer is undoubtedly best enjoyed in the early hours of the day in the summer months (like, before 10am) or during the shoulder seasons. Numbers of tourists are much lower at these times. Undeterred, we tagged along behind one of the many tour groups, their shepherd holding their flag high to direct their herd through the tiny streets.