Nice France Vacation

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The capital of the Riviera and fifth largest city in France, NICE scarcely deserves its glittering reputation. Living off inflated property values and fat business accounts, its ruling class has hardly evolved from the eighteenth-century Russian and English aristocrats who first built their mansions here; today it's the rentiers and retired people of various nationalities whose dividends and pensions give the city its startlingly high ratio of per capita income to economic activity.

Their votes ensured the monopoly of municipal power held for decades by the right-wing dynasty, whose corruption was finally exposed in 1990 when mayor Jacques Médecin fled to Uruguay. He was finally extradited and jailed. Despite the disappearance of 400 million francs of taxpayers' money, public opinion remained in his favour. From his Grenoble prison cell, Médecin, who had twinned Nice with Cape Town at the height of South Africa's apartheid regime, backed the former National Front member and close friend of Jean-Marie Le Pen, Jacques Peyrat, in the 1995 local elections. Peyrat won with ease, and, re-elected in 2001, he has lately made no secret of his desire to have the new public prosecutor, Eric de Montgolfier – who made his reputation fighting white-collar crime and political corruption – removed from his post, before his investigations into the Riviera underworld put yet another city magistrate into prison.

Politics apart, Nice has other reasons to qualify it as one of the more dubious destinations on the Riviera: it's a pickpocket's paradise; the traffic is a nightmare; miniature poodles appear to be mandatory; phones are always vandalized; and the beach isn't even sand. And yet Nice still manages to be delightful. The sun and the sea and the laid-back, affable Niçois cover a multitude of sins. The medieval rabbit warren of the old town, the Italianate facades of modern Nice and the rich, exuberant, fin-de-siècle residences that made the city one of Europe's most fashionable winter retreats have all survived intact. It has also retained mementos from its ancient past, when the Romans ruled the region from here, and earlier still, when the Greeks founded the city. In addition, its bus and train connections make Nice by far the best base for visiting the rest of the Riviera.

Nice France Vacation

Beaches In France

The beaches in France are one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country during summer. Whether it’s for a honeymoon or a family adventure, you should be able to find the beach that will fit your preferences or budget. Most of the popular beaches in France are located in the south or southwest area of the country. These beaches are also located in popular cities in the country that are not just there to provide the sand and water but other amenities and entertainment. Most Europeans go to these cities to join in the fun of summer.

If you do have the budget, it’s custom for most families to look for a beach that will suite their preferences. After finding that beach, they would look for a property so that it could become their summer home. You may not be able to do that yourself but there are houses in most beaches in France that are for rent. This is intended for those who wanted to enjoy the life of a local by staying a regular French home and enjoying local food. The rates are very competitive as long as you stay there for at least one month.

There are also beaches in France that are not really intended for enjoying the sand and water but for historical purposes. The D-Day beaches in Normandy is a must visit for those who wanted to know more regarding the history of WWII. The beaches are well kept and they would give a very detailed account of what happened in D-Day. There are also museums located near these beaches which will provide a more detailed account of what really happened that day. Aside from the D-Day beaches, there are also nearby resorts where you can enjoy the waters.

If you like posh beaches which usually cater to individuals who can spend, you can visit Cannes and St. Tropez. Cannes is well known for their annual film festival that attracts actors from different countries and during these festivities, the beaches of Cannes and its waters are filled with tourists. You will see yachts rented by celebrities or yachts that have become a place to have fun at night. St. Tropez is well known for providing great service through the best hotels. The sandy beaches of St. Tropez are very popular in France that it attracts local and international tourists every summer.

For couples or singles who wanted to have a more adult themed experience, the “Naked City” of France should be your destination. The beach of Cap d’Agde is a nude beach which has gathered worldwide attention because of the city’s dedication to this idea. Do not bring your kids here as this place is purely for adults only.

The busiest time for these beaches is usually in the later part of July and August. If you want to stay away from crowds, visit these beaches during the months of June and September. It’s still summer and it has all the enjoyable amenities without the crowd.