“The culture of Nice is based on three things: the sea, soccer, and socca.” – Steeve Bernardo, owner of Chez Pipo, founded in 1923 In a city famous for dishes like pan bagnat and ratatouille, socca holds a special place in the hearts of the Niçois. A thin, deliciously crispy …

It is common to find petits farcis, stuffed vegetables, on menus in Provence during the fall and winter months. Residents of Nice claim this dish as a local creation, part of the traditional Niçoise culinary repertoire. My versions of stuffed zucchini and baked tomatoes are suitable for vegetarian diets. These …

There are so many fun things to do in Nice—you can walk along the Promenade des Anglais, enjoy the view from one of those famous blue chairs, and dig into a salade niçoise at a café in the Old Town. Now here’s one to add to your list: visit the …

Tourte de Blette Salée is a wonderfully light yet hearty dish that can be served any time of year and comes from our friends at Les Petits Farcis cooking school in the Old Town of Nice. Imagine yourself learning to cook traditional Nicoise cuisine in a historic part of the …

When most people think of the Côte d’Azur, they think of glamorous spots like Cannes, Antibes, and Nice—beautiful cities, all of them. But this glorious corner of France is also home to charming inland villages that are well worth a visit. Let’s look at a few. Gourdon, The Eagle’s Nest …

Lisa Baker Morgan did not plan to live in Paris, although she dreamed of spending time in the “City of Lights.” She certainly did not intend to write a book called Paris, Part Time, but life takes us on an uncharted journey, and as a result, this lady has her …

Guest Writer: Solo on the French Riviera Of all the places, I choose Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera as my holiday escape for two weeks a year. As a working woman, in my fifties, I am conscious that travelling alone is not always easy. Short of not being able to …

A Writer’s Dream I will never forget the morning I received an email from an established cookbook publisher and immediately deleted it, convinced it was a scam. They wrote asking me to write a beginner French cookbook for sale and promotion nationwide. I quickly scanned the email, deleted it, and …

I remember the first time I experienced a Pan Bagnat – I was a student in France and had taken my first trip to Nice. My first bite stayed with me from that moment  – partly because I love all the fresh spring-summer ingredients which paired perfectly with tuna and the magnificent French round crusty loaf

With the large geographic footprint of Provence visiting the entire region in one trip, or a lifetime is nearly impossible. In high season (July and August), long drives and even longer lines should make you think twice about extended road trips. Instead, we suggest picking an activity each day and …