Author: Ingrid Schmucker

Gourdon is one of my favourite villages on the French Riviera. Located 760m (2500ft) above sea level, it overlooks a big part of the coastline and the Loup Valley and is therefore called the Balcony of Provence. From Nice or Antibes, it takes approximately 50 minutes to reach, and the road that I take to…

The Socca is THE most iconic speciality of Nice. Made of simple ingredients like chickpea flour, olive oil, water, and salt, it is cooked in a large, round copper pan in wood-fired ovens and served hot, sprinkled with a bit of black pepper. It was originally served as a staple food to workers as a…

The Carnival of Nice is the most important winter event on the Côte d’Azur and one of the oldest and most famous carnivals in the world.  It takes place over 2 weeks in February offering a colorful celebration of art, culture and tradition along the French Riviera. There are 2 kinds of parades, the Corso…

A new season is starting The trees are budding, the birds are singing and the tourists are arriving. After 3 difficult years, it looks like 2023 will be a very busy year on the French Riviera. My agenda is filling up quickly. While most of my guests ask for a tour to the highlights of…

Cours Saleya is the name of one of the most famous streets in the old town of Nice. While Cours means yard, we are not so sure where the name Saleya originally derives from. Either from “Sale” which means salt or maybe “Sole” which means sun. Both play or have played an important role here,…

About 20 miles East of Nice ends the French Riviera and begins the Italian Riviera or like we also call it the Flower Riviera. On the highway a big board greets the visitors with “Benvenuti in Italia” which means Welcome to Italy. Once you pass the border, it is amazing how the landscape changes. While…

Paris has its Champs Elysées and the Eiffel Tower. While Nice has its Promenade des Anglais and the Hotel Negresco. Each time you will see a postcard, a photo or a documentary about Nice, be sure you will find the Negresco in it. The shiny white Belle Epoque building with its pink dome is moored…

One of my passions is exploring the beautiful back country of our Riviera.  Whether on my bike or by car, I love to discover new villages or revisit old ones that I have not seen for a while. The more off the beaten tracks, the better. The more authentic, the more I love to show…

It was in the spring of 1882 that Queen Victoria visited the French Riviera for the first time. She had previously visited Paris with her husband Prince Albert. However, his death prompted her to enter a long period of mourning and it was many years before she revisited France. Queen Victoria had never travelled outside…

Nice is mostly known for its famous flower and food market on Cours Saleya in the old town. It is mentioned in all the guide books and you will have no difficulty in finding it, just follow the flow. If you look for a more authentic market though, where the locals go and buy their…

Located in one of the most beautiful bays of France, Villefranche-sur-Mer is definitely one of my favorite places on the French Riviera. Its ochre-colored houses and charming narrow alleys remind us of its Italian past when the region was still under the government of the House of Savoy. Villefranche used to be a fishing village…