Private jet to Nice: experience the beauty of the French Riviera

Nice: here are the best places that are worth a visit

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Nice has always stood out for its joie de vivre and multiculturalism, the founding values of a city that has been through a lot in its history, yet has always returned to shine brighter than before. Hence, international tourism is the area's main resource, with the 'Promenade des Anglais', an ideal place for strolling, jogging and relaxing by the sea, as its flagship. 

Woe betide, however, to consider Nice only as a mundane, seaside resort. The old town, the port, the churches, the museums, and the hills all around give the image of a city with a millennial history, proudly aware of its uniqueness in the French and European panorama. 

Below, our recommendations for a visit to Nice and some advice to reach this destination in total comfort and relax. 

Happy reading.

1. The old town

There is hardly a magazine, website, or travel blog that does not recommend starting a visit to Nice from its old town. 

The reason is easily said: it is in the old part (Veille ville) of the city, in fact, that the Nice 'genius loci' lives. The first thing that jumps out at the attentive visitor is the similarity with Genoa. 

2. Promenade des Anglais, the symbol of the Belle Époque

A long promenade of seven kilometres linking the port with the city's airport, a paradise for runners and rollers from all over the world, accustomed to enjoying themselves on the wide pavement without getting in the way of the many passers-by.

But it's much more than that: it is the scene of the city's carnival, famous for its Battle of the Flowers, and home to most of the luxury hotels including the Hotel Negresco, famous for its soaring dome. 

3. The Cathedral of St Nicholas

In the 19th century, Nice was not only frequented by Italians and Englishmen. A large part of the Russian Tsar's court also chose to winter on the Côte d'Azur, taking advantage of the city's mild and sunny climate. 

Hence, the idea, in 1859, to build the first Russian Orthodox cathedral in Western Europe. Pushing for the construction of the church was Alexandra Fedorovna, widow of Tsar Nicholas I who had died just four years earlier. 

However, it soon became necessary to build a larger place of worship to satisfy the prayer needs of the growing Russian community in the city. In 1903, therefore, work began on the present cathedral, which was inaugurated nine years later in 1912. St Nicholas Cathedral, stylistically reminiscent of St Basil's in Moscow, has for many years been one of the most visited monuments in the city and the entire Riviera. 

Thanks to the large number of visitors, the church has retained its splendour even during the difficult years of the Soviet bloc with friction within the Orthodox Church on the one hand, and the substantial disinterest of the Communist government on the other. With the dissolution of the USSR and the birth of the Russian Federation, things changed considerably and France, which had declared the property a national historical heritage site, returned Nice Cathedral to the Russian Federation in 2009.

Read also: Private jet to Sardinia: travel to the land of giants

4. Matisse Museum

The most visited museum in Nice is located in the district of Cimiez, a residential area on a hill, quite far from the city centre. The works of Henri Matisse (1869-1954) are housed in the Ville des Arènes. The museum, inaugurated in 1963, houses drawings, sculptures, paintings, photographs, and sketches by this painter who, together with Picasso, profoundly shook 20th century art. 

Matisse, who came to Nice in 1917 to cure a troublesome bronchitis, decided to move permanently to the city, bewitched not so much by the mild climate and sea air as by the city's famous light, that has been a relevant source of inspiration for those colour contrasts that had made him famous on the world painting scene. The museum, therefore, reconstructs the artist's different artistic and existential phases, but even if you are not a fan or insider, a visit is still worthwhile. 

5. Marc Chagall Museum

Not only Matisse. 

That Nice is an important city from an artistic-cultural perspective is also evident from the presence of the Chagall Museum, or rather the National Museum of the Biblical Message of Marc Chagall (1887-1985). 

This painter, Belarusian by birth, French by adoption and Jewish by origin, was fascinated by biblical themes from an early age – spent between his home town of Vitebsk and the more influential St. Petersburg and Moscow – to the point of making them a significant artistic reference point for his entire life. 

In 1930, the French art dealer Ambroise Vollard, with whom Chagall had already worked in the previous decade, commissioned the artist to paint a series of canvases dedicated to the biblical theme. These canvases, 17 to be exact, were donated by the multifaceted artist to France in 1966; hence the need to find a suitable place to house them. The choice fell on an old ruined villa in Nice, which, on the recommendation of the then French Minister of Culture, was adapted for the purpose. 

6. The three Corniches

Three more or less parallel roads that, at different heights, join Nice to Menton, on the border with Ventimiglia. 

As can easily be guessed, their special feature is the landscape all around them: sea, breathtaking villas and villages rich in history. A holiday within a holiday, therefore, especially for those who like to travel by car and motorbike. 

The lower route (corniche infèrieure), close to the sea, passes through architectural gems such as Villfranche-Sur-Mer, Cap Ferrat and Cap d'Ail (these towns are also easily reached by train). The intermediate route (moyenne corniche), on the other hand, is much more winding and therefore more suitable for motorcyclists and scooterists. Don't miss the medieval village of Eze, considered one of the most beautiful in France. Lastly, the elevated route (grande corniche), which, apart from being the most scenic of the three, is less winding than the intermediate one. 

A must in this case is Roquebrune, the birthplace of Le Corbusier, the famed architect and town planner for whom the town promenade is also named.

How to reach Nice in comfort (without wasting time) 

If you decide to rent a private jet, you will benefit from numerous advantages.

Firstly, it's you who decide when to leave for both the outward and the return flight. 

Secondly, you can decide to travel alone or in the company of people close to you. In addition, you will not have to stop in areas of the airport where crowds gather because our staff will give you access to the aircraft via a preferential route reserved for charter flights.

This links us to another very advantageous aspect of the private charter plane, namely the time savings. 

Since you will not have to check in or stow your luggage, you will have the luxury of arriving at the airport as little as half an hour before departure and not two hours before, as is the practice on a scheduled flight.

So, no queues or endless waiting in the control cordons or in the gate lounge: when you arrive at the airport, you will be taken directly to the jet.

And what about the time flight?

Most of the time air travel is rather boring, and the flight, departure and arrival operations waste precious time. Well, if you are a very busy person and want to use the hours you spend in the sky for work, we can offer you a business-friendly set-up.

Between the video conferencing screen, desk and any other optional extras you may need for work, we will make you feel like you are in your office.

But let's say you want to reach France with your family or friends for a holiday: in this case, you might want to start relaxing already during the flight by sipping a glass of sparkling wine, watching a good film or taking care of your well-being.

What better way to start your holiday on the right foot? Among the services we at Fast Private Jet can offer you are:

• Luxury suites customized to the passengers' tastes
• In-cabin massages
• Beauty treatments
• Maxi screen and sound with cinema effect
• Onboard barman and chef
• Catering of the highest level

So, are you ready to take off?

Read also: Private jet from London to Singapore: a fast, luxurious and comfortable solution

Conclusions

In this article, we had a rapid look at the best places to visit in Nice and the best way to reach this suggestive destination in comfort and luxury.

If you would like to know more about the prices and the procedure, do not hesitate to contact us or, if you please, go to our website, and click on the 'Book' button to ask for a free quote.

We will be happy to meet your requests and help you organize your trip to Nice.

Hope to see you very soon!