The full program for the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days) is finally available with ALL the special visits scheduled for September 17-19. (See here for the partial program in English). Everything is FREE but for many events a reservation is necessary. Don’t delay! Note that a “Pass Sanitaire” or negative Covid test will be required. Some sites may require ID and/or a passage through a metal detector to gain entry.
Don’t think that it’s all about visiting stuffy museums and listening to lectures in French! There are plenty of activities for kids of all ages as well as special dance, musical and theatrical presentations. If you’ve ever wondered what Nice’s traditional language, Nissart, sounds like you’ll want to listen in on some of the short tours conducted in that language. I believe it’s the first time the city has included this feature.
Following are just a few of my favorites:
ATELIER CUISINE NIÇOISE
2, rue du Sénat
Saturday and Sunday 10h-12.30 and 14h to 18h
A great way to discover Nice cuisine right in Old Nice.
LA VILLA LES PALMIERS
Saturday and Sunday 10h-18h
The fabulous Palais du Marbre harbors the Municipal Archives. Entry to the gardens is always available (as I detail in Nice Uncovered) but the elaborate interior is normally closed. It’s definitely worth a trek to West Nice and makes a good starting point to look around the rest of the neighborhood.
FORUM D’URBANISME ET D’ARCHITECTURE
89, route de Turin
Saturday 9.30h-11h
The former slaughterhouse has been transformed into a contemporary art gallery, Le 109, and will present a special “Visites chorégraphiques d’architecture” Saturday morning. I don’t know what it is either but it sounds original.
PALAIS DES ROIS SARDES
Place Pierre Gautier
Saturday 9h-12h and 14h-17h
The Palais de la Préfecture features prominently in my Old Town tour because it was the center of government when the Dukes of Savoy ruled Nice. The interior is spectacular but line up well in advance as this is a popular visit.
CAMPUS DE TROTABAS
Faculté de Droit et Science politique
Avenue du Doyen Louis Trotabas
04 89 15 25 00
The Chagall mosaic makes this a worthwhile stop especially as it’s normally closed to the public.
CAMPUS DE VALROSE
28, avenue Valrose
Saturday and Sunday 14h-17h
The Valrose estate dates from the heyday of Cimiez in the late 19th century when Queen Victoria wintered in the neighborhood. It’s normally closed to the public (only students and faculty members may enter) and is well worth the trip up to Cimiez.
You can find the full program (in French) here.
Do you have questions? Just send me a message on Facebook Chat in the lower right and I’ll do my best to answer.
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