I’m so proud of the congratulatory letter I received from Mayor Christian Estrosi after he received a copy of Nice Uncovered: Walks Through the Secret Heart of a Historic City. There’s nothing like being personally congratulated by a city’s mayor after you write about his city. I particularly like this sentence:
11 témoigne du profond attachement que vous avez pour notre belle cite, enracinée dans l ‘histoire du Comte de Nice et ouverte sur le monde .
Translation: It testifies to the deep attachment you have for our beautiful city, rooted in the story of the County of Nice and open to the world.
On August 28, 1944, local Nice Resistance fighters launched an insurrection against the German occupation, pushing Germans out of the city by the end of the day. Fighting was fierce throughout the city and led to the death of 32 Nice soldiers. Two days later, an American armored column from Saint-Laurent du Var arrived in the city, securing its liberation.
For the 77th anniversary of its liberation this coming Saturday, Nice will pay tribute to the fallen in a solemn procession throughout town. Beginning at 8am at the Mairie (5 rue de l’Hotel de Ville), the procession will pass the commemorative plaques of resistance fighters before culminating in a ceremony at the Monument aux Morts. Naturally Mayor Christian Estrosi and other local dignitaries will be present. Anyone can join the procession at any point.
Following are the other stops along the route:
8:40 am – level crossing, 2 boulevard de Cessole
9:10 am – Place du Général de Gaulle, corner Raiberti
9.45 a.m. – place Auguste Blanqui, 55 boulevard Pierre Sola
And, the day will finish with a fireworks display at 10pm on the Quai des Etats-Unis.
There are other places that commemorate Nice’s resistance fighters. Check out the Clock Tower on the Place du Palais de Justice which displays a plaque commemorating the deaths of two Italian-born Resistance fighters who died on the same day.
Nice is now a World Heritage Site! UNESCO awarded Nice its coveted status 27 July 2021. It’s been a long process, begun in 2012 by Mayor Christian Estrosi. In January 2020 the French government formally submitted the candidacy of Nice for UNESCO consideration.
Why is Nice a World Heritage Site?
Nice has convinced UNESCO that a chunk of the city center is of Outstanding Universal Value. According to the World Heritage Committee, the objective of inscription on the World Heritage List is to “recognize and protect sites that are outstanding demonstrations of human coexistence with the land as well as human interactions, cultural coexistence, spirituality and creative expression”.
So what is so outstanding about Nice? Leisure and tourism. According to Franck Riester, formerly French Culture Minister “Nice’s nomination. . . underlines the heritage value of a previously unknown form of urban development: cosmopolitan and leisure-focused. From the late 18th century onwards, Nice was the scene of the invention of an important aspect of modern life.”
It sure was. As readers of Nice Uncovered: Walks Through the Secret Heart of a Historic City have learned, British tourists began drifting down to Nice in the late 18th century, shortly after Scotsman Tobias Smollett published his bestseller Travels Through France and Italy in 1766.
By the beginning of the 19th century the trickle of British visitors had turned into a steady stream. They holidayed in what is now the Carré d’Or and raised money to build a seaside walk that eventually became the Promenade des Anglais.
Nice’s 19th-century rulers, the Dukes of Savoy, quickly recognized the potential of their “distinguished foreign visitors” that grew to include Russians, Germans and Americans. From the mid-19th century onwards, every urbanization decision they made was aimed at increasing the comfort and enjoyment of holiday-makers. Foreign tourists liked exotic vegetation? Let’s plant the Prom with palm trees! Foreign tourists liked gardens? The Jardin Albert 1er became a 19th-century seaside park while the ruins of the old Chateau became a luscious hilltop park.
Fontaine des Tritons, Jardin Albert 1er
Their urban planning commission, the Consiglio d’Ornato, launched a city urbanization project that included everywhere foreigners were likely to go: the rue St François-de-Paule, the neighborhoods to the west and north of Vieux Nice, the Quartier des Musiciens, Port Lympia, the extension of the Promenade des Anglais to West Nice and the train station. The street layout, facades of buildings and installation of parks were regulated to insure beauty and harmony.
La Pergola: an Art Deco masterpiece in the Quartier des Musiciens
Later in the 19th-century, real estate developers were quick to see opportunities. The verdant hill of Cimiez already had a few Belle Epoque hotels even before Queen Victoria chose the Excelsior Regina Hotel as her preferred holiday spot in 1895. Within a decade the entire neighborhood was transformed from farmland to a playground for European nobility.
The Hotel de Cimiez (now Cimiez Hospital) where Queen Victoria first stayed.
Curiously, Nice’s most historic neighborhood was the last to develop. The Old Town was left to languish in neglect until the 1960s when a series of initiatives restored or replaced the crumbling buildings. Now, it’s elbow-to-elbow with tourists at the height of the summer season.
Restored part of the Old Town
Nice’s designation is not just about buildings however. Nice’s candidacy pointed out the “cosmopolitan” nature of the city as reflected in the historical diversity of its population. The Russian community built a stunning Orthodox cathedral; an ancient Jewish community established a synagogue in the 18th century; there was both an Anglican and American church in the 19th century (now only the Anglican church survives); there’s a Greek Orthodox church, an Armenian church and even a Buddhist temple!
The American church in the Quartier des Musiciens
Which Neighborhoods are Protected?
Entire Promenade des Anglais
Quai des Etats-Unis and Rauba Capeu
Ponchette terraces
Castle Hill
Port Lympia
Mont Boron
Cimiez
Baumettes
Carré d’Or
Quartier des Musiciens
Russian Orthodox Cathedral
Avenue Jean Medecin east to boulevard Carabacel
In all, the protected area encompasses 500 hectares including a UNESCO-authorized buffer zone.
What is the Effect of a World Heritage Site Designation?
Certainly it adds to the prestige of the city. International recognition of Nice’s unique heritage will increase public appreciation of the city and add to the tourism potential.
But with prestige comes responsibility. Mayor Christian Estrosi must set up a Local Committee to protect the site and then submit regular reports to UNESCO on the condition of the protected zone. It’s safe to say that any development project within the zone’s parameters would have to be justified to UNESCO. And too much tourism can also imperil Nice’s UNESCO designation! UNESCO has threatened Dubrovnik, Croatia and recently Venice with a loss of WHS status because of their tourist crowds.
My hope is that this recognition of Nice’s unique culture will encourage more visitors to venture beyond Nice beaches to sample all the richness and variety of Nice’s fascinating history.
