Located west of the Port of Nice, Vieux Nice is a jumble of picturesque narrow streets, sherbert-coloured buildings, cultural sites, shops, bars and restaurants; it is colourful, vibrant and atmospheric.
The labyrinth of winding streets and pastiche of colourful buildings make the old part of Nice, called “Vieux Nice” an absolute pleasure for a stroll. In this enticing Vieux Nice, I’ve shot thousands of photographs that tell stories of people and places and yet, somehow, I was never aware of Palais Lascaris, until one day last summer.
There it was right in the heart of the town. If you visit Nice, don’t miss spending a few moments in the splendor of this restored 17th Century Italianate palace with its frescoed walls and rich tapestries.
Owned by Nice nobility, the Lascaris-Ventimiglia family, until 1802, it served many purposes throughout the next century and then sat forgotten until restorations began in 1962.
Today the Palais houses a magnificent historical musical instrument collection amidst the grandeur of baroque civilian architecture. This beautiful palace has a monumental staircase, luxuriously decorated rooms and fabulous frescoed ceilings with mythological themes. There are Aubusson tapestries, Flanders paintings, sculptures, objets d’art and furniture of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
You’ll discover this treasure at 15 Rue Droite, an oasis of cool tranquility on a hot day and an incredible piece of the town’s historic past.
Put it on your “must see” list for a taste of how The Good Life once was in Vieux Nice.
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Patricia Sands is an author who lives in Toronto, Canada, and loves to travel, particularly to the south of France.
