Suitcases & Stories

Real Travel. Real Stories. Real Life In Between.

Nice, France – The City That Held Our Final Hours on the French Riviera.

View over Nice, France from Castle Hill overlooking the French Riviera coastline.

Nice, Through My Lens

If I had to describe Nice in one way, I’d say this:

Nice is the hub.

The heart.

The soul of the French Riviera.

As it’s so popular, I never expected much from it. In my head, it was already filed away as yep… typical seaside town. I honestly thought it might be the French equivalent of Blackpool. Busy, a bit overrated, somewhere you pass through rather than fall into.

But I was wrong. Completely.

I fell in love.

Nice was everything French. Everything beautiful. Everything white and warm and effortless. Frankly, it was everything I love and adore about this corner of the world, wrapped up in one place.

Colourful street in Nice old town with umbrellas hanging above.
Old Town Nice… Just full of life.

The Last Day Feeling

I remember it clearly. It was the last day of the week. And although my heart was filled yet again with that South of France wonder, there was sadness sitting right beside it. We were going home.

Not nearly. Not soon.

Our very last day.

Bags packed.

Suitcases already in the boot of the hire car.

We’d checked out of our beautiful little campsite, the one we’d called home for a week, and quietly said goodbye to our caravan, with a promise whispered between us to come back one day. Soon.

But with a very late evening flight from Nice Airport, there was really only one way to spend those final hours. And that was… Nice.

Two people standing on rocks by the turquoise sea in Nice, France.
Last day… and not ready to leave.

A City I Didn’t Expect to Love

Like I said, I wasn’t expecting much. In my head, it was just a way to let time pass before the flight. A wander, a coffee, a few last memories before reality kicked back in.

What I didn’t expect was the adoration.

The magic.

The vibrant, lived-in life that sat so effortlessly on this place. A city that feels wildly underrated when people compare it to Saint-Tropez or Cannes.

Nice has life.

Life on legs.

It’s loud and proud, a seaside town with elegance woven straight through it. Unfathomable beauty. Unspoken magic. 

I loved every inch of it.

The beach.

The markets.

The views.

The buildings.

The cafés and restaurants.

Everything.

You know how every country has that city, the one that holds its energy, its confidence, its cool?

For the UK, it’s London.

Well… the South of France has Nice.

If you don’t go, you won’t quite understand it.

And that’s fine…because Nice doesn’t have to prove itself.

It just is.

View over colourful rooftops and streets of Nice Old Town from above.
Nice from above.. and somehow even better than I expected.

Old Town, Almond Croissants & Letting Go

My favourite part of Nice was the Old Town.

Narrow colourful street in Nice Old Town with scooters and bicycles parked along the walls.
Little streets like this… this is where Nice really lives.

That’s where the real Nice lives and breathes. Bustling cafés, restaurants, bars, markets. You genuinely can’t run out of things to do. It’s effortlessly alive!

But…First mission?

The almond croissant 😂

If you remember my very first Eurocamp entry… yep. I told you then. It hits the soul and it becomes a real addiction. Once found, we grabbed coffee and we were officially fuelled for exploring by foot.

We headed up to walk Castle Hill, completely free to enter and offering some of the best views of Nice and the French Riviera. It’s about a 30-minute walk, but it’s steep… and honestly, you’ll stop plenty of times anyway. Not because you’re tired, but because you’ll deffo want to stop and look out over those incredible views. 

On the way up, you pass a beautiful waterfall cascading down the hill. Genuinely stunning, and the perfect excuse to stop and take it all in (and yes, take photos). When you reach the top, the views are unreal. No exaggeration. You won’t be disappointed.

View over Nice Old Town and coastline from Castle Hill with people overlooking the city.
Views like this… yep, I get it now.

We spent some time up there.

Not just soaking in the view… but just sitting in it all for a minute.

Those last little moments of the trip before it was time to go.

Once we were back down, we spent an hour or so at the beach. Toes dipped in sea and sand, faces turned to the sun, soaking up that French Riviera warmth. It was perfect.

Waves rolling onto a pebble beach in Nice with clear blue water and rocky shoreline.
One last dip…just trying to hold onto it a little longer.

After that, we wandered shops, grabbed gelato, obvs, and then sat down for our last meal at a little restaurant tucked away in the heart of Nice Old Town. Just cherishing those last little moments of our holiday before it ended.

Nice was everything and more.

The perfect ending to another beautiful visit to France.

Why Eurocamp Changed the Way I Travel

Before I move on to the final blog post of my Eurocamp Diaries, where I’ll break down the real cost of this trip, I want to say this.

My Eurocamp breaks, whether in Roussillon, Tuscany or the French Riviera, gave me something that hasn’t been replicated anywhere else I’ve visited in the world.

Eurocamp gave me access.

Access to everyday, real life as it exists for others.

Access to places and experiences that would have felt out of reach any other way.

Access to freedom. Flexibility. Something that just felt like home. 

For those moments, it was as if my family and I were picked up and placed inside a village, one where people lived their lives every day, and we were simply allowed to join them.

This is the way I love to travel. 

And Eurocamp made it possible.

Like I’ve said before, even if I had all the money in the world, even when I’m old and grey with grandkids, this will still be at the core of how I travel.

These holidays.

These moments.

I can already see it. My grandkids running barefoot through those caravans… high on crêpes and fizzy pop… playing on the sand until the sun goes down.

I’ll never forget the beauty.

The memories.

The stories.

People walking along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice with palm trees and pastel buildings.
And just like that… it became a memory.

Hints & Tips for Visiting Nice

Give Nice a full day if you can. It’s not just a stop-off, it’s a destination.

Old Town is non-negotiable. If time is tight, start and finish there.

Castle Hill is free and one of the best viewpoints in Nice and the French Riviera. There’s a lift if you need it, but walking lets you soak it all in.

Wear proper shoes. Nice is walkable, but you’ll cover more ground than you think.

Bring beach shoes. The pebbles are real, but the sea is worth it.

Late flights work in your favour. 

Pack swimwear and enjoy one last dip before heading home.

Skip the fancy spots for your final meal. Small Old Town restaurants are where the magic is.

Walking up the cobbled steps in Eze village on the French Riviera

Travel That Adds Something

I write about travel that adds something to you, not just takes you away.

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