The south of France, along the Riviera, is the most beautiful place I have ever been. The C�te d’Azur (the Azure Coast) is a mashup of cultures and traditions, perched on high cliffs above the Mediterranean, where the Proven�al meets the Italian, the North African, and the thousand languages of its tourists.

I’ve been staying in Nice for a few days. It’s the fifth largest city in France, with about 350,000 inhabitants. Nice is about 45 kilometers from Cannes, and a short drive from Monaco and Italy. It’s composed of la Vieille Ville, the Old City from the medieval era, and the larger newer developments. The Old City is my favorite part of Nice – winding, narrow, cobblestone streets, small caf�s, fruit vendors, boutiques. Above it is the Colline du Ch�teau, where the ancient fortress served as a lookout for the city. There’s only a park and a few ruins now, but the views from the top are incredible.

The Proven�al is not as prominent as I was expecting it to be here, probably because of the increase in tourism. There are a few shops selling herbes de Provence and the bright print dresses, but that and a few restaurants serving la salade ni�oise are all I’ve seen of France’s southern traditions. The Flower Market in the Cours Saleya is an exception – farmers and vendors from the region come in everyday at 6am to sell their fruits, cheeses, and breads. I bought some nectarines, apples, and grapes, and they were sweeter than anything I’ve had in the US.

Almost every restaurant serves pizza and paninis – trends that have caught on relatively recently here, I think. There’s also the “Quality Burger” restaurant, and caf�s that serve Ben & Jerry’s. But in any case, the French take their food seriously. Meals are to be lingered over, maybe for hours, with un espresso afterwards. The city comes alive at night, when all of the sidewalk brasseries fill up and people roam the streets.

Today I visited Eze, a medieval village quite literally perched on a cliff. There weren’t many people around, as it was early, but that simply served to heighten the ethereal atmosphere of the place. The tiny paths wound through stone tunnels and around buildings, allowing us to follow the footsteps that Eze’s population walked hundreds of years ago. This pervasive sense of history, of knowing and feeling a part of the great procession through time, is a great part of why I love Europe.

Tomorrow I’m taking the SNCF, or high speed train, to Paris. And while I’m excited, I’ll still miss this city.

Location: Promenade des Anglais, Nice, France