As 2014 draws to a close and everybody is busy with the Holidays, I’ll leave you with some images of a “Nice Christmas” aka the magical Christmas illuminations in Nice. The theme this year is Belle Epoque with a magnificent model of the casino on the old pier that used to sit off the Promenade des Anglais taking centre stage. Its placement at the end of the water mirror in the Promenade du Paillon, means that it reflects beautifully on a clear Côte d’Azur night and sparkles out of the mist when the fountains are on. (A little historical aside, Nice used to have an ornate pier, modelled on the famous one in Brighton, England, built in 1882 but it was sadly destroyed during World War Two in 1944.)
The Apollo fountain was decorated with sparkly baubles.
The market seemed a little quieter than in previous years.
Anyone for a festive sword?
The Christmas tree with its ride-in baubles was there again, much to the joy of our little son (and JF!)
The icerink on Place Masséna was hosting a demonstration game of ice hockey, rather an unlikely sight on the Côte d’Azur. We spotted one of the boy’s teachers – geography and history not sports – in the role of referee!
There’s not a great deal of food at Nice Christmas market but what there is couldn’t be from more extremes: at one end it’s champagne and oysters and the other it’s candy floss and churros!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays if you don’t celebrate Christmas. Thank you all for following along this year, for your comments, support, shares, likes, tweets, pins and general friendship. It’s been great!
Bonnes Fêtes!
Thanks so much for sharing, I really enjoyed your pictures. I love the lights at Christmas
Looks amazing and so very festive.
Wow, they never used to put so much effort into christmas when i lived there…..will have to come back and visit next year as its beautiful
What amazing pictures, the lights are just beautiful
I love these pictures, they make me want to do Christmas all over again… now! x
I adore the huge baubles, I WANT them in my garden! I have turned in to an old lady that loves anything large and tacky!
Wow I love all of the twinkly lights – those huge baubles are gret too!