Things to do in Nice, France: Expert travel tips from an expat

Nice waterfront and the Cours Saleya market from Castle Hill.Credit: Alamy

EXPERT EXPAT, NICE

BENJAMIN STONE

Benjamin Stone.

After working with the Atlanta Ballet Company straight after graduation, Melbourne-born ballet dancer Benjamin Stone was exposed to the work of Jean-Christophe Maillot, choreography director for Les Ballets de Monte Carlo. He is now a dancer with the corps and has been living in Nice for two years.

SEE

Nice's Old Town allows you to travel into the 1700s as you get lost in its narrow lanes. Explore through the myriad side streets and discover its interesting architecture all while enjoying many restaurants, bars, small shops, and boutiques. I love all the little restaurants you can discover while walking through the laneways and the vibe of the town on the weekends.

DO

The Cours Saleya in Old-Nice has hosted the famous Marche aux Fleurs since 1897. Today, it is still one of France's most important markets, selling delicious fruit and vegetables as well as local flowers. The flower market is open until 1.30pm, Tuesday-Saturday, but get there before midday. My girlfriend goes every Sunday and comes back with a different succulent nearly every time. See nicetourisme.com

EAT

At Koko Green, all the plates are vegan, gluten-free, organic and homemade. Located in the Old Town, you'll arrive at a cozy, zen establishment with friendly greetings (in English or French) by the couple who run and own the restaurant. Open Friday to Sunday, make a reservation. My favourite dish is the raw vegan sushi, with cauliflower rice and delicious vegetables. See kokogreen.com

DRINK

Movida is a two-storey cocktail bar right on the Promenade, with a great ocean view. It's often got a DJ or live music,. It serves tapas and has a great cocktail list. My favourite is the classic mojito. It's a great place to hang out on a Saturday evening after dinner or weekend afternoons when the sun is going down, see movidanice.com

AVOID

Avoid being pickpocketed on the Promenade. It's scary how effective the groups of adolescent girls are at stealing thousands of dollars' worth of personal belongings each month. Always keep your belongings close and guarded to your chest while boarding and disembarking the train, which is their most effective choke point when pickpocketing.

Benjamin Stone will perform in LAC from June 27 to July 6. See visitmonaco.com, australianballet.com.au/the-ballets/lac, balletsdemontecarlo.com

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