This seaside European city has transformed from shabby to chic

It’s been many years since I was last in Nice, and its transformation is both unmistakable and impressive. Traditionally, the French Riviera’s humble (some might say shabby) seaside capital, overshadowed by its more glamorous neighbours Monte Carlo and Cannes, has been quietly reinventing itself as a sophisticated alternative to its glitzy cousins, with several five-star hotels opening in recent times.

The Anantara Plaza’s rooftop bar.

Here to celebrate Virgin Australia’s return to long-haul flying via its new partnership with Qatar Airways, we’re staying at one of these, the Anantara Plaza. It’s a Belle Epoque hotel set a block back from the Promenade des Anglais (and close to new designer stores along Rue Paradis), that has been smartly renovated in a collaboration by three different design and architecture studios.

There are custom art pieces; bespoke furniture inspired by the hotel’s coastal location, and references to local landmarks, such as the chessboard tiles in the entranceway that echo nearby Place Massena.

The rooftop bar and restaurant, Seen by Olivier, is the place du jour for sweeping views from the mountains to the Baie des Anges, the perfect accompaniment to your breakfast pain au chocolat or sunset glass of champagne.

Not far away, the Hotel du Couvent, a former 17th-century convent set at the base of the Colline du Chateau, the hilltop park that dominates the old town, has undergone a meticulous and thoughtful €100 million ($178 million) renovation, which has taken it from derelict buildings to stunning 88-room hotel.

Original colonnades and terracotta floors have been restored to reflect its monastic past, and it features three restaurants, multiple pools including Roman baths, a serene wellness studio for yoga (no unattractive weights room here) plus a bakery and a herbalist shop.

Place Massena is now pedestrianised, with trams travelling through the middle.Credit: Getty Images

Meanwhile Vieux Nice, the city’s historic centre once characterised by narrow, car-clogged streets, is now a vibrant pedestrian-friendly zone, a modern tram system running through the city’s revitalised core.

History and tradition still abound, of course: perennial favourites in the old town are the Cours Saleya flower and produce market; Maison Auer, a rococo-decor chocolatier opposite the Opera House where candied fruits are considered a chic gift to buy, and Restaurant Acchiardo for its Nicois specialties including stuffed vegetables and pan bagnat. Hole-in-the-wall Chez Theresa is the place to get your socca (chickpea flatbread/pancake) and pissaladiere (onion tart).

The Promenade du Paillon is a large park that extends from the city to the waterfront.

The Promenade du Paillon, a vast park that stretches from the city centre to the waterfront, offers both residents and visitors a lush, shaded retreat amid the urban bustle, while during summer’s extended daylight hours you’ll find locals walking along the promenade and playing volleyball on the beach well past 9pm.

The urban revitalisation has evolved hand-in-hand with a cultural renaissance. Out of the 74 venues featured in Plein Sud, a guide to the south of France’s contemporary art, we visit just two. A private tour of the Musee National Marc Chagall, in the city’s leafy Cimiez district and dedicated to the artist’s biblical-themed works – breathtaking paintings, mosaics and stained-glass windows – is a highlight of our visit. (You can also see Chagall’s famous mosaic, Moses Saved from the Water, in situ at Vence’s Cathedrale de Notre-Dame de la Nativite, France’s smallest cathedral.)

A museum dedicated entirely to Marc Chagall is a must-visit.

Half an hour away, in the hilltop village of Saint-Paul de Vence, the recently extended Fondation Maeght, dating from 1964, has an awesome (in its true sense) collection of works by 20th-century artists such as Jean Miro, Alexander Calder and Alberto Giacometti.

The modernist building itself, by Spanish architect Josep Lluís Sert, is also noteworthy, and don’t miss the beautiful little chapel in the gardens, dedicated to the founder’s youngest son who, tragically, died at 12 from leukaemia.

The Chateau Saint Martin, formerly a hilltop stronghold.

From here, it’s an easy drive to the imposing Chateau Saint Martin, once a 12th-century Knights Templar stronghold, perched high in the Provencal hills. Part of the Oetker Collection (which includes rich-list favourite the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on the coast at Antibes), it’s an exclusive hotel with six private villas. But should your credit card be melting at the mere thought of the room rate here, rest assured you don’t have to stay overnight to enjoy an alfresco lunch at its languid garden restaurant L’Oliveraie, set amid ancient olive groves and overlooking a jet-set infinity pool.

Summer lunch in the garden at Chateau Saint Martin is a languid affair.

Several glasses of rosé later, you will undoubtedly be planning a return trip to this irresistible region and its under-the-radar – but newly stylish – resort town. Or, like me, perusing a local real estate brochure on the plane back to Australia.

THE DETAILS

FLY
Virgin Australia flies daily from Sydney to Doha, with connecting flights to Nice with Qatar Airways. See virginaustralia.com

STAY
Rooms at Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel, 12 Avenue de Verdun, start from €283 ($505) a night low season. See anantara.com

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The writer was a guest of Virgin Australia, Atout France and Explore Nice Cote d’Azur.