LA FÊTE
The Celebration
We can’t wait to celebrate 10 years of choubi and choubichou with you! Everything that makes Charles who is he is, and a big part of the life we’ve led together over the past 15 years, is rooted in this place that we both love in the south of France. We’re excited to share it with you, and to bring our very favorite people together in this special place. We’ve put together a four-day itinerary with a few of our favorite places to go and things to do.
RSVP
Please RSVP by April 19th and indicate which parts of the celebration you are able to attend. Merci!
Le Program
Events
Each day we’ve planned an activity, with the main event on Saturday, June 8th. We’ve also built in a lot of free time so that you can explore Nice or just relax. During the free time, we’ll tell you where we’ll be in case you’d like to tag along. Please check back here as times may change slightly.
Often on the day we arrive in Nice, after lunch at home, we head over to Café de la Place at the foot of the medieval village, St. Paul de Vence, for a pastis and to watch the old men play pétanque. We’ll kick things off the same way with you. We’ll have light snacks and pastis. Dress to play pétanque (bocce ball).
THURSDAY 6/6
PASTIS & PéTANQUE
The best beaches are worth traveling for. We’ll show you one of our favorite spots just outside of Nice for lunch and sun and sand/rocks.
FRIDAY 6/7
BEACH DAY
Join us at La Chèvre D’Or, a stunning Relais & Châteaux in Èze Village (also where Charles had one of his very first jobs in hospitality!) for cocktails, a short celebratory village walk, and dinner overlooking the Mediterranean.
SATURDAY 6/8
LA FÊTE
Before you leave, come for a BBQ and recover from the night before by the pool, Chez Paloux.
Sunday 6/9
POOL PARTY
Nice
Things to do…
Here are some of the things we recommend checking out during your free time.
COurs sAleya
Cours Saleya is a must while you are in Nice. It is an open air market that is the heart of Old Nice. The market transforms depending on the day and time:
Fruit and Vegetable Market: Tuesday-Sunday (6am-1pm)
Flower Market: Tuesday-Saturday (10am-7pm)
Flea Market: Tuesday-Saturday (10am-7pm)
Evening Art Market: Everyday (6pm-12am)
Promenade Des Anglais & Les Plages
Aside from visiting Vieux Nice, the most quintessential Niçoise experience is a walk along the Promenade des Anglais, which is the main stretch along the coast, or Le Baie des Anges.
For our beach day on Friday, we’ll take you to a beautiful, more secluded spot just outside of Nice. But the private beaches along the Promenade in Nice are a great way to spend an afternoon, and easy to pair with a visit to Cours Saleya which is just across the street.
Our favorites are:
Castel: Our favorite. Its at the beginning of the stretch on a bit of a curve, you get the view along the entire Baie des Anges. The restaurant is also very good and they attract a large gay clientele.
Le Galet: The newest of the beaches along the promenade. Caters to a younger crowd and apparently has great pizzas.
Beau Rivage: Plush beach lounges and an excellent restaurant.
cAstle Hill
Climb up the hill (or take the lift) for panoramic views of Nice. There’s a beautiful waterfall to check out as well.
PLACE MASSéNA & PLACE GARIBALDI
Two beautiful squares in Nice.
Place Masséna is the heart of the shopping area in the center of Nice. It connects the main shopping street area where there are no cars allowed, Rues Pietonnes, to the old town. Shop along Rue Pietonnes (Nicole’s favorite shops are on Rue Paradis, Rue Alphonse Karr, Rue Longchamp, and Avenue de Verdun), and then cross over Place Masséna to Old Nice and the Promenade. Place Masséna also comes alive at night with buskers and the now iconic illuminated statues by Spanish artist, Jaume Plensa.
Garibaldi is Nicole’s favorite square, and is located between Vieux Nice and the Port. It is a very pretty, quiet square - a great place to have a coffee and people watch.
Nice
Places to eat…
A few of our favorite spots to eat and drink.
Scotch Tea House
A longstanding Salon de Thé with the best drinking chocolate and decadent pastries. A perfect place to sit and people watch for tea.
La Petite Maison
A classic, chic, perfect, albeit slightly overpriced, spot for lunch in Old Nice. Sit outside, with a bottle of rosé, their beignets de fleurs de courgettes and a warm goat cheese salad. What else do you need? For what it’s worth, Gwyneth Paltrow swears their Pan Bagnat is the best she’s had.
FLAVEUR
Creative, modern french cuisine with two Michelin stars.
LOU PILHA LEVA
This is the spot we love to stop at for Socca. Get lost enough through the winding streets in old Nice and you’ll eventually come across a line of people and the green awning. Grab some socca and other traditional Niçoise specialties like petits farci and pissadalère. Dust some pepper on your socca and grab a spot at one of the communal picnic tables or take it on the go.
La Pigeot
Located in Valbonne, this is one of our favorite spots for dinner. Fantastic Moroccan food with a charming setting in the middle of this old village. We like to sit at the low tables outside and order tagine and couscous dishes.
Le Tilleul
Beautiful spot with great food underneath a big tree in the heart of Saint Paul de Vence.
TavernE Masséna
We often reserve dinner at Taverne Masséna for our last night in Nice. On the main street in Nice, Rue Masséna. They make great pizzas served in a half-moon, in an energetic spot that’s great for people watching. Charles loves the four cheese pizza and Nicole loves their thick-cut pepperoni. Afterwards we take a stroll to old Nice for ice cream.
Fenoccio
Get in line for the best home made gelato and sorbet in town. They have far too many flavors to choose from and many with regional flavors like fig, yogurt, fleur d’oranger, lavender, tomato basil, calisson (a traditional almond treat from the south), torte de blettes, marrons glacé, speculoos, and more. The location in the old town is the best one, if not only for the bustling square where its located.
“À bientôt!”
