My Final Month in Nice
- allyfrantz5
- Jun 12, 2023
- 19 min read
Salut!
As a small note, the first half of this was written at the end of my program, while the second half was written recently in June!
At the time of my writing this, I am sitting in the Nice airport waiting to board the first of my two flights home. After an overnight layover in Zurich, I will hopefully be landing on U.S. soil in just a short 24 hours time, and I cannot believe it! It's definitely true what they say, time flies. What a whirlwind of a final month it has been abroad. As you can imagine, life, studies, and travel were very consuming these past 4 weeks, so my apologies for neglecting to update more often! That being said, we have a lot of recapping to do!
Since my last post, I took a solo trip to Lyon, ventured northward to Amsterdam, spent Easter weekend in Copenhagen, took in some beautiful sights at the Gorges du Verdon, studied a lot, wrote a million papers, re-visited some of my favorite towns along the Côte d'Azur (and explored some new ones!), ate plenty of delicious foods, stumbled across Sofia Richie's wedding in Antibes, and ended my time in Europe with the most spectacular final trip to Lisbon, Portugal! Talk about a jam-packed itinerary!
Starting off with Lyon - wow was it amazing! This was my first fully solo trip, and luckily it could not have gone smoother. With it being the second largest city in France, and the gastronomique capital of the world, there was certainly much to do, see, and eat during my 24-hour voyage, and I enjoyed every second of it!
My journey started with a trip to Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse. This is an indoor marketplace with a massive variety of meats, cheeses, pâtisseries, breads, and the like. It was made famous after Anthony Bourdain visited in 2014, and I can certainly see why it is such a sought-after destination. This is an incredible market! World-renowned, Michelin star chefs have opened smaller storefronts in this market to experiment with new menus and ingredients at a more affordable price, making it both accessible and exciting for the general public to get a taste of really well-crafted foods. This is also where I tried a canelé for the first time. Wikipedia defined it best, so let me just copy and paste the description here for you: "A canelé is a small French pastry flavored with rum and vanilla with a soft and tender custard center and a dark, thick caramelized crust." Yum!!
After my visit to Les Halles de Lyon, I took some time to explore the city and stumble across new sights. I passed by some more wonderful markets, beautiful pastries, and delicious madeleines (very famous in Lyon!), and finally stumbled across one of my new favorite places ever. Parc de la Tête d'Or is the largest public park in France and does not disappoint in the slightest. Even though I visited on an overcast, rainy day, Parc de la Tête d'Or was nonetheless very beautiful. The park is massive, well-preserved, clean, and so joyful. I could easily picture myself going for runs along the endless paths or having picnics underneath a perfect tree. Little corner kiosks play whimsical music, sell balloons, and whip up cotton candy as if it were an old county fair. A little train coasts around the park for children to enjoy. And my personal favorite, there is an entire section of the park reserved as a deer sanctuary! I even read that there is an ostrich or two roaming the grounds?!
Within the park, Lyon's local government also invested in building greenhouses and botanical gardens dating back to the 18th century, all of which are completely free to visit for the general public. So fun and so beautiful! It reminded me so much of a little French version of the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh. Such a nice way to get a little touch of home while abroad :)
I was most surprised with the cleanliness and sustainability efforts of Lyon. It is quite a wealthy city, and I did not realize until after visiting that its government is one of the biggest leaders of environmental action across France. And you could really tell. Composting and multi-stream recycling bins were found on every street corner. In fact, there were probably twice as many composting and recycling facilities as there were for general trash! The streets were almost immaculately clean. And don't even get me started on the urban planning and transportation! Bike lanes filled the majority of each street and the sidewalks were large, safe, and very accessible. Every bridge connecting the old town to the city center across the Rhône was walkable (and by the way, the Rhône is beautiful! Incredible! Gorgeous!).
Despite it being a large city, I ended up walking everywhere because of how easy and safe it was! That was really such a delight. If there were ever a place to solo travel, this would be the city to do so. As I strolled across the city, I could not stop picturing myself myself living here in another life time.
While in Lyon, I also visited a very sweet and all-vegan cat cafe! If that doesn't have my name written all over it, then I don't know what does. The food was delicious but I have to admit, the cats were definitely the highlight. I was this close to just plopping one into my backpack and taking her home with me!
On the evening of my first night, I also planned to visit the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, a breathtaking cathedral at the top of the highest hill in the city. This was recommended to me by another student in my program who had visited a few weeks prior, but I have to say they did not adequately prepare me for the hike it takes to get up there! It starts off with a couple flights of stairs and a little climb up a hill, and then you turn a corner and there are probably 1,000 more steps plus a steep, winding trail you follow to get to the top, all on a crazy incline that never seems to end. It also made me seriously question my fitness because there were some people well beyond my years with little hiking poles that probably could have lapped me.
This trek was certainly not for the weak, but I will say it was definitely worth it for the view! At the top was a perfect bird's eye panorama of all of Lyon, and the cathedral itself was the most jaw-dropping one I have come across so far. Mosaics, greens, and golds covered intricately designed arches, and every window was decorated in some type of spectacular stained-glass display.
Alongside some wonderful views and delicious foods, I also visited a really fun miniature museum and an art gallery on my final day, both of which were very enjoyable and well worth the visit! It was a great conclusion to a well-needed and adventure-filled trip.
The following week on March 30th, I then traveled to Amsterdam! It's probably annoying that I say this about every city, but again. just. amazing. in every single way. Despite the constant rain and chilly, windy weather, the city was enchanting, warm, welcoming, clean, and oh so delightful. I would go back tomorrow in a heartbeat if I could!
We were very lucky in that for the weekend we visited, it was also the opening weekend of the famous Keukenhof tulip festival! This was such an incredible, beautiful adventure. The Keukenhof gardens cultivate over 7 million flower bulbs annually, with about 800 different tulip varieties. Some of the oldest tulip variations date back over 400 years. For context, many of these tulips are almost twice as old as the age of the United States. Walking through the gardens and greenhouses, I just could not believe the amount of colors, styles, and displays of tulips filling every corner of the grounds. And although tulips are of course the highlight, there were also entire exhibits devoted to other floral favorites, like irises, orchids, hyacinths, daffodils, roses, and lilies. It was a quintessential Dutch experience! We even stepped foot into some clogs, walked around a windmill, saw trout being smoked, watched a gouda cheese wheel get cut open, and had our first (but not last!) warm and delicious stroopwafel.
After the gardens, we traveled back into the heart of the city to do some sight-seeing and window shopping. Every corner of the city has its own unique character, and you could easily spend an entire day just strolling alongside the canals, admiring the row houses, and taking in all of the thousands of cyclists zipping along the narrow streets.
That evening, we took an evening canal tour on a small boat and learned a bit more about the history of the city, its unique architecture, and the role it played as a Jewish refugee site in World War II. We also learned that Amsterdam actually has more bikes than people, which is easy to believe once you see the hundreds of bikes locked up on every post, tree, or fence across the entire city. With the lights glistening down on the waters as we coasted through the maze of canals, this boat trip was such a beautiful way to get a rich and immersive understanding of this unique city.
The following day can best be describe as a true gastronomical experience. We started our day with a traditional dutch pancake, which is a big like an extra large crêpe in terms consistency. Ours were topped with cinnamon apples and powdered sugar to make for a perfectly sweet and comforting meal!
Afterwards, we headed over to the famous Albert Cuyp market, a seemingly endless street of vendors that is considered to be the most beautiful market in all of Amsterdam. You can purchase everything from groceries, pottery, and street food, to dresses, fabrics, and souvenirs. Most importantly, however, is that about halfway down the market there is a vendor home to.the most deliciously perfect stroopwafel in all the world. It is prepared in front of you as you order, and served so delightfully warm that the cinnamon-y caramel flavors immediately melt in your mouth. The rainy weather made it even more delicious and comforting, if that is possible. It was really, really spectacular!
After the market, we stopped for a light meal, where I had the most tender and flavorful cauliflower of my entire life. (Side note: I've tried to recreate it since being home and, unfortunately, I have yet to be successful). We then visited the seven streets, which is a collection of avenues home to all of Amsterdam's local, eclectic boutiques and shops. Here, you can even wait in line for about an hour at Van Stapele Koekmakerij, a bakery that makes one thing and one thing only: a perfect dark chocolate cookie with a gooey, white chocolate chip center that is baked fresh all day long. Van Stapele sells more than 3,000 of these cookies every day, and as fate would have it, I was one of the very last people to purchase one before they sold out for the entire day!
After some more sight-seeing, we met up with a friend from our program who was also exploring Amsterdam the same weekend! As it was our final night in the city, we celebrated by indulging in a traditional Dutch dinner before ending the night with a fun-filled game of glow-in-the-dark mini golf.
On our final morning, we had a light breakfast at Bakhuys, a beautiful bakery we had stumbled upon the day prior, and had some delightful pastries amidst the café's warm, cozy atmosphere.
Most of the rest of our day consisted of exploring the Rijksmuseum, which was incredible! Some of my favorite exhibits included a boat diorama room showcasing the history of fishing and boating in Holland, a room dedicated to intricately-designed grandfather clocks, and the special exhibit costume display. But despite these unique artifacts, the highlight of the museum is actually found in the Rijksmuseum's library. The room is just an absolute architectural beauty. Books cover nearly every surface of the room and the spiral staircases make it feel as though you are directly inside of Belle's library from the Beauty and the Beast.
Funnily enough, we finally had beautiful and sunny weather on our final day in Amsterdam. To savor that moment, we took a stroll through the green, vibrant grounds of Vondelpark. Flowers were blooming on trees, the sun was shining, birds were singing, and happy bikers coasted along the trails as we soaked in our final moments in this wondrous city.
I love the tiny cars of Amsterdam!
And because apparently my weeks did not seem travel-heavy enough, the next week we spent a long Easter weekend back up north to one of my top dream destinations, Copenhagen, Denmark!
Copenhagen was such a dream. It has a reputation for being one of the happiest, cleanest, and coziest places in the entire world, and for good reason too. We flew in late on Wednesday evening and were not able to catch a bus to our hostel until about 12:45am. Despite it being the middle of the night in a delayed bus full of fatigued travelers, our bus driver merrily greets us with the uplifting remark to "don't worry, just be happy!" And truthfully that attitude just epitomized our trip and the energy of Copenhagen as a whole. The entire city is filled with some of the friendliest, kindest, and happiest people, and for that reason it is also incredibly safe as well. It's just pretty perfect, honestly.
Very early into our trip, we were introduced to the word "hygge", which is pronounced 'hyoo-guh'. From Danish to English, there is no one direct translation for the word, but is more so a lifestyle or way of being that emphasizes the value of the little things in life, as well as coziness, comfort, and conviviality. The ten principles of hygge include atmosphere, presence, pleasure, equality, gratitude, harmony, comfort, truce, togetherness, and shelter. With these guiding principles setting the mood for the entire Danish national character, it is no wonder they are some of the happiest people on earth. I tried to embody the energy of hygge for my entire trip, starting of course, with the food.
I will admit that about 75 percent of the trip was spent at the Torvehallerne food market, aka paradise on earth. If you are looking for some of the most splendid, comforting, Danish and hygge-style foods, this is a must visit. Here, I had some of the most spectacular oatmeal ever ever, a pain au chocolat that rivaled (and maybe even topped?!) any French pastry I have had, a soft and delicate cinnamon roll, outstanding tacos, beautifully floral coffee (btw, the quality of Danish coffee is in an entire league of its own), and nourishing Mediterranean-style salad bowls. It's fair to say that Copenhagen was a big food adventure if nothing else.
For those unaware, one of my favorite shows is Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix, where Phil Rosenthal travels across the world exploring new foods and cultures, and meets some amazing people along the way as well. It is a true comfort show, and one of my favorite episodes was his trip to Copenhagen. So, many of my food explorations were heavily influenced by Phil's personal recommendations (which did not disappoint!). We indulged in the Hija de Sanchez tacos, which blends local Danish ingredients with traditional Mexican cuisine (seriously, best tacos in the world). I also tried a DOP veggie-dog, which was so surprisingly flavorful and delicious. Apparently, Copenhagen is very well known for their hot dog street vendors, so I am happy I was able to check that experience off my list as well!
And if that didn't seem like enough, for dinner two nights of our trip we explored Reffen, an open-air street food market that brings together people, cultures, and cuisines in one exciting, unique, and sustainability-focused environment. Reffen is located on Paper Island, which was originally a home for shipping containers and industrial parts, but was recently transformed into a communal street food dining experience. It is unlike any other place I have been to! This market is not for the indecisive, either. There are hundreds of vendors with seemingly every type of cuisine imaginable, including Argentinian, Icelandic, Afghan, Malaysian, Greek, Japanese, Nepalese, Korean, and more! Once you finally make a decision, you can grab your food and sit by a fireplace in a cozy Adirondack chair, listen to some comforting music, and watch the sun set over the water. It was such an idyllic way to conclude our evenings, and I am dreaming of the day I get to return!
Alongside our many food explorations, we also visited the Rosenborg castle and gardens, built in the 17th century for Christian IV, and home to some stunning royal jewels.
One morning, we also road-tripped a bit northward of the city to visit the Louisiana Art Museum based on a recommendation from a hostel mate. This museum is actually a gorgeous mid-century modern style home that was transformed into one large art exhibit based on the works of Georgian painter Niko Pirosmani. It is situated right alongside the Øresund, which is the strait between Denmark and Sweden that connects the North and Baltic seas. This museum was well worth the visit! The architecture, art displays, and atmosphere of the entire property brought so much solace and peace. It was such a memorable and unique experience.
On our final day in Copenhagen, we did something a bit out-of-the-box and ventured out to the countryside to go on a horseback trail ride through the forest. Wow. This was so beyond wonderful. I often long for all the days I used to spend at the barn, covered in horse hair, and getting to ride, so this was an extra special moment that brought back many sweet memories.
I rode Chantelle, a gorgeous black Irish cob who was so gentle and kind. We spent an hour trekking through the peaceful forests of the Copenhagen countryside in exquisite weather, which made for a truly 'hygge' ending to an extraordinary trip.
After my return from Copenhagen, I only had three short weeks left to savor my final moments in Nice. What a bittersweet time this was! While many days were spent writing papers, studying for exams, finishing final projects, and packing, there was also time made to indulge in la vie de la Côte d'Azur.
On Thursday the 13th. our program hosted a farewell dinner for us students at a nice restaurant by the water. This was a great way to rehash all of the new memories, adventures, and joyful moments made over our four months together. It was a true celebration of our growth as students, global citizens, and Francophiles.
On Saturday the 15th, we had our final program-wide trip to the Gorges du Verdon in Provence, known commonly as the Grand Canyon of France and a must-see natural wonder. This was both a beautiful and insightful trip. We we were very fortunate that our program organized this trip, as it is quite difficult to get to without a personal car, so it is not a sight we would have been able to explore on our own. However, as a result of the long-term drought in the region, the water in the river was at a record low. From where we stood on the shoreline, you could see the natural lines carved along the hill about 50 feet above us where the water used to lie. Nevertheless, the gorges were stunning and we were able to enjoy their beauty with a picnic by the water and many games of pétanque.
Nice seems to really come to life during the middle and end of April. Trees and flowers seem to blossom over night, the weather is consistently between 65 and 70ºF, and an influx of tourists awaken the old town, restaurants, and shops. During my final two weeks, I made an effort to revisit some of my favorite cafés and boulangeries, as well as some of my favorite towns along the coast.
On Wednesday the 21st, myself and two friends took a small trip just 20 minutes east to Menton for a beach day. I had visited Menton in February for the lemon festival, but did not have the opportunity to explore much of he old town or beach, so this was a nice way to take in more of what the town has to offer. Above anything else, Menton is so colorful and picturesque! I honestly think it is one of the most eye-catching and charming towns along the Côte d'Azur. While sitting on the Plage des Sablettes next to the port, you get a perfect backdrop of the pastel buildings nestled within the mountain. So perfect! But what made this trip even more perfect was the fact that we were lucky enough to see a pod of dolphins leaping through the water as we walked along the boardwalk! From the moment I arrived in Nice, i was hoping to see dolphins, and up to this point, had never been successful. And yet a week before I was set to leave, about ten to twelve dolphins joyfully bounced through the waves in front of us, and it almost seemed as if they were putting on a little show! This quickly became one of my favorite memories of my entire trip.
I also used my final week to make one last visit to Antibes. Alongside Nice, this is my favorite favorite town and one that I miss so much! I packed myself a picnic, strolled through the town, enjoyed some sunshine by my favorite beach (Plage de la Gravette), took one last coastal hike along the cap d'Antibes, and marveled in the sights of the fancy mansions by the bay of billionaires. As I was nearing the end of my hike, I also made an effort to stop by the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, where on this same day Sofia Richie was getting married. While I did not see the bride or the actual wedding ceremony, I did get to catch a glimpse of her entire wedding party and venue which was so beautiful. I only wish I would have been able to stay in Nice for just a few weeks more for the Cannes Film Festival, and maybe then I would have had the opportunity for some more celebrity sightings!
During my time in Nice, nearly everyone commented on how beautiful and unique Plage Mala in Cap d'Ail was. So on a particularly sunny and warm Monday, I ventured out with a group of friends to explore this hidden oasis. The beach is situated alongside a mountainside and nestled in a cove, and it really is a must-see. With perfectly clear blue water, sandy beaches, and a gorgeous mountain as the backdrop, it is hard to believe that this place even exists, and more so that I was lucky enough to visit it on a random Monday in April?! Truthfully, my life for these four months was just a plethora of surreal, pinch-me moments.
In my final few days, I made one last trip out to the Lérins Islands off the coast of Cannes, just to soak in the last of its beauty and serenity. And on my last sunny and warm day, I set off to Villefranche-sur-Mer for one last swim in the Mediterranean and some sunbathing on the sandy beach.
Despite a jam-packed final week full of many excursions and activities, my final day was relatively calm and uneventful. I spent time packing and cleaning, taking one last walk through the Libération and Cours Saleya markets up to Castle hill, and sitting by the promenade for a final sunset on the beach. It was also a time spent saying au revoir to friends, professors, and advisors in my program, which was incredibly bittersweet. And before I knew it, April 30th fell upon me in the blink of an eye and I was heading to the Nice airport for the (almost) final time.
Before I left Europe for good, I had been longing to visit Lisbon and was able to fit it in at the very end of my trip. After storing most of my luggage in Nice for a few days, I set off for a quick three-day exploration to Portugal for one final European adventure (for now!). And let me just say, Lisbon exceeded any and all expectations I had. It was the perfect and ultimate conclusion to my journey and brought so many happy and joyful memories.
Firstly, I have never seen so much greenery and parks in one city before. The city was incredibly scenic, and with everything in full bloom, it absolutely blossomed with color and life. Intricately-designed tiles cover nearly every building and music joyously floats the streets day and night. We also were able to indulge in some pretty incredible Portuguese food, including these phenomenal churros with dulce de leche. Yum!
One of my favorite moments of the trip was walking through the University of Lisbon's botanical garden. This. is a preserved plot of land with every corner filled with tropical trees, flowers, and grasses. It felt like stepping into an enchanting tropical oasis far removed from any noise or people, yet in fact it was situated right in the heart of the city. It was so calming to walk amongst the many palm trees and singing birds, and just soak in so much of the greenery that I had been missing from France for so long.
During this trip, we also spent time exploring the historic Alfama district, known as the oldest neighborhood in Lisbon. It is easy to spend hours just winding through these streets and taking in all of the hole-in-the-wall restaurants and shops. Here, we we were able to take in more beautiful tiled buildings, try an authentic pastel de nata, and learn about the unique history of corks and sardines in Portugal.
One of the top moments of the trip was when - based on the recommendation of many friends in my program - we set out to the beach for a surfing lesson! This was such an exhilarating and completely out-of-the-box experience, and actually quite physically intensive too! While my arms, legs, and abs were so sore for a few days after, I had the absolute best time catching a few waves (and completely wiping out twice as many times). While I do not expect to pursue the sport competitively any time soon, it was still so exciting to ride a wave in one of the best countries for surfing in the world.
We actually loved the beach that we surfed at so much, we returned the next day (on our final full day in Portugal), and spent the morning swimming in the wonderful water and lounging on the softest sand imaginable. I also acquired quite the collection of seashells, which was a fun batch of souvenirs to come home with.
To round out our trip, we took an afternoon trip on a sail boat to float down the Tagus River to see some iconic sights from the water, including the Belém Tower, 25th of April bridge (which looks almost exactly like the Golden Gate Bridge!), Christ the King statue, and Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology. We even had the opportunity to try green wine which is native to the region and very delicious! Funnily enough, on this boat we met a couple on their honeymoon who both graduated from the University of Pittsburgh! Even more coincidental, of the eight people on the boat, four of us were named Allyson! Small world.
For our final dinner, we explored LX Factory, an old industrial complex that was transformed into a village for local artists, restaurants, and shops. This was such a unique area to explore, and the food was absolutely delicious as well.
Early the next morning, I said farewell to Lisbon to head back to Nice to collect my luggage. I only had a few short hours to visit soak in the city one last time before heading back to the airport and boarding a flight to Zurich for the night. Side note, but the Zurich airport is beautiful, so clean, and very safe, and we were even given Swiss chocolates on our flight! I got the smallest taste of Switzerland from my very short time in the area, and this is already a top of bucket list country to come back to one day.
After an overnight layover, I was finally on my way back to the U.S.! On my flight from Zurich to Dulles, the flight attendants notified us passengers that this would be the pilot's final flight before retirement, after working for United for over 35 years. It seemed like a very fitting conclusion to my entire trip, as this was also the end of a wonderful journey myself.❤️
My time in Nice was unforgettable. It was often challenging, isolating, and full of many mistakes and unknowns. But for every difficult moment, there were twice as many truly sensational ones. I am more confident in my French, my global competence, and my ability to adapt to ever-changing circumstances. More so, I'm leaving this experience with a much greater sense of self and a longing to continue my discovery of the world and all it has to offer. And for all of the places I've traveled to, the people I've met, and the rich cultures I've experienced, I am able to carry every part with me like small pieces of an ever-growing puzzle.
That's all I have for now! Until my next adventure!
Au revoir,
Allyson
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