Your walk to the beaches takes you through the stunning Place Masséna and Vieux-Nice old town, two iconic sites in the City of Nice. Right next to is a hotel where real bees and the spirit of the city live.
There is no better story than the true confession of a city dweller.Meet a happy man, who comes to work by scooter! Jacques Ramat, General Manager of the Florence Hotel.
What do you associate with the French Riviera?
The French Riviera is the best place to be in France, for one night, one week, one month, one year or for the life! It is a sweet and sophisticated blend of tradition and modernity: Everywhere, there is something for every taste, you will discover a range of styles in any area (architecture, cuisine and gastronomy, luxury hotels, museums, art, ). No doubt, the French Riviera is (among) the most beautiful costal destination in the world!
What makes Nice different?
Nice is one of the most touristic places in France, which is not surprising…
If you come in Nice alone, in couple, with friends or with family, for leisure or business travel: You will always have opportunities to do something in an ideal context between the sun and the sea!
You will see, the warmth of summer is nothing compared to the warmth of the people from Nice who welcome tourists from all over the world since centuries and centuries. For sure, you will make the difference by yourself.
It’s a great getaway destination for walkers, workers, divers, gourmets, hangers of art and for those who just like peace and quiet. Nice is the perfect place to enjoy the splendor of the wilderness, to do shopping, eating out, exploring and relaxing. You don’t need to use you car to visit the city: The journey is made by walk, by bicycle, by trotinette (this is my case, everywhere I go or I move around in Nice, I use my own “trotinette” since many years!), by bus, by train, by tramway or by other active modes of transport, even by wheelchairs. Today, you can go to the airport since the center town for 1.50€ which is not the case in Paris or Marseilles!
What is your favorite place in this city?
I always have that strong feeling when I arrive on the Promenade des Anglais. That place became today a real place of life for meeting and exchange, between generations from different cultures and which unfortunately, was the place of tragic event not so long ago. You can enjoy a cool and romantic sunset on all the “baie des anges”, you can also practice your favorite sport over a several-kilometer-wide area, you can walk and explore the place at any time of the day or the night (during a sunny lovely afternoon or during a night picnic on the pebbles, certainly not very comfortable but so aesthetic). You will also have a lot of fun watching the tourists come out of the water in positions sometimes very comical because of those famous pebbles. Did you know, that bringing pebbles from the beaches is forbidden and dangerous for the coast (and even liable to a fine)? My favorite place on the Promenade des Anglais would be certainly the Castel Beach for different reasons (good restaurant, comfortable loungers where you can have a drink, nice view, small haven of peace closed to the old-town)
What surprised you the most about the hotel?
What surprised me the most? Certainly, the commitment to protecting the environment. If you visit us, you will find it everywhere in the hotel. To be honest, before arriving at the Hotel Florence, I was not particularly invested or concerned by the protection of our environment. But by discovering, respecting, and putting in place all these simple actions that allow us to live in a better world, I got involved myself to minimize as much as possible the footprint of our activity by preserving resources and by limiting the pollution. Even at home, it completely changed my way of life. Today, my greatest pride is the maintenance of the 3 hives we have on the roof of the hotel (named Hive Saleya, Hive Massena and Hive Nissa). You can see, in direct live, the life and the rich activity of our busy bees, on the screen in the breakfast room: Several thousand of bees are working hard to produce more than 40k of a delicious honey. Thanks to this action, the Hotel Florence contributes the protection of bees, actually in danger everywhere on the planet.
What tastes we’ve to try in Nice?
You have to taste 3 important things when you arrive in Nice: The Socca, the Pan Bagnat and the famous Salade Niçoise!
The Socca is THE symbol of the traditional Nice gastronomy: This is a sort of pancake made with chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt and pepper (that’s all), cooked in a wood stove on a copper plate. It’s eaten with your fingers just out of the oven, well sprinkled with pepper and accompanied by a chilled glass of rosé! The best place for me, to enjoy a good Socca? La Socca d’Or (45 rue Bonaparte in Nice) and la Socca du cours (Cours Saleya until 01:00pm during the flowers market)
La salade Niçoise: This is a traditional culinary specialty of the cuisine niçoise. Don’t ask to a person of Nice what are the ingredients of the recipe, this is a polemic subject! The best place to eat THE real salad Niçoise is at Restaurant Acchiardo, a traditional Nice restaurant run by 4 generations of the Acchiardo family since 1927 (38 rue droite In Nice)
The Pan Bagnat: Originally from Nice, the Pan Bagnat is the name given to a type of sandwich that is very popular in the French Riviera. The Pan Bagnat is found everywhere in Nice, and for the last few years there has been an authentic Pan Bagnat label, enabling you to enjoy fresh produce of high quality.
What are the inhabitants of this city like?
The inhabitants of Nice are proud of the evolution of their city, years after years. Both elegant and simple, Nice’s charm comes from its exceptional climate as well as its beauty and its traditions. The most popular tradition is the Nice Carnival every February. This event justifies a stay in Nice. It is world famous and attracts nearly a million visitors of all nationalities every year. 100% fun guaranty! People of Nice will tell you they don’t like to stay in Nice during this period but they are very proud of their carnival they make live since 1294. For this period, all the staff of the hotel and I are disguised!
As well as its festivities, the Carnival period offers a wonderful opportunity to discover Nice in the winter: the mild climate, light-filled skies and of course the French Riviera lifestyle.
What should we wish this hotel for the future?
Plenty of honey for our guests! More seriously, I wish to Summer Hotels to continue its brilliant rise to fame: 8 hotels are, to date, part of our group, all located on the French Riviera between Cannes and Menton. Each hotel tells its own story in which our customers have the main role. I wish to the Hotel Florence to be an example to make our planet a better one. I wish a global awareness that will make the difference. I dream of a better world within an exceptional city, Nice!
For Hôtel Florence Nice, your smile is worth their while.
