I'm back.... this time in Nice, France.

Until this morning, I was still undecided about whether or not to write a blog this "go round". After much deliberation, I figured it is the best way for me to chronicle my journey to learn French. Indeed the posts may not be as frequent or detailed because I will have less time. Both Keith, my husband and Brian, our good friend are here with me. We also expect visitors including Greg from Canada, my cousins Mick and Linda from England, ILA school pals Maija from Montpellier and Marianne from Finland and last, but definitely not least, Patricia, my previous host and dear friend, from Montpellier. We are only here for 7 weeks, but we hope to make the most of our stay. 

In my last post (April 2014), I mentioned that Keith, Brian and I were considering a trip back to France to study the language. Over the summer, we investigated a number of schools and accommodations and decided upon Actilangue, a French language school in Nice.

We arrived yesterday after an uneventful, tiring, but very pleasant flight. On a side note, we flew over on the new Air Canada 787 from Toronto to Zurich. Here's a picture of Brian and I.

It was very cool flying into Switzerland seeing the Alps above the clouds and then overlooking chalet like homes and green, pristine patches as we approached the airport. I began singing "Valderi-Valdera" to myself. From there, we flew with Swiss Air to Nice. It was only a 45 minute flight, but the scenery was beautiful. Once again, we flew over the Alps including the Matterhorn and then over the Mediterranean with its blue shimmering water and pretty coastal towns before landing in Nice. By the way, service on Swiss Air was exemplary - I would definitely fly with that airline again. 

Once we gathered our bags, we hailed a cab to take us to our apartment. We drove along the Promenade Anglais which is a major route along the Mediterranean coast for cars, cyclists and pedestrians. The beaches were dotted with people and there were several brave souls swimming. According to the cab driver, the water temperauture is about 20 degrees - not bad for October 24.

Our apartments are well situated in a beautiful villa called La Belle Epoch built in 1906. The building managers, delightful folks originally from Chester, England, told us that this building has had an interesting history. It was intially built as a private home and several mayors from Nice have lived here. In the 1950's in was converted into a hotel and then in the 1980's it was transformed into a number of apartments that are owned mostly by Brits and Swedes. One apartment is owned by a Canadian couple and that one will be rented by my cousins when they arrive. Our apartment is called the Garden Terrace and it is a well appointed with a bedroom, two bathrooms (although only 1 toilet), kitchen, dining area and living room. We have a lovely terrace where we can sit and enjoy a coffee or a glass of wine. Brian has the apartment below us and it is absolutely charming. 

After unpacking and a much needed shower, we headed out to explore the area and pick up a few groceries. My initial impressions were very favourable. Our first stop was nearby restaurant because we were all pretty hungry. Lunch was less than memorable, but it filled the void. From there, we found our school which is only about 7 minute walk from the apartment (yahoo, we won't have to get up so early). We then walked along the Promenade Anglais to the old town passing numerous fountains, beautiful buildings, churches, cafes, restaurants, gardens etc. Once again, I was struck by the number of people who find places to sit and just "be". After a few hours, it was time to stop for a rest and a beverage. It was hot and sunny so we found a patio to have a beer to quench our thirst and soak up a few rays. By this time, we were flagging and figured we should get a few provisions and head back to the villa for dinner. After a modest meal of salad, roast chicken and of course wine, we retired early and fell asleep in a matter of minutes. Tomorrow... more exploration around Nice.