Category Archives: Nice

Nice Museums: Admission Fees

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It was nice while it lasted but now it’s over. Nice municipal museums have been free for years but now the city has instituted admission fees. But only for visitors! Residents of “greater Nice” are eligible for a free museum pass. The move is controversial. Some say that the city’s budget demanded it while others point out that Nice’s museums are not well frequented as it is and that they are an important part of the city’s cultural life. We are more than a sun and sea destination! Not to mention the proud artistic heritage of Nice and the Cote d’Azur. The new admission policy splits Nice Municipal Museums into four groups. A €10 pass allows you admission into all the museums in the group for 48 hours. Here are the groups: Arts including the Matisse Museum, MAMAC, Palais Lascaris, Théâtre de la Photographie & de l’Image, Espace Ferrero, Galerie de la Marine and Galerie des Ponchettes Fine Arts including Musée de Beaux Arts and the Museum of  Naïve Art History including Massena Museum and Prieuré du Vieux-Logis Science including Museum of Archaeology (sites of Cimiez and Terra Amata) and Museum of Natural History Students and those under 18 are admitted free. It remains to be seen how well this new policy will work. The lack of individual admissions means that choosing museums from several different groups could be very expensive indeed. Keep in mind that there are admission fees for private museums in Nice, such as the Chagall Museum. … Continue reading →

Nice Jazz Festival 2014

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Well that was a big improvement! Last year’s festival was marred by the not-quite-finished construction of the Coulée Verte, the stretch of park and promenade that extends the Jardins Albert 1er where the festival is held. The festival space is much more attractive now that the landscaping is finished. Winding walkways lined with trees and flowering bushes open onto a new and spacious dining area, the Place Yitzhak Rabin, with food stalls and picnic tables. It’s a pleasant place to nibble and listen to the sounds coming from the Masséna stage. In fact, the music from the Masséna stage can be enjoyed from the bordering streets for those wishing to save €35 for a ticket! The ambiance is not the same though. The other stage is the Théâtre de Verdure, a more traditional venue, where seats are arranged in a semi-circle around the stage. The two stages are set far apart in an effort to keep the sounds from the larger Masséna which hosts the more blockbuster acts, from bleeding onto the Verdure crowd. Much progress had been made on that front mainly because the acts start at different times. Truly blockbuster acts were in short supply this year. (See the program here) The headliners at the Scene Masséna drew niche crowds: Deep Purple for nostalgic oldsters; Metronomy and Electro Deluxe for youngsters; Gipsy Kings and Ibrahim Maalouf for World Music fans. There was no major pop star either on the way down or on the way up to pull in the … Continue reading →

Nice Jazz Festival 2014

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Mayor Christian Estrosi, festival director Dimitri Triadafillidis, artistic director Sebastien Vidal and festival parrain Richard Galliano gathered today at the Nice Opera to announce the line up for this year’s Nice Jazz Festival. First, Mayor Estrosi reminded the group that his decision to move the festival from its traditional home in Cimiez has been a success. Last year showed a 17% increase in the number of visitors. He also promised that the setting would be much improved this year as landscaping has been completed on the new Jardins Albert Premier. The festival will kick off on July 8 with Richard Galliano and the Nice Jazz Orchestra. Also on the bill will be Cecile McLorin Salvant, Kris Bowers, Keziah Jones, Ben L’Oncle Soul and Patrice. The headline July 9 will be the Christian McBride Trio. Also appearing will be Snarky Puppy, Vincent Peirani & Emile Parisien, Metronomy, Ibrahim Maalouf and Electro Deluxe. Jazz legend Kenny Garrett is the star on July 10. That evening will also rock to The Daptones, Deep Purple, Har Mar Superstar, Eli Degibri Quartet and Nikki Yanofsky. July 11 will see the return of Dr John & The Nite Trippers plus Butler, Bernstein & the Hot 9, Tony Paeleman Quartet, the Gipsy Kings, Cody Chesnutt and Robin McKelle & the Flytones. The festival will close on July 12 with Ed Motta & Nice Jazz Orchestra Horns, Joshua Redman Quartet, the winner of Tremplin Off, Cassius, De La Soul Live Band and The Galactic. Tickets are sold at … Continue reading →