Antique State of Mind - Nice, France

This past August we were craving warmer weather and true summer temps, so we booked a long weekend in Nice, France nestled on the beautiful French Riviera. It was seriously everything we read about and more. Stunning coastal views, lovely pebble beaches, amazing food, and of course all the rosé all the live long day. But there was one more thing that made this trip one of the best, the Cours Saleya antique market. My husband did some research and found this gem in Old Town that on Monday’s turns into a giant antique market, instead of it’s normal produce market. I couldn't resist and probably walked past each stall at least four times.

If you love antiquing and are heading to Nice, this is a must do! Old Town is the historic center of the city and very accessible, and you cannot miss this market, which sits right in the middle of the town and right on your way to the port. My only regret is not buying enough goods. They had seriously stunning French linens, old world maps, antique jewels, and fancy perfume bottles. While we spent nearly two hours wandering through the striped awning covered lanes, I still felt like I didn’t get to see everything and could have spent the entire day there. My husband, however had his eyes set on some rosé on the beach, so we compromised. That's how this whole marriage thing works, right?

Whoever says the French aren’t the most pleasant weren’t talking about Nice. I mean it's in the name! I had so much fun meeting the sellers, trying to speak French and barter at the same time, and at one point was offered a kiss in lieu of payment for an antique horseshoe. I opted for the one euro payment plan, but it’s always nice when a Nice man offers.

Needless to say, this is definitely a must see when traveling to Nice and it's impossible to miss being in the center of Old Town. There are lovely cafes, including a delicious creperie that we went to twice, lining the streets of the market, and it's parallel to the beach as well. If you're traveling with any non-antiquers, they'll have plenty to do while you peruse. A couple of tips for those who don't speak French... you'll get a warmer welcome if you just attempt. Open up with a Bonjour (hello) or a comment allez-vous (how are you?), and they'll be way more open to haggling with you. If you go straight into the haggling, they'll likely be offended. And if they offer you a kiss? Well that depends on how much rosé has been ingested all day...