Travel: 48 hours in Nice

People-watch on the promenade, contemplate the colours of Chagall's stained glass, and take a cruise to Saint-Tropez: Cathy Packe makes a spring visit to the home of dainty biscuits

Why go now?

Early summer is perfect in the south of France because you won't find it full of French tourists; they don't arrive until July and August, when they pour on to the autoroutes from the north, and stay for a month. You should also be able to avoid the World Cup if you wish (unbelievably, there are people who couldn't care less about football); the nearest matches are being played three hours along the coast in Marseille.

Beam down

The cheapest flights from the UK are operated by EasyJet (0990 292929) out of Liverpool: in May there is a promotional fare of pounds 29 one way. The airline also flies from Luton, and fares start at pounds 49 one way. British Airways flies from Heathrow and Gatwick, and British Midland operates a code-share from Heathrow with Air France. From the airport - conveniently placed at one end of the Baie des Anges - it is a short bus ride into the city centre. Buses leave every 20 minutes from just outside the arrivals hall, and stop at various points along the Promenade des Anglais before turning into the place Massena.

Alternatively, pay pounds 109 from London by train via Lille or Paris with Eurostar (0345 303030).

Get your bearings

Nice nestles between the sea and the mountains, equidistant from Cannes and the Italian border. Even in summer, the peaks of the Alps are covered with snow. The town is a curious mixture of old Mediterranean village and affluent city, with an extraordinarily grotty part in the middle. On the seafront, half-way round the bay, is the casino, and off to the side is the place Massena, more of a comma than a square. The main commercial street, the avenue Jean Medecin, goes off it at right angles, and leads up to the station and into the hills beyond.

Check in

You can pay as much or as little as you want for a hotel in Nice. The grandest is the Hotel Negresco at 37 promenade des Anglais (00 334 93 16 64 00), overlooking the bay and with its own private beach, but if you are not planning to spend your entire stay in the hotel itself, there are other places to be. My favourite area is just around the place Massena, which is handy for the beach, the old town, and the bus back to the airport. Try the Hotel Kent at 16 rue Chauvain (00 334 93 80 76), or the slightly cheaper Hotel Acanthe (00 334 93 62 22 44) which is farther down the same road.

Take a hike

Aim in the direction of the old town, and meander through the streets. Go in the morning and drift round the market in the cours Saleya. Six days a week the stalls have mimosa, bougainvillaea, honey, local wine, and vegetables that make you want to buy a bagful and start making ratatouille. On Mondays, produce stalls make way for the flea market.

Lunch on the run

Ignoring the incongruous Cyber Cafe Internet, and the ubiquitous McDonald's, there are any number of cafes on the cours Saleya where you could stop for a pizza or a salade nicoise and a carafe of Cotes de Provence. If you only want a snack and don't feel like sitting down, treat yourself to a piece of socca from Teresa, who serves slices from her hot plate in the middle of the market. A socca is a local speciality, rather like a pancake but made from chickpeas, which leaves it slightly sticky in the middle; it is liberally peppered.

Cultural afternoon

There are several worthwhile museums to visit, should you feel the urge to tear yourself away from the beach. Like many places on the Cote d'Azur, Nice has been the home of various artists, and there are interesting galleries containing the work of both Matisse and Chagall. They can be reached on the number 15 bus which goes up towards Cimiez, although if you have the energy, it's possible to walk from the centre of town. Of the two, the Chagall museum is smaller, and, I think, more impressive - there is some beautiful stained glass, and a lovely music room with a piano decorated by the painter.

Window shopping

Best starting-point for scrutinising the world of haute couture is the aptly named rue Paradis, where you will find Chanel, Cacharel, Sonia Rykiel and Armani. They all have their own boutiques, and you will find a selection of designer clothes at Gladys Falk. Lacoste and Yves Saint Laurent are on the avenue de Suede. The windows in Galeries Lafayette, on avenue Jean Medecin, are nowhere near as appealing, but the prices may be more manageable. If you want a tacky souvenir, go into the food hall in the basement, where they are currently selling Cuvee Football, a rose or red vin de pays from the region, in a football-shaped bottle - sadly, not life-sized - for F29.50.

An aperitif

The bar du Donjon is at the top of the hill known as Le Chateau. As you face the sea, you can see along the Baie des Anges way down to your right, and the harbour below to the left. You can walk up the hill if you like, but there is a lift. It will cost you F3.50 in each direction, and it stays open until dusk. The view is worth seeing in daylight, but hang on as it starts to get dark, and you will see the lights switched on along the Promenade des Anglais. If you prefer to be part of the view, rather than looking down at it, try one of the bars on the beach itself. The kir at the bar on Opera-plage always seems particularly good, but this may be the location as much as the quality of the wine.

Demure dinner

Unless you are allergic to seafood, you will find that one of the finest restaurants in town is the Grand Cafe de Turin, and its annexe, Le Petit Turin, in the place Garibaldi. There you can order a mixed plate of various crustacea, many of which you will never have seen before, and the price is fixed according to the size of the oysters you select. For 100F you will have more whelks, sea urchins and mussels than you will ever want to see, accompanied by a dangerous-looking selection of knives, forks and pins with which to encourage them from their shells. If you prefer your food cooked, try L'Olivier, in the same square. There are more tourists, but plenty of atmosphere, in the old town; however, be careful to avoid any restaurant that displays a menu in English.

Sunday morning: go to church

There is an Anglican church in the rue de la Buffa, but unless you particularly need to hear words you are familiar with, the Russian Cathedral, appropriately enough in avenue Nicholas II, off boulevard du Tzarewitch, has a simple service accompanied by haunting Orthodox chants. The onion domes are covered with ceramic tiles rather than gold leaf, but otherwise the cathedral looks as if it has been picked up out of a Moscow suburb and relocated in the sun. There is a service every Sunday at 10am.

Sunday lunch

For a proper French lunch washed down, as it should be, with some of the local wine, try La Criee, 22 cours Saleya (00 3314 93 85 49 99). The restaurant is reasonably priced and has a menu full of local specialities.

A walk on the prom

The best walk in the south of France is along the Promenade des Anglais, the pavement that sidles around the Baie des Anges, from the point where the harbour dips into the landscape, right round as far as the airport. Not everyone makes the trip on foot - many cycle or use in-line skates, and there are several places where you can stop to fish, or just sit and watch the world go by. The whole promenade is lined with expensive hotels and apartment buildings, all of which have spectacular balconies. Take a look at the "for sale" notices, and contemplate whether, in the long run, buying your own property is more economical than a series of weekend breaks.

The icing on the cake

What could be more relaxing than a Mediterranean cruise? Stroll round to the harbour and find out what time the next boat is leaving for Saint- Tropez or the Italian coast. The view of the coastline from the water is unforgettable, as you drift past the headlands and islands, with the sun shining on the mountains.