NICE FLOWER MARKET & SAINT-JEAN-CAP-FERRAT

We had the most incredible weather during our two days in Nice and decided to enjoy the beach at our hotel for a couple hours before we set off on our next adventure. I ordered this cover-up before our trip because I usually just throw on a t-shirt and shorts for the beach and knew I’d want something a little cuter to wear in France. It’s one size fits all so it’s definitely roomy, but I kind of love that it’s easy to throw on and take off and know it will be on heavy rotation all summer. This exact style has been going in and out of stock online, but it’s still available in yellow and I also love this navy version and this short style. You can browse the whole line here!

hotel royal riviera nice on design darling

design darling nice france

9seed paloma cover up

hotel royal riviera design darling nice france

After a couple hours at the beach we changed into real clothes (yes, I now own this Gal Meets Glam dress in two colors) and made our way into town to get coffee and visit the Nice flower market on Cours Saleya. We’d tried to make it there the evening before because I’d read online it stays open until 5:30 p.m., but having visited on both days I’d say it’s really best to get there before noon. I’m not sure if the vendors just wanted to head to the beach on the days we were there, but most of the flowers were gone and trucks were being loaded up by 3:00 p.m. Just something to keep in mind if you’re planning a visit!

gal meets glam claire dress in blue and white

Thankfully the market was bustling the morning we went and is surrounded by tons of cafés and creperies, making it an easy spot to grab lunch after you stroll through the market. There were incredible pink peonies and hydrangeas as well as different vendors for fruits, cheese, soaps, and more. I bought way too many colorful soaps as souvenirs for family and friends (which Will loved finding space for in our luggage…) but I’m excited to have a little piece of Nice in our home (they’re almost too pretty to use!). There’s also a popular gelato shop called Fenocchio that several of you recommended on Instagram and it was hands down best coffee gelato I’ve ever had. 

nice flower market cours saleya on design darling

nice flower market cours saleya

colorful soaps on cours saleya nice

nice flower market on design darling

We decided to grab an afternoon glass of rosé at Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat before heading to the airport and I am so glad we managed to squeeze it in! We walked in without a reservation and were led to a table right next to the pool overlooking the Mediterranean. The pool restaurant was surprisingly empty but I did meet an adorable Design Darling reader which absolutely made my day! This is definitely a hotel I could see us returning to for a big anniversary or birthday celebration — I can’t think of a more romantic spot for a special occasion!

saint-jean-cap-ferrat on design darling

grand hotel du cap-ferrat on design darling

gal meets glam claire dress on design darling

grand hotel du cap-ferrat pool restaurant on design darling-3

gal meets glam claire dress in blue and white stripes

Will and I were both pleasantly surprised by how much we loved Nice, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and Villefranche-sur-Mer. I expected it would somehow pale in comparison between time in Saint-Tropez and Paris, but we found Vieux Nice as charming as any village, albeit with more people on the sidewalks. Maybe it’s because we had better weather in Nice than in Saint-Tropez or maybe it’s that Nice is so close to Italy — it was like having the best of both worlds in that I could speak French with waiters while ordering Italian favorites like pizza, pasta, gelato, etc.! 

When I studied abroad (eight years ago, how?!) I realized there were certain places that I was happy to visit and cross off my list and others that I never wanted to leave and vowed to return to one day. And this part of France is definitely a place I can see us wanting to come back to someday! Knowing that there are so many other beautiful villages in addition to Villefranche-sur-Mer (Èze, Menton, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, etc.) makes me excited to do more exploring the next time we’re able to visit! 

I hope you’ve enjoyed the posts from our trip so far! If you’re playing catch-up, I’ve written about our time in Saint-Tropez and Grimaud and in Antibes, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and Villefranche-sur-Mer. Next up: Paris!

9seed cover-up  //  Mark & Graham monogrammed straw bag c/o

Cuyana hat  //  Celine sunglasses

Gal Meets Glam striped dress  //  J.Crew rattan clutch

Stubbs & Wootton slippers c/o (use code MACKENZIE for 10% off sitewide!)

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