Tourist Season: Nice Outshines Paris

 

With major international events like the Tour de France and the Olympic Games drawing visitors from around the globe, Nice has seen impressive tourism numbers so far this summer.

Despite the high visitor count, this season, locals have mentioned, feels far more pleasant, manageable, and calmer compared to the chaotic summers of the past two years.

While the peak season is not yet over, tourism levels are expected to remain steady through at least September and October. Nice, long considered a cultural hub and major draw for visitors, is already celebrating its success.

Local hoteliers are particularly pleased, reporting an impressive occupancy rate of nearly 89% between July 1 and August 15. The period’s peak occurred during the Tour de France on July 20 and 21, when hotels reached a 98% occupancy rate.

With an average annual occupancy of 85%, Nice has outperformed Paris, which currently maintains an occupancy rate between 60% and 65% for 2024, even as it hosts many Olympic events.

The majority of tourists in Nice are coming from the USA, along with Canadians, Germans, Italians, Belgians, and Dutch visitors.

International tourists now account for more than half of all overnight stays and revenue in the city’s tourism sector, and these numbers are expected to hold strong into the fall.

Mayor Christian Estrosi has reiterated Nice’s commitment to spreading events throughout the year to create a more balanced flow of visitors and revenue while protecting the city from the adverse effects of overtourism.

French Riviera Guests From Hell

 

*warning - bitchy rant

Summer is the season when people from around the world flock to the French Riviera for some fun in the sun. Given that it's still the season to some degree, this topic feels timely, especially since it often comes up in conversations among locals, whether in person or online.

 

And that topic? The guests from hell.

 

One thing you quickly learn when you start living on the French Riviera is that as summer approaches, you suddenly become very popular. People you know—or even friends of friends or distant relatives—start reaching out with requests to stay with you.

Some are quite blunt, acting with an air of entitlement. Others, at least in my experience, take a more subtle approach, playing the long game—though I can always see right through it.

 

It doesn't matter if you’ve just moved to the area or have been here for years; once word gets out about where you live, you become a target for these "vacation requests."

Even if they’ve never mentioned the Côte d'Azur in the past where you used to live as a place people have always wanted to visit, overall, people will find a way to seek you out. They might have no real knowledge of the area or any interest in your life until they perhaps realize you're a possible free lodging option. Suddenly, you’ll hear from people you haven’t spoken to in years, and even then in your former life, were mostly likely acquaintances and never hung out together.

 

Of course, this isn't unique to the French Riviera. It happens in prime travel destinations all over the world. If you love having visitors, that’s great. But there are always horror stories, and I’ve certainly had my share.

 

Once people think they have their "hook" in, the flattery begins. They start talking about how great it would be to see you, all while showering you with compliments. You know something is up when they say they’ve always been curious about your part of the world, followed by questions about your home’s size (thinking of their own comfort), your exact location, and proximity to beaches, restaurants, bars, and nightlife.

One of my first experiences of this, and one that tops my list, happened over a decade ago when I was excited about my big move to the Riviera. I made the mistake of telling a few people where I was going to be living with my now ex-partner. Word spread fast about our villa, pool, and garden.

Within our first year, we received an overwhelming number of requests. My ex-partner even set up an Excel sheet to track them out of curiosity. We counted about 132 requests for stays from both Europe and North America, all with different dates, lengths, and reasons. Shockingly, 67% of these people were strangers to us—usually friends of friends or distant family members.

This quickly led us to make a decision that it had to be a "no" across the board, which pissed off plenty of people. We love our work, the lifestyle that comes with it, and are admitted workaholics, and we consider our home to be our sanctuary. It was overwhelming to manage so many requests, most of which overlapped, and the demands that followed, so our final word on it all was made.

The promises potential visitors make range from “just a few days” to months, insisting they’ll be no trouble at all. They’ll claim to be self-sufficient, on their best behavior, and not interfere with your work or life. But you know better. Especially when they hint at bringing other friends or family.

From my experience, if you agree to a stay, and even if you set clear house rules, they are usually forgotten within the first hour of their arrival.

The moment they step off the plane, they go into vacation mode. You can practically see it on their faces—this dream-like state where they believe nothing can go wrong because they’re on holiday, and the world is theirs.

When they arrive at your home—especially if it's in a prime location with stunning sea views—they start acting as if they’ve won the big game. They don’t consider the hard work or long hours you put in (I haven't had a day off since the COVID lockdown) or the sacrifices you’ve made.

Instead, they assume your time now belongs to them and expect you to be their personal tour guide, taking them to beaches, restaurants, bars, shops, and nightclubs. They often hope you'll foot the bill or try to emulate your lifestyle while prying into personal details to see how they can achieve what you have with talks about the possibility of moving here, followed by even more questions seeking tons of free advice on the subject.

At times it would be like watching a lottery winner blow through their winnings, only to end up bankrupt within a year.

You learn a lot about people’s true characters during these visits, even if you’ve known them for decades. And you try to remind yourself they're just happy to be on vacation.

Once they settle in, they often want to celebrate their arrival, expecting you to drop everything. And heaven forbid you have a wine rack—that's like an open invitation for a party.

They seem thrilled, but mostly because they feel lucky to have landed a free place to stay, it’s never about seeing you. And they immediately start snapping photos of your property or views to post on social media to show the world where they are at the moment.

Another example was a friend I’d known for almost 15 years. We met back in my home country, and he was always outgoing, funny, and successful. He moved back to Europe a few years after me and landed a great job in another country. During one of our chats, he casually asked if he could stay with me for a short number of days, dropping hints inquiring about the size of my property and whether I had all the amenities he wanted for his four-day stay.

When he arrived, it was lovely to see him—at first. But as he settled in, his personality began to shift. He started drinking early upon arrival and then decided to shave his chest in one of my bathrooms, leaving a mess of pubes all over the floor and it went from there.

He expected me to split the bill for groceries, even though he had picked out 80% of the high-end items compared to my 20%, but you let it go. Most of the food ended up going to waste since he dismissed my work commitments and wanted to eat out for each meal of the day at restaurants only with "hot, straight waiters," that he thought he could attract and convince to be gay, and the bill would always be high due to his level of drinking.

He kept insisting I take time off work, ignoring the fact that it was my busiest season. When I suggested he explore on his own, he seemed unwilling until practically pushed yet claimed to be worldly and well traveled.

After several days of his boorish behavior, which included drunken outbursts, grandiose and clearly fabricated stories, and attempts to socially climb by demanding introductions to my contacts in Monaco and the French Riviera (which wasn’t going to happen), I realized his true intentions.

It all came to a head one evening on the terrace of a gay bar in Nice, where he got incredibly drunk and loudly shouted a racist slur at new friends we had met, one who was Asian, loudly stating, “I hate fucking Asians!” He then stormed off down the street, leaving everyone in shock.

Upon his return, the new friends left (but kept in touch with me). He wanted to try and find a sex club, so I came home.

In the early morning hours when he returned, I could hear him fake crying while he walked up the street. I begrudgingly let him in, told him to go to bed while he still fake cried. I went to my bedroom where I could then hear him take a shower (still fake crying), he came downstairs to the dining room area, where I heard a ream of barf hitting the floor. I got up and outside the bedroom could see he was nude, and still fake crying. I told him to get to bed, as I went to my bedroom, he went to the kitchen area where he barfed on the floor again. Then he decided to go to bed.

I got up, cleaned up the barf (worried it would ruin the finish of the hardwood floor and knowing he wasn’t capable of doing it). He ended up sleeping until the afternoon. When he got up, I asked him what he remembered, which was nothing. Then he crashed on the living room sofa again. I woke him up after a short while, asked him again about the evening, to no recollection. I told him what he did, he ended up feeling more bad for himself than his actions.

This was the breaking point. I let him stay one more night, but I laid down strict rules: no more drinking, no going out, it was over.

Another recent experience involved a friend I’d known since we were 16 years old. She reached out to me a few months ago after otherwise very little contact, as her daughter was accepted to a local university, and she needed help with logistics. I offered to let her stay with me for a few days while she got her daughter settled. Then she asked if a friend could stay too—a friend from 25 years ago. I had the space, so I agreed.

What followed was a series of events that increasingly became bizarre involving her friend, where they both went on non-stop drinking binges at all hours of the day and night while passing out in between.

The friend’s friend at one point got up one morning while I was working online in my bedroom, only for me to discover when I heard the shuffling around that she had gone outside of my property onto the street, completely nude to take photos of the area.

When I saw her turn to come back inside, I quickly went back to my bedroom and she continued to roam through my home nude. Finally, to try and put a stop to it, I caught her eye and pretended to be surprised, offering her a towel to cover up. She denied it, instead putting a throw pillow over her breasts and vagina, while talking to me about her body, claiming my friend she shared a bed with was also nude and they went into some action during the night. None of which I cared about, I just didn’t want her to be walking around nude in my home.

The next few hours got stranger as she finally put some panties on and a blouse she left unbuttoned. She tried to feel me up a few times while I yelled “No!”, each time, insisting I also get nude (wasn’t happening), later wanting to know if I would join her in the shower and if knew where to get cocaine.

Looking back, I should’ve kicked her out. The friend that was to initially stay for 4 days stayed for a week, her crazy friend was to stay for 3 days but stayed for 5 days and the visit got increasingly stressful and weird filled with outrageous antics the whole time with them being drunk basically the whole stay.

Experiences like these teach you a lot about people and about setting boundaries. While I understand the appeal of visiting a beautiful place like the French Riviera, it’s clear that many people see it as a chance to live out a fantasy at someone else’s expense, without considering the lengthy costs in every regard to their host.

For those that love and enjoy having people come and visit, kudos. For myself, I just don’t think it is a part of who I am and my lifestyle so anytime someone now wants a holiday stay, my answer will be that I’m not available.

Get Naked at MUCEM in Marseille

 

The Museum of Civilisations of Europe and the Mediterranean (MUCEM) in Marseille is making waves with its ‘Paradis Naturiste’ exhibition by offering a unique opportunity for visitors: once a month, they can explore the museum and its displays completely nude, with just one rule—shoes are required.

 

On September 3rd and again on October 11th, MUCEM will welcome guests to experience the exhibit in the nude.

This decision is not arbitrary, but rather a bold compliment to the ‘Paradis Naturiste’ exhibition, which delves into the history of naturism in Europe.

 

Organized in collaboration with the French Naturist Federation (FFN), these nude events aim to provide an immersive experience for naturist enthusiasts. According to Eric Stefanut, chief of the FFN, the museum asks visitors to wear shoes "to avoid getting splinters."

 

To ensure privacy and consideration for all guests, these nude visits are scheduled for times when the museum is normally closed to the public. The most recent event saw over 80 participants.

The exhibition pays homage to the naturist movement, tracing its origins back to 19th-century Switzerland and Germany, with France embracing the trend in the 1930s. Marseille, long recognized as the heart of the French naturist movement, provides a fitting backdrop for this museum display.

The exhibition showcases 600 archival photos, films, paintings, sculptures, and other works of art from both public and private collections. These include notable loans from Paris’s Centre Pompidou, the Louvre, and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. 

 

Among the highlights is a black-and-white portrait of Christine Lecocq, one of the earliest French women to adopt the naturist lifestyle, who lived to the age of 103.

 

“France is the world’s top tourist destination for naturists,” notes a MUCEM representative. “Its mild climate and the presence of three seas have fostered the growth of naturist communities, which are unmatched in Europe except for Switzerland, where naturism is practiced more freely outside of established communities. In recent years, a renewed interest in nudity in nature has emerged, aligned with the pursuit of healthy, vegetarian diets, natural therapies, meditation, and yoga in the open air. These lifestyle choices, along with the rejection of societal norms that burden our bodies, are key to understanding the evolution of naturism, both past and present.” 

While nudity is not mandatory at the monthly events, it is encouraged, with a museum spokesperson humorously noting that “anyone choosing to visit fully dressed during those hours might stand out.”

 

For those who prefer to remain clothed, the exhibition is open to the public during regular hours until December 9th.

A Deep Dive into the History of the LGBTQ+ Community in the French Riviera

There is something intrinsically unique about the French Riviera in France that continues to attract people from around the world. For those of us in the LGBTQ+ community living here, an individual feels encouraged to evolve and live your best life while having a sense of freedom.

Historically the region had been known mainly for its agricultural aspects such as land used for olive groves and varying fruit orchards. With the Mediterranean Sea lapping at its shores, the fishing industry became important as another source of food at local markets and restaurants for generations up to this day.

It wasn’t really until the first foreign residents, that being the English for the most part, started to visit the region in the late 18th century to spend the winter months due in part to the sunny climate. With this thinking behind the new influx of people, winter resorts were developed for visitors based on the idea of the natural wellness healing properties of the sun, sea, and fresh air. 

This was followed by the rhythmic sounds of jazz music, introduced by African-American soldiers to the French when they were stationed in France during World War I. Not long after in the 1920s, these energizing beats were attracting musicians from around the world, along with artists and writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald who coined this era, the “jazz age” where the music was played at every corner cafe, restaurant, burgeoning nightclub scene and grand hotels up and down the coastline.

Unintentionally, a subtle sexual revolution began to form in the Cote d’Azur as this part of France was becoming known for acceptance in the country as it continued to encourage others to live here not only because of the beautiful surroundings but also because of the notion of an uninhibited lifestyle in a welcoming environment.

One of the most recognizable people from the gay community who gravitated this way in 1921 was Jean Cocteau, the artist, writer, and filmmaker, joined later by his muse, the devilishly handsome Jean Marais, both of whom were lovers from 1937 to 1947.

After that relationship ended, Jean Cocteau introduced people to one of his next lovers, Edouard Dermit (aka Doudou), otherwise known as his “adopted son”, both of whom attended a party one night through an invite from the socialite Francine Weisweiller who owned Villa Santo Sospir located near the lighthouse at the tip of the Saint Jean Cap Ferrat peninsula.

The couple soon after stayed in Villa Santo Sospir off and on for just over a decade, taking over the ground level of the property leading out onto the garden. Finding the blank, white walls inside the villa off-putting, Cocteau painted his artwork (not frescos but tattoos he claimed) throughout the home (leaving the doors for Picasso) while also continuing to take photos and producing short films in the area.

Together, Jean and Francine cultivated a varied collection of artists and notables such as Coco Chanel, Marlene Dietrich, and Yves Saint Laurent to name a few. It is here where both he and Francine offered an unspoken, open-door policy, no matter the sexuality in which a nurtured, creative community could grow with those lingering aspects slowly beginning to spread throughout the French Riviera.

As time moved forward, it was during the 1960s that gathering opportunities at already established restaurants and nightclubs would discreetly on occasion open their doors by becoming LGBTQ-friendly, albeit many of these events were rare and still in the underground stage.

With the French Riviera population continuing to rise due to an increase in tourism and expats moving here, it was during the hedonistic 1970s that small LGBTQ+ communities started to congregate more than ever.

The city of Cannes, known for not only the famous Film Festival to this day as a prime destination for congresses throughout the year, gave it more of a reason for there to be not only bars and nightclubs for the heterosexual crowd but sometimes smaller venues would host evenings just for lesbians at a bar, or a cabaret club would hold drag queen nights smattered with lots glitz and glam.

In speaking with Jean Louis Longo, owner of the longstanding Morgan Cruising Bar in Nice that has been in operation since 1993, and who is also the President and Organizer of Lou Queernaval, along with being the Vice President of Administration at the Centre LGBTQIA+ Cote d’Azur. Told me that from 1974 to the early 80s, many people back then would go to Cannes to visit places such as Zanzibar and Crazy Boy because of the range of lively venues as there seemed to be more of a gay presence there over Nice at the time.

Though in the city of Nice during the 70s, it was the restaurants such as Le Chat Noir in Vieux Nice that held strong as an “in the know” hot spot for at least a decade. Also, the restaurant, Le Caveau du Jésus was popular with gay tourists visiting the city and was named as such before the war as "les jésus" was the name given to young gays still unaccustomed to male encounters. There was also a cubby hole-style bar at this time, Chez Robert, on Rue de la Boucherie where people would socialize and on Rue St François de Paule there was a traditional gay bar.

By day, peering above Nice is Parc du Château, which was then known as a gay cruising location, and by night men would meet in Jardin Albert 1er in the center of the city, which seemed to be a cruising zone for decades afterward due to the extensive growth of the gardens and the park being discriminately lit during the evening. Tourists and locals also tended to meet someone during an evening walk along the Promenade des Anglais, and then discreetly head down onto the beach for some action. 

With Nice still being the city of cultures, it was here in the 1980s that things began to take off as the entrepreneurial Jean Louis took it upon himself in 1981 to open a small gay bar in Vieux Nice on rue de la Poissonnerie by the name of Henry III followed by Le Elevator in 1982 near the Port of Nice where Eagle Cruising Bar eventually took its place. There was also the introduction of a popular nightclub in 1982 by the name of Blue Boy that had the occasional foam parties and drag shows.

In the Liberation district of the city, a little restaurant on Rue Veillon by the name of Chez Marc et André was a prime meeting point, followed by the Road House Cafe which was both a pub and private club along with Le Mississipi on the Promenade des Anglais.

In the Port of Nice, there was Le Nautique Club, Quartz, and Rusca, with the Factory Club with X Club being the after-hours place to be, and Blue Sea for the mainly lesbian crowd. At this time, numerous other LGBTQ venues also popped up and faded away from the city.

 

What was considered one of the most important venues at that time was Le Grand Escurial, a former theater, and one-time cinema later transformed into a large nightclub with high ceilings and columns all designed in an art-deco style utilizing many of the original, historic aspects of the building. Le Grand Escurial attracted everyone, no matter their sexuality, but it was highly regarded as a gay club.

Cannes still had its hand in the game with Le Club 06 and Cat Corner, but like the fashion trends of the 80s, their time was sadly slowly fading out with now less than a handful of gay-friendly businesses in place.

Pre-Internet, as a tourist back then, you had to pick up a European gay travel book before arriving, and you had to do the legwork to see if an establishment was still in business and approach people if you wanted to visit any of these venues by speaking to the hotel clerks, waiters at restaurants, shop clerks, and anyone who could give you some insight on what to see and do.

One loophole for some of these establishments to open and act as businesses while still attracting those from the LGBTQ+ community was to have it stated on the signage at the door (and with permits) that it was a private club, then this way owners and management could discriminately choose who they would allow entrance into their establishment, also for safety and security reasons.

This also meant that the mandatory entrance fee to get inside a club could range in rates from 20 Francs to 100 Francs or more (before the Euro became the currency), depending on the time of year and night of the week, with the entrance fees typically being much higher during the summer months. It was considered by the city to obtain a permit as the cost of opening and owning a “private club” establishment back then, which could be quite expensive for both owners and patrons, for all those involved, you would still be taking your chances on whether or not the club was going to be busy that night.

As local individuals began to show strength in numbers more openly in the community, along with word getting out by gay tourists who had visited the French Riviera, LGBTQ-owned establishments started to take shape more to the forefront and in a much stronger public stance.

When the AIDS crisis hit, small charitable associations were set up. Formed as a way of contributing to the fight against AIDS with information pamphlets, while noting supportive establishments, fundraisers, and protest events which led to more associations developing than ever before, working together in the overall fight against discrimination, prejudice, and equality for all.

The social scene continued to change in Nice from the 80s and well into the end of the 1990s, and as in any city, a few gay businesses did open but didn’t last long such as Le Fard on the Promenade des Anglais which did manage to stay open for at least a few years.

The original big nightclub in the city, Le Grand Escurial had changed ownership and became known as Offshore and as of today, the property is now a large Lidl grocery store. 

In the pedestrian zone near the beach in Nice was a nightclub that was a massive hit in the 90s by the name of Le Klub which from personal experience seemed to be a 50/50 mix of gay and straight, soon the owners took notice of the gay community in attendance and would make a Friday and/or Saturday night gay-only and it was strictly monitored as such to get inside.

Le Klub grew so strong in popularity, that Jean Louis mentioned it ended up taking away business and closing down many other venues both gay and straight in the surrounding area.

Eventually, the three managers of Le Klub left and opened their nightclub by the name of Le Flag which was later renamed to Le Glam and is still a prime nightclub in Nice to this day. The other establishments that were and are still in existence are Le Couloir, Morgan Cruising Bar, Le 6 Bar, Le Glam.

As of the mid-90s into the early 2000s, it was now easier to find a range of LGBTQ establishments with more gay-owned clothing shops, bars, restaurants, cafes, sex shops, and bathhouses such as Le Block, Le Cercle, and Les Bains Douches, and cruising bars like Le Traxx, and X-Cube. Some of these businesses are still open, and some are closed.

 

To this day a myriad of businesses continue to open or change hands while those still established continue to grow and thrive. It is one of the many reasons people in the LGBTQ+ community come here, not only to feel like they are living the laid-back French Riviera lifestyle but also for the opportunity to meet the locals and feel more at home in a place of like-minded people.

 

In Nice, the Centre LGBTQIA+ Cote d’Azur was established in 2005, and inaugurated on May 16, 2011. The center is open to anyone and today has 20 associations. It is still the only LGBTQIA+ Centre in the region, along with the city of Marseille which just opened a new, larger center.

Today, the whole of the Cote d’Azur is a safe zone with one of the biggest LGBTQIA+ scenes outside of Paris and with the ongoing support of both the local and national governments in France along with all the major tourism outlets on board.

The French Riviera has evolved into a prime international travel destination that entices people from around the world to explore and experience a variety of interests beyond all the bars and nightclubs, whether it be hiking the mountains to enjoy a breathtaking panoramic sea vista, or swimming in the clear blue Mediterranean Sea at any number of beaches along the coastline.

One can charter a yacht or book a fantastic villa rental with a group of friends, go on designer shopping excursions in places such as Saint Tropez, Cannes, and Nice, and venture into Monaco. Take French with lessons at internationally recognized certified schools, and French cuisine classes or even partake in art classes at famous locations where painters such as Picasso, Cocteau, and Matisse have lived or worked.

There is also a solid entrepreneurial spirit here, making it excellent for networking and building a business. Whatever your interests are can become a reality as are the endless possibilities that have made the French Riviera continue to thrive.

In the Cote d’Azur, we tend to refer to living here as “the life” and for good reason.