Not a food tour, a day at my table
The French Riviera has a cuisine of its own, and it is not the one served on the Promenade des Anglais. It is Niçoise: chickpea flour, olive oil, lemons, anchovies, the small vegetables of the hills, and the Italian border three hundred metres from the last French bakery in Menton. I do not run a food tour with a fixed script and a microphone. I take you through the Cours Saleya market the way I shop there, we eat socca where the Niçois queue, and lunch is at a table I would book for my own family. The day is private, for your party only, and it changes with the season and with what you like.
The morning in Nice: market, socca and the Old Town
The Cours Saleya market runs every morning except Monday, when the antiques dealers take over. I like to arrive before ten, when the producers from the hills still have their best vegetables and the flower stalls are full. From there, the Old Town: the socca ovens, the pissaladière, the tourte de blettes that visitors never order and always love, the olive oil shops, a glass of Bellet wine from the vineyards above the city. My half day in Nice, 450 euros per group, is built on this morning; it ends on Castle Hill, above the roofs, if the weather allows.
The afternoon in Menton: the lemon and the border
Menton grows the only lemon in France with a protected geographical indication, sweeter and thicker-skinned than any other. My full day Nice and Menton, 750 euros per group, pairs the Nice morning with the old town of Menton and, if you wish, a guided tasting of the lemon specialities in a house I know in the old town, an optional add-on at 25 euros per person, paid on site. In February, the Fête du Citron turns the town into a citrus sculpture park for two weeks; my festival day includes the gardens of the Biovès and the same tasting.
A bespoke culinary day, with partners I trust
For guests who want food at the heart of the whole day, I compose a bespoke culinary day: the market and socca in Nice, an olive mill in the hills, the vineyards of Bellet, the lemons of Menton, a cooking class or a chef's table with partners I trust. It is quoted on request, according to the stops and my partners' availability, and I act as an introducer: each partner invoices its own service. The Provençal market of Antibes and the medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence make a fine alternative for a second day.
What is included, and what is not
My guiding time, the vehicle for up to 3 guests and the planning are included in the price per group. Meals and tastings are paid on site, so that you choose freely and order what you like; the only fixed supplement is the guided lemon tasting in Menton. Tell me your dates, your party and what you like to eat and drink, and I will compose the day in writing within the day.
Live It With Me
These private experiences are the natural next step after this article. Prices are per group, never per person.
Frequently asked
Is lunch included in a culinary tour?
No, and on purpose: you choose the table and the dishes, I book and I advise. Meals and tastings are paid on site. My guiding time, the vehicle and the planning are included in the price per group.
Which day is best for the markets?
Every morning except Monday for the Cours Saleya market in Nice and the Antibes market. On Mondays I propose the antiques market in Nice or a village market in the hills instead.
Can you arrange a cooking class or a chef's table?
Yes, within a bespoke culinary day, with partners I trust, quoted on request and subject to their availability. Tell me your dates and what you would like to learn or taste, and I compose the day.