The chat started with Tim and I agreeing early on that the Riviera has so much to offer during the festive season. Unlike many places, the Riviera is open throughout the holiday period.

The only real blip being the 24th of December, Christmas Eve, when the locals make it a family occasion. Apart from the 24th, everything is running including buses on Christmas Day itself! There are Christmas markets in every major town including, naturally, Nice and Monte Carlo if that is something that raises the Christmas spirits.

The villages in and around Nice inevitably cropped up. There are many that remain tourist hotspots throughout the year such as Eze and St Paul de Vence. However, there are a huge number of other villages, perched and other wise, that offer a lot to the eye and many offering something good to sate an appetite. Check out the Me and Mon Ami You Tube channel to find some excellent ‘off the beaten track’ places. Some of the food has been amazing and with prices lower than one would expect. At Christmas a visit to Lucéram to look at the creches is a must if it has not been done, unbelievably cute. Try out some of our crazy hairpin routes!

Tim and his accomplice in crime, the inimitable Mr Boo, do many things just to try them out. One thing Tim does is swim until Christmas! Tim admits that he doesn’t last long in the water until his extremities tell him it is time to get out. That said, he enjoys it and looks forward to the experience. Which brings us to the Santa beach swims where in Villefranche, Nice and along the Riviera people go for a dip, these people will definitely not include me in their number. In Nice there is the annual outing of Santas in their pointus, our ever so cute and colourful fishing boats.

Nice and the Riviera largely exists because, as Tim notes, that those in northern climes such as the UK sought some sun and sea during the dark winter months. There is a rich heritage of architecture which still remains from those halcyon days. It is still possible to sit outside in a cafe soaking up the sun and wonder why it was necessary to wear a coat!

We also touched on a book that I am reading at the moment. It talks about a less salubrious area of Nice, Les Moulins. It is in French but so worth reading. Siam Spencer, the author, stayed in Les Moulins which are located near Nice airport. Whatever preconceptions people have about the quarter, it reinforces some, creates some ‘I did not know that’ moments and dispels some myths. It was very courageous for someone not au fait with Nice to stay there, let alone remain there and recount her tale.

We didn’t have a chance to talk about the mountains and skiing, maybe next time!

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All images courtesy Tim Fountain / Me and Mon Ami