Why Nice, France Is a Masterclass in Effortless Design
Published: May 14, 2026
While doing my junior year abroad in Paris, my father and stepmother came to visit me in France before I returned to the U.S. We met in Nice and spent a few days there. I still remember some of the highlights so vividly — walking into a charming restaurant across from the Promenade des Anglais, enjoying the house bouillabaisse with a chilled Côtes du Rhône rosé, and later sipping cocktails on a terrasse in Monte Carlo after an afternoon at the casino.
Jon and I also spent two nights in Nice during our honeymoon en route to a Mediterranean cruise departing from Port Hercule in Monaco. We visited many of the classic sites — the flower market, the Chagall Museum, and the winding streets of Old Town. Again, it was another “nice” (pun fully intended 😉) but very quick trip.
This spring, however, I returned to the Côte d’Azur for something entirely different: two glorious weeks immersed in French language and culture through a program organized by the Alliance Française de Houston and hosted by Alliance Française Nice Côte d’Azur.
The program was wonderfully immersive, with four hours of French classes each morning followed by cultural visits, tours, and excursions most afternoons. Lodging was included, and while my accommodations were modest, they were incredibly practical — and honestly, rather charming in their simplicity. I quickly grew fond of my tiny studio overlooking a peaceful courtyard. With the beautiful spring weather, I could leave my windows open nearly all day and even into the evenings.
For those familiar with language testing levels, I’m considered a C1 speaker — advanced, though certainly not native-level fluent. Even so… the classes were HARD. I’ve always been a strong student, but it has been years since I’ve truly had to study, memorize vocabulary, and complete nightly homework assignments. I also discovered that memorization is not quite as effortless as it once was! The pace of the course was intense, and some days felt like a complete whirlwind.
Most afternoons, I escaped back to my studio — conveniently just two minutes away — for a quick lunch and a little decompression before heading back out for the day’s excursion.
And what excursions they were.
“Chapeau!” — hats off — to the team at Alliance Française in Nice. They truly created a remarkable experience.
Our very first afternoon was spent touring Old Nice. A few new friends and I ended the tour at a local restaurant specializing in traditional Niçois cuisine. The regional dishes were fascinating and deliciously authentic: crispy chickpea fries, socca (a savory chickpea pancake), stuffed vegetables, and pissaladière — a focaccia-like tart topped with caramelized onions, olives, anchovies, and herbes de Provence.
Everything was flavorful, though I’ll admit I found some of the regional specialties a bit heavy in olive oil and salt. Personally, I gravitated more toward the simpler classics: salade niçoise, tiny local olives, beautifully fresh fish, and pan bagnat — essentially salade niçoise tucked into a crusty bread boule for the perfect lunch.
Honestly, one of the best things about France may simply be the bread. It is absolutely my favorite food group.
One afternoon, we took a cooking class where we prepared our own pissaladière and trouchia, a traditional Niçois omelet made with Swiss chard, parmesan, and olive oil. It’s often served cold as a picnic dish or warm as an appetizer. Cooking together as a group was such fun, and afterward we enjoyed everything as a leisurely late lunch. Since I had a kitchenette in my studio, I was thrilled to bring leftovers home.
Of course, no time on the Côte d’Azur would be complete without rosé.
Rosé truly rules the roost along the Riviera. While rosé has only become especially trendy in the U.S. in recent years, it has long been a way of life in the South of France. One of the things I loved most was that excellent wine existed at every price point. Many of the local rosés are also surprisingly low in alcohol and sulfites, which means you feel quite good both while drinking them and afterward 😉.
From a design perspective, I found endless inspiration everywhere I looked.
I loved the apartment buildings in Nice with their sun-washed facades, painted shutters in shades of green and blue, intricate iron railings, and cheerful striped awnings. The gardens at Jardin Exotique d'Èze and the magnificent Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild were extraordinary. Many people are surprised by how many cacti flourish along the coastline, but honestly, nearly everything seems to thrive there.
Because it was spring, the entire region was in bloom. The air itself smelled wonderful — orange blossoms, jasmine, olive trees, and sea air blending together into something unforgettable.
I was also fascinated by the amount of trompe l’oeil throughout Nice. Much of it is so skillfully executed that it becomes genuinely difficult to distinguish painted architectural details from the real thing.
Naturally, I managed to fit in a bit of shopping as well.
I discovered a small home boutique hidden inside the ever-present Monoprix, where I often stopped for groceries and daily essentials. I also admired countless variations of classic French bistro chairs, which I absolutely love. I had seen catalogs from Maisons du Monde before but had never visited one of their stores in person. It reminded me a bit of a French version of Pier 1 Imports — if you remember Pier 1 — but with far more Provençal influence and local character.
And then there were the markets.
The markets are truly a feast for the senses. I happily collected all the expected treasures: lavender sachets, fragrant soaps, nougats, pastries, cookies, and other irresistible treats. The produce alone was stunning — colorful, beautifully arranged, and almost too pretty to eat.
We ended our trip in Monaco. What a coincidence that it was the first day of the Grand Prix Monaco Circuit. Downtown was pretty noisy but that added to the energy of this tiny, affluent principality!
Travel experiences like this always remind me that great design is never just about how a place looks. It’s about how it lives, how it feels, and how it welcomes people into everyday beauty.
And the Côte d’Azur does that exceptionally well.
We are off to our next design project.
Fondly,
Pamela Hope Designs
Meet Pamela
A LUXURY INTERIOR DESIGNER IN HOUSTON
Pamela O’Brien is the founder of Pamela Hope Designs in Houston, Texas. Pamela is an award-winning luxury interior designer, writer, and speaker. Prior to founding Pamela Hope Designs, Pamela served as a spokesperson in media and public affairs, working with media outlets like Dateline NBC and 48 Hours. This experience allowed her to travel the world and furthered her love for travel, culture, and interior design. After attending an executive course at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Pamela launched her own interior design firm full-time. Pamela is known for building strong relationships with her clients, who later become friends and collaborators. She is highly influential in the Houston interior design space and shows no signs of slowing down.
Meet Danna
A LUXURY INTERIOR DESIGNER IN HOUSTON
Danna Smith has more than 30 years of experience in the design industry. She has been a buyer and merchandiser for four luxury showrooms in Houston and Dallas. Smith teaches an evening course at Houston Community College to nurture her passion for developing future design stars. Since joining Pamela Hope Designs in 2015, she has worked on some of her most beautiful and innovative projects yet.