Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: L'Excelsior Régina Palace

The front of "L'Excelsior Régina Palace", seen from a distance. Queen Victoria used to live in that palace, when she was here. A massive building, with a huge garden on top of the hill, next to the ruins of the roman amphitheatre. Now you can rent or buy a flat in there - in case you can afford it. French painter Henri Matisse has lived in that building the last years of his life. There is a swimming pool in there, designed by him. Matisse is closely connected to Cimiez. He has lived in that building. Only two hundred meters away you´ll find the Matisse-Museum, and on the cemetery, just across the street, you´ll find his grave.

When the european royal families came to Nice with their "entourages", to "hibernate" in the pleasent climate of Nice, most of the area between the beach and the railroad-tracks were already sold and under construction. And as these groups did not live in flats, but in palaces, nearby Cimiez was connected to Nice. Formerly an old village (still having impressive roman ruins) it became the upper class neighborhood. Queen Victoria used to stay in the "L'Excelsior Régina Palace" where the "Boulevard Cimiez" ends on top of the hill, but even the roads next to that Boulevard have nice palaces and residences.