The weather's fine, the sky's blue, there's nothing to do but wander around and indulge in the specialities of the Côte d'Azur. A little garlic, a lot of olive oil, fresh vegetables and sweet delights - the cuisine of the French Riviera is as colourful and vibrant as its people. A sunny fork in the land of cicadas.
On the savoury side
L’aïoli
This gourmet speciality bewitches the palate. A garlic and olive oil emulsion for purists, gourmets add an egg yolk for a regressive mayonnaise version....
Our favourite address: Restaurant Le Safari - 1 cours Saleya, Nice.
Olive oil
Fragrant, unctuous and the secret of Mediterranean longevity, olive oil is found on every table on the Côte d'Azur. Drizzled over a tomato, generous on a focaccia, it's the queen of south-east gastronomy. It's best to opt for organic olive oil from a producer who respects the soils of the Mediterranean coast.
Our favourite address: Maison Nicolas Alziari - 14 rue Saint François de Paule, Nice.
Bottarga (or bottarga)
This rare and luxurious speciality is none other than a bag of salted and dried mullet roe. It's known as the caviar of the Mediterranean and is best eaten simply on toast to bring out all its iodised flavours, but it can also be served with scrambled eggs, pasta or smoked salmon.
Our good addresses: L'épicerie simple - 48 cours Lafayette, Toulon / Chez Jeanne - 10 Rue Sade, Antibes.
La socca
This typically Nice galette, golden and crispy, is best enjoyed as an aperitif. It is the twin sister of panisse from Marseille. Made from chickpea flour and olive oil, and traditionally baked on a round copper plate in a wood-fired oven, it's best eaten hot and peppery, by the sea of course.
Our favourite address: Chez René Socca - 2 rue Miralheti, Nice.
Niçoise salad
A great classic in brasseries, the Nicoise salad has been visited and revisited many times. But the county of Nice took the final step by creating its own label, ‘Cuisine nissarde, le respect de la tradition’, in 1995. Salade niçoise can be prepared any way you like, but there's a catch! Only the following ingredients are permitted. The base: tomatoes, anchovies, olive oil. Then: fevettes, cébettes, purple artichokes, salad peppers, boiled eggs, Niçoise olives, canned tuna, salt, pepper and basil. No dressing or rice! What a shame!
Our favourite address: L'Escalinada - 22 rue de la Pairolière, Nice.
La pissaladière
A base of bread dough, onions fried in olive oil, anchovy fillets and a few olives - Nice olives, of course - and you've got a gourmet recipe that's typical of Nice and reminiscent of its Italian cousin, the pizza.
Our address: A gourmet bistro: La Merenda - 4 rue Raoul Bosio, Nice.
Daube provencal
Daube Provençale is simply tasty meat simmered in a marinade of red wine (from the region's vineyards), carrots, leeks and garlic in their skins. Not forgetting, of course, the zest of an orange and Provençal herbs. A family dish to enjoy at Sunday lunchtime, to the sound of the cicadas.
Our recommendation: La Cave - 9 boulevard de la République, Cannes.
Ratatouille
Tasty summer vegetables - aubergines, tomatoes, courgettes, peppers, onions, garlic - frolic around and simmer for a long time in olive oil. Don't forget the bouquet garni, and you've got one of France's most famous specialities. On the Côte d'Azur, every family has its own recipe.
The right address: À la Merenda, (only in summer, of course) - 4 Rue Raoul Bosio, Nice.
Pan Bagnat
An ultra-regressive sandwich, dripping with olive oil and packed with all the right ingredients: sliced tomato, chopped radish and spring onion, sliced hard-boiled egg, shelled fava beans and chopped artichoke hearts (in season), tuna crumbs, anchovy fillets, basil and pitted olives.
A dish for the poor in the 19th century, pan bagnat is now a popular choice for picnics and lunches on the go in Nice, as well as for visitors eager for gourmet pleasures.
Our good addresses: Lou Balico - 20 avenue Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Nice / Lou Pantail - 107 avenue Saint Lambert, Nice.
On the sweet side
Tropezian tart
Round and golden, this brioche cake is split in two and filled with a pastry cream and buttercream base, then covered with granulated sugar. The Tropézienne owes its name to French cinema icon Brigitte Bardot, who tasted Alexandre Micka's creation in 1955 during the filming of Et Dieu... créa la femme. A must-have if you're staying on the Côte d'Azur.
Our favourite address: La tarte tropézienne - Places des lices, in Saint-Tropez.
Les ganses niçoises
Small diamond-shaped doughnuts, flavoured with orange blossom water or Menton lemon zest and covered in icing sugar, ganses are best eaten during the Nice carnival (in February), with a cup of coffee or as a snack.
Our favourite address: La Boulangerie par Michel Fiori - 19 boulevard Raimbaldi, Nice.
Swiss chard pie
Chard pie is a speciality of Nice, whether eaten as a savoury main course or as a sweet dessert. For a sweet version, add sultanas and pine nuts, and sprinkle with icing sugar.
Our recommended address: Version sucrée - Chez Davia - 11 bis rue Grimaldi, Nice.
By The editor
The editorial staff of France.fr follows the trends and news of destinations to bring you stories from France that reveal its innovations and traditions that make you long to (re) discover its territories.
