Local skills and crafts

Soak up the unique know-how of the craftsmen in Nice Côte d’Azur

More than just techniques, they have genuine ancestral talent! Perfumes, wines, chocolate, pottery, beer, olive oil, and so many products are created locally and whose manufacturing secrets are passed down from generation to generation. Take a seat next to them and reproduce these meticulous gestures, which may trigger off a new vocation for you.

First of all, stop off at the Galimard Perfumery in Eze and learn about the profession of perfumery. In the company of a friendly team of professionals, discover the secret techniques used since 1747. Take part in the game and create your own perfume on the spot by combining the essences that appeal most to you.

After that, head to the high country with Utelle where you can collect the typical flowers of the village. It is with their unique scents that the best fragrances are created. Enjoy an olfactory experience that invites you to escape and feel good.

Express your creativity and become an artist. Stroll through the narrow streets of old Nice in the company of Sylvie T. She will take you to sketch the buildings and monuments with a pencil in hand.

In Gattières, take a walk with the potter and gardener Anne-Marie Deloire to admire the art in the heart of this charming village.

Workshops for food lovers and gourmets

To begin with, have you ever tasted the country’s olives? Here they are sacred and the locals eat them in all sorts of ways. Indeed, this is where the best olive oil is made. Sign up for guided tours of the Nicolas Alziari Mill and learn the ancient secrets of its production in the last remaining mill in Nice. Moreover, it is the only one in Europe still using the “génoise” technique, an ancestral principle which consists in crushing the olives in a huge stone vat with a millstone of the same material.

On the sweet side, become a real chocolate chef! Join the most beautiful gourmet houses of Nice Côte d’Azur for a workshop. 25 years after opening his first pastry shop, the very talented Pascal Lac now passes on his knowledge in his laboratory in La Trinité. For its part, the Confiserie Florian opens the doors of its kitchens to visitors on a daily basis, as does the Cistercian Abbey of Notre Dame de la Paix in Castagniers, which takes you on a journey of discovery with the “chocolate sisters”.

To accompany all this, how about a refreshing drink? Like the olives of Nice, the wine is also an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (A.O.C.). Discover the Domaine du Château de Bellet and immerse yourself in the heart of the vineyard. Perched high in the hills, admire the panoramic view over the town. End the visit with a tasting and introduce your palate to the different vintages. Delight guaranteed! For beer lovers, the Brasserie Artisanale de Nice and the Brasserie du Comté in Saint-Martin Vésubie also open the doors to their exceptional know-how.