1936 On the Continent

no longer attracted by curiosity for the unknown. But to the provincial the foreigner has still got the flavour and prestige of a man who has arrived from distant places, and when he enters into contact with a foreigner he feels that he is venturing into new and unknown territory.
    The French, let it be said in passing, have more respect for the English than for any other foreigners.
    But if the provincial Frenchman is more communicative than the Parisian, his communicativeness is purely relative.
    The famous “wall of private life,” so much talked about in French literature, remains an insurmountable obstacle.
Be Tactful
    Never ask a Frenchman how much money he is making or earning; never try to find out what his religion is; he will merely think you a tactless bore.
    On the other hand, being a Frenchman above all else, he will talk to you without the slightest embarrassment about subjects which in other countries are discreetly ignored or talked round. If you ever get him going on the eternal subject of women, and there are no ladies present, he will enter into the most delicate details with the greatest complacency and directness of language.
    The provincial Frenchwoman is just the opposite. Although there is nothing in the least prudish about her,and she is always extremely reticent and perhaps even stiffish in the presence of strangers, you will find it very difficult to get to know her. All this applies primarily to the women of the small towns, for in certain middle-class circles of Lyons or Marseilles they make a point of being more Parisian than the Parisians themselves, and even adopt foreign customs and manners, particularly those of England and the United States.
THE CÔTE D’AZUR
    Everywhere in the world, in Tokio as much as in London or New York, the words “Côte d’Azur” summon up to all and sundry the enchanting picture of a country of everlasting sun, of the Mediterranean with its peculiarly intense blue, of a cloudless and radiant sky, of the Carnival of Nice with its fairy-like fancy-dress balls, its battles of flowers, of Cannes, Mentone, St. Tropez, of a land of laughter and gaiety, the crowning beauty of Provence and indeed of the whole of France.
    What can I possibly say then of the “Côte d’Azur,” or French Riviera, which is not known ten times over to my foreign readers, and particularly to the English-speaking peoples? However, to say nothing would be worse, so let those who know already please skip!
NICE
    The fame of Nice is nothing new. Already, many centuries ago, in the time of the Phoceans of Marseilles, it was the most important town on the Riviera. It was founded two thousand years ago in memory of a successful battle won against the neighbouring Ligurians. Hence the name of “Nicaea,” which means “Victory.”
    Nowadays this big town of 250,000 inhabitants is both a summer and a winter resort, a theatrical, artistic and sporting centre, a pivot of social life. And at the same time it is a refuge for those who seek quiet and rest, for the aged and retired, as well as for the artist and writer.
    In Nice, as practically everywhere on the French Riviera, the English or American visitor is utterly at home. English is spoken in almost all the shops, restaurants andhotels, and at every step he takes he runs into someone he knows from home.
    The pride of Nice, the finest avenue on the Riviera, and one of the most famous of the whole world, is even called “Promenade des Anglais.” It runs from the Palais de la Jetée to the Californie, along 5 miles or so of the incomparable Baie des Anges.
    It owes this name to the English colony who in the last century lived preferably around the Croix de Marbre. Their hotels and pensions were all in that quarter; it was there that they built their first church and their cemetery is still there, though to-day no longer used.
Amusements in Nice
    Nice is much more than merely the favourite spot on the Riviera for foreign visitors from all over the world; it is also an important town which offers its own inhabitants as well as its visitors innumerable pastimes, distractions and amusements.
    All that is best and latest in the way of shows and plays can be seen at the music-halls and theatres of Nice; they come on there immediately they appear in Paris, and sometimes even before. Every day the “cercles” and big hotels give tea-dances and gala-balls.
    But perhaps the most powerful attraction of Nice is, and always has been, its casinos,