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faraway places, flowers, food

Marché aux Fleurs, Nice, France….

May 23, 2022 By splendid Leave a Comment

For over a hundred years local growers have been bringing their fresh cut flowers and plants from the surrounding hills to the Marché aux Fleurs in the Cours Saleya. Flowers were a thriving industry for this region, and so this center of town {now called the old section or Vieux Ville/ Vieux Nice } was officially named back in 1987. Back in the day the early hours were limited to wholesale clients, who would make their purchases then load them onto trains to go all over Europe.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, pink peonies, selection of bouquets
Bouquets Marché aux fleurs

Today, all of the alluring flowers beneath the striped awnings are open to the public 6 days a week. The wholesale market is located near the Nice airport.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, pink peonies, fresh cut flowers, fresh cut flower arrangements
Fields of cut peonies at Marché aux Fleurs

You can wander and shop these colorful, fragrant aisles Tuesday – Saturday from 6am to 5:30pm and on Sundays from 6 – 1:30pm.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, pink flowers, bougenvillia
Potted flowers, Marché aux fleurs

The selection goes far beyond cut stems, everything for the garden and terrace is here too, including palms and orange trees.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, orange trees, citrus trees, Calamondin oranges, Calamondin orange trees
Calamondin Orange trees
Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, orange trees, citrus trees, Calamondin oranges, Calamondin orange trees
Calamondin orange trees

Baby olive trees in pots that would look fabulous on the table in the garden.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, baby olive trees in clay pots, baby olivier, olivier
Baby Olive plants

As well as larger trees to plant and produce fresh olives and olive oil.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, baby olive trees in clay pots, baby olivier, olivier, olive trees
Olive trees
Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, potted plants
potted flowers
Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, potted plants

Cactus thrive in this region so a broad selection can always be found at the Marché.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, cactus, potted cactus
Cactus, Marché aux fleurs
Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, cactus, potted cactus

A broad selection of bouquets are yours for the choosing.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, pink peonies, selection of bouquets, fresh cut flowers, fresh bouquets
Bouquets and peonies abound

Many florists will also make up custom bouquets on the spot.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, pink peonies, fresh cut flowers, fresh cut flower arrangements
Custom bouquets

You can choose any flowers you like {I like those delphiniums!}

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, delphiniums, fresh cut flowers
bunches of cut flowers, delphiniums

I also love the peppery scent of freesia in a bouquet.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, pink peonies, fresh cut flowers, pink roses, freesia, hydrengeas
bunches of cut flowers

They will expertly arrange your selection, adding greens {like these lovely olive branches} to create a bouquet to your liking.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, pink peonies, fresh cut flowers, fresh cut flower arrangements, olive branches
olive branches

Succulents are abundantly offered because they also thrive in this climate.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, succulents, potted succulents
Succulents
Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, succulents, potted succulents
Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, orange trees, citrus trees, Calamondin oranges, Calamondin orange trees
Calamondin oranges

In addition to the floriculture, fresh local produce and crafts are artfully on display. Also, a wide array of spices.

Courgettes

One of my favorite local specialties are these courgette blossoms sautéed in olive oil as is or dipped in a batter. Click on Fried zucchini blossoms for a great Beignets de fleurs de Courgette recipe. Also, they are amazing stuffed with ricotta cheese and herbs before before frying, this recipe for Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms from Chef Dennis looks amazing!

fleurs des courgette

The hills of Villefranche just east of Nice are saturated with Mediterranean sunshine all day, making for plump, flavorful tomatoes.

Tomatoes from Villefranche, France

The stalls are surrounded with restaurants and cafés perfect for a snack, coffee or lunch. One of my favorite places is Le Safari where they offer le spécialités Niçoise or Cuisine Nissarde authentique.

Marché aux fleurs, Nice, Cours Saleya, Cours Saleya flower market, Le Safari, Au feu de Bois
Restaurant de spécialitiés Niçoises

I especially love this place because it is always filled with lively locals

Menu, Le Safari, Nice, France

and they will find a seat for your flowers.

White flowers from Marché aux Fleurs
My flower selection

The other day I devoured a lovely grilled Dorade Royal stuffed with tomatoes and thyme and and expertly filleted tableside…. click on the videos in my instagram account right over there to see the master at work -> -> -> ->

Menu, Le Safari, Nice, France
Le Safari, the Cours Saleya, France

Their “feu de bois” is front and center in the kitchen area.

le feu de bois, le Safari restaurant, Nice, France
feu de bois

From it come some of the most incredible thin crusted pizzas on the earth, with just the right amount of char.

Le Reine {Le Queen: cheese, mushrooms, ham}, on the right below is my all time favorite, I had it for the first time on the beaches of Nice in the summer of 1979 and have loved it ever since.

Pizzas au feu de bois, Le Riene
Pizzas au feu de bois

Also delicious is this cheese and tomato pizza topped with mixed greens and a big buttery ball of burrata.

Pizza au fue de bois, cheese, thin crust, tomatoes, mixed greens, burrata

Of course, Niçoise olives are available in abundance.

Niçoise olives
Niçoise olives

I hope you enjoyed this splendid day in Nice!

Filed Under: faraway places, flowers, food

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