A castle with no castle left — just the view

The Colline du Château in Nice is a 92-meter cliff at the eastern end of the Promenade des Anglais where the old castle stood until it was demolished in 1706. What remains is a public park with views in every direction: the Bay of Angels and the Promenade to the west, the Ligurian Sea to the south, and the Old Town rooftops below to the north. The Promenade des Anglais faces south-southeast, so afternoon and golden-hour light comes from the west and illuminates the full arc of the bay from the right. For the complete curve of the Promenade, the hill is the only viable position. Villefranche-sur-Mer, 6 kilometers east by bus or train, has a deep harbor facing south with pastel-colored houses stacked above the water. The old Nice market on Cours Saleya opens Tuesday through Sunday mornings.