Where were you born?

In Nice, more precisely on Cimiez hill.



Where do you live?

Nice, in the city centre until now, though I’m reluctantly about to move to the western suburbs.



What’s best about your neighbourhood?

The Mediterranean Sea, definitely! I live only 200 metres from the Promenade des Anglais.



If money was no object, where would you live?

A villa in Villefranche-sur-Mer or in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is everyone’s dream.



What are your favourite Nice stores?

Travelling on avenue Notre-Dame, for great streetwear, Emilie's Cookies on rue Alberti and rue de la Préfecture, Antic Boutik, also on rue de la Préfecture, for urbanwear and RenDezVous Underwear on rue Francis Gallo for men’s underwear. And, it goes without saying, Façonnable: three stores, all located on rue Paradis: formal menswear at numbers 7 and 9, casualwear, beachwear and womenswear at number 10.



And your favourite restaurants?

Le Bistrot d’Antoine on rue de la Préfecture for traditional French food, Le Local on rue Rusca for Italian, Le 20 sur Vin wine bar on rue Biscarra, Le Bistro du Fromager on rue Benoît Bunico and La Zucca Magica, a vegetarian Italian restaurant on Quai Papacino.



Do you have a favourite local café or pub?

La Civette du Cours on Cours Saleya. It’s my favourite place to feel the city’s heartbeat: a Niçois bastion among an ocean of tourists.



Any recommendations for dishes to try?

Tiny black olives from Nice, they are inimitable; pissaladière, an onion tart topped with anchovies and Nice’s black olives; and pan bagnat, a sandwich made of white bread around the classic salade Niçoise with litres of olive oil.



Where do you take out-of-town friends?

I always drive them to Monaco, less for the city itself than for the road. Between Nice and Monaco the Alps stretch right down to the sea and the view is just fantastic, especially from the Grande Corniche, the highest road between the two cities. Stopping for a couple of hours in the old village of Eze is essential.



Where do you like to celebrate?

The Paloma Beach in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is an enchanting place to have dinner and it’s very Riviera.



Do you have a favourite walk in Nice?

The old town! It changes so much depending on the time you get there. I love the flower market and the small shops in the morning. Then in the afternoon, when it gets very hot, I like to get lost in the cool, winding little streets while the city seems to fall asleep. Then it wakes up in the evening and becomes the most popular and lively area until late in the night.



What’s Nice’s best landmark?

Le Château, which is now a quiet haven above the city’s bustle. It’s really hard to imagine that it used to be the centre of the medieval town.



And the best museum?

The Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain (MAMAC) for its collections and exhibitions, its architecture and the terrace above.



Which Nice-born person do you most admire?

Catherine Ségurane, a folk heroine of the city. A washerwoman, she is said to have played a decisive role in repelling the Turkish invaders, allied with the French armies, by exposing her bottom!



Any secret spots you don’t want out-of-towners to know about?

There’s a beach in Cap d’Ail called La Mala. I think it’s one of the most beautiful beaches around.



Any places you’d recommend visitors avoid?

Most of the restaurants located on the Cours Saleya are tourist traps. There are a few exceptions but don’t be scared of getting lost in the maze of streets around the area. The restaurants there are far more authentic.



Any advice for visitors?

Keep in mind that Nice hasn’t always been a part of France, as its latest incorporation is just 150 years old. That makes it easier to understand the city’s culture, its colours, its food, its inhabitants. Its history has always made it a very cosmopolitan city.



What can’t you live without?

The sun! It’s the city’s inhabitants’ patron saint!



Tell us a secret.

Here is a major one: there are no sandy beaches in Nice, only pebbles.