Marble, marquises and confidence in the future: in the Régina, a certain idea of the French "paradise"
This page needs JavaScript activation to function properly.
They are happy, sail in confidence, believe in progress, like to read, go to the concert or to the theater.They will of course vote for the 2022 presidential election.Even the COVID-19, they almost talk about it as a blessing.If there was this damn planet that warms up, they would draw a promising future.No provocation among the nine people we listened to, for hours, each in his apartment."We all have our problems but seen where we live, complaining would be indecent.»»
100 « Fragments de France»»
Six months from the presidential election, the world paints an unprecedented portrait of the country.100 journalists and 100 photographers crisscrossed the field in September to portray France today.A nuanced painting, sometimes tender, often hard, far from the prejudices always.These 100 reports are to be found in a large digital format.
They live in Nice, a city under the sun, in the Cimiez district, residential hill that smells of fresh lawn, jasmine and mimosa, just ten minutes from the center.But their happiness is registered elsewhere.They stay in the Régina, in a world apart.It is one of the most beautiful buildings in France, one of the most pleasant to live, with an exceptional view of its park, the swimming pool and tennis, the Red Roys of Nice a little lower, the sea in the distance.
The pedigree of the place called its standing. A la fin du XIXe siècle, l’Excelsior Régina est un palace de 400 chambres, de style Belle Epoque, construit pour accueillir la reine Victoria (1819-1901).She will make three long stays there, occupying the west wing of the building with her suite, the staff, his valet in kilt and his furniture.The hotel is huge (150 meters of facade) but of decorative elegance: white marble, bow-windows, balconies, terraces, forged irons, marquises, cupolas.No less than 660 square meters for the entrance hall with checkered parquet, twelve columns worthy of the Parthenon, a monumental staircase that Aragon describes as a colossus with wide shoulders.Five floors, levels of 50 square meters.The park, where Victoria walked her donkey Jacquot in a carriage, stretches on 8,000 square meters, with lawns, palm trees and tropical flora.
In the mid -1930s, the 400 rooms were transformed into a condominium of 98 large apartments, all different.His most illustrious occupant is Henri Matisse, who fell in love with light, who moved to the third floor in 1941, until his death, in 1954.One of his most famous canvases has the luxury, calm and voluptuous title.It is a good definition of the Régina, whose notoriety is such that it is enough to give this name to the taxi driver.Tourist coaches stop in front of the entrance.Films are filmed there, including Rebecca (2020), remake of the masterpiece of Hitchcock.
Some 300 people live today in Régina.Not without pride.But without saying it too much.A 50 -year -old lawyer asks us not to mention her name: "Living here is to be cataloged as a nanti.It creates jealousies.»» Quand on lui demande s’il y a d’autres inconvénients, elle répond avec humour que les livreurs de pizzas s’y perdent.The charges ?Reasonable, especially since a party is deductible from taxes due to the registration of the site to historic monuments.
You have 84 left.01% of this article to read.The rest is reserved for subscribers.
- Prev
- Next
