Despite its undeniably luxurious air, Nice feels much more culturally accessible than one might imagine. During the course of two short vacations at the Riviera, I never encountered the snootiness of Paris or the painstakingly showcased wealth of Southern California. Instead, Nice was the perfect blend of French cultural richness and the relaxed oceanfront atmosphere often associated with Los Angeles. In fact, I couldn’t help but think that Los Angeles has modeled many of its distinctive  more...