THE South of France is often over-hyped but it’s never overrated and will always be one of the world’s most coveted places to live. Merely mentioning towns such as St Tropez, Cannes and Monaco conjures pictures of other worldy luxury, whereas Nice rarely gets a mention.

The airport is as close as many sun-seekers get to the city and that’s a shame because this is the most down-to-earth, glorious part of an often too affected part of France.

Rio aside, how many other cities can you think of that are dominated by beach life and joi de vivre? In Nice the living is easy, whether taking the air on the Promenade des Anglais, or sipping cocktails in a beach bar overlooking the sparkling and impossibly turquoise Mediterranean.

And being so close to the Italian border, Nice has a look and feel to it unlike any other French city. Not surprising when you discover it has only been part of France since 1861 and while it may be the capital of the Cote d’Azure, Nice doesn’t feel like an exclusive playground of the seriously wealthy.

Here the people are relaxed and friendly; there’s none of the frostiness you might associate with Paris. Maybe it’s the weather? Blue skies are the order of the day, or perhaps because Nice is really an Italian outpost.

And that means fabulous hand made gelato and fresh pasta – lots of it.

Recently, Nice got its act together with a new tram line and apart from it being one of the largest infrastructure projects in Europe, the authorities also used the opportunity to regenerate the downtown area.

Now, there is a spectacular tree-lined pedestrian piazza on Place Massena, getting around is at last a doddle and at a stroke Nice has become one of the hottest places to invest on the Mediterranean, especially among Russians.

It is also one of Europe’s most desirable shopping areas with every major designer label on offer. Nowhere more so than the appropriately named Rue Paradis, off Place Massena.

But to really discover Nice, you should head for the old town with its maze of meandering narrow streets flanked by stunning, pastel-coloured houses and bustling squares.

Few designer shops here though, instead the flagship Cours Saleya, is an open-air market selling flowers, fruit and vegetables we can only dream about in England. At night the stalls are taken down and replaced by restaurant tables as the square is transformed into an al fresco diners’ haven.

And don’t miss Monday morning when it changes again, this time into a flea market.

This is a place to do nothing except chill in the perfect, insect free weather. There are lots of restaurants and cafés along the Cours Saleya, many specialising in seafood and some offering native Niçois cuisine, such as ravioli daube (ravioli in beef stew).

Once revitalised it’s time for a walk up the hill to Le Chateau. Only a few sections remain but your reward will be a spectacular panoramic view across the city and Mediterranean.

Nice is second only to Paris in the number of museums and galleries and the one not to miss is the Matisse Museum in Le Cateau-Cambrésis.

The clear air and soft light of Provence has always appealed to painters and Matisse was inspired by the fresh colors and lines of Nice. This vast museum shows his work from the traditional early days to the vibrant, colourful, sweeping images of his later period.

Two days aren’t long enough to do justice to this elegant French city, but they will make sure you keep coming back for more.