Secrets of Le Vieux Nice – French Story & Translation

Author: Geneviève

Nice is one of the most beautiful town of the French Riviera. But do you know why the streets of “le Vieux Nice” – the older Nice neighborhood – remain so cool, even in warmth of summertime? In this French English bilingual article, practice your French and discover the secrets of Nice.

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J’habite Nice depuis mon enfance, je pensais en connaître pour une grande partie son histoire, sa culture , son architecture. En fait, il n’en est rien, car à l’occasion de chaque visite guidée que je fais, je découvre un nouvel aspect que j’ignorais totalement.

I have lived in Nice since my childhood and believed I knew almost  all there was to know about the city’s history, culture and architecture. In fact, however, this was far from the truth because with each guided tour I have taken, I have discovered an entirely new aspect of the city.

The Cooling System of Nice – French Riviera

Ma dernière découverte en date est celle que j’ai faite avec mon amie Chantal, qui au cours d’une de nos promenades dans la vieille ville, m’a expliqué  un phénomène assez unique : La climatisation naturelle du Vieux Nice  !!!!

My latest discovery is one I made with my friend Chantal who, in the course of one of our walks in the old part of Nice, explained quite a unique phenomenon  – the natural cooling system of Old Nice!

Bon,  j’avais toujours remarqué que lors des périodes très chaudes de l’été, les ruelles du Vieux Nice étaient toujours un bon refuge, J’attribuais cette fraîcheur à l’étroitesse des ruelles, à la proximité de la mer. Mon raisonnement n’était pas complètement faux mais un peu court quand même.

Of course, I had always noticed that when it was very hot during the summer, the narrow lanes of Old Nice offered a good escape. I attributed the fact that these streets were cooler to the narrowness of the streets and the proximity to the sea. My reasoning wasn’t completely wrong, but nevertheless incomplete.

Car en fait, c’est un processus beaucoup plus élaboré que cela.

 In fact, the process is much more complicated than that.

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Based on a Natural Principal

Les constructeurs niçois de l’époque ont exploité un principe naturel qui dit que lorsque deux lieux proches ont des températures différentes, un déplacement d’air se crée.

When Nice was constructed, the builders took advantage of a natural principal according to which air is displaced when two places close to each other have different temperatures.

En été, les toits du Vieux Nice sont chauffés par le soleil, quelques mètres plus bas, les ruelles étroites sont plus fraîches. Ces quelques degrés de différence suffisent à créer un mouvement d’air. Il restait aux constructeurs niçois à mettre en place quelques particularités architecturales qui permettraient d’accentuer ce phénomène naturel.

In summer the roofs of the buildings in Old Nice are warmed by the sun while a few meters below, the narrow lanes are noticeably cooler. These few degrees of different in temperature suffice to create a draft. All the builders had to do was add certain architectural features in order to enhance this natural phenomenon.

Ainsi, lorsque vous vous promènerez dans les ruelles du Vieux Nice, attardez votre regard sur les clairoirs , les volets typiquement niçois  et les cours intérieures. Les clairoirs sont ces grilles situées au dessus de la porte d’entrée de l’immeuble donnant sur la rue. Ils jouent un rôle très important. C’est un merveilleux dispositif où l’air aspiré  peut s’engouffrer dans les habitations et remonter le long de la cour intérieure pour enfin être expulsé.

So when you stroll through the narrow streets of Old Nice, pay attention to the clairoirs, the shutters so typical of Nice, and the inner courtyards. The clairoirs are the barred openings above the entrances to buildings facing the street. They serve a very important function in that they allow air to flow into people’s homes and then pass through the interior courtyard where it is finally expelled into the street.

” Nos ancêtres avaient tout compris avant nous “

Our predecessors in Nice understood this long ago.

Author: Geneviève

Geneviève

My name is Geneviève and I live in Nice on the sunny French Riviera, "la Côte d'Azur".

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