Underwhelming European airport at least offers a beautiful view

Sydney Morning Herald

9 hours ago

Check-in
Who uses a check-in counter these days, especially for short-haul, short-stay trips in Europe? We're travelling hand luggage only and have already checked in on the app (otherwise Ryanair whacks on an extra $115) so I don't even glance in the direction of the check-in counters. May, especially the final weekend when the Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix collide, can be madness, as well as the first days of the French summer holidays. Apart from that, passenger traffic is pretty standard for a major gateway.
Security
For the first time in a while, I'm not put in the naughty line at security because I haven't emptied my water bottle or taken out the lip gloss stuffed in the depths of my backpack. My smugness doesn't last long, though. Passengers taking flights to destinations outside of mainland Europe must pass through border control and as I cheerily hand over our passports to the police officer, I've completely forgotten one of the golden rules of travelling out of France with children as a French resident: if they don't have your surname (like my children), you must have written permission from their father to leave the country alone with them. A few nervous minutes follow, but, after letting out an annoyed breath, the officer decides I don't look like I'm kidnapping my own kids, and to my relief waves us through.
Food + drink
In a word: sad. About a decade ago, new restaurants were unveiled to much fanfare, including Jamie Oliver's Pizzeria and a second outpost of Chez Pipo, who, for nearly a century, has made what many consider the best socca in town from their piping-hot woodfire oven on Nice port. Today, the counter is run by an unenthused teenager who would prefer to be out with his friends on a Friday evening, and the socca — a savoury, chickpea-flour pancake that is the region's classic street-food dish — has ended up just as overpriced and uninspired as everything else in the terminal.
Retail therapy
It's probably a good thing that I'm with my kids, otherwise my wallet might be $100 lighter and my luggage one Diptyque candle heavier — but they have no interest in the large Aelia Duty Free store that separates security and the departure gates. The Parisian candle brand is the one luxe item I secretly crave — I can easily walk past the other fancy boutiques like Longchamp and Max Mara without temptation.
Passing time
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The Wi-Fi is free and reliable, but this isn't the place you want to be delayed in — even if you're into your gossip magazines and treat the brightly lit concourse as a chance to play a game of celebrity spotting (I have never seen any, but family members have had better luck).
The verdict
I love an airport that builds a sense of anticipation about adventures to come. That's not Nice Cote d'Azur, unfortunately. There's no nice bar to splash out on a fancy drink to kick-start your travels and both terminals are small enough that you've walked end to end in under five minutes. As France's second-busiest flight hub – after Paris' two airports combined – and a gateway to not only southern France, but also Liguria in Italy, this could be a showcase that welcomes visitors to one of the most desired travel destinations in the world. It has so much potential — which is what makes the fact it's perennially underwhelming all the more of a letdown.