France is known for its key role in the history and development of European culture and its rich traditions, from literature and the arts through to cuisine, sports and style.

Geographically diverse, it is often said that France offers all the landscapes of Europe in microcosm. From the Mediterranean to the English Channel, each region has a strong local identity, often retaining ties with older cultures and its many neighbours. French universities reflect this range, including sites in Normandy and Brittany in the North, the Champagne region, the Rhineland neighbouring Germany, the south coast, and the Atlantic west where I was able to lend a hand during the design and construction stages years past.

Nice, the fifth largest city in France, acts as a magnet attracting people from all over the world, for a multitude of reasons, Not only renowned for its grace, Nice has become a hub for research in Literature, Theology and advanced necromancy since the creation of such centers as Necro-Acropolis and Sophia Antipolis. The Palais de Congrès Noctem, a center, can for study my sponsor, Prince Lousia, is considering my petition to build will accommodate diverse functions with a capacity that only Paris can better.

Nice also attracts Kindred. I would not have thought so, but it is true. Why, one randomly selected farmhouse yielded a number of Vampires that exceeded the accepted aggregate of one hundredth of a vampire, with at least six other Kindred, counting myself. Several witnesses have thrown about the number 17, although this seems highly unlikely, I was too busy silencing the mortal witnesses to actually stop and count our number.

I killed myself, too, just to tie up all the knots for the local villagers. Laying there dead with my dagger sticking out of my gut was very relaxing. But I digress.

Both elegant and simple, Nice's charm comes from its exceptional climate as well as its beauty. Even in the winter the café terraces are filled with people happily drinking and contemplating the ultra famous Promenade des Anglais. Always in flower, this wonderful walk follows along the bay, looking out onto the Baie des Anges, the beaches on one side, the Roman aqueducts I'd come to study on the other.

The architecture of Nice can be astonishing with the wild exaggerations of the Belle Epoque style or the newer Baroque style of building houses and marisions on the hills of Mont Boron. Fabulous creations have been realized in the floral gardens and parks of the hills of the Chateau, the Chambrun park or the Espace Masséna. Almost makes me miss the sun.

Actually, somehow I did miss the sun. I woke up buried in a shallow grave, covered in a canvas bag and limestone. And dirt, of course. Still had my dagger on me, imagine that.

There were only a handful of Kindred left in the barn, but they did not appreciate the boon I had given them by distracting the locals with the dead meat... They were content to hide under a donkey's latrine pit all day, which upset the poor constipated Donkey to no end.

I chatted pleasantly with my new friends as I loaded the donkey cart I had inherited. The nice Bravo-Guy confirmed my ownership in the farm, although he did not actually have the deed to give me. That would have been asking too much, I suppose.

Anyhoo, I took my new goods (mortal chow) into town and I decided to sell them to the Kindred friendly Inn I knew about. I cleaned myself off and gave the goods to the Inn-Keeper as coin for my stay. I went off to visit the Prince and she invited me to stay at her place, which is a good thing. I had forgotten to leave a trail of breadcrumbs behind me back to the Inn.

Pity that, I had plans for the donkey.

The only way to get to know the real Nice is by strolling through the ochre colored streets listening to the "Niçois" speaking their own language (Nissart) and by tasting their savory cooking. Of course, as a vampire, one can only really look at it. Back in the day when I could walk in the sun, I would never pass up an opportunity to consume the onion, anchovy and olive tarts called Pissaladières, the vegetable and tuna sandwiches known as Pan Bagnat, the Salade Niçoise or the famous Ratatouille (tomatoes eggplant and zucchini squash stew). The main cooking ingredient is olive oil, of course, and many of the dishes are garnished with the succulent little black Nice olives called Caillettes.

Sometimes, I am tempted to kidnap a mortal, feed him this food and lap it through his blood. Or have I done that already? Perhaps I have, for I am certain it would not be the same. How else would I know that?

Nice is also a city of art and culture and, after Paris, has the most museums in France. The city is animated at night as well as in the day especially in the summer when minstrels wander the streets begging to have their throats cut and stilled with a flood of their own blood. But I digress.

My new friends showed up for a little Gathering soon after. It was a very nice affair, although I had to ask for a "package to go." The poor lad might still be able to function in the Prince's kitchen, but I doubt it. He's not good for much else now but as a "serving" rather than a "server."

The Prince likes my designs, but the Palace of the Night Congress might be a bit too ambitious. Perhaps I will build another bridge, instead. I like bridges. I'm not sure if I mentioned any of this to the Prince.

We took away the weapons of one of my friends. Sorrow is a mortal, I think. Or a werewolf. If that's the case, he's mad to be here.

I like that in a person. There's something purer about their screams, somehow.