Nice, the Slow Weekend

The morning produce-and-flower market that feeds the old town, equal parts working market and spectacle. Come early for the flowers and the vegetables before the crowds and the heat. Even if you buy nothing, it sets the tempo for a slow Niçois Saturday.

The real Niçois produce market under the old railway, where the city genuinely does its weekend shopping. Provençal produce, the day's catch and very little for tourists, which is exactly the appeal. Go on a Saturday morning and follow the locals to the best stalls.

A 1921 covered market hall by the Libération, full of cheese, charcuterie, butchers and the day's fish. Browse the counters, assemble a picnic or simply take in a working hall that has fed the quarter for a century. A natural companion to the open-air market across the way.

A market-driven bistro by Nicolas Mendjisky directly opposite the Libération hall, so the produce barely travels. The cooking follows the stalls and the room is built for an unhurried lunch. The obvious place to sit down once the shopping is done.

An early-twentieth-century seafood institution on Malausséna, all platters, oysters and proper brasserie ease. Order a plateau, take your time and let the afternoon stretch. A classic long-lunch room a short walk from the market.

Natural wine, farmhouse cheese and 150 board games near the Libération, made for a slow late afternoon. Settle in with a bottle and a cheese plate and let the day wind down without a plan. The gentlest possible close to a market Saturday.

Nice's temple of natural wine since 1998, a cave à manger where you can drink in or take a bottle home. The list is deep and the small plates are honest, ideal for a considered glass to end the day. A grown-up full stop on a slow weekend.