<img26951|left> Has Giuseppe Garibaldi turned over in his grave? Certainly not, although his statue did make a leap of 18 meters during the tramway construction. A leap with very relative nimbleness, given its 260 tons. From his new perch, the fiercest of the Niçois observes his fellow citizens, who do not yet seem convinced by the highly touted benefits of the tram. “People take the tram, but it’s either to go to Jean Médecin or to Leclerc!” Mrs. Paonessa’s shop, Primeurs Garibaldi, recorded a “40% drop in turnover in two years, and it still hasn’t picked up.” Among other small shopkeepers, the finding is less bitter. The lull period during the construction has given way to increased foot traffic, but less than what was hoped for at the end of the works. Monoprix stands out with about a 10% increase in activity, mostly due to tourist influx. A cashier confides, “Holidaymakers coming from Old Nice are happy to find a cleared space, but there are fewer Niçois than before.”
Place Vendôme?
“In the 50s and 60s, it was full of young people here, kids played, and the elderly loitered under the arcades,” recalls a former neighborhood resident, sitting at a café terrace. His table neighbor finds that there’s “still as much pollution, but fewer people since you can no longer park.” The popular aspect of Place Garibaldi seems increasingly distant to the Niçois. “Soon, they’ll turn it into Place Vendôme!” Christian Estrosi assured that “there is enough quality in Niçoise cuisine to prevent a McDonald’s from setting up on Place Garibaldi,” yet major retailers might soon replace existing small shops. Another concern is the lack of events and activities in the square. For August, only one exhibition is planned. Initiated by the Port Avenir association, paintings and sculptures will be exhibited on August 24, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Not enough, say the shopkeepers. An image problem compounded by the upcoming facade restorations and parking projects. The only unanimously agreed positive point: “We kept our trees!” Nature, the keystone of modern urban planning? An irony that leaves one dreaming.
