In the spring of 2015, as part of its efforts to have “Nice, Winter Capital” recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, the “Mission Promenade” launched a call for memories from both native and adopted residents of Nice. The aim was to shed light on the intimate connections people have with Nice and its emblem, the Promenade des Anglais.
Several hundred photographs were collected and digitized, allowing the Mission to present an exhibition entitled “Your Memories of the Prom,” which was inaugurated yesterday and can be visited by locals and tourists alike.
Initially reserved for an elite, photography became more accessible at the end of the 19th century, eventually leading to the formation of exceptional and abundant family and personal archives. Accompanied by the narratives of their owners, these archives provide a unique testimony and a valuable resource that should be collected, studied, and highlighted. These numerous images emphasize how much the people of Nice have embraced this iconic urban landscape and made it their own Promenade.
Whether depicting childhood on foot or by bicycle, or memories of water-skiing outings with friends, these photographs contribute to the memory of this place. By lingering on the evolution of social practices, fashion trends, changes in urban furniture, recreational developments, and vegetation, this collection helps to understand, through various notable details, the transformations of a territory that has continuously adapted to successive tourism fashions and expressions.
This type of memory-photo, capturing a particular moment or relic of an existence, is now posted on social networks and constitutes a central element of social communication.
For the people of Nice in particular, they are the custodians of a collective memory that contributes to the construction of the identity of the “Winter Capital.”
These photographs help fill in gaps, embodying other stories—intimate and rich in meaning. Images of workers unloading chairs on the Promenade, flight attendants on the airport tarmac, or beach boys at work invite those who have not yet unearthed their treasures to do so because they too are a part of history!
