Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse view musical art artifacts on display at the Palais Lascaris Museum. Photo: VNA    

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse visited the old town and cultural works of Nice on June 7 afternoon (local time), on the occasion of his trip to France to attend the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3).

Located on the Southeastern coast of France, Nice has the poetic and vibrant beauty of a coastal tourist city, but is also very delicate, gentle and ancient. Therefore, Nice welcomes millions of tourists from all over the world each year.

Nice consists of the new and old quarters, of which the old quarter is considered the soul of the city. The ancient buildings are painted red or yellow with blue shutters, bearing a strong neoclassical architectural style. Unique architectural works, museums or cobblestone streets winding through old houses make Nice charming.

One of the favourite attractions of tourists when coming to Nice is the lovely parks decorated with statues or works of art. In particular, located between the old town and the new town is Massena square - the largest square in Nice, with a fountain and a 7-metre-high statue of Apollo in the centre, recreating mysterious stories in Greek mythology.

Walking around the old town of Nice, the PM and his spouse visited the Palais Lascaris Museum - a unique cultural site, bearing the historical and artistic imprint of the South of France.

The museum is a 17th-century mansion of the Lascaris-Vintimille family - one of the influential noble families in this region. With its magnificent Baroque architecture and meticulously hand-painted ceilings, the palace was classified as a historical monument in 1946 and officially became a museum in 1970. One of the highlights of the museum is its extremely rich and rare collection of ancient musical instruments, which is the top in France and one of the largest in Europe. The collection includes more than 500 instruments, many of which date from the 17th to 19th centuries, reflecting the development of European classical music.

The violins, violas, and cellos crafted by famous artisans such as Antonio Stradivari or Guarneri del Gesù are a testament to the pinnacle of craftsmanship during this period. In particular, the museum also owns European, African, and Asian folk musical instruments, creating an interesting cross-cultural exchange. In addition to the collection of musical instruments, the museum also displays decorative art works such as paintings, sculptures, ceramics, tapestries and antique furniture. The rooms in the museum are restored to their original state, with hand-painted ceilings and plaster-decorated walls, giving the feeling of entering a real Baroque palace.

Visiting the museum, PM Chinh expressed his impression and admiration for the collection of valuable artifacts, especially the collection of 500 musical instruments connecting the past, the present and the future.

Feeling the value of the artifacts in the museum, he affirmed that culture is an endogenous strength, inspiring and motivating generations and contributing to national construction, defence and development quickly, greenly and sustainably.

The PM also pointed out that culture is a string full of colours as well as resounding and heroic sounds for the friendship between the two peoples and two countries of Vietnam and France./.