When you book your Riviera Pebbles apartment, you get a Nice rental apartment that will far surpass your expectations of what a Nice rental could be. Because along with your apartment, you also get the assistance of the Riviera Pebbles team. Our greeters and other team members appear to be psychic in the way they will anticipate your questions and have all answers at the ready. They’ve been there, done that and know people who know people, which of course, makes you feel like an immediate local resident with an all-access passeport to what’s hip, haute and fun. In short, our greeters facilitate the Nice holiday of your dreams. They’ve got your key to the front door. And the key to your most memorable Nice holiday.—Matt and Gayle Roberts
Matthew Roberts can often be found hidden under accounting paperwork, maintenance reports and Gayle’s “helpful” to-do list. Matt has a background in renovating property in the UK (just for fun!) and over in France and knows his numbers. As well as keeping the rentals on the straight and narrow, Matt helps our investment sales clients snap up those investment bargains. He just wishes he had the funds to buy them himself! His old life in the UK as a microbiologist now seems like a distant memory—though he still remembers the rain of course. Along with Gayle, he founded the Nice Pebbles in 2006 and Riviera Pebbles in 2007.
matt@rivierapebbles.com
Gayle Roberts will tell everyone that Matthew dragged her kicking and screaming from her old job as a solicitor in Manchester to the French Riviera, but really she just wanted Matthew to carry the responsibility if it all went wrong. Happily the change of career and lifestyle seems to suit her as much as Matthew. Now juggling being a mum with managing the rentals with Keely and Roni’s help, she handles everything from guest relations, new client relations, website improvements and keeps an eye on how we can improve our service to our guests and clients. Gayle holds the carte professionelle, carte 11284 from the Pr√©fecture des Alpes Maritimes.
gayle@rivierapebbles.com
Keely Lise Barrett is our Northern English Rose. Enviably fluent in French, Keely settled in Nice in 2008 after finishing her French degree at Edinburgh University. Working firstly as part of our changeover team, Keely has quickly become our indispensable general manager. In reality this means Keely wears a lot of different hats including managing and assisting our team, handling reservations, taking care of our guests, assisting with the sales arm of the business and writing for the websites and our Pebbles Guide. Whew!
keely@nicepebbles.com
Veronica Sexton joined the office team in 2010 when she moved to France with her boyfriend when he landed a job too hard to turn down. Originally from Ireland with an impressive background in sales management and training, Roni began life at Pebbles helping with new enquiries but has quickly become our client manager and also took up the main role in organising our Pebbles Guide. Roni has travelled extensively and loves exploring new places and often does so by cycling around Nice and nearby towns.
roni@nicepebbles.com
Jennifer Neal is our newest office recruit and joined the office team in early 2011 when she moved to Nice from Greece where she had spent the last two years as a restaurant manager. Originally from Sheffield, UK, she has been at the forefront of the customer service industry for most of her working life, previously working as a long-haul flight attendant for Emirates and as a hotel manager. Most of our guests will speak to Jenn on the phone or by email as she handles our new enquiries and helps our guests choose the right apartment.
jennifer@nicepebbles.com
Kim Defforge is the wife of our loveable Bruno, who she met on a blind date when they both lived in Atlanta in the US. A former French teacher with a degree in French and a Masters of Education, Kim moved with Bruno to France in 2007. Since arriving in Nice in 2007, Kim has taught business English to adults and at a local business school, as well as doing her own property management business. Kim competed in adult-level ice skating and was an avid equestrian before turning to ballroom and Latin dancing, so she enjoys keeping herself busy. Joining the sales team at Nice Pebbles also keeps her on her toes and enjoying life on the Riviera.
kim@nicepebbles.com
Marie Perrier is half French and half American and our Nice Pebbles Operations Manager. With a background in luxury apartment rentals and events co-ordinating, she joined us in early 2009 and now impressively juggles maintaining and improving the standards of our apartments, meeting our guests, co-ordinating our cleaners and meet-and-greet team, and keeps us all in check. No easy task, but with her huge smile and overall cuteness she can pretty much wrap us round her little finger.
marie@nicepebbles.com
Kelly McClain is originally from the US. Kelly came here to learn French at school and fell in love with both David Zincke (the humble yet very talented musician) and with Nice itself. She joined us in 2010 and Nice is better for having her in it and we know all our guests will love her big warm smile. As well as being a key part of our Nice Pebbles changeover team, Kelly helps with the finishing touches of some of our apartments’ design and photography.
kelly@nicepebbles.com
Liza Opher is one of our newest Nice Pebbles recruits joining our team in 2011. She is just a few years out of University where she studied Sociology, but has been working in Nice for five years, coming over every university break to work in the town she loves. She settled here almost two years ago, with her boyfriend and two dogs, and we’re loving having her around and we’re sure all our guests will love her too.
liza@nicepebbles.com
Nancy Cooney Reglat has lived in Nice for several years and joined our team in 2010. Originally from the US, she moved here after she and her husband retired, but decided retirement didn’t suit her. Not many would turn down the opportunity for endless lazy days on the French Riviera, but we’re glad she has. She loves meeting new people and introducing them to Nice.
nancy@nicepebbles.com
Elena Damyanova worked as a retail manager in Bulgaria before a trip to see her sister in Nice. She fell in love with the area and decided to move and settle here in 2008. Elena became part of Malena’s team in 2010 and many of our guests will meet Elena on arrival at their Nice rental apartment. When not working, Elena can be found in jazz bars in Nice. She loves jazz and with the annual jazz festivals in Nice she is in the right place! In winter she heads to the mountains where she is a keen snowboarder. Elena speaks English, German, Bulgarian and some Russian and French.
elena@rivierapebbles.com
Denise Stansfield РBased in the UK due to family commitments, Denise spends as much time in Nice as she can and joined Pebbles in 2010 helping Malena’s team look after their guests before they arrive and during their stay with us. Previously working as an accountant and business advisor in the UK, Denise fell in love with Nice on holiday and decided to take a career break. As Denise is mainly working over the internet and by phone, Pebbles was a perfect option for her and us. Guests should be assured that Denise has visited and knows all about all the rental apartments in Nice offered by Riviera Pebbles.
denise@rivierapebbles.com
Merillyn Araujo is originally from Brazil but after completing her degree in Business Management and Hospitality she moved to Atlanta in the US. Keen to travel, and with an aptitude for languages (she speaks five) she then spent some time in Germany and London before settling in the French Riviera. Working first with Malena’s team, Merillyn now manages her own portfolio of our Riviera Pebbles properties. When she is not working, she enjoys crafting jewellery pieces, baking cupcakes and walking.
merillyn@rivierapebbles.com
Bruno Defforge is our lovable Frenchman and after 20 years in
the US, he returned to his roots and joined us in early 2009. Often complimented on his sheer enthusiasm by our guests, Bruno is certainly larger than life and entertains us all in the office with his funny stories and huge smile. Both Nice Pebbles and Riviera Pebbles want a piece of Bruno so he divides his workload between the two arms of the business, as well as helping out with maintenance.
bruno@rivierapebbles.com
Anne Line Lande is from Norway. Her work in global marketing for multi- national corporations has taken her all over the world and means she speaks several languages fluently including English and French. She settled in Nice in 2005 and joined us in 2011 as one of our Riviera Pebbles apartment managers in Nice. Her passion is the great outdoors and what better way to enjoy this than the French Riviera. She’s an avid sports enthusiast and thinks nothing of a nightly 10km run or a hilly cycle ride.
anneline@rivierapebbles.com
Jane Fryer gave up London life back in 2005 for sun, sea and fresh air. Or at least that what she will tell you, but really the wine and cuisine had a lot to do with it! Luckily for her she enjoys outdoor life too and walks off those calories in the mountains with her partner Siamak—who is one of our very handy tradesmen. Both of them joined the Pebbles team in early 2010 and Jane manages some of our Riviera Pebbles apartments in the Carré d’Or area.
jane@rivierapebbles.com
Roxana Dumitriuis Romanian and speaks impressive English, French, Italian and Spanish. We've watched on in admiration as she tenaciously gets to the bottom of maintenance, building and technical issues for our owners. Though you'd never know her scary, bossy nature if you met her with her friendly and approachable smile. She joined the team in early 2010 and manages our Riviera Pebbles Old Town properties and loves to meet new people and pass on her tips for great things to do whilst visiting.
roxana@rivierapebbles.com
Geraldine Hogg also packed her UK suitcase for good when visits to her Nice holiday apartment were simply not enough. Prior to her move to Nice she ran her own tea and coffee shop complete with English scones. As you might expect, Geraldine loves meeting people and now manages some of our Riviera Pebbles apartments in the Carré d'Or area.
geraldine@rivierapebbles.com
Victoria Foxhall is from Devon, UK, and gained a degree in hospitality management before moving to the sunnier shores of the French Riviera five years ago. She manages our properties in Antibes, Golfe-Juan and Juan-les-Pins as well as our portfolio of Luxe Pebbles villas in St-Paul-de-Vence. Vicky is settled in Juan-les-Pins with her husband John, the friendly and helpful bank account manager at HSBC. Yes—it’s a small world here. When they are not working they enjoy walking or skiing in the mountains.
vicky@rivierapebbles.com
Peter Brooke has more than just a friendly butter-wouldn’t-melt face on offer. He’s one of the most astute guys we know and has our heads spinning with possibilities every time we have chance to share a social drink. Sadly this is not as often as we’d like since he too has a young family at home. He has given us sound financial advice from as early as 2006 and we’re delighted to offer his services as our Pebbles financial adviser to our clients. We know our clients will be in safe hands with Peter.
Philip Cecchettini is our web master and is responsible for our websites. Based in California, it was a chance meeting in the restaurant La Mérenda when both Phil and his wife and Gayle and Matthew were on a four- day trip to Nice and were sitting at adjoining tables. There was chemistry and the start of a beautiful friendship. A year later Gayle and Matthew contacted Phil and asked him to help them build a new concept of holiday apartment rentals in Nice.
Sheila Langer is responsible for all of our artwork both on the websites and in our publications and marketing products. Sheila is also based in California but spent several years in France and so is called upon to speak her fluent French to our suppliers from time to time. Sheila is also responsible for our guide to Nice which all guests receive when staying in one of our holiday rental apartments in Nice, Cannes or Antibes.
Charles Shepley is our UK-based director, and an ACCA qualified accountant. Charlie is responsible for our strategic planning, budgeting and UK-based marketing.
Our Owners We choose our owners carefully. All of them are pro-active, pleasant to deal with and responsive to any problems that occur in the apartments. We all appreciate how they are continually open to suggestions by way of improvements. Without them there would be no Nice Pebbles or Riviera Pebbles and we wouldn’t be able to offer you the services we strive to give our guests.
Rivierapebbles is a Nicepebbles Company © 2007 - 2012