Nice and the French Riviera

Background

Nice lies on the Mediterranean coast of southeastern France, in the Alpes-Maritimes department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, at the foot of the Alps, about 13 kilometers from Monaco and about 30 kilometers from the French-Italian border. The Cours Saleya flower market in the old town, the Castle Hill viewpoint, and the Chagall and Matisse museums each have their own appeal. The French Riviera generally means the coastline from the Esterel massif to Menton on the French-Italian border, linking resorts such as Cannes, Antibes, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Cap-d'Ail, with Monaco as a semi-enclave within the area. Around 350 BC, Greeks founded a settlement here (one account says they came from Marseille, another from Phocaea in Asia Minor) and named it Nikaia after Nike, goddess of victory. Nice belonged to Savoy from 1388 and joined France in 1860. In the second half of the 18th century the English upper classes began wintering here, and Queen Victoria and Edward VII both spent winters in Nice; in 2021 "Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera" was inscribed on the World Heritage List. The name Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels) is explained in two ways, one linking it with angels and the other with the angel shark, a flat shark shaped like angel wings; both theories coexist and neither is settled. After the railway arrived, the Riviera became a gathering place for aristocrats, artists and writers; Picasso, Matisse, Edith Wharton, Somerset Maugham, Aldous Huxley and others all stayed here. The coastline is about 115 kilometers long, with about 310–330 days of sunshine a year.

Local customs

Stroll the Promenade des Anglais from the old town toward the airport and sit on a blue chair facing the Baie des Anges. Take in the panorama of Nice and the curve of the coast from the Castle Hill viewpoint. Browse the Cours Saleya flower market and the old town lanes and try local snacks. Take a day trip by train along the coast to Cannes, Antibes or Monaco and enjoy the Riviera as a string of linked towns.

Travel tips

• Nice is the second most populous city on the French Mediterranean coast and the second most visited metropolis in mainland France, with about 4 million visitors a year
• beaches and popular sights are crowded in summer. Sunshine is plentiful all year: spring and autumn are mild and best for strolling and travelling between towns
• summer is the seaside high season, with warm water but the most visitors
• winter is mild and sunny, the traditional season for Nice as a winter resort town.
• Nice Côte d'Azur Airport lies west of the city, and trams or buses run into town. The coastal railway links Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, Menton and other towns, and travelling by train is less trouble than driving
• ticket prices and timetables follow official information. Nice has trams and buses, and the old town and seafront are best explored on foot.