Nice: a Mediterranean city in the Alpes-Maritimes
Prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes, Nice has a central position on the French Riviera. The city has about 350,000 inhabitants, while the wider urban area is close to one million. This scale gives Nice a varied character, with a port, an old town, residential districts, museums, universities, hills and seafront areas within a relatively compact setting.
The Promenade des Anglais and the seafront
The Promenade des Anglais reflects part of Nice’s tourism history. Laid out along the Baie des Anges, it links pebble beaches, large hotels and several seafront districts. The Negresco, Palais de la Méditerranée, West End and Westminster recall the growth of winter stays and seaside tourism in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Old Nice and Cours Saleya
Old Nice is a dense urban quarter of narrow streets, coloured façades, Baroque churches, shopping streets and older apartment buildings. The Cours Saleya market remains one of its main landmarks, especially for flowers, fresh produce and local specialities. It is also a convenient starting point for the harbour, Castle Hill and Place Masséna.
Museums and artistic heritage
Nice has several important museums. The Matisse Museum, housed in a Genoese villa in Cimiez, follows the career of Henri Matisse, who lived in the city for many years. The MAMAC, opened in 1990, focuses on modern and contemporary art, with a particular place for the School of Nice. The Marc Chagall National Museum adds another major cultural stop.
Events and local life
The Nice calendar includes well-known events such as the Nice Carnival in February and the Nice Jazz Festival in summer. Outside these periods, the city is also worth visiting for its markets, museums, seafront, hills and easy access to the villages of the hinterland.
A base for exploring the French Riviera
Nice makes it possible to combine an urban stay, the seafront and day trips. From the city, it is easy to reach Villefranche-sur-Mer, Èze, Menton, Antibes, Cannes or the valleys of the Alpes-Maritimes. This position makes Nice a practical base for discovering the French Riviera beyond the beaches.
