| Nice is also an ideal base for exploring the rest of the Côte d’Azur. Cannes is only 40 minutes away by train, or go to Antibes for sandy beaches, winding streets and the Picasso Museum. Built in a remarkable bay, the capital of the Côte d’Azur stretches along the famous Promenade des Anglais facing the Mediterranean. It is organized around two monumental squares, Masséna and Garibaldi, figures of its dual French and Italian identity. Cité with many faces, Nice is festive in its old town, bourgeois in its Belle Époque neighborhoods and popular in the back of its port. Finally, its museums exhibit rich collections of modern and contemporary art. The old townin Menton is a cascade of pastel-coloured buildings. Add a fantastic museum dedicated to the great artist and film director Jean Cocteau, as well as several excellent restaurants, and Menton really is a must. To French people, the town is also known for its lemons, which are renowned for their flavour and celebrated every February with a big lemon-themed party. |
Nice
What to do in Nice ?
LA PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS
| Emblem of Nice, this magnificent avenue marries the immense curve of the bay of the Angels. Passers-by stop and sit on the blue chairs or bathers stroll across the pebble beaches, everyone finds his place. Until 1820, the coast was difficult to access, but in the 18th century English holiday makers took over the creation of the promenade, which by the 19th century had become the centre of the sophisticated European elite. From this period, do not miss the Villa Massena at No. 35 and the palaces with the Hotel Negresco (1913) at No. 37. |
NICE CATHEDRAL
| This Baroque cathedral holds the distinction of being the oldest and most ornate church in the Old Town. It dates back to the 17th century and displays a light-green-and-white exterior with statues and columns. Varnished colored tiles decorate the dome, which is fairly hidden by a thin, white,18th-century bell tower. Definitely worth seeing. |
MASSENA MUSEUM
| Inside the most beautiful villa on the Promenade des Anglais, right next to the iconic Hotel Negresco, you will find the elegant Musee Massena. Surrounded by stately manicured gardens, the estate is an oasis of tranquility, and the villa itself has been beautifully restored. |
OLD NICE
| The Old Town in Nice allows you to travel into the 1700s as you get lost in its narrow lanes and its architectural gems, such as the Cathédral Sainte-Réparate. The area is also home to many restaurants, bars, small shops and boutiques. |
MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
| Located in the heart of Nice, MAMAC (Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art) opened in 1990. Its collection, focused on the postwar era, comprises more than 1.300 works from 300 artists. Displayed on 2400 square meters the collection offers a focus on the relationship between European New Realism and the American expression of the art of assemblage and of Pop Art, linking regional and international artistic history. |
NICE'S GALLO-ROMAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
| The big district of the thermal baths reflects the high degree of technology reached from the 1st century: notable baths, latrines, frigidarium, hypocaust. The walkway leads to the thermal baths of the east, popular and more modest in their decor but of incomparable equipment. The decumanus II leads to a northsouth path that leads to the Villa des Arenes. To the left, the thermal baths of the west, reserved for women. They were re-used as a paleochristian baptistery and then transformed into a cathedral. |
Some unique experiences and special places in Nice :
LA TÊTE CARRÉE (THE SQUARE HEAD)
| Posing an accusatory and clear metaphor, French artist Sacha Sosno designed this massive sculpture for the Central Library in Nice. Titled “Thinking Inside the Box,” the work has a clear but nonetheless important message. At a staggering height of 85 feet, the massive cube-shaped sculpture with a chin, actually houses three floors of books in a perfect melding of art and education. |
ST. NICHOLAS RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL
| Considered one the most important orthodox buildings outside the Russian Federation, this cathedral is the result of the efforts of the Royal Family to satisfy the spiritual needs of the growing Russian population in Nice. |
Family friendly experiences in Nice:
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SPORT
| Today, the museum contains more than 100,000 items documenting sports from the 16th century to the present, including a fine collection on the history of the modern Olympic Games from 1896. The collections include sports equipment, paintings, sculptures, posters, drawing, philately, advertising, books, and magazines. A lot of fun and interesting as well ! For all ages too! |
Great Promenades through and around Nice:
PROMENADE MAURICE ROUVIER
| Easy path with a lot of shadow, benches, and spectacular views. Definitely a must even if you are not a fan of walking. Amazing blues of the sea and the amazing greens of the trees. The Mediterranean at its best. |
Some recommended places to shop in Nice:
COURS SALEYA MARKET
| In the shade of pretty striped awnings, hundreds of flowers are facing you. It will be hard to resist the multicoloured geraniums, intense mauve fuchsias, dahlias with their anemone-shaped flowers, and the vivid impatiens being sold by the nursery vendors. Anyone strolling by these harmonious floral displays will be able to breathe in the fragrances and enjoy the colorful bouquets, plants and exotic flowers that await them. This is also an ideal opportunity to ask around thirty exhibitors, florists and horticulturists for advice. |
Menton
What to see in Menton ?
MUSEE JEAN COCTEAU COLLECTION SEVERIN WUNDERMAN
| Art collector Séverin Wunderman donated some 1500 Cocteau works to Menton in 2005 under the condition that the town built a dedicated Cocteau museum. And what a museum! This futuristic, low-rise building is a wonderful space to make sense of Cocteau’s eclectic work. Its collection includes drawings, ceramics, paintings and cinematographic work, with exhibits rotating annually. Admission includes the Cocteau-designed Musée du Bastion. |
VAL RAHMEH EXOTIC BOTANICAL GARDEN
| Laid out in 1905 for Lord Radcliffe, governor of Malta, the terraces of the Val Rahmeh overflow with exotic fruit-tree collections, including the only European specimen of the Easter Island tree Sophora toromiro, now extinct on the island. |
A great promenade near Menton :
| As you leave Menton, you can enjoy a number of routes which are all easily accessible. Their accessibility does not make them any less interesting. For example, take the Douaniers trail to walk along the coast between Menton and Monaco, going through Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. You will have the chance to admire Villa Cypris, Le Corbusier’s cottage and the hilltop chateau of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. |
Food in French Riviera
| The most famous specialties are aïoli garni, bouillabaisse, codfish brandade, daube à la provençale, pumpkin gratin, panisse (fried chickpea cakes), pissaladière, ratatouille niçoise, rouille, salade niçoise, soupe au pistou (soup with basil and garlic), tapenade, sauté of veal aux olives, tians de légumes (vegetable gratin), and calissons d’Aix en Provence (almond candies). |
Trip My France can create tailor-made trips for you on the French Riviera and throughout France. Don’t hesitate to request a quotation on the website, and a travel consultant will get back to you as soon as possible.
