KEY AREASPromenade des Anglais is the long, wide road that curves around the Bay of Nice, known as the Bay of Angels, lined with palm trees and smart hotels. Great for jogging, skating and sunbathing. At the far end is a long row of former fishermen’s cottages and the Colline du Château. This site (with a public elevator) separates the seafront from the port, has gardens and offers a sublime view.
Place Masséna The heart of Nice, this large square with Italian-style arcades has the Promenade du Paillon with gardens and fountains to the right.
Cours Saleya and the old town, between the seafront and Quai des Etats Unis and Boulevard Jean-Jaurès, is the most picturesque part of Nice. The city divides neatly into two—old and new—so it’s easy to keep one’s bearings. The famous Cours Saleya is the home of the flower, fruit and vegetable market every morning, except Mondays when it turns into a flea and antiques market. Lively and bustling in the mornings, this hub of Nice calms down in the afternoon to wake up again at night. Promenade des Arts, northeast of old Nice just after the bus station on Boulevard Jean-Jaurès, is a wide esplanade leading to the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. The spectacular Louis Nucéra Library can’t be missed and, just north of the museum across Avenue Saint Jean-Baptiste, there is a quiet neighbourhood with an arty atmosphere that leads back along Rue Gioffredo to Avenue Jean Médecin.
Port of Nice This old and colourful part of town lies on the far side of the Colline du Château at the end of the Promenade des Anglais. The harbour is lined with cafés and restaurants. Here you can catch a ferry to Corsica and it’s also a stopping point for many cruise ships. The Village Ségurane on the western side is devoted to antique dealers.
Cimiez The oldest part of Nice is worth a visit. Here are the Arènes de Cimiez, amphitheatre and spa, and the Museum of Archaeology as well as the gardens which have become the venue for the world-famous Nice Jazz Festival every summer. Cimiez is also the home of the Matisse and Chagall Museums.
Les Musiciens, just north of the elegant Boulevard Victor Hugo, is a pleasant residential area. A little further north is the Russian Orthodox Church.
The main tourist offices are: For more infomation, go to the Office de Tourisme et des Congress at 5 Promenade des Anglais, Nice International Airport or the main train station (Tel: 0892 707 407, Email: info@nicetourism.com). Also try the Comité Regional de Tourisme Riviera Côte d’Azur, 55 promenade des Anglais, BP 1602, Nice Cedex 1 (Tel: 377 878, Fax: 860 106, www.crt-riviera.fr). For a map and virtual visit of Nice, check out www. plan-nice.org.
GETTING AROUND
It’s easy to get around Nice on foot and there are plenty of buses. Special rate bus passes and other information are available from the central bus station (Gare Routière) on Boulevard Jean-Jaurès/Place Corvesy.
Taxis are easy to find and the minimum fare is €5. Tel: 0493 137 878 for a 24-hour service.
GIFTS TO BUY
Wander around the old town for inspiration and, if you’re running out of time, there are some shops (though pricey) at the airport. There are many typically Provencal gifts—flower-printed fabrics made into table linen, skirts and shirts, dried lavender in sachets or sprigs, hand-made soaps, pots of honey, olives and olive oil, local wines and Provencal herbs. Alziari ( 14 Rue Saint-Francois-de-Paule) has an excellent selection. Tempting chocolates and candies made from fruit and flowers at Confiserie Florian (14 Quai Papacino on the old port of Nice) are a delicious treat. Head for boutiques on Avenue Verdun and Rue Paradis for French designer clothes, lingerie and accessories.
EXCURSIONS
For some high glamour make sure you visit the still pretty seaside town of St Tropez. In summer the boys with big boats and cash to flash drop anchor here. In winter the golden light is still warm and the crowds have gone. Bliss.
TOURIST TRAPS
Some restaurants and cafés on the Promenade des Anglais and along the seafront can be overpriced, so it’s best to investigate the old town streets. The Nice Carnival in February doesn’t live up to Venice or Rio. In spite of trying hard, it remains tacky, eats up hotel accommodation and causes horrendous traffic jams and litter on parade days.
CONVENTION CENTRES
Exhibition and Congress Centre on the Esplanade Kennedy, the Acropolis Convention Centre and Palais des Expostions play host to a year-round calendar of congresses (Tel: 928 300, Fax: 928 348, www.nice-acropolis.com).