The capital of the French Riviera, Nice lies at the centre of the popular, glamorous region of Southern France. As the main location of the international airport, many tourists arrive on flights to Nice every year, keen to explore the glitzy location, famed for its celebrities and expensive yachts.
The town of Nice itself, though, is less upmarket than its neighbours such as Cannes and St Tropez. One of the larger and more modern towns in the Riviera, this is the place to combine a cheap Nice flight with a budget hotel and use as a base from which to explore the expensive surrounding regions. That’s not to say the town isn’t a destination in its own right. It too sports a popular beachfront for promenading, a selection of fine restaurants and more than 300 days of sunshine every year. Though the modern town is sprawling, its old town centre is still beautiful, packed tightly with red roofed-houses and the perfect place for a wander after swimming in the sea.
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Long, hot summers and mild winters are typical in Nice. January temperatures can drop to the very low temperatures (Celsius) and low teens. August is in the 20s although it can reach 37 degrees. Sea breezes keep you cool, requiring a light jacket for summer evenings.
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Peak Season:
July and August are the peak season in Nice. The hotels, beaches, and clubs are all crowded. February’s Nice Carnaval also brings in lots of visitors.
Off Season:
The weather in spring and autumn is still warm and most of the crowds have left. November is also pleasant, but many of the local hotel and restaurants are closed as their owners and staff go on holiday. The weather remains warm till fairly late in the year, so this can be a good time to get a good deal on a flight to Nice.
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Winter is being rediscovered as a pleasant time to visit, but it is a little chilly for sunbathing and swimming. The mistral, though, may blow through for a few days making it feel quite cold.
The water is warm by May and the resorts are re-opening. In June, there is daylight past 10pm.
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Walking is the best way to experience the charm of Nice’s Old Town. The Promenade des Anglais extends for four miles along the bay, and is popular with walkers, rollerbladers, and cyclists. In the east, the Promenade is the Quai des Etats Unis and is lined with some of the city’s best restaurants.
Bikes, mopeds, and motorcycles are easily rented. Driving is another way to get around, particularly if you want to explore the surrounding area.
The train service is inexpensive and frequent. Local buses provide transport from the airport to town, to city destinations, including the promenade and beach, and along the Riviera.
If you take a taxi, make sure the meter is running and that the driver is using the right rate. Drivers are required to display a card detailing the fares.
And, of course, you can rent a yacht for just a day or a week or so.
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- The cours Saleya is in the Old Town. It has a daily market, selling flowers and vegetables and, on Mondays, antiques and bric-a-brac. The area, with its Belle Epoque architecture and Henri Matisse’s old residence, is a beautiful place to people watch.
- Niceski. The city was very popular with the Russian nobility who “wintered” here. The most famous sign of this is St Nicholas Cathedral, with its "onion-shaped" domes, which was the first to be designated a Russian Orthodox Cathedral outside Russia.
- Nice has several outstanding places of worship. These include the baroque Chapelle de la Miséricorde and the Cathédrale de Ste-Réparate, built in honour of Nice’s patron saint.
- There are excellent museums too. The Musee d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain has art by Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, and the Musee National Message Biblique Marc Chagall boasts the largest public collection of works by the artist. The Musee des Beaux-Arts, housed in the former private mansion of a Ukrainian princess, has the original plaster of Rodin’s The Kiss as well as ceramics by Pablo Picasso. The Musee Matisse is on the hill of Cimiez and contains Henri Matisse’s private collection that he gave to the city including a version of the world-famous Blue Nude. Palais Lascaris, a Baroque palace in the Old Town, is a museum of local history and there is also a restored 19th-century pharmacy on the ground floor.
- Nice is expensive, but cheap treats include walking the Promenade des Anglais, bathing at one of the public beaches, and climbing Castle Hill for views of the city.
- Cimiez, an upmarket suburb, is home not only to the Matisse museum, but also of the archaeological museum (Musée et Site Archéologiques), Roman ruins, and a Franciscan monastery where Matisse and Raoul Dufy are buried.
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