Discover the (sometimes hidden) wonders of Old Nice

The old town of Nice is best explored on foot, and the few tourists who have tried to venture there by car have quickly regretted it... A concentration of charm covering less than a square kilometre, where colourful and majestic facades face each other, Vieux Nice is as popular with tourists as it is with locals.

To enter the district from Boulevard Jean Jaurès, the Porte False and its atypical history are the way to go. As its name suggests, everything here is fake: stucco, marble and even the letterbox are nothing but illusion and decoration! Only the fountain is authentic and used to be used by the abattoirs on rue de la Boucherie to wash their goods.

📍 Address: 40 Porte Fausse, 06300 Nice

Art lovers will be delighted to stroll through the art galleries in the Rue Droite. The facades change colour as visitors discover the works of many local artists. At the junction with rue de la Loge, look up to discover a cannonball hanging from the pierr*, a remnant of a 16th-century battle.

Old Nice is also a great place to explore the local culinary specialities, and rue Pairolière is home to a number of food shops. Butchers, bakers, florists, grocers, cheesemongers and restaurateurs with local specialities share the narrow street with its Provençal colours, atmosphere and smells.

If you want to take home a magnet, a Provençal outfit, a bottle of olive oil or a bunch of dried lavender, the rue Saint-François de Paule is a must, just a few metres from the Promenade des Anglais. You should also take the time to cross the Cours Saleya, preferably in the morning during the market, to discover the typical life of a Niçois. Once you've walked it, it's not a ball and chain but a fresco of Adam and Eve that presents itself as you look up.

📍 Address: 8 Rue de la Poissonnerie, 06300 Nice

For a lunch break, the rue de la Préfecture is home to a number of places where gastronomy takes pride of place. At Bistrot d'Antoine, local produce and a love of the south are at the heart of affordable, generous and carefully prepared cuisine.

📍 Address: 27 Rue de la Préfecture, 06300 Nice

Between the narrow streets of this sunny city, squares with a wide range of atmospheres give the old quarter a new lease of life. Place Rossetti is the must-see on the list, decorated by the Cathedral of Saint-Réparate and its famous ice-cream parlours. Its baroque architecture, built in the shape of a Latin cross, houses ten chapels and three organs. On a square where life is good and where sitting on a terrace is more than tempting, this monument stands as a true symbol of the place.

Once there, it's impossible to miss the Côte d'Azur's most famous ice cream parlour, Fenocchio. Less well known to tourists, Azzurro is just as remarkable in the art of this refreshing sweet treat.

To the north of Vieux Nice, the district opens onto the spacious Place Garibaldi. The regular arcades, yellow shopfronts and green shutters that frame the space give a unique atmosphere to Nice's oldest square. Not far away, the Tour Saint-François is the ideal spot to get a bird's eye view of the city, with its 50-metre height and 288 steps. For €6, the climb up to the rhythm of the bell tower is rewarded with a breathtaking view.

📍 Address: 2-3 Ruelle Saint-André, 06300 Nice

At the edge of the coastline, the famous Cours Saleya and its bustling commercial life are very popular with locals. The Chapelle de la Miséricorde stands halfway across the market, in a baroque style designed by Bernardo Antonio Vittone from Turin.

The Promenade du Paillon marks the separation between the contemporary city and the old town. Once a place where the river Paillon flowed, it is now a place to live, relax and take a botanical journey right through the city centre. A water mirror, a bandstand and a world of flora share the green space.

On the other side of the district, the Château hill dominates Nice, with its park and waterfall. After climbing the Lesage staircase from the Quai des Etats-Unis, take in the breathtaking panorama, the waterfall, the park and the ruins of the old castle.

On the seafront, the impressive Opéra de Nice, which hosts cultural performances throughout the year, is a sight to behold from both inside and out. After enjoying a show at the Opera, a sweet break at the historic Maison Auer confectionery is a must. Candied fruit, marrons glacés and calissons will whet your sweet tooth.