Nice: The Mediterranean jewel of 1001 colours

Located between Cannes and the Italian border, the famous Mediterranean city of Nice is ideally situated between the sea and the mountains. A city of contrasts, it oscillates between tradition and glamour. No wonder it is one of the most popular tourist cities in France. Long elegant avenues, romantic cobbled streets, a pleasant climate... The capital of the French Riviera has everything to seduce visitors.

A colourful city centre, a festive carnival and a picturesque seafront... UNESCO appreciated this jewel of the Côte d'Azur so much that it named the entire city a heritage site! Located in the Alpes-Maritimes, between the waters of the Mediterranean and the peaks of the Alps, Nice is a destination full of options! Its relaxed lifestyle, beautiful beaches and magnificent architecture attract tourists from all over the world every year.

Nice, the most Italian of the Côte d'Azur cities, is proud of its Mediterranean roots. This rich little town, which enjoys a high standard of living, is a veritable treasure trove for walkers. Nice is not only a legendary seaside resort (quite romantic at the end of the afternoon, it must be said), but also a historic centre, the Vieux-Nice, where it is good to stroll through its small medieval streets, enlivened by the festive spirit of the students who frequent it.

Known as the ‘French Florida’ because of the large number of elderly people who have chosen to settle there to take advantage of its sunny climate, Nice is in fact sparkling and youthful. Not far from the sea, Old Nice, whose scent can only be smelled on windy days, is a maze of cobbled streets, old buildings and small craft shops or ultra-modern design. The city's wealth is also reflected in the wide choice of restaurants and hotels, some of them very luxurious.

Like the dazzling palettes of Matisse, who stayed there around 1917, the whole of Nice is a firework of images. From the facades of Old Nice, where yellow ochre turns red in a few metres and the 17th century left its taste for ornamentation by covering the walls with colourful friezes and other sculptures, to the many markets (flowers, fish, fruit and vegetables) where colours mix with aromas, to Carnival and its explosions of orange and yellow, colour is everywhere!

In Nice you’ll also find the baroque cathedral of Sainte Réparate or the Place Masséna, the nerve centre of the city, accentuated by the red facades that surround it. Outside this area there’s of course the Promenade des Anglais, which stretches along the Baie des Anges, offering its panoramic views and commanding all attention. With its 19 museums and galleries, Nice boasts the largest number of museums in France after Paris.

Regional dishes such as pan bagnat, socca, pissaladière, salad niçoise, but also olives, anchovies or stew are in themselves colourful masterpieces that make the eyes of the guests sparkle. These specialities are always prepared in the traditional way, whether at the Cours Saleya market or in the famous establishments such as René Socca, Chez Pipo or Chez Theresa.