Nice travel - Lonely Planet | France, Europe

Nice. With its mix of real-city grit, old-world opulence, year-round sunshine, vibrant street life and stunning seaside location, no place in France ... LottieDaviesEurope/FranceNiceWithitsmixofreal-citygrit,old-worldopulence,year-roundsunshine,vibrantstreetlifeandstunningseasidelocation,noplaceinFrancecompareswithNice.MediterraneanMagnetismBeforeeverythingelse,therewasthesea,andtheMediterraneanclimate–thetwinfactorsthatmadeNiceatouristmagnetasearlyasthe1700s.Lookaroundandyou’llfindthesameelementalattractionsthatdrewEurope'sbelle-époquearistocratstopromenadealongthewaterfrontinhorse-drawncarriages.Evennow,nothingcomparestothesimplejoyofabalmybeachdayinterspersedwithaspotofpeople-watchingastridethePromenadedesAnglais'famousbluechairs.Whetheryou'reskating,kayaking,swimming,sprawledonabeachloungerortransfixedbysunsetovertheever-presentMed,it'sallstillhappeningbythewater.TheItalianInfluenceForanyloverofFrenchandItalianculture,Niceistheperfecthybrid.LongaffiliatedwithPiedmontandLiguriatotheeast,SavoytothenorthandSardiniatothesouth,thiscityonlyjoinedFrancein1860andhasalwayskeptonefootinItaly.TheItalianinfluenceremainspalpableeverywhere,inVieuxNice'stall-shuttered,ochre-huedbuildingsthatlookairliftedstraightinfromPortofino,inthefreshpastashopsoneverycornerandeveninthefootballcheerIssaNissa!(GoNice!),shoutedinthelocalNissartdialectthat’sbeencolouredbyLigurianItalianasmuchasOccitanFrench.CityofArtistsTheCôted'Azurhasensnaredmanyavisitorwiththebeautyofitslight.NotleastHenriMatisse,whocameheretoconvalescefrombronchitis.Whenthesunfinallyemergedafteramonthofwintrydrizzle,MatissewassosmittenthathemadeNicehishomeforthenext37years.Chagall,PicassoandRenoiralsofellinlovewiththisplace,andNicewaslaterhometotheinfluentialavant-gardeÉcoledeNice.Artmuseumsaboundthroughouttheregion,butNice'sthreesuperstars–theMuséesMatisse,Chagallandd’ArtModerne–arereasonenoughtojustifyanaestheticpilgrimagehere.EatingNiçois-StyleBringyourappetitewhenyoucometoNice.Thiscityismeantforepicures.ItallstartsatVieuxNice’sSaleyamarket,wheresmallproducersfromtheAlpinefoothillsbringinabountyoffreshproduce,andtopchefsfromsurroundingrestaurantsshoprightbesidetourists.Thecitycelebratesitsuniquenesswithstreetsnackslikesocca(chickpeapancakes),pissaladière(caramelisedoniontart)ortourtedeblettes(chard,raisinandpinenutpie),whileitscountlesscosybistrosserveeverythingfromheartyProvençalbeefstewtotruesaladeniçoisetopastawithpistou,andfromfreshlemontarttovegancheesecake.ReadmoreJumpto:TableofcontentsBacktotopInbustling,glamorousNice,there’sabeachtosuiteverycomer.Here’sourguidetothecity’sbest.Niceisfulltothebrimwithincrediblerestaurantsandbeautifultinyboutiques,sotherearenoshortagesofplacesandwaystospendyourmoney.TheWomen’sWorldCupisbeingheldinFrancefrom7Juneto7Julythisyear,andfootballfansfromaroundtheworldareexpectedtofillstadiums,bars…ViewallstoriesPlanningToolkitDiscoversomeofthemostuniqueandfulfillingexperiencesyournextdestinationhastooffer.Tips&Traveltrendstohelpyoupicktheperfecttimetovisitthisdestination.Goldenrulestokeepinmindwhentravelingtothisdestination.Addvisitingthesemust-seelocalhotspotsandculturecenterstoyournexttravelitinerary.Dealsandtipsonwaystosavewithoutsacrificingthefunonyournexttrip.Planadaytripfulloflocalflavorandgetbackintimewiththesesame-dayoptions.Browsethevarioustransportationoptionstomakeyourtripthatmucheasierwhenyouarrive.Waystomaximizethefunwithoutspendingadimeonyournextgreatadventure.Discoversomeofthemostuniqueandfulfillingexperiencesyournextdestinationhastooffer.Tips&Traveltrendstohelpyoupicktheperfecttimetovisitthisdestination.Goldenrulestokeepinmindwhentravelingtothisdestination.Addvisitingthesemust-seelocalhotspotsandculturecenterstoyournexttravelitinerary.Dealsandtipsonwaystosavewithoutsacrificingthefunonyournexttrip.Planadaytripfulloflocalflavorandgetbackintimewiththesesame-dayoptions.Browsethevarioustransportationoptionstomakeyourtripthatmucheasierwhenyouarrive.Waystomaximizethefunwithoutspendingadimeonyournextgreatadventure.TopattractionsTheseareourfavoritelocalhaunts,touristyspots,andhiddengemsthroughoutNice.SightsRestaurantsShoppingEntertainmentDiscovermoresightsHistoricSiteVieuxNiceGettinglostamongthedark,narrow,windingalleywaysofNice’soldtownisahighlight.Thelayouthasbarelychangedsincethe1700s,andit’snowpackedwithdelis,restaurants,boutiquesandbars,butthecentrepieceremainscoursSaleya:amassivemarketsquarethat’spermanentlythronginginsummer.Thefoodmarketisperfectforfreshproduceandfoodiesouvenirs,whiletheflowermarketisworthvisitingjustforthecoloursandfragrances.AfleamarketisheldonMonday.ArchitecturePromenadedesAnglaisThemostfamousstretchofseafrontinNice–ifnotFrance–isthisvastpavedpromenade,whichgetsitsnamefromtheEnglishexpatpatronswhopaidforitin1822.Itrunsforthewhole4kmsweepoftheBaiedesAngeswithadedicatedlaneforcyclistsandskaters;ifyoufancyjoiningthem,youcanrentskates,scootersandbikesfromRollerStation.ParkCollineduChâteauForthebestviewsoverNice’sred-tiledrooftops,climbthewindingstaircasesuptothiswoodedoutcropontheeasternedgeoftheoldtown.It’sbeenoccupiedsinceancienttimes;archaeologicaldigshaverevealedCelticandRomanremains,andthesitewaslateroccupiedbyamedievalcastlethatwasrazedbyLouisXIVin1706(onlythe16th-centuryTourBellandaremains).Therearevariousentrances,includingonebesidethetower,oryoucancheatandridethefreelift.MuseumMuséeMassénaOriginallybuiltasaholidayhomeforPrinceVictord’Essling(thegrandsonofoneofNapoléon'sfavouritegenerals,MaréchalMassena),thislavishbelleépoquebuildingisanotherofthecity’siconicarchitecturallandmarks.Builtbetween1898and1901ingrandneoclassicalstylewithanItalianatetwist,it’snowafascinatingmuseumdedicatedtothehistoryoftheRiviera–takingineverythingfromholidayingmonarchstoexpatAmericans,theboomoftourismandtheenduringimportanceofCarnaval.GalleryMuséeMatisseThismuseum,2kmnorthofthecitycentreintheleafyCimiezquarter,housesafascinatingassortmentofworksbyMatisse,includingoilpaintings,drawings,sculptures,tapestriesandMatisse’sfamouspapercut-outs.Thepermanentcollectionisdisplayedinared-ochre17th-centuryGenoesevillainanolivegrove.Temporaryexhibitionsareinthefuturisticbasementbuilding.MatisseisburiedintheMonastèreNotreDamedeCimiezcemetery,acrosstheparkfromthemuseum.GalleryMuséed’ArtModerneetd’ArtContemporainEuropeanandAmericanavant-gardeworksfromthe1950stothepresentarethefocusofthissprawlingmultilevelmuseum.HighlightsincludemanyworksbyChristoandNice’sneorealists:NikideSaintPhalle,César,ArmanandYvesKlein.Thebuilding’srooftopalsoworksasanexhibitionspace(withknockoutpanoramasofNicetoboot).MarketCoursSaleyaMarketsSplitbetweenitsbeautifulflowermarketandrightlyfamousfoodmarket.OnMondays,flowersandfoodmakewayforafleamarket.GalleryMuséeNationalMarcChagallThestrange,dreamlikeandoftenunsettlingworkoftheBelarusianpainterMarcChagall(1887–1985)isdisplayedatthismuseum,whichownsthelargestpubliccollectionofthepainter’swork.Themainhalldisplays12hugeinterpretations(1954–67)ofstoriesfromGenesisandExodus.Fromthecitycentre,allowabout20minutestowalktothemuseum(signpostedfromavdel’Olivetto),ortakethebus.BeachPlagePubliquedesPonchettesRightoppositeVieuxNice,thisisgenerallythebusiestbeachofall,withoiledbodieseitherbakinginthesunorpunchingaballonthebeach-volleyballcourt.DiscovermoresightsFeaturedvideosRoadTrip:TheFrenchRivieraWatch3:18