Nice
The city through which the French Riviera finds its full meaning
A train from Italy emerges from a tunnel and the Baie des Anges opens before the window. Between the sea and the hills lies Nice, with its old quarter pressed against Castle Hill and a long shoreline tracing the curve of the bay. In that first view, the elements that define the city are already there: proximity to the water, layered history, and the sense that the Mediterranean is lived here from the very heart of the city.
The Greeks founded a colony here called Nikaia in the 4th century BC. A few kilometres away, the Romans built Cemenelum, a city whose amphitheatre and thermal baths can still be seen today in Cimiez. In the centuries that followed, the area was ruled by the Counts of Provence, then by the House of Savoy, until Nice became part of France in 1860. That transition remains visible in the urban landscape: Italian Baroque architecture, Ligurian tones on the façades, and the measured order of French urban planning coexist within the same city.
The old town remains the most concentrated expression of this heritage. Its streets are narrow: tall houses shield the passage from the sun, and a small square or church suddenly appears between the buildings. The Baroque cathedral of Sainte-Réparate stands almost hidden among the façades, while just a few steps away begins Cours Saleya, a market square that has shaped the city’s morning scene for centuries.
Here, flowers, fruit, fish, and olives are sold. The square is framed by houses painted in colours reminiscent of Ligurian towns. Stalls display lemons from Menton, tomatoes from nearby gardens, and herbs from the hills around Nice. The market lasts until midday, after which the square slowly turns into a line of terraces and restaurants. On Mondays, antique dealers take their place.
A few minutes’ walk from the old town, the seafront opens up. The Promenade des Anglais follows the bay for nearly seven kilometres. It was created in 1824 when British visitors who spent the winter in Nice financed the construction of a seaside walkway. At the time, Nice was becoming a winter resort for European aristocracy. Its mild climate, brilliant light, and proximity to the mountains attracted families from England, Russia, and northern Europe.
During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a series of hotels and villas appeared along the promenade. Among them stands the Hôtel Negresco, opened in 1913, with its rose-coloured dome and an interior that now houses a remarkable art collection. Along this stretch of coast, traces remain of the era when the Riviera acquired its international reputation.
The sea begins directly beside the city. Pebble beaches line the shore; the water is deep and clear, and the curve of the bay gives the promenade a long, open view. The sea is constantly present in the city’s landscape.
To the east of the old town lies Port Lympia. The harbour was built in the eighteenth century and long served as a trading port between France and Italy. Today, brightly coloured fishing boats known as pointus are moored here, while restaurants, small galleries and the everyday life of the neighbourhood unfold around the quays.
From the harbour, the road rises towards Castle Hill. A fortress once stood on this hilltop before being destroyed in the early eighteenth century. Today, the area is a park overlooking the city and the bay. From here, the whole city can be seen: the old quarter beneath the hill, the harbour to the east, the long shoreline following the curve of the bay, and the newer districts extending westwards.
North of the centre lies Cimiez. This district preserves the remains of the Roman city of Cemenelum, including a third-century amphitheatre and thermal baths. During the nineteenth century, Cimiez developed into an elegant residential quarter favoured by European aristocratic families. Among those who spent winters here was Queen Victoria.
Cimiez is also home to the Musée Matisse. Henri Matisse arrived in Nice in 1917 and remained in the city for the rest of his life. Many of his works from this period depict interiors opening onto Mediterranean light. Today, the museum holds around 600 of his works. Nearby stands the Musée Marc Chagall, opened in 1973, which houses the cycle of paintings inspired by biblical themes that the artist donated to the French state.
Nice’s traditional cuisine developed from the local produce of the Mediterranean. The best-known dishes include socca, a flatbread made from chickpea flour; pissaladière, topped with onions and anchovies; and pan bagnat, a sandwich inspired by the Niçoise salad. These dishes belong to the culinary tradition known as Cuisine Nissarde and preserve the flavours of the city as faithfully as its façades, markets, and harbour.
Here, the city’s past, Mediterranean life, and coastline meet. Nice stretches between sea and mountains, shaped by its ancient origins, Italian heritage, and French urban planning. Markets, promenades, museums, the harbour, and the old quarters form a network of places through which daily life unfolds in immediate proximity to the Mediterranean.
For this reason, Nice occupies a special place in the story of the French Riviera. UNESCO has inscribed the city on the World Heritage List as “Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera”, recognising its role in the development of European coastal culture during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In Nice, that history appears in the view across the bay, in the colours of the old houses, in the morning at Cours Saleya, in the climb towards Cimiez, and in the long line of the promenade that links the city to the sea.
7 fascinating facts about Nice
1 A city that spent centuries under another state
Nice only became part of France in 1860. Before that, it belonged for almost five centuries to the House of Savoy and later to the Kingdom of Sardinia, which explains why the city’s architecture, cuisine, and local dialect still carry a strong Italian influence.
2 The Riviera was first a winter destination
In the nineteenth century, European aristocrats travelled to Nice in winter rather than summer. The mild climate and sea air were believed to benefit health, and the city became one of the most important winter retreats of Europe’s high society.
3 The Promenade des Anglais owes its name to British visitors
The famous seaside promenade was built in 1824 with funds raised by the British community wintering in Nice. The walkway soon became known as the Promenade des Anglais, a name it still carries today.
4 Hôtel Negresco survived the bankruptcy of its founder
The luxurious Hôtel Negresco opened in 1913, but its founder, Henri Negresco, went bankrupt after the First World War. The hotel survived and remains one of the few grand Riviera hotels not affiliated with an international chain.
5 Matisse spent almost forty years in Nice
Henri Matisse arrived in Nice in 1917 and lived there until his death in 1954. The Mediterranean light and sea views shaped much of his later work, and many of his most celebrated paintings are closely associated with the city.
6 Socca was long eaten by fishermen and labourers
One of Nice’s most famous dishes, socca, is made from chickpea flour, water, and olive oil. Traditionally baked in large round pans and served hot, it was long eaten as a simple, substantial snack by fishermen and labourers around the port and market areas.
7 Nice is now a UNESCO World Heritage city
In 2021, Nice was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as “Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera”. The designation recognises the city’s historical importance in the development of European tourism and the culture of winter residence on the Mediterranean.
