The Best Travel Guide to Nice Côte d'Azur

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Nice Côte d'Azur

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Nice Côte d'Azur

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The guide was updated: 2019-02-28

The Greeks and Romans did it, as did rich lords, film stars, artists and thousands of tourists. They were just going to pass by, but instead remained in Nice and along the Riviera. Some for just a few weeks, others for months and years. They were too captivated by the light, enchanted by the scents and charmed by the taste of olives, wine and succulent vegetables. All this with a chance to dabble their toes in a turquoise sea! In addition to this, a Nice Nouveau has evolved – a sassy Mediterranean metropolis with pulsating nightlife, new avant-garde hotels and daring art galleries. The most fashionable street, the Promenade des Anglais, is the Champs-Elysées of the whole Riviera. Have you already bought your return ticket?

Facts

Population:	Nice: 347.000 Cannes: 70.000 Saint-Tropez: 5.600
Currency:	1 Euro, € = 100 cents
Hotels:	Hotels »
Emergency numbers:	Émergence nationale: 112
Newspapers:	Nice-Matin La Semaine des Spectacles
Website:	www.nicetourisme.com www.nice-coteazur.org www.guideriviera.com www.ot-saint-tropez.com www.cannes.com www.antibes-juanlespins.com
Opening hours:	Shops generally are open from 10.00 to 17.00 Mon-Sat and they are closed on Sunday. Bakns are open from 10.00 to 17.30 Mon-Sat.
Tourist information:	Tourist Office Nice Av Thiers, Nice +33 892 707 407 Promenade des Anglais 5, Nice +33 892 707 407 Tourist Office Cannes Boulevard de la Croisette 1, Cannes +33 492 998 422 Tourist Office Saint-Tropez Rue Francis de Pressensé 11, Saint-Tropez

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Section in Nice Côte d'Azur

The whole world envies the French for their quality of life while the French envy the Riviera residents for their life in paradise. Nice combines the best of both worlds. This is where you can find small Provençal squares, where you can happily spend hours over a cup of coffee, but also find famous museums, parks and cathedrals. Put your walking shoes on!

Phoenix Parc Floral de Nice

Phoenix Parc Floral de Nice

Phoenix Parc Floral de Nice is the world’s largest greenhouse. Seven different tropical climates (damp, in other words) covering seven hectares, packed with 2.500 different plants. You can walk in the shadow of an (almost) unknown palm tree here, look at a baby shark, smell a thousand flowers and listen to bird song- on the loudspeakers.

Musée National Marc-Chagall

Musée National Marc-Chagall

The Russian-born master painter, Marc Chagall, is one of the Riviera’s many adopted children. The museum was built in consultation with the artistic genius himself, on the theme of Biblical art. The museum has regularly recurring exhibitions of Jewish art.

Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

Nice wants to make a name for itself as a centre for pop art. Admire Nice’s famous local artists such as Ben and Niki de Sainte Phalle in this imposing building. The latter has donated 170 of her works but there are also works of Andy Warhol, Picasso, etc.

Musée Matisse

Musée Matisse

Let’s face it, you are not going to find any of Matisse’s greatest works here. They are all in the USA. On the other hand, there is a clear picture of the artistic genius’ development, from his sickbed as a young man to his grave behind the museum. After a visit, you can walk around in the painter’s footsteps and compare the light in each painting. In addition, the red ochre villa is beautiful in its own right.

Russian Orthodox Cathedral

Russian Orthodox Cathedral

In the days of the tsars, the people who enjoyed themselves in the Riviera’s casinos until late on Saturday night, were not exactly short of money. They went here, to church though, on Sundays. After the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, things are much as they were in the old days, but thick wads of dollars now rain down on the Riviera - and the beautifully restored cathedral. Strict dress code.

Villa Arson

Villa Arson

Villa Arson is a centre for modern art in Nice – you could call it art in real time. This is both a school of art and an exhibition centre, frequently featuring students or former students. They also have performance art.

Cours Saleya

Cours Saleya

Cours Saleya is the largest square in the city and a historic centre. Perfect at any time of day, for a coffee or lunch, beneath what used to be Matisse’s balcony. A market takes place at Cours Saleya daily, offering vegetables and fruit, flowers and a flea market (on Monday).

Nice Cathedral

Nice Cathedral

The cathedral is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. Admire the beautiful ornamentation and friezes in the refreshing cool of the cathedral. On the outside, the shimmering colours on the dome have become one of Nice’s landmarks.

Rent a Classic Car

Rent a Classic Car

The classic and sports cars rental on the French Riviera! The French Riviera is one of the most beautiful places in the world to enjoy from behind the wheel of a classic sports car. Go for a drive in the country in a Porsche 356 Speedster, cruise down the Croisette in Cannes in a Ford Mustang, take on the sharp bends of the Monte Carlo Rally in an Alpine Berlinette or go for a dinner in Monaco in our Jaguar E-Type Nice and its region are a paradise for car enthusiasts...

Beach

Beach

Many tourist travel to Nice to enjoy its warm weather and the beautiful long beaches. You will not only find one beach but 30 amazing beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see. Along the beaches you will find the city´s famous Promenade des Anglais. It is lined with cafés, restaurants and hotels, definitely worth a visit. Some of the beaches in Nice are; Plage Beau Rivage-one of the most popular, Le Sporting -a private beach and Ruhl Plagewhich - one of the most famous beaches in Nice.

Palais Lascaris

Palais Lascaris

Even though many of us long for the sun, it can get too hot here in Nice. Palais Lascaris is a perfect escape from the heat. It is a lovely museum with beautiful paintings and interesting old musical instruments.

Place Rossetti

Place Rossetti

After strolling around in Nice, you might come to the point in which you´d like only to sit down and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Place Rossetti is the perfect destination to do just that, find a place in the shade, buy an ice-cream and relax.

Place Massena

Place Massena

Place Massena is another picturesque square in the historic part of Nice. It is located just by the coast line and a great place to take beautiful pictures.

Musee de la Castre

Musee de la Castre

Musee de la Castre is a small museum but well worth a visit, located on the hills of old Cannes, in the ruins of a medieval castle and classed as an historic monument. This is home to an extensive collection of antiquities, mainly from the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Musee de la Castre is very interesting for art lovers and ethnographers.

The Citadelle Saint-Tropez

The Citadelle Saint-Tropez

For a nice view of the town, head over to this place where you can experience a stunning view of the sea and the coastline. Here you will find Saint-Tropez’s most impressive construction, a tower which was built 1589. There is also a museum where you can learn more about the navy and history of Saint-Tropez.

Iles de Lerins

Iles de Lerins

The islands of L’île Sainte-Marguerite and L’île Saint-Honorat are two beautiful getaways from the city of Cannes. Just a boat ride away from the harbour, behind the palatial cinema, you can travel to these islands which are fifteen and thirty minutes respectively away from Cannes. L’île Sainte-Marguerite used to be a prison island, where a mysterious, masked prisoner was held in the 17th-century. The peaceful, flower-decked island of Saint-Honorat houses a monastery.

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