NICE
Area: Cities
Country: France


Location:
In the SE corner of France on the Mediterranean coast. Capital city of the Cote d'Azur. 19 miles W of Italian border, 20 miles E of Cannes. Airport 4» miles W of town centre.

Telephone code from UK:
33

Website:
http://www.nice-coteazur.org

Position:
Sprawls around the silver Baie des Anges for 3 miles and now expanding inland, into the landscape of narrow valleys, steep craggy hillsides and medieval hilltop villages. Nice is the 5th largest city in France, pop. 700,000, with rapidly growing commercial urban landscape and active fishing harbour.

Description:
Nice's traditional tourist image revolves around the palm-fringed Promenade des Anglais and the grand belle epoque hotels which look across it to the broad Baie des Anges. These echoes of British colonial tourism dating from the early 19th century still reverberate through the presentation of such landmarks as the Negresco Hotel. But with Cannes and Monaco within 19 miles competing for the celebrity traffic, Nice has given way to pressure of numbers and is now regularly swamped by middlemarket, budget and package tourists. The beautiful people do still jog along the Promenade by day but prostitutes appear by night and in the city Parisian pensioners with poodles share the pavements with punks. Indeed the focal point is shifting eastwards from the waterfront to the grand Place Massena reflecting the growing influence of the new civic developments and old convention centre around the Acropolis. Beyond this the myriad alleys and decaying baroque mansions of the old town lead to the most popular restaurants and bohemian bars, the chateau with its stunning panoramic views and finally to the bustling harbour.

Suitability:
Being both a large city and a traditionally opulent tourist resort, Nice has evolved facilities for a wide spectrum of visitors. Budget travellers may have problems.

Accommodation:
On the waterfront numerous 4-star and luxury palaces. In the town centre further 3- and 4-star hotels and further inland a wide choice of 2-star, mainly around the station.

Shopping:
Massive range of shops catering for all budgets and needs, traditional products limited to local agriculture, and found in old town. Flower market and smaller markets for fish, farm produce and antiques; Avenue Medecin for upmarket and Rue Malaussena, among others, for more downmarket shops.

Beach:
Public and free but shingle and packed in summer. Some paying areas around the central hotel blocks where loungers etc can be hired and water sports facilities are available.

Entertainments:
Daytime: 4 major art museums including Chagall and Matisse and Musee Massena for local history. The promenade for architectural grandeur and celebrity spotting. Nightlife: rather disappointing, ranging from casino on waterfront to smart bars in hotels and trendy cafes around Place Massena. Small range of discos.

Eating:
Multiple choice of restaurants from fish specialists around port, small bistros in old town, steak bars and brasseries in Place Massena, fast food in Rue Massena to top bracket cuisine in Palace hotels. Salade Ni?oise and Proven?al cuisine common.

Public-transport:
City bus network, trains to Paris, Milan and Marseille as well as regular coast service and boats to Corsica.

Local-excursions:
Several coach trips to nearby hilltop fortified villages, usually including flower production or perfume factory _ San Remo, Grasse, Verdon, Eze and Valberge. Tours of Cannes, Monaco.