I must admit, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) region is not the one I know best. Yet, in 2022, I decided to spend a little over two weeks there in October, including a whole week dedicated to visiting Nice. It was the perfect opportunity to discover this iconic city and put together a complete city guide for the blog. I even updated this article after my solo trip in November 2023 to add new great addresses (and I continue to update it regularly so that it remains up to date). Ideally nestled in the Alpes-Maritimes department, by the Mediterranean Sea, the city of Nice is proudly the capital of the Côte d’Azur and a top destination on the French Riviera.
From the moment I arrived, I was particularly struck by the elegance of Nice’s architecture and the richness of its heritage, between its sumptuous Belle Époque villas, its legendary palaces, and its famous “palais.” What is there to do in Nice? You will see that it is a vibrant metropolis, rich in urban, cultural, and gastronomic discoveries. Artists were not mistaken, as they were fascinated by its light: Matisse, Chagall, Renoir, Dufy, Soutine, and even Cocteau all chose to make it their home! With its legendary Promenade des Anglais and its 7 km of beaches, Nice is unquestionably the queen of the seaside… It is now even on the UNESCO World Heritage list under the title “Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera.” A beautiful recognition for this cosmopolitan city between sea and mountains, shaped by and for tourism since the 18th century.
Table of Contents
Practical Information about Nice
How to get to Nice from Paris?
- By train, it takes between 5.5 and 6 hours from Paris, which is quite long, but it’s also pleasant because the last part of the trip between Marseille and Nice runs along the coastline and offers a quite attractive glimpse of the seaside.
- By plane with Easyjet (be careful, now even carry-on luggage is paid with the low-cost company) in just 1.5 hours of flight (from Orly or Charles de Gaulle) to Nice Côte d’Azur Airport. Then, from Nice Airport, you can take the L2 tram to easily reach the city center (€1.50 ticket).
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My top tip for visiting Nice: the French Riviera Pass
This CityCard provides access to more than 60 sites and activities in Nice and the surrounding area (I have indicated in the article the visits and activities we did with the card). There is also a paid option that gives unlimited access to public transport on the Lignes d’Azur network. This is very practical, because even if the city center is very easy to walk, some places are further away from the center. If you come during the sunny season, the card also allows you to rent a bike for a day.
Quick summary of what you have access to with the card:
- free access to the biggest sites of the Côte d’Azur (Nice, Antibes, Beaulieu, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Biot, Cannes, Monaco, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, Roure, Villefranche-sur-Mer…)
- access to the “Nice, le Grand Tour” tourist bus
- benefits at several addresses (shops, leisure activities, restaurants…)
- Additional transport package at €4/day
French Riviera Pass
Card for 24h at €30 / 48h at €45 or 72h at €65
Link to the tourist office website to learn more and buy the card
What to see and do in Nice
Nice is the 5th largest city in France and yet it has only been French since 1860, because before that date, it was under the protection of Savoy. This city open to the sea also possesses an exceptional microclimate with 300 days of sunshine per year (it’s a dream) and we were able to enjoy it during our visit to Nice in October, a season when the weather is still very beautiful on the Côte d’Azur.
The heart of Nice has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since July 2021. And I must say that when walking through the city, one easily understands why. This 522-hectare urban complex was shaped from the mid-18th century to the 20th century by winter tourism. While strolling through the old town of Nice, you will see buildings with Piedmontese, Genoese, or even Florentine tones and colors, which remind us of the proximity to Italy.
To see: The many museums, the architectural heritage, the old town, the colorful markets, the gardens and green spaces, the panoramas, and the famous Promenade des Anglais. The latter gives the city all its charm, with luxury palaces and prestigious buildings on one side and the sea and numerous public and private beaches on the other. We owe this promenade to an Englishman, the Reverend Lewis Way, who had it built at his own expense in 1820.
Getting around Nice: The city and surrounding area’s public transport service, Lignes d’Azur, is quite well developed. You can (and should) walk around Nice to best grasp the city, but it is quite vast and you risk having sore feet at the end of the day. Also good to know, during the summer, Lignes d’Azur offers hikers a bus network specially designed for mountain excursions starting from Nice with a morning departure and a return at the end of the day (single ticket for €5).
The cultural insider tip for locals: the Nice Museum Pass is offered to all residents of Nice and the municipalities of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, granting free access to all the city’s municipal museums!
Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolitan Tourist Office
5 Promenade des Anglais, 06000 Nice
SNCF Train Station – Avenue Thiers
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Visit the Marc Chagall National Museum
This museum holds the largest public collection of Marc Chagall‘s works. Inaugurated by the artist on his birthday, July 7, 1973 (the museum actually celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2023), the museum—or rather the home that Chagall wanted to house the Biblical Message cycle—still carries a powerful universal message today.
Until January 9, 2023, you could also discover a temporary exhibition, “Marc Chagall in Limited Editions.” In 2020 and 2021, the museum’s collection was enriched by seven rare bibliophilic works, donated by Bella and Meret Meyer, the granddaughters of Marc Chagall. To honor this gift, the exhibition celebrated the intimate and lasting relationship Chagall maintained with the written word and books, which allowed for the creation of over one hundred illustrated works in limited first editions.
Marc Chagall National Museum
Avenue Docteur Ménard, 06000 Nice
museum closed on Tuesdays
Rates: €8 (€10 during temporary exhibitions) / reduced €6 (€8 during temporary exhibitions) / free admission for those under 26 and for everyone on the 1st Sunday of each month
Free with the French Riviera Pass
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Visit the Palais Lascaris
This exceptional residence of the Nice civil baroque style, built in the 17th century by a wealthy family, features a magnificent monumental staircase adorned with vaulted ceilings and frescoes, and also houses a museum with a remarkable collection of antique musical instruments. The latter comes from the Antoine Gautier bequest, a wealthy Nice notable and enlightened amateur who left his remarkable collection, assembled in the 19th century, to the city of Nice in 1904. The collection is supplemented by the deposit from the Institut de France of the musical instrument collection of Gisèle Tissier-Grandpierre, an internationally renowned harpist.
I warmly recommend visiting this place located in the heart of the old town of Nice, as its architecture is beautiful and the collection it contains is also well worth the detour! In any case, it was one of our favorites when we visited Nice.
Palais Lascaris
15, Rue Droite 06000 Nice
Museum closed on Tuesdays
Rates: €5 / free for job seekers and students
Free with the French Riviera Pass
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Climb to the top of the Saint-François Tower
This 50-meter-high tower dominates Nice and offers an exceptional 360° view of the city. It’s a great option to gain some height and admire the city from above. However, be careful, I warn you: you will have to climb the 288 steps of the building to reach the top and get your reward!
Saint-François Tower
2-3 Rle Saint-André, 06300 Nice
open only on Saturdays and Sundays and also on Fridays in July and August
Rates: €6.10 / reduced €3 / free for those under 18
Free with the French Riviera Pass
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Visit the Cimiez Archaeology Museum
Founded by Augustus in 14 B.C., Cemenelum (Nice) was the capital of the province of the Alpes-Maritimes from the 1st to the 4th century. This archaeological site museum allows you to discover the remains of this ancient Roman city. It is located on the Cimiez hill and features a building with a permanent exhibition that talks about the life of Cemenelum and the province of Alpes Maritimae, through the many objects discovered during archaeological excavations from 1950 to 1969 in the site acquired by the Nice municipality, but also beyond. In addition, the site also presents an archaeological site with the remains of three complete thermal complexes (1st to 3rd century), streets, a residential area with its shops, as well as an amphitheater.
Cimiez Archaeology Museum
160 Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez
museum closed on Tuesdays
Rates: €5 / free for under 18s, students, job seekers, and recipients of social minimums
Free with the French Riviera Pass
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Visit the Terra Amata Prehistory Museum
This museum offers a chance to discover a 400,000-year-old seasonal encampment of elephant hunters, where the first traces of fire domestication in the world were unearthed, making it a site of global importance. The museum is actually located on the very spot of the archaeological excavations. I personally found this museum/site very well done because you learn a lot about the results of the archaeological excavations that took place here. If you are interested in this kind of theme, I recommend you go and take a look.
Terra Amata Prehistory Museum
25 Boulevard Carnot
museum closed on Tuesdays
Rates: €5 / free for under 18s, students, job seekers, and recipients of social minimums
Free with the French Riviera Pass
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Visit MAMAC, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Nice
This city’s museum of modern and contemporary art is housed in a building with modern architecture. It holds a significant permanent collection that traces the history of European and American avant-gardes from the early 1960s. It also offers a very interesting focus on Yves Klein and Niki de Saint Phalle, as both artists made significant donations to the museum. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this museum, both for the collections it houses and for the discovery of the building’s architecture.
Mamac
Place Yves Klein
museum closed on Mondays
Admission: 10 € / free for under 18s, students, job seekers, and social welfare recipients
Free with the French Riviera Pass
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Visit the Fine Arts Museum of Nice
This fine arts museum in the city of Nice has been housed since 1928 in the princely Villa Kotchoubey-Thomson, which is located on the Baumettes hill. It presents collections of paintings and sculptures covering several centuries of history: Van Loo, Fragonard, Dufy, Chéret, Rodin, Carpeaux… Its history actually truly begins in 1860 with the annexation of Nice by France and the sending of works from the Louvre Museum in 1861 to spur the formation of a museum. Subsequently, the city of Nice enriched its collections through acquisitions and also through a very large number of donations and bequests from private individuals.
Nice Fine Arts Museum
33 avenue des Baumettes
museum closed on Mondays
Admission: 10 € / 6.50 € reduced / free for under 18s, job seekers, social welfare recipients, and students
Free with the French Riviera Pass
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Visit the Matisse Museum
This museum is housed in the Villa des Arènes, located next to the Cimiez archaeological site on the heights of Nice (you can take bus no. 5 to get there). It is dedicated to the work of French artist Henri Matisse. The history of the Matisse Museum in Nice is closely linked to Henri Matisse’s deep attachment to Nice, the city where he created the majority of his work, as well as the successive donations made to the City by the artist himself and his heirs.
From October 20, 2023, to January 8, 2024, visitors can discover a temporary exhibition titled “Shirley Jaffe. Before and After Matisse“. The latter creates a dialogue between the works of this American artist, a reference in abstract painting at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, and those of Matisse.
Matisse Museum
164 Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez, 06000 Nice
Admission: 10 € / free for under 18s, students, job seekers, and social welfare recipients
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National Sports Museum
This museum is a bit outside the Nice city center, but it’s well worth the detour! Built around the theme of challenge, the permanent exhibition tells the great history of sport through exceptional objects, unpublished stories, and immersive devices! It is the perfect opportunity to rediscover the greatest achievements of each generation and to experience the spirit of sport and its values from the inside. During my visit, I was also able to discover the temporary exhibition “Les Elles des jeux” (from November 8, 2023, to November 3, 2024), which is held in the context of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
National Sports Museum
Allianz Riviera Stadium, 6 allée Camille Muffat, 06200 Nice
Admission: 8 € (permanent + temporary exhibition) / 6 € (temporary or permanent exhibition) reduced rates 4 € and 3 € / free for under 18s and job seekers
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Spend an evening at the Casino Barrière
We are not big casino connoisseurs, but we took advantage of the benefits of the French Riviera Pass to discover this iconic city spot. We enjoyed a small glass of Champagne and the 8 € worth of chips (which we lost in record time!) included with the pass to see what the inside of the casino looked like. And I must say we had a lot of fun.
Casino Barrière Le Ruhl Nice
1 Promenade des Anglais, 06000 Nice
With the French Riviera Pass : 1 glass of Champagne and 4 € of chips per pass
Please note: to enter a casino, you must have your ID and be of legal age!
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Go see the Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral
We didn’t have the opportunity to go inside this building, but since we were staying right next door in an apartment hotel during the second part of our stay, we went to see it from the outside, and it’s already worth a look! The cathedral is the largest and oldest building of its kind outside of Russia.
Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral
Guided tours daily by reservation
Free with the French Riviera Pass
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Visit the Sainte-Réparate Cathedral
Promoted to a cathedral in the 16th century, this Baroque building is the largest sanctuary in Old Nice. The Sainte-Réparate Cathedral of Nice is a Catholic cathedral, the current building of which was constructed between 1650 and 1699, the year of its consecration. It is the seat of the Diocese of Nice. If you are strolling through Old Nice, I recommend taking a look, as its Baroque decor is quite impressive!
Sainte-Réparate Cathedral
Place Rossetti
Open Tuesday to Sunday
Free and open access
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Gain some altitude on Castle Hill
If you want to get an incredible view of the city of Nice, I recommend this walk; it’s a bit athletic but well worth the effort! If you don’t want to opt for the athletic version, you can also access it via an elevator (Rue des Ponchettes) and if it happens to be out of order (which was the case for us), you can climb all the way to the top via the stairs (be warned, it’s quite a climb). At the top, you can enjoy a botanical garden combined with a park, and most importantly, a unique view of Nice and the Promenade. We personally went in the late afternoon to take in the sunset over the city.
Colline du Château (Castle Hill)
free access (the elevator, however, is paid)
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Attending the “Un Festival c’est trop court” Festival
This short film festival, which has been around for 22 years, is organized every October by the Heliotrope association, and we were lucky enough to attend during our visit to Nice in 2022. Over the course of a week, the festival brings together young European cinematic talent in Nice, offering a varied program in different locations across the city: competitions, meetings with filmmakers, tribute evenings, outreach activities for schools, professional networking events, and a free open-air opening ceremony.
We attended a Focus evening on Regina Pessoa, an internationally recognized Portuguese animated short film director. It was a wonderful discovery, and we were charmed by her highly poetic works. We also attended a screening of music videos from 2021-2022 at La Zonmé (a cultural venue).
Un Festival c’est trop court
From October 7 to 14, 2022
From October 4 to 11, 2024
Festival Pass 2022 for €35 / €7 per Festival screening
My favorite food addresses in Nice and the surrounding area
As usual, you will find below my selection of great addresses in Nice (a bakery, an ice cream parlor, and several restaurants) that we had the chance to test during our stay with the favorite photographer. These places often offer an opportunity to discover local products and several regional specialties to taste if you come to the French Riviera.
The Cuisine Nissarde label: This “Cuisine Nissarde” label was created to highlight the authenticity of Niçoise cuisine. To qualify, restaurateurs must feature traditional, selected recipes on their menu. The foundation of Niçoise cuisine is primarily vegetables (chickpeas, chard, lentils, broad beans, eggplants, zucchini, radishes…), grown on the typical terraced land of the region. Since 2019, this cuisine, between Provence and Italy, has even been included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of France.
Some local specialties: Niçoise salad; pan bagnat; the Caillette olive typical of Nice; socca; daube (beef stew); soupe au pistou (vegetable soup with pesto); pissaladière (onion tart); chard tart; Niçois stuffed vegetables…
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Where to eat socca in Nice? Chez Thérésa
Personally, I didn’t have the opportunity to test the socca (a traditional culinary specialty of Niçoise cuisine made from chickpea flour and olive oil, baked and golden in a wood-fired oven) from Chez Thérésa, but everyone told us it was one of the best in the city!
Chez Thérésa
28 rue Droite & Cours Saleya 06300 Nice
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Where to eat ice cream in Nice? Azzurro Artisan Glacier
It was our friend, blogger Katou from Touristissimo, who took us to discover this artisanal ice cream parlor, which she considers the best in the city! And I must say, we were convinced by the quality of the ice creams at this address. For flavors, we tested Bella Nissa and orange blossom, and I really liked both.
Azzurro Artisan Glacier
1 Rue Sainte-Reparate, 06300 Nice
Price: 1 scoop €2.50 / 2 scoops €4 / 3 scoops €5.20 / 4 scoops €6.30 / 5 scoops €7.30
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A Tunisian tea room in Nice? Le Carthage
Once again, here is a great Niçoise address from our friend Katou from Touristissimo. Being of Tunisian origin, we can trust her on this type of address. If you want to drink a good mint tea with some little Tunisian cookies, you are in the right place!
Le Carthage
5 Rue Saint François, 06300 Nice
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A bakery and pastry shop in Nice? Armand
This family business has existed for 3 generations and has 3 different locations in Nice (and a 4th will apparently open soon). We had lunch on the terrace of their location on Rue de France. Today, the brand’s shops offer bakery, pastry, snacking, and catering services, always with a focus on quality craftsmanship, and the products we tasted were very good.
To taste: Niçoise pissaladière; pain bagnat; for dessert, the vanilla peanut with a molten peanut praline center; the raspberry pistachio cake; the lemon meringue tart; the Paris-Brest.
Armand
19 rue France 06000 Nice
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Where to eat Niçoise cuisine in Nice? Restaurant l’Escalinada
This restaurant specializing in Niçoise dishes also offers grilled meats and wood-fired pizzas. It is located right in the heart of the old town of Nice. Once again, it was my fellow blogger Katou from Touristissimo who recommended this address, and we all had lunch there together with the favorite photographer during our time in the city. For 2 people, we ate for €55, but we couldn’t finish everything because it was really very, very filling.
Must-try: the “ribambelle” of appetizers for 2 people (but honestly enough for 3 / €21); the Niçois stuffed vegetables with mesclun (22€); merda di can with beef stew sauce (19€), which literally translates to dog shit with beef stew sauce (those Niçois folks sure have a sense of humor).
L’Escalinada Restaurant
22, rue Pairolière – Vieux Nice
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Where to eat Italian street food in Nice? La Piadineria Nice
Located in the basement of the Nice Étoile shopping center, this brand specializing in Italian street food offers piadinas, a specialty not yet very well known in France. It’s an unleavened flatbread that is both soft and crispy, filled with various products. I had already tested one of their branches in Paris (which you can find in my article on Italian restaurants in Paris). La Piadineria offers several recipes, and you can choose the size of your piadina (rolled or folded version) and the type of dough (with lard or vegetarian).
La Piadineria Nice
30 Avenue Jean Médecin, 06000 Nice
Price: savory piadina between €6.90 and €12 / set meal with price of piadina + €4.50 to add a drink and a dessert
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Where to eat pizza in Nice? Pizza Cosy
We had never tested this pizza chain, but after visiting the Terra Amata Museum of Prehistory (which I mention earlier in the article) just nearby, we went to this spot for lunch because it was pouring rain! I really liked the brand’s effort to have a selection of quality products (like the craft brewery they collaborate with). The products used on the pizzas were also high quality, and the pizza dough was good. We were even able to take the rest of the pizza we couldn’t finish home in a doggy bag, which I think is always a plus. The staff was friendly, and there was a bit of effort put into the decor.
Must-try: beers from a French craft brewery, Maous, which works with the brand (€3.90 for 33cl); terroir pizza with crème fraîche, mozzarella, cooked ham, goat cheese with Herbes de Provence, and chives (€13.90); Cèp’Parti pizza (€15.90); the tiramisu (€4.50).
Pizza Cosy Nice
2 Bd de Riquier, 06300 Nice
Pizza prices: between €6.90 and €12.90 for small ones, and between €9.90 and €15.90 for large ones
Great tip: the student set menu with a small pizza + a drink for €7.90
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Where to have a rock night out in Nice? At the Hard Rock Café Nice (Closed)
The Hard Rock Café is an institution in the rock’n’roll world. I’ve actually already written an article about the Paris Hard Rock Café on the blog. The Nice location, which had existed since 2013, was located right in front of the sea on the Promenade des Anglais. People came here to discover the collection of original items belonging to the greatest music legends, to enjoy concerts organized by the venue, and to eat American-style cuisine. However, during our visit, we tried their Local Menu featuring Niçois flavors.
On the menu of this Local Menu: socca chips and nacho style (13.45€); Nissa Burger (21€) with tapenade, fresh goat cheese, and fried eggplant; as for drinks, we tested the Basilicous cocktail with fresh basil and gin (13.20€) and the Nice Beach with cognac and blends of agave and orgeat syrups (13.20€); for dessert, the French toast (9.95€).
Hard Rock Café Nice
5 Promenade des Anglais, 06000 Nice
Update 11/01/2023: the Hard Rock Café Nice unfortunately closed its doors on September 15, 2023.
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Where to have a romantic dinner in Nice? Restaurant at the Hôtel Windsor
This arty hotel offers rooms decorated by artists and a beautiful lush garden. The theme of the hotel is entirely focused on contemporary art, and the venue also hosts artists in residence. For our part, we didn’t stay at this hotel, but we had dinner there one evening in an absolutely charming setting, perfect for a romantic meal or a special event (as was the case, since it was my birthday). In the kitchen, you’ll find chef Laureline Palmade, who has an impressive background working in prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants in New York, Cape Cod, and even London.
We tasted: Dubarry velouté with its Spanish ham croqueta; mushroom and blue cheese quiche with salad; pan-seared hake fillet with potato rosti and leek fondue; filet mignon marinated with berries and honey with carrot puree and arancini; vegetarian mushroom risotto with a parmesan tuile; bergamot and orange blossom tiramisu; yogurt and honey mousse, pistachio financier, and seasonal fruits.
Hôtel Windsor
11 rue Dalpozzo 06000 Nice
Rates: market menu with starter + main course + dessert for €38 / child menu €20
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A beer bar in Nice? Beer District Libération
The spot is located next to the Gare du Sud (another great place to go out!). It’s a fantastic craft beer and tapas bar (served between 7 PM and 11 PM). Everything is homemade and it’s truly delicious; my girlfriend and I really enjoyed it during our visit! There’s a great atmosphere, and the bar notably hosts a blind test every Tuesday that brings in a big crowd. As someone who loves blind tests, I was sorry I couldn’t make it…
We tried: the mortadella, arugula, and Saint-Marcellin bruschetta (€7); the homemade chicken tenders with fresh homemade fries (€12); and the fresh homemade fries (€5).
Tested in 2023
Beer District Libération
1 Place Philippe Randon, 06000 Nice
Prices: tapas for €5 / tapas assortment for €20 / bruschetta between €5 and €7 / boards between €12 and €20 / natural or organic wines by the glass between €4.50 and €6.70
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A gourmet table in the Nice area? La Table de la Réserve
For a quick getaway 30 minutes from Nice along the French Riviera, I recommend taking the bus (No. 15) from the center of Nice to Beaulieu-sur-Mer. This town is a place where sea and mountains meet, boasting a rich architectural and botanical heritage. It’s also home to La Réserve de Beaulieu, a superb address tucked away in a magnificent setting! This 5-star hotel is one of the oldest independent palaces on the French Riviera, with a breathtaking view of the sea. It offers a Michelin-starred restaurant (which also holds 4 Toques from Gault et Millau), the Restaurant des Rois, facing the sea (open only in the evening), where the cuisine is orchestrated by starred chef and MOF (Best Craftsman of France) Julien Roucheteau.
As for us, we had lunch at La Table de la Réserve, awarded an Assiette in the Michelin Guide and named a Travellers’ Choice by Tripadvisor. This restaurant invites you to discover chic bistronomy that is both refined and relaxed, guided by the culinary DNA of chef Julien Roucheteau. You’ll find contemporary cuisine made from local Mediterranean products from short-supply producers, as well as influences from nearby Italy. The establishment offers a seasonal menu that is constantly evolving, where classic bistro dishes are revisited with freshness and precision. The professional yet relaxed service and the great atmosphere in the kitchen made for a wonderful experience for us.
La Table de la Réserve
La Réserve de Beaulieu
5, Boulevard du Maréchal Leclerc 06310 Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Prices: 4-course menu for the whole table €60 per person / starters between €13 and €21 / mains between €21 and €45 / desserts between €6 and €13
My tip: go have lunch at La Table de la Réserve, the establishment’s chic brasserie
Our choice: the chef’s table right next to the kitchen where you can watch the chef plating the dishes
Where to stay in Nice and the surrounding area?
As usual, you will find below my selection of great accommodation options in Nice, which we had the opportunity to test during our stay with my favorite photographer in 2022 and then during my solo trip in 2023.
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Where to stay in the historic center of Nice? Hôtel Villa Rivoli
During our trip to Nice in 2022, we stayed in this charming little 3-star boutique hotel with 24 rooms, housed in an 1890s mansion in the historic center of Nice. We stayed in room No. 9, which had a very distinct retro style that felt like a little piece of candy. In any case, it was quite quiet, and the family atmosphere of the place is very pleasant.
Hôtel Villa Rivoli
10 rue de Rivoli 06000 Nice
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Where to stay near the Nice train station? Hôtel HappyCulture Villa Bougainville
This 4-star hotel, part of the HappyCulture collection of the Honotel group, is very well located just a 5-minute walk from the Nice Ville train station. It is therefore extremely convenient if you are traveling to Nice by train (which was my case during my trip in 2023, as I try not to fly if I don’t have to). There are actually 9 HappyCulture group hotels in Nice.
Each hotel in the group is independent and has its own theme. Villa Bougainville is themed around travel, in tribute to the world tour of explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville, within the atmosphere of French Riviera holiday resorts. I was personally in room 408, which faces the back of the establishment. My room had good bedding, and despite a slight ventilation noise upon arrival (and I hate that, I always turn off all ACs), I got used to it and had a good stay at the establishment. Moreover, the staff is very nice and particularly helpful. A friendly, almost family-like atmosphere emanates from the hotel, which I really liked.
The tip: I find the hotel group’s concept really nice because once you are a guest at one of the hotels, you can enjoy the hospitality of all the other hotels in the group. You can settle into the lobby, enjoy a hot drink, use the WiFi, and visit the other locations as well. I found it very nice and took advantage of my stay to do that during my walks. You can also use the luggage storage service and the restrooms at other hotels (yes, when you are a girl and a frequent pee-er on top of that, it’s super important!).
Tested in 2023
Hotel HappyCulture Villa Bougainville
29 Avenue Thiers, 06000 Nice
Rates: room from €72
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A palace on the French Riviera near Nice? La Réserve Beaulieu
As I was telling you in the previous paragraph, La Réserve Beaulieu is located 30 minutes from Nice along the French Riviera, in Beaulieu-sur-Mer. This town is a place where the sea and mountains meet, and it boasts a rich architectural and botanical heritage. It is also where you will find La Réserve de Beaulieu, a superb address nestled in a magnificent setting!
This 5-star hotel with 39 rooms, one of the oldest independent palaces on the French Riviera, offers stunning views of the sea and features a Michelin-starred restaurant (which also holds 4 Toques in the Gault & Millau guide), the Restaurant des Rois, facing the sea (open only in the evening). Its cuisine is orchestrated by starred chef and MOF (Best Craftsman of France) Julien Roucheteau. The establishment also has a pool that overlooks the sea in a sumptuous setting.
La Réserve de Beaulieu
5, Boulevard du Maréchal Leclerc 06310 Beaulieu-sur-Mer
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Practical questions
I recommend the French Riviera Pass. It gives access to many must-see sites (like the Palais Lascaris or the Mamac) and offers a very practical option for unlimited use of Ligne d’Azur public transport.
Head to Azzurro Artisan Glacier! It’s a local recommendation and I confirm their ice creams are delicious. I particularly advise you to try the Bella Nissa and Orange Blossom flavors.
The Hotel HappyCulture Villa Bougainville is ideally located a 5-minute walk from the SNCF train station. The great advantage of this hotel group is that you can then enjoy the services (lobby, toilets, WiFi) of all the other hotels in the chain during your walks in the city.
I recommend the Restaurant l’Escalinada in the heart of Old Nice. The plates are generous and authentic. Don’t miss out on tasting the stuffed Niçois vegetables or the local specialty: merda di can with stew!
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Thanks to the Nice Côte d’Azur Tourist Office for their help in discovering Nice and for providing us with the French Riviera Pass. Thanks also to La Réserve Beaulieu, Hard Rock Café, Armand, and Pizza Cosy for their invitations.
I hope that with all this, I have made you want to visit Nice, and if you also have your own tips and advice for this destination, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments below!
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez and MelleBonPlan Photos are not royalty-free; permission from the photographer is mandatory before any use
