La ProvidenceClocktower (LP03)Vieux NiceEnquire for winter possibilities. February during the carnival may be possible. |
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| This apartment has breathtaking views of the Old Town and the Alps. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 balconies, WiFi, Phone, TV/DVDLP03 Clocktower (2 bedrooms)Map showing position of this apartmentClick Here to Book | |
You really don’t need a car in Nice, with a good city centre location, I would suggest, east of the Negresco, west of the Port, south of Bvd Dubouchage/ Victor Hugo, you can walk to the best parts of Nice itself, while good public transport carries you further afield.
WALKING
Nice is designed for walking, urban Europe at its very best. The pedestrianised shopping streets round Place Massena, Rue Halevy, Alphonse Karr, Rue de France, Rue Alberti, Vieux Nice, the Port, the Promenade des Anglais, art deco buildings behind the Negresco, all offer hugely varied city walks.
For a more rustic workout, take the stairs from Parc du Castel on Avenue du Mont-Alban, across Mt. Alban/Mt Boron and down the other side into Villefranche. Plus coastal walks track the 100 bus route from Nice to Menton, magnificently tended walkways stretch almost all the way from Nice Airport to the italian border, there are amazingly few breaks.
BIKES AND HIRE CARS
The Velo Bleu racks arrived in Nice July 2009. In 2011, there are excellent bike tracks from Cannes to Nice, through the centre of Nice and along the promenade, with a great airport bypass, that doubles as a pedestrian walk way in this rather overly car orientated part of town. www.velobleu.org.
Peugeot Ion and Citroen Berlingo Electric cars working along the same lines are also now operational. 17 stations to begin with, ca 50 cars, priced at less than 10€ an hour, 50€ a day with a 300 € caution. Plus free parking around town.
BUS/TRAM
Update in Dec 2012
After 5 years of chaos during the tram construction, the public transportation in Nice and the surrounding area has improved enormously, especially the buses. The Gare Routiere was demolished in 2012 and the car park / old bus station area are in the process of being transformed into a couloir vert of green pathways and fountains. Expected completion 2013.
Trams on Line 1 run from the Las Planas Terminus in the north, past the Gare SNCF, along Jean Medecin to Place Massena, above Vieux Nice, across Place Garibaldi, to Pont St Michel in the east. It crosses 67 streets, said to be a record for French trams, has right of way and hopefully discourages drivers from using the inner city centre.
As a visitor staying centrally, the Tram is unlikely to take you anywhere you can’t walk. However, it’s a useful way to get from Vieux Nice to the main SNCF station - a 30 minute walk.
Its the the 1€ bus/tram fares that will really make you smile.
From Mandelieu in the West, to Menton in the East, winding up to the Grasse, Vence, St Paul de Vence, Haut de Cagnes, Eze etc.. 1€ will even get you to the ski slopes of Isola 2000 and Auron… for this route on winter weekends its wise to book in advance.
You can buy day passes, weekly passes and 10€ strip cards that work in Nice as far as Cagnes sur Mer and Cap d’Ail.
Bus information from the Ligne d’Azur office on Place Massena, its next to the Nespresso shop on the western side. Tickets, schedules, maps all available to pick up , along with remarkable queues on occasions. The web site is generally well maintained and up to date these days http://www.lignedazur.com/.
The airport bus 98 costs more.. 4€ – which can create the odd interesting moment, as people try to use the west bound routes which pass the airport. Drivers sometimes simply refuse to take you with bags it now travels between the Airport and Gare de Riquier the SNCF stop in the east of Nice. The 4€ ticket also allows you to use any of the Ligne D’azur buses or the tram til midnight on the day of purchase.
The 98 bus now drops you at the stop Segurane just past Place Garibaldi on Rue Sincaire virtually at the driveway to La Providence where our apartment Clocktower is.
To head back to the airport from here go to the Place Garibaldi/Rue Cassini stop, there is a one way system for the buses.
The 100 bus from Nice to Monaco (and on to Menton) runs every 15 minutes until around 19.00, the last bus leaving at 20.00. Fabulous scenic trip but always busy and rush hours are best avoided.
Buses heading to the hills and the east are an excellent choice but if you are heading west to Cannes or Antibes take the train.
The 100 bus and departures to the west leave from the centre of the current WORKs between the Brasserie pub Mac Mahons on Jean Jaures and the Brasserie Felix Faure.
Cannes to Vintimille in Italy is the biggest French commuter line outside Paris, and since 1998 the number of daily trains between Marseille/ Toulon and Nice/Monaco/Ventimille has gone up from 250 to 700. Monaco bought new trains recently, and in 2010 and into 2011 work went on to strengthen the Monaco tunnel. 2012 – This is now completed and the new train schedule implemented.
Schedules change regularly so its worth picking up the latest from Nice SNCF main station on Ave Theirs or the SNCF boutique in Rue de la Buffa, across Jean Medecin from Galeries Lafayette. The Grasse-Cannes leg is particularly prone to wild cat strikes and general delays.
Work continues on installing a 3rd rail track between Cannes/ Antibes/ Nice, which should help bottle necks, with the aim in 2015 to run 3 trains per hour - more than double the current average. The 1st phase has started, Antibes and Cagnes sur Mer. 8 km is almost completed the 2nd phase Cagnes sur Mer to Nice should start in 2013 and open in 2014.
NICE RESTAURANTS Dec 2010
We eat out pretty much every night and these are the places we go to regularly. Some are in the guide books but not all of them by any stretch, and there are a load of places in the best restaurant list we think totally over-rated.
Place Garibaldi, pictured, was totally transformed in 2009 and is now surrounded by cafes and bars. The Cappa pattisserie on the western side survived the years of work and remains a great place to take a break, especially during summer. The adjacent cafe does genuine italian style cappucinos.
CENTRE OF TOWN
Restaurant D’Angleterre 0493 88 64 49
25 Rue d’Angleterre near the SNCF station.
Fantastic value menu and huge servings. Always packed reminiscent of the old style French restaurant in a small town. Several plat du jours always including at least 2 vegetables, entrees and mains. Don’t be put off by the name or the décor, it’s great and house wine is perfectly ok. Hard to spend 40 euros for 2.
L’Ovale 04 93 80 31 65
29 Rue Pastorelli – corner of Rue Alberti
Amazing value, great food, huge servings and always jammed full. In summer it’s a bit better as you can sit in the street. The owner was a French rugby player from the south west hence the name.
Great wine selection and the house wine is also fine, Closed Sundays. His daughter has a sister restaurant on Gambetta - L’Occitane.
Lulu on Rue Alberti corner with rue Pastorelli opposite L’Ovale typical local cooking.
Shalimar 0493139578
11 Rue Biscarra – just one block east of the Etoile across Rue La Martine
Beautifully furnished Indian not as spicy as London but good for France. Several set menus and usually busy so wise to book.
Rue de Lille is seems to have been consecrated as an arty quartier by the city looking as it does across to the MMAC. Restaurants here come and go – worth a walk.
Brasserie Félix Faure : 04 93 92 19 62
12 Avenue Félix Faure – 06000 Nice Corner with Rue Alberti
Mainly useful for being open all the time until 01.30.
The other good late night choice is on the Port under the Arcades.
L’Horloge 0492175300
12 Ave Félix Faure, Hôtel Aston, Nice, France 06000
(next door to Felix Faure brasserie but no connection)
The Aston Hotel has a great bar on the top floor with views across the Baie des Anges plus a pool and restaurant sometimes. The ground floor is undergoing renovation during winter 2010 and operations have transferred to the top floor. Views are indeed fabulous but there is less passing trade making them more likely to close early.
For holidays and special occasions worth checking out.
Brasserie Flo 04 93 13 38 38
4 Rue Sacha Guitry its at the back of Galeries Lafayette
CLOSED in summer 2010 and remains closed Winter 2011.
This was a part of the French chain, the FLOs try hard to keep the early 20th century Parisian style brasserie alive. Shame its not serving any more but rumour has it they may re open so will keep an eye out.
La Taverne Alsacienne 04 93 62 24 04
49 Rue de l’Hotel des Postes
On the corner next to Flo’s they do great sea food stall and Alsace type platters. New owners have reviatlised it, bought in the french traditionalists and retained the tourists. Makes a change from the provencal style and their Salade Nicoise is excellent.
Kamogawa 0493 88 75 88
16 Rue de la Buffa
Japanese that is recommended by everyone. Sushi, sashimi and take away as well. There are loads but this one is among the best.
PORT and around
Check out the area behind the port for the best pizzas
Chez Pipo at 13 Rue Bavastro cheapest socca in town. 04 93 55 88 8
Aux Vieux Four 0493890089
1 Rue Emmanuel Philibert corner with Bonaparte, Behind the port, past Place Garibladi.
We think they do the best pizzas in Nice. Always fun, and full, no outside space but fantastic food, salads, grills, all fresh. Not quite tourist free but very popular with locals. Day and night. Sometimes take bookings. Won the prize for the best pizza in France in 2008.
Closed Sunday and Monday lunchtime.
The Western, Vieux Nice side of the port was re opened in summer 2010 after its revamp. October 2010 work started on the eastern side.
Le Barque Bleu 0493 55 39 74
7 Quai des deux Emmanuel – eastern side of the port
Everyone’s favourite on the harbour. Sea food, anitpasta, usually a few plats de jour low priced menu most of the year ca €17. Italian with pzaaz and atmosphere. Inside some tables have great views.
Western Side
Le Lunel does a good value menu and has made good use of its additional space.
Le Nautique next door does a daily changing prix fixe which is good value but stray from this and it gets pricey for the quality.
Le Raja 24, Quai Lunel
Indian that can actually do spicy food. This restaurant used to be on the other side of the port near L’Ane Rouge who now run a bistro there. If you miss Indian a la UK worth a try along with the Delhi Beli in Vieux Nice..
VIEUX NICE
Lu Fran-Calin 0493808181
5 Rue Francis Gallo
The operation moved from its tiny hidy hole in summer 2009 to a much bigger and brighter space, with a prime corner spot next to the church in Place Rossetti. Still the same staff, unusual nicoise specialties and all sorts of things you will never find anywhere else. And the mural from the old restaurant wall is just as stunning as ever. Walls feature more old Nice scenes depicted in high res black and white blow ups.
GESU opposite church on Rue Droite
1 Place du Jesus,
In all the rough guides but for a good value meal its unbeatable. Best to go early in the week and even in winter at the weekends there are queues. The food is fine and the atmosphere worth the wait. The chocolate pear dessert is specially good.
Barbecue
3 Rue du Four runs off rue de La Providence our closest restaurant we walk past it 4 times a day at least and always busy.
Charming family run with Portugese connections, does a lot more than the name suggests. Great salads and fantastic vegetarian pizza. Good value menus, love their Tarte aux Pommes. Closed Tuesday.. now isnt that a smart move.
Restaurant Pamir 0493 808349
3 Rue Sainte Claire just around the corner from La Providence next to Bar du Coin up the hill towards the chateau.
Afghan, great vegetarian set menu and occasional music.
Le 22 Septembre 04 93 80 87 90
3 Rue Centrale – Vieux Nice just off Place Rossetti
Excellent value set menu, everything prepared on the spot by the owner. Its hard to spend 25 euros a head here. Great choice of wine also very reasonably priced. Wish they would change the menu tho. Evenings only Tuesday to Saturday.
Snug and Cellar Bar
22 Rue Droite corner with Rue Rossetti
High quality, imaginative, ever changing menu. Irish bar with an australian Chef in the kitcen is a pretty winning combination. John (ex Bienvenue) is managing and takes care of the way better than average wine list. The tapas menu of small unusual plates is like nothing else in Nice that we have seen. Certainly a lot more interesting than a tapas bar in Spain.
Nissa Socca and Tapenade change of ownership recently, big price hike for Nissa Socca and no improvement in quality.
Corner of Rue Ste. Reparate & Rue de la Prefecture
Used to do Nicoise cooking great chips and stuffed vegetable, fantastic sardines. Not cheap these days though.
Brasserie Saleya 04 93 62 29 62
11 Cours Saleya – Vieux Nice
Reliable choice on the Cours Saleya open weekend evenings all year and lunch only winter weekdays.
COURS SALEYA Eastern end
BLAST Cours Saleya
8 Place Charles Felix
Opened summer 2009, english menu ( only ) and a very cool ambience. The owner worked in the USA and realised what a great location it was – total transformation. Giving the other 2 see below a run for their money. Its super busy tho with smoking on the large terrace… please open up the interior. Bands inside at the weekend and in summer.
Civette du Cours (La)
1 Cours Saleya , Nice, France
Also good on the Cours Saleya great bar, reasonable snack food and fabulous location. Only place on the Cours serving socca.
Brasserie L’f 04 93 85 74 10 -
6 Place Charles Félix End of the Cours Saleya Nice
Another reasonable choice the very last restaurant on the Cours Saleya, on the sea side is a bar and the other side is a restaurant. Charming staff, good salads, fish, pizza, frites and in some spots you can spot the sea through the archway.
Indian Lounge Bar 0493853839
Vieux Nice
34 Rue Droite
Romantic location outside church. Indian food is rarely spicy in France but its well presented here and fresh. Nothing like an Indian meal in the UK .
Place Massena down the stairs from the fountain
Lou Nissart 04 9385 3449
1 Rue de l’Opera
Red check table clothes, wonderful view of the fountains and in 2010 you can still see over to the sea and the green space posing as a monument. It can be a bit busy with tourists but especially out of season the food is well cooked and genuine. House wine is excellent comes only in 47CL size but for 8€ good value.
Boulangeries – there are so many but these are special
Autrefois Rue Giofreddo between Rue Alberti and Rue Chauvain. Excellent cheese bread and baguettes
La Nicoise Pastorelli corner with Rue Gubernatis Won the 2010 award for the best baguette in the Alpes Maritimes
Corner of Place St Francois and Jean Jaures
Multari BEST branch in the centre of town, on Place Magenta corner with Alphonse Karr is way better than any of the others in the chain always a queue outside. But they are all good.
Branches on Cours Saleya – Café Des Fleurs, Jean Medecin past FNAC, behind the Etoile, Jean Jaures – opposite Gare Routiere.