Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Settleinonthesmoothrocksorfindasectionwithimportedsand,andconsideryouroptions:
You can play beach volleyball, table tennis, or
boules;
rent paddleboats, personal watercraft,
or windsurfing equipment; explore ways to use your zoom lens for some revealing people-
watching; or snooze on a comfy beach bed.
To rent a spot on the beach, compare rates, as prices vary—beaches on the east end
of the bay are usually cheaper (chair and mattress—
chaise longue
and
transat
—about €15,
umbrella-€5, towel-€4). Some hotels have special deals with certain beaches for discounted
rentals (check with your hotel for details). Have lunch in your bathing suit (€12 salads and
pizzasinbarsandrestaurantsallalongthebeach).Or,forapeacefulcaféaulaitontheMedi-
terranean, stop here first thing in the morning before the crowds hit.
Plage Publique
signs
explain the 15 beach no-nos (translated into English).
The park is named for the Belgian king who enjoyed wintering here—these were his private
gardens. While the English came first, the Belgians and Russians were also big fans of 19th-
centuryNice.Thattallstatueattheedgeoftheparkcommemoratesthe100-yearanniversary
of Nice's union with France.
If you detour from the promenade into the park and continue down the center of the
grassy strip, you'll be walking over Nice's river, the Paillon (covered since the 1800s). For
centuries, this river was Nice's natural defense to the north and west (the sea protected the
south, and Castle Hill defended the east). Imagine the fortified wall that ran along its length
from the hills behind you to the sea. With the arrival of tourism in the 1800s, Nice expanded
over and beyond the river.
▲
Castle Hill (Colline du Château)
This hill—in an otherwise flat city center—offers sensational views over Nice, the port (to
the east), the foothills of the Alps, and the Mediterranean. The views are best early or at
sunset, or whenever the weather's clear (park closes at 20:00 in summer, earlier off-sea-
son). The city of Nice was first settled here by Greeks circa 400
B.C.
In the Middle Ages, a
massive castle stood here, with turrets, high walls, and soldiers at the ready. With the river
guarding one side and the sea the other, this mountain fortress seemed strong—until Louis
XIV leveled it in 1706. Nice's medieval seawall ran along the lineup of two-story build-
ings below. Today you'll find a waterfall, a playground, two cafés (with fair prices), and a
cemetery—but nocastle—on Castle Hill. Nice'sportisjust below onthe east edge ofCastle
Hill.
