Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ted rentals (check with your hotel for details). Have lunch in your bathing suit (€12 salads
andpizzasinbarsandrestaurantsallalongthebeach).Or,forapeacefulcaféaulaitonthe
Mediterranean, 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
privategardens.WhiletheEnglishcamefirst,theBelgiansandRussianswerealsobigfans
of 19th-century Nice. That tall statue at the edge of the park commemorates the 100-year
anniversary of Nice's union with France.
If you detour from the promenade into the park and continue down the center of the
grassystrip,you'llbewalkingoverNice'sriver,thePaillon(coveredsincethe1800s).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.
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Castle Hill (Colline du Château)
Thishill—in anotherwise flatcitycenter—offerssensational viewsoverNice,theport(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
buildings below. Today you'll find a waterfall, a playground, two cafés (with fair prices),
and a cemetery—but no castle—on Castle Hill. Nice's port is just below on the east edge
of Castle Hill.
Getting There:
You can get to the top of Castle Hill by foot, by elevator (free, daily
10:00-19:00, until 20:00 in summer, next to beachfront Hôtel Suisse), or by pricey tourist
Meandering along Nice's promenade on foot or by bike is an essential Riviera experience.
To rev up the pace of your saunter, rent a bike and glide along the coast in either or both
directions (about 30 minutes each way; for rental info see “Helpful Hints,” earlier). Both
of the following paths start along Promenade des Anglais.
