About Nice
Nice is a world famous summer destination, with seven kilometres of beach and over 300 days of sun per year. Unlike other holiday destinations which are all sun and sangria, Nice combines this with being a chic cosmopolitan city. There are events all year around, from carnivals to culture, and the evenings are awash with cafes and gourmet restaurants. It attracts families, couples young and old, and a jet-setting international clientele. Over the years, Nice has become the true jewel of the French Riviera.
What is covered in this guide
The city offers a wide spectrum of property, from bourgeois to budget, penthouse to pied-a-terre. The area you choose to buy will reflect how you wish to use it. Do you wish to be in the heart of the action, stepping out in the bustling streets to be swept past cafes and galleries? Is the dream a rustic French apartment with high ceilings, where you can sip a glass of rose looking out of the bay windows with the knowledge a five minute walk will see you mingling in designer boutiques and bistrot restaurants? Or must you have a terrace with a sea view no matter what the cost?
Med in Heaven can help you search for suitable properties across the Nice market and work with local agencies to obtain additional information about properties that interest you.
Please read about the different areas below, and then contact us to ask us more questions.
Old Town
Nice's Old Town, or Vieux Nice, is the historic heart of Nice dating back to the 16th century. The colourful narrow winding streets are full of galleries, markets, and boutiques selling everything from clothes to local produce. As evening falls the cafes, bars and restaurants are abuzz with people enjoying themselves or simply watching the world walk by. It is little wonder that this area is the hottest rental spot.
To the west of the Old Town is the garden Albert 1iere then the Carre d'Or. The north is the park Coulee Verte and above that the Carre d'Argent. To the east is the Port of Nice. To the south is the beach.
Carré d'or
The Carré d'Or, or "Golden Square", is prime Nice real estate. It is full of chic bars and designer stores, and nowhere is more than 5 minutes walk to the beach. One of the most rentable areas in Nice, it is a favourite with investors and those seeking a pied-a-terre.
It is bounded to the west by Boulevard Gambetta, which used to be a noisy boulevard but the lower half has been transformed and greatly pedestrianised making it far more attractive. To the east by Avenue Jean Medecin, the "Oxford Street" of Nice. To the north by the prestigious leafy Boulevard Victor Hugo. To the south by the sea.
Carre d'Argent
The Carre d'Argent lies the other side of the Avenue Jean Medecin tram line to the Carre d'Or, and is perfectly placed between the city centre and the Old Town and Port. The Nicois-style buildings are lined with shops and restaurants, and everything you need is within a five minute walk.
On the west side is Avenue Jean Medecin, the main shopping street. To the north is Boulevard Dubouchage, a prestigious leafy street that is the continuation of Boulevard Victor Hugo. To the east is Boulevard Carabacel, a noisy street and about the limit you can still call yourself "city centre". To the south is the Coulee Verte park and beyond that the Old Town.
Musicians Quarter
Those that want easy walking distance to the beach, bars and boutiques, but do not want the bustle of the Carre d'Or or Old Town, turn to the more residential Musicians Quarter. Just to the north of the Carre d'Or, but still a 10 minute walk to the beach, this well kept district contains an abundance of beautiful Art Deco, Belle Epoque and grand Bourgeois buildings.
The closer to Boulevard Victor Hugo the building, the more desirable it is. You do no want to be too close to the train station. As a rule of thumb, do not go more than one block north of Rue Rossini, and avoid any road with a country in the name. Key roads are Rue Verdi, Rue Rossini, Boulevard Victor Hugo, Rue Alphonse Karr, and Boulevard Gambetta.
Fleurs Quarter
The Fleurs district lies between the Boulevard Gambetta and Boulevard Grosso. It is a short walk from the beach. This area is seen as a bit mediocre by the locals and despite its proximity to the beach it is not that great for holiday rental either. A common phrase heard when showing property here is "If only I could have this apartment, but the other side of Gambetta".
It has Boulevard Grosso to the west, a noisy road that leads up to the entry to the bypass "Voie Rapide". To the east is Boulevard Gambetta, a newly much pedestrianised street and next to the popular Carre d'Or and Musicians Quarter. To the north is Rue Chateuneuf, seen as an undesirable road which also backs onto the train line and the "Voie Rapide" 6-lane bypass. To the south is the beach.
The Port
The Port of Nice hosts some of the world's finest luxury yachts. A lively residential district, popular with expats, it has a very local feel. Touted as the "up and coming area" for the past few decades, it never really up and came. It is finally getting the loving it deserves in terms of trendy bars and restaurants but will enjoying going out there also mean enjoying living there?
The the west is the Old Town. To the east is the climb to the hill of Mont Boron. The north is a bit murky with properties claiming to be in "the Port area" anywhere from the harbour up to the Riquier main-line train station. To the south is Corsica, a 6 hour ferry ride away.
Promenade des Anglais
The Promenade des Anglais that sweeps across the sea front of Nice is one of the best known strips in the world. Built in Victorian times, it runs along the beach from the airport for seven kilometers until it reaches the Old Town and Port. With some of the best known landmarks, such as the Negresco Hotel and the Palais de la Méditerranée, it is the only road in the city centre that offers panoramic sea views.
Though the blocks have sea views, often the apartments are in a long narrow 'corridor' arrangement so the builders could maximise the number of terraces they can fit in. Then there is the 6-lane highway in front, and the mediocre Rue de France / Avenue Californie behind. Despite the flaws, property on the strip and in very high demand and there are few for sale at any one time. The most desirable part of the Promenade is between the Negresco Hotel and the Old Town.
Mont Boron
This Hollywood Hill of Nice has played host to an array of stars, from Elton John to Tina Turner to Sean Connery. It is not just multi-million mansions, there are plenty of apartments with sun-drenched terraces and jaw-dropping sea views.
There are two things you need to buy here: a good budget and a car. There is no point buying on Mont Boron unless you get that terrace and sea view. It is what Mont Boron is all about. There are no facilities up there so you will need a car if you want to go out anywhere.
To the west is the Port area, a steep walk down into the harbour and a longer walk back up. To the east is the village of Villefranche. North is the hill of Mont Alban. South are fabulous sea views.
Cimiez
One of the oldest areas in the city, the bourgeois residential area of Cimiez is family orientated. It has parks, museums, and grand old buildings with intricate facades, Cimiez is middle-class suburbia, French style.
Window shoppers can fall in love with apartments and buildings they see but much like Fabron interest falls off quickly once they actually visit the area. There are few and far between facilities like shops and restaurants. A building can be advertised as only 10 minutes walk to the centre but that is pretty steeply downhill and even then you do not end up in the most salubrious part of town. For this reason we are no longer putting up listings in this area.
This is only a guide.
For real expert advice please contact Phillip Temple using the button below. He will be happy to give you a free consultation and set you on the path to a successful purchase in Nice.