Carré d’Argent

Carré d’Argent sits between the city centre, Old Town and Port. Its traditional streets offer a highly practical base for buyers who want central Nice within an easy walk but prefer to stay outside the busiest visitor streets.

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At a glance

Setting: east of Avenue Jean Médecin in central Nice
Character: local, practical and well connected
Property: mainly traditional Nicois stone buildings
Buyer appeal: central holiday homes and longer stays

Who this area suits

Buyers who prioritise walkability and a local atmosphere over the better-known name of Carré d’Or, particularly when the quality of the holiday home matters more than maximum rental income.

See the advantages and disadvantages

The map shows the area immediately east of Nice’s central shopping spine, between Place Masséna, Carabacel and the Old Town.

About the 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.

This area is one of the best located in Nice. Though the Carre d’Or may be closer to the beach, and the Musicians Quarter may have a more spectacular array of architecture, this area is situated right in the middle of all the places you want to be. Five minutes walk south takes you to the Old Town, and just past that either the Port or the beach. Five minutes walk east takes you to Place Massena and all the shopping districts. And five minutes walk west takes you to the Acropolis, with all the conference and entertainment complexes that come with it.

For rental it is a very good location for its proximity to the Old Town but remaining outside of the crowded streets. It also has a direct connection to the airport. It is not as well known as the Carre d’Or and the rental will not be as good but will still be fair as long as it is west of the centre. For a holiday home, the location is hard to beat. It is perfect for a weekend as well as extended stays. If a nice holiday home is more important than rental income then this area is a top pick.

The architecture is mostly traditional Nicois, built from solid stone and constructed between the 1880s and 1920s. Not all buildings have lifts. There are nearly no terraces you can dine out on but plenty of small balconies enough for a small table and a couple of chairs to breakfast or enjoy a glass of wine.

The area does not have an official name, the Carre d’Argent is one we coined at Med In Heaven for our clients to easily identify it. The reasons for this name is that it is like the Carre d’Or but a bit cheaper, and it is popular with the older generation because everything is such a short walk.

The difficulty with this area is that when somebody moves there, they are reluctant to leave. We have trouble sourcing properties in this area and they sell quickly to locals. The most sought after property here would be a two bedroom apartment on the third or fourth floor, 70-80 sqm, a small balcony, and priced around €450,000. A one bedroom would be around €280,000.

Key roads

The main roads that are known in this area are the east-west arteries:

Boulevard Dubouchage – the continuation of the prestigious Boulevard Victor Hugo, this wide leafy road is prestigious and priciest. A mix of modern and bourgeois, it has some of the grandest buildings in this area.
Rue Pastorelli – one of the more commercial and busy of the roads, and home to one of the few new builds in the city centre.
Rue Hotel des Postes – full of book shops and art stores, it has very traditional Nicois architecture.
Rue Gioffredo – very similar to Rue Hotel des Postes, and slightly better known, it is full of small cafes and boutiques.

Each of the perpendicular roads has their own unique character. For more information about any particular road please contact us. The restaurants are very local in character and most of them do a dish of the day for around €14. Unlike the other areas, do not expect to hear anything other than French here!

The area is bounded to the west and east by:

Avenue Jean Medecin - the main shopping street that leads up from Place Massena. The closer you are the more expensive the property becomes. A block or two away and the estate agent may describe it as "on the limits of the Carre d'Or".
Boulevard Carabacel - grand old bourgeois buildings one one side, government buildings and the well known business school EDHEC on the other, this is rather a busy and noisy road.

Advantages for a holiday home

Five minutes walk to everywhere
Traditional Nicois style architecture
Best capital appreciation prospects

Disadvantages for a holiday home

Apartments often need refreshing

Advantages for investors

Close to the Old Town and city centre
Easy walking distance to beach
Often value for money properties

Disadvantages for investors

Less well known than Carre d'Or

Continue your Nice property research

Compare Nice areasReturn to the overview and consider other locations. Read the buyers guideUnderstand the process of buying property in Nice.

Talk through a Carré d’Argent shortlist with Phillip Temple

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.