From Wikitravel

Nice (pronounced like the English word "niece") is a large city in France on the French Riviera.

[edit] Understand

Nice is a popular destination for vacationers both young and old, with something to offer nearly everyone.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Nice Airport (IATA: NCE) is one of the busiest in France and has frequent daily flights to Paris, and direct to most major cities in Europe, including Moscow, as well New York, Atlanta and a number of destinations in North Africa and the Middle East. The airport is located at the western end of Nice on landfill. Arrival and departure in good weather often provides beautiful views of the French Riviera.

Most airlines use Terminal 1 (the older terminal) while Terminal 2 is used primarily by Air France (and partners) and Easyjet. There is a free shuttle bus between the terminals.

Various bus lines depart from the airport. To get to the downtown bus station ("Gare Routiere"), take the airport express line 98 departing T1 and T2 every 30 minutes. To get directly to Nice's main train station (Gare Nice Ville SNCF) take the alternating route 99. The airport website has a page with timetables.

Convenient for some destinations, there is also a small train station close to the airport, Nice St Augustin, where you can pick up a TER train eastward to Nice, Monaco and all stations to the Italian border at Ventimiglia, or west back to Antibes and Cannes. The station is reached on foot around a half kilometre via underpasses and road-crossings, the other side of the Arenas office complex.

Some hotels offer shuttle buses from the airport - inquire at your hotel before or upon arrival.

If you are really stuck and there is no transport running - it is reassuring to know it is quite possible to walk the six km. to town, in a little over an hour.

[edit] By train

Nice is connected to the rest of France via the SNCF train network. A direct TGV train from Paris to Nice takes about 6 hours, fare for an adult is about 100 Euros, and on TGVs a reservation is obligatory. The train arrives in Nice at the central station (called simply "Gare SNCF").

Trenitalia trains connect Nice to Italian cities like Milan, Genoa, Rome and Venice.

A new service called "IdTGV" is now available: it offers low-cost TGV ticket (from 19€ for a single trip between Paris and Nice). These tickets have to be bought online, they are not refundable. http://www.idtgv.com/

[edit] By car

The A8 autoroute is the easiest way to access Nice either from the west (Cannes, Aix-en-Provence) or from Italy. From the west take exit 50 and follow the signs for the Promenade des Anglais which takes you into Nice and is a lovely drive along the coast. From the west take exit 54 and follow the signs for 'Nice centre'.

[edit] By bus

Airport to Nice: the best and most reliable way to get from the Airport to central Nice or the Nice Ville train station is the airport express buses 98 to the Nice bus station and 99 to the Nice main railway station, cost 4 euro, from both T1 and T2. They run with high frequency, in case of the 98 between 06:00 and Midnight, and the 99 from 08:00 to 21:00. Pay the driver on boarding and the ticket acts as a "Pass de Jour" for unlimited travel on local buses and the tram that day. The airport website gives a the latest timetable in PDF format (see by plane above).The cheapest connection with Nice is the local stopping bus service 23 (Terminal 1 only), costing 1 euro, and running between 05:30 and 20:05.

Nice to other cities: long distance buses connect Nice with other major European cities - through Eurolines, and the French LER "Lignes Express Regionaux" connect Nice with Marseilles, Toulon and Aix en Provence with a cheap and acceptable three hour journey time via the motorways.

[edit] By boat

Nice is right along the coast, so you should be able to find your way easily no matter if you run on gas or let the wind help you. However, remember to contact the local port before arrival to reserve a place for your boat. Otherwise there will most likely not be room for you.

Nice has direct ferry routes to Ajaccio (Corsica), Bastia (Corsica), Calvi and Ile Rousse. Advance booking is advised in all cases.

[edit] Get around

[edit] By public transit

Each main town on the French Riviera has its own local bus network - for Nice its "Lignes d'Azur" (Antibes has "Envibus", Cannes has "Bus Azur", and so on) and the 100 or more Ligne d'Azur routes are the main form of urban transport for locals going to work or school. Of more interest to tourists, an inter-urban network, the TAM (Transport Alpes-Maritimes)connects all the Eastern Riviera towns between Cannes and Menton and all the main villages like Èze and Vence. Its routes radiate from the main bus station in Nice, the (Gare Routière) in central Nice on Avenue Félix Faure near the Rue du Lycée. Bus fares are so cheap, much cheaper than train, so it is worth mastering the system to get around.

The Ligne d'Azur and TAM routes overlap in and around Nice, so the ticket and tariff system is integrated to a common ticket zone, in which a Ligne d'Azur tickets and passes are accepted on the longer distance TAM buses, but only between Cagnes-sur-Mer to the west, and Cap d'Ail short of Monaco. The fare is identical on both networks - 1 euro for any distance - but you must always tell the driver your intended destination, so he can judge if you have the right ticket. If not, you'll be asked to pay the euro in cash. The one exception is the Airport Express bus, which has a 4 euros flat fare, which buys you a Ligne d'Azur all day pass into the bargain - handy if you're arriving, and not if you're leaving.

The new tram line opened in November 2007, and forms a U-shaped route, serving the main train station, bus station, downtown and the university. It uses the same tickets as the buses but you need to buy these from the machines at bus stops, unlike buses, where it is usual to pay the driver or show your pass on entering the bus. Another innovation is a new express bus service direct to Monaco via the Autoroute, the 100Express.

In January 1st 2008, a new ticket called "Ticket Azur" was introduced to create a reduced fare when changing from one bus network to another, but from 1st February this was been overtaken by a new reduced tariff, of only one euro for any journey, compared to the old one euro thirty cents. As a result, the journey from Nice to say Cannes is ridiculously cheap compared to the train - a quarter of the price but takes three times longer. Meaning that the buses are liable to dreadful overcrowding and the prospect of standing for nearly two hours. If you're short on cash and don't mind discomfort, take the bus. If you're short on time and prefer to sit, take the train.

When taking the bus, you must be aware of the somewhat odd way the bus schedules are laid out. They list the departure time at the first bus station - not the one you are currently at (unless the two coincide, naturally). At the right hand side of the bus schedule, you have a list of stations, and next to some you will find the time listed it will take the bus to get there (+20', for example). This means that you will have to do a lot of guessing. Best ask a native and leave some extra padding time if you plan to take a bus to any scheduled event that you really do not want to miss (airport, train, concertetc).

You can find local bus and tram route maps and timetables at this link: http://www.lignedazur.com/index.asp Route maps are listed under 'Maps' and timetables as 'Timetables'. They are provided in PDF format. Also, a new service ('Stop timetables') purports to display the times at your stop. From previous experience with the bus company, those should stand somewhere between educated guesses and outright fiction, due to unpredictable road traffic conditions (like one hour traffic jams around Villeneuve Loubet)

Apart from the airport express routes 98 and 99, buses rarely run after 8 o'clock in the evening. The tram however operates from around 04:30 to after midnight. Five nightly bus routes (called Noctambus) serve the main parts of city, from 9:10pm to 1:10am. These five routes leave from the Station J.C. Bermond, near the bus station, and the day fares apply on these night routes. If planning a visit involving a late evening return, consider train services, which provide the most reliable form of late travel.

[edit] By train

Nice has no metro and little need for one. The main train service is the national french railway SNCF which boasts the high speed TGV slow to Marseilles and then very very fast on to Paris, and the local TER stopping trains which serve the main Riviera towns between Cannes and Ventimiglia across the border in Italy, including the daily commute to Monaco. Less well known is the little narrow-guage railway Chemin de Fer de Provence, which runs from Nice and has its own station two blocks north of Nice Gare Ville. It runs from Nice through the Var valley and along the Route Naploeon, three hours to Digne in Upper Provence.In summer months the latter part of the journey switches to a real steam train, the Train des Pignes (pinecones)

[edit] By car

Best access is by car from the A8 autoroute. The airport is well signed from the A8 and the A8 well signed from the airport. Just make sure that you know which direction you need to go when getting on the A8 and which terminal when leaving. Especially in the morning and evening rush hour do allow extra time to deal with accidents and traffic jams. The A8 has a ferocious bend just by the airport and accidents are frequent.

Driving a car on the Riviera is only for the brave, the region has one of the worst accident records in France and every local has his or her favourite story about a mad driver. However all major car rental firms, as well as some less well known ones such as easycar and ADA, are present. Most are located by terminal 2. If you have a choice try to pick a car that is already well dinged so that no one notices the new dings and scratches you will add.

[edit] By taxi

If you can, avoid the taxis. Sadly, in many cases, you do not have a choice. Also often it is hard to find a taxi when you need one. Many do not respond to being hailed, and only ply from a taxi rank, from where cabs take passengers in turn. Taxi ranks will be found outside the train station and biggest hotels (for example outside Le Meridien at 1 Promenade des Anglais)

Nice taxi drivers are notorious for ripping off foreigners. Insist on the meter being on the whole time. Try to sit where you can see it so that you can immediately query the driver when/if it goes off "accidentally." Taxi fares within Nice should be less than €20, Antibes €50 and Monaco or Cannes should result in fares of approximately €70. The Airport run to Nice is a fixed tariff around 35 euros, depending on time of day and many surcharges like luggage or presence of a 4th passenger

[edit] By foot

Nice is a large, sprawling city: unless you are concentrating your visit to within the old town and the central shopping districts, you will have to use buses, taxis, or other forms of motorised travel.

[edit] By scooter/motorbike

Unless you are very experienced, don't. By the time the first 9 months of this year was up, according to Nice Matin, there were 16 permanently fewer scooter and motorcycle riders in the city.

[edit] By inline skating / rollerblading

There is a place you can rent skates from on 13, rue Cassini 06300 (slightly north-west of the port/harbor/quay), called Fun 'N Roll. Website here: www.fun-n-roll.com.

[edit][add listing] See

The Colline du Chateau overlooking the Baie des Anges and harbour offers a spectacular vantage point overlooking the city. Not much is left of its ruined castle besides crumbling walls. Still, climbing up the stairs to reach the platforms 90m above Nice is well worth the view. There is also an asenceur (lift) which will take you three quarters of the way up. Be aware that the castle "park" closes at around sunset. Expect to be escorted outside if you stay longer.

Nice is also known for several museums. Some of the most famous are in Cimiez, the older, upper part of the city which in a previous century was a favourite of Queen Victoria, including:

• The Musee Chagall, which includes stain glass windows by the artist.
• Musee Matisse
• Musee et Site Archeologiques de Cimiez, the ruins of the Gallo-Roman settlement in Cimiez, plus a museum with nice documentation on Gallo-Roman life (but mostly not in English).

The old town (Vieux Nice) beneath the hill is a maze of streets and alleys, with many picturesque houses, boutiques and home to the daily flower and fruit market of the Cours Saleya.

Near the central bus terminal, there is also the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMAC) with four connected towers featuring modern and contemporary artists and their sculptures, paintings, and conceptual installations. Its open-air roof terraces offer one of the best panoramas of the city.

To the west, there is the Musee des Beaux-Arts housing an excellent collection of pastels and other works by Jules Cheret, among other artists.

Cliff Walk - If you go past the old port (probably 15 minute walk)heading east toward Monaco, there is a little pathway that leads from Coco Beach along the side of the cliff, the "Sentier Littoral" which you can follow around Cap de Nice half way to Villefranche, but be prepared for several thousand steps up to rejoin the road. Its a very beautiful walk and you will find mostly local people using it.

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit] Beaches

If you go to Nice for bathing or generally lounging on the beach,you may wish to think again. The beaches of Nice consist entirely of large flat stones ("gallets"). A few private beaches have added a layer of sand, but the free public beaches are a stony experience. Besides towels or mats, you should definitely bring sandals as walking on the stones can be painful, and cushion, if you want to sit. Showers are provided (for free) on all public beaches and there is a beach volleyball area that is netted off with white sand.

Although the beaches are mainly pebbles it is important to note that many visitors enoy the beautiful light blue sea for a swim. If you can bear to walk for few steps on the pebbles it is definitely an opportunity for swimming rather than playing in the water as the beach drops quickly and the tidal pull can be very strong, and not for beginners. Lying on the beach for a sun tan or relaxation is also managable as long as you rearrange the rocks/pebbles to a comfy surface for sitting and lying. Private beaches offer various services from restaurants / bars to the rental of lounge chairs and towels.

Much nicer beaches exist in other towns close by, such as Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes and Cannes, which are way more sandy. Villefranche is particularly a preferred beach choice, only twenty minutes away by the TAM 100 bus.

[edit] Beautiful Landscapes

For views of Nice the best vantage point is the heights of Mont Boron. From the derelict old Fort and the nearby villa of Sir Elton John there are fine views over the city to the mountains and east over Villefranche and Cap Ferat

Go to Eze. It is a small village on the way to Monaco. The village is situated on a small mountain and there is a beautiful cactus garden with a spectacular view (a must see). There is also a perfume factory which you can visit for free.

Also close by is the magnificent Villa ile de France, of the Baroness Ephrussi de Rothschild, straddling the magnificent peninsula of St Jean Cap Ferrat in the so-called Golden Triangle of Villefranche, Beaulieu and Cap Ferrat.

Hiking trails emanate from La Turbie high above Monaco and the Grande Corniche, which are double the height above sea level of Eze and offer the hardened walker truly spectacular vantage points over the Riviera.

[edit] Learn

There are many schools offering courses in French. Perhaps the most reputable are Alliance Française [1]and EF.

[edit] Work

Generally the Riviera is a place people come to spend money rather than earn it. Unemployment levels are high, casual work hard to come by, and as everywhere, service industry jobs tend to go to those with low wage expectations

Sophia Antipolis is a huge office/science/tech park 20 minutes outside of Nice, which is the base for many French and multinational companies.

For those with the right qualifications and experience the luxury superyachts of Antibes International Yacht Club have spawned a major industry in crew and boat services which attracts many young English speakers.

Financial service companies abound in Monaco which is readily commutable from Nice.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Most stores and restaurants in Nice will accept the major credit cards, as well as debit cards from major banks (anything carrying the EC or MAESTRO labels). If this fails you can always get money from any of the numerous ATM machines.

Postcards (as many other things) vary greatly in price. Do some comparison shopping as the price range is between 20 cents and 1 Euro per normal postcard.

Nice's main shopping street av Jean Medecin is home to two giant music stores, the English "Virgin" and the French FNAC. FNAC definitley has the edge as their many listening stations allow you to audition almost every CD in the house, whilst Virgin push only a few promotional selections. Both run near identical pricing policy on new albums.

Fashion goods are really cheap compared to most other European countries, and Galleries Lafayette offers a lot under one roof.If thats not enough for you, they also have a huge superstore at Cap 3000 just next to St Laurent de Var past the airport (Lignes d Azur 52 and TAM bus 200, 400 and 500, stop La Passerelle). This is also home to Galleries Lafayette Gourmand - a food superstore to rival Londons Harrods and Selfridges. The wine selection is brilliant, especially aisles full of Rose de Provence, and there are a half dozen in-store lunch-time places.

Cheap bargain fashions are best sought at Ventimiglia's huge open street market each Friday - access by train from Nice Gare Ville to Ventimiglia a few kilometres over the Italian border. Just avoid the tempting fake luxury brands sold by the many street sellers. The war against counterfeiting is taken very seriously by the French border police and big fines are targetted at "innocent" tourists.

The central Nice Etoiles is available for anyone pining for a visit to a shopping mall, including three floors of an old British brand not seen for twenty years that is still big in France - C&A.

A cautionary note: The "duty free" shops at Nice airport terminals are the absolute worst value you will ever find and should be avoided at all costs: prices are way over those of even the high street. Food, drink and cigarettes dreadfully overpriced, and there are no bargains "before you fly". If you haven't yet kicked the habit, cigarettes in particular are best bought in Italy over the border, where taxes on smoking have not reached health promoting punitive levels.

[edit][add listing] Eat

A food called "Socca", a chickpea flat bread, is a local speciality, as is a tuna fish sandwich called "Pan Bagnat." Other specialties include Soupe de Poisson (Fish Soup, made with chili aioli, croutons, and grated cheese), Salade Nicoise (made with tuna), and Tourtes aux Blettes (sweet tartes made with Savoy cabbage, raisins, nuts, and powdered sugar).

Check out the daily market in the Vieux Nice for fresh, local produce. You can save a lot of money if you are willing to cook at least some of your meals yourself and if you also eat leftovers, cooking can actually save you time as well since eating at a restaurant will easily cost you one to two hours per meal.

[edit] Budget

Cheap & cheerful food in Nice is hard to come by if you don't take your time to look for it, though a baguette with different fillings range from 3€-4.5€, which is very reasonable.

The best deals in the centre can be found in the port area. Old Nice and all along the sea front the prices cannot be described as budget.

However, lunch-time set menus are certainly good value, if not 'cheap' per se. 10-12€ should get you two courses, often with coffee and wine, and like much of continental Europe lunches can drift happily into the afternoon.

• Lou Pilha Leva, place Centrale, Old Nice. Local dishes including the best tasting Socca, which only costs 2.50 euros. Locals seem to love this place and gets very busy on weekends. Order your food at the counter and take it with you to sit at the benches outside. Try Daube pasta/polenta and soupe au pistou, and socca. Very nice atmosphere and very decent price. For example, big plate of daube pasta costs 7 euros as well as chicken and fries and a side salad. A must try.

[edit] Mid-range

• Casa Mia, Rue Pontin, Old Nice. Does amazing Italian in a very homely environment. The menus around 20-25 euros offer excellent value for the service and quality.

• Domaine de Lintillac, 37 Rue d'Angleterre, tel: +33-4-93885075. Specializes in duck. Main dishes are an excellent value at a little under 10 euro. (does not exist anymore???)

• le Delhi Belhi, 22 Rue de la Barillerie, 06300 Nice, France, ☎ +33-4-93925187 (fax: +33-4-93925187), [2]. 7:00pm to 11:30pm daily. 15€ to 20€ per person (alcoholic drinks and wine are extra).  edit

Delhi Belhi is a family owned and operated restaurant - specializes in Indian cuisine. Open daily for dinner. A-la-carte or prix-fix menu - Great curries and tandoori specialties. Fluent English also spoken here. Behind the popular cours Saleya flower market. This is a very popular restaurant so reservations are highly recommended (at least a few hours ahead).

• Le Shalimar, 11 Rue Biscarra, tel: +33-4-93139578. Has tasty Indian food. The lunch menus are a good deal.

• L'Occitanie, 54, bd Gambetta, tel: +33-44-9382114111. In the Musician's Quarter, about 5 blocks from the Promenade des Anglais. A delightful, authentic brasserie/bistrot with delicious food. Reasonable (15-30€ per person). Gambetta is a main North/South Street. The area is quiet at night, and safe.

[edit] Splurge

• Le Safari [3], 1, cours Saleya, Tel : +33 4 93 80 18 44, Fax : +33 4 93 62 62 14. Long established in the old quarter, now caters more for tourists than the locals. This reflects in the price and language spoken by those dining next to you. Overpriced compared to other local similar establishments. For a 3 course meal with wine, expect >60 Euros/head.

• Oliviera[4], 8 Bis rue du Collet, tel: +33-4-93130645. Focus is on olive oil. Tasting of different particular oil types offered while you wait for the dishes. All dishes matched to the oil. Simple, sincere, good cuisine. Friendly service in a nice simple setting. Enjoyable experience. Main dishes: 15-20 Euro.

• Brasserie Flo[5], behind Galeries Lafayette, a block from Jean Medecin. 2-4 Rue Sacha Guitry; Phone: 33 (0)4 93 13 38 38 Not in the "tourist area", but nearby. Part of a chain that has ten or so high-end brasseries all over France. This location was originally a theatre. The kitchen is on the stage! Beautiful decor. Wonderful ambiance. Professional, courteous staff. Main dishes: 15-25 Euro. Fixed price menus are varied and reasonable.

• L'Univers, [6]. Signature chef Christian Plumail own restaurant in Boulevard Jean Jaures, very serious gourmet French - Expect 100 euro per person.A rival to Nices most expensive restaurant Chantecler in the Negresco

[edit][add listing] Drink

With the hot Niçois summers, carrying a bottle of water is almost a must.

You can save a lot of money by buying alcoholic drinks and such in a normal supermarket instead of the vendors geared towards tourists. Carrefour has a huge selection and unlike the other supermarkets has a policy of buying in wine show "prize winners" distinguished by their gold, silver or bronze medal stickers.

Some popular places to go out for a drink include:

• Ma Nolan's [7] - Right in the heart of the 'Old Town' and next to the opera, Ma Nolan's has everything you would expect from an Irish pub and more. Live music every night, major sporting events on 4 screens, really good food and very friendly staff. This place is a must.
• Mc Mahon's [8] - Cool Irish Pub with pool table and fun theme nights. Just by the Tram stop 'Vieux Nice'
• Thor Pub [9] - Big Scandi Pub with live music every night. On 2 floors with a large terrace this place is expensive but chilled.
• Blue Whales - Stays open until the wee hours of the morning.
• Wayne's [10] - An old school bar with live music and theme nights, a bit coyote ugly meets cheers.
• Checkpoint - A cozy bar on the ground level, and a great dance floor underground.
• Le Marches - Lounge style bar on 2 floors with cocktails and tapas.
• Master Home - a pub by Waynes and King's Pub. More "french" than Waynes and King's pub and a little more classy. When you order alcoholic drinks, they bring you 2-3 dishes of nibbles. Even though the price is a little more expensive than the "english" pubs next door, it's still worth a visit and a fraction cheaper that the touristy bars/pubs. Try the rose (3.2 euros,) the cheapest on the menu but delicious!

Wine in restaurants is often ferociously expensive: do as the locals and order it by the "pichet" - usually a 50cl jug. If however you fancy quality appelation French wine to drink at back at base, Les Caves Caprioglio at 16 Rue de la Prefecture in Vieux Nice has a fabulous cellar of the wines you usually only read about in the fine wines books but rarely see. To see French wine making, the Chateau's Bellet and Cremat in the Var are nearest to Nice and will do tours by arrangement. (Reachable via the tiny narrow-guage train from the Chemin de Fer de Provence)

[edit][add listing] Sleep

(Caution: Wikitravel is open-source and irresistable to hoteliers and B&B entrepreneurs wanting to promote their property for free.Take any recommendations on hotels and appartments as potentially biased commercial interests. There are 3,000 restaurants and hotels in Nice. Check your selection independently)

There are a number of hotels within walking distance of terminal 1 of the Airport and a special hotel shuttle bus serves other hotels within Nice itself. Be aware that the hotels near the airport are a long way away from Nice center (7km) and it will need a bus journey or taxi to reach the centre.A wide range of modern and traditional French hotels is available in the town, though few in the old quarter itself, which is mainly apartments.

[edit] Budget

It would seem that the simplest solution is to stay at a youth hostel. There are quite a number in Nice, three of which are:

• Mont-Boron, Route Forestière du Mont-Alban.[11] Situated 4 kms from Nice in a forest.
• Les Camélias, 3, rue Spitalieri.[12] Situated near the shopping center Nice Etoile, in the heart of the city center.
• Villa Saint Exupery, 22, Avenue Gravier.[13] An AMAZING hostel with a great party vibe... free internet, free breakfast. Situated a short way to the north of the town centre in a former monastery. You can easily catch a bus there from Nice Ville train station (1, 2 or 23), the staff are very helpful, knowledgeble and will even pick you up free if you arrive late

[edit] Mid-range

Being a heavily touristed city, it's easy to find a number of small hotels which are perfectly acceptable, and usually at a decent rate.

• Hotel Anis, 50, Avenue de la Lanterne, ☎ +33 (0)4.93.18.29.00 (info@hotel-anis.com, fax: +33 (0)4.93.83.31.16), [14].  edit

Hotels 2* located in the centre of Nice

• La Résidence
• Carlyna[15]

Hotels 3* located in the centre of Nice

• Le Vendôme[16]
• Le Mas des Selves Beautiful Bed and Breakfast, Phone +(33) 04 93291027

[17] #2072

Studio Apartments 3* located between the city center and the airport, but close to the Beach Promenade and near bus lines heading into the city center. These have full kitchens along with a fridge, dishwasher, and a decent set of basic cookware.

• Citadines Nice Promenade
• Citadines Nice Buffa

[edit] Splurge

Holiday palaces are numerous in Nice: there are 14 four-star hotels of which these are a sampling:

• Negresco [18]
• La Perouse
• Sheraton Four Points Elysée Palace
• Sofitel [19]
• Beau Rivage
• Palais de la Mediterranee [20]

[edit] Contact

[edit] Stay safe

Nice is not really more dangerous than other cities in western countries. You can easily stay safe following a few pieces of advice:

• Beware of pickpockets. They operate regularly in crowded areas like buses, train stations, and tourist sites. They are extremely skilled and can lift your wallet from either your front or back pants pocket without your noticing. You are strongly advised not to carry anything valuable or annoying to replace in your pockets. Use pouches underneath your clothing for anything valuable, including cash.
• Beware of groups that prey on tourists on the beach. Stealing from bathers is organised, and the thieves have a high level of expertise and success. Avoid taking anything valuable or important documents if you plan to spend time bathing.
• The vol à la portière, the practice of opening the door of a car stopped at a traffic light and stealing the passengers' goods has decreased over the last few years, but a few are still reported every year. To avoid it, keep your car doors locked and make sure that purses, cameras or other expensive items cannot be seen from the outside. Note that cars registered outside the Alpes-Marimes (with a number plate ending with something else than '06') are more likely to be targeted.
• Avoid the areas called les Moulins and l'Ariane. Crime is higher in these districts, in addition to lacking anything of interest to tourists.

If you do fall foul of Nice's criminal practitioners, the National Police Station is where you need to go to report problems such as being pickpocketed. It's at the junction of Ave Marechal Foch and Dubouchage, a couple of hundred metres east of the Nice Etoiles shopping centre. They will supply you with the necessary statements to support insurance claims, but dont expect Inspector Clouseau to solve your case.You will find the station very busy with other victims towards the end of the evening.

[edit] Beggars

Its not really a personal threat but Nice is attracting organised gangs of street beggars, mostly from Romania. You will see teams of headscarved women in supplicant position on the main streets, often with young children - those kids have no life, get no schooling, and are trained to repeat the cycle of begging not work! Be aware that there is an element of organized crime involved with some begging schemes. Also fairly recent arrivals are numbers of amputees, the disfigured and other of lifes unfortunates, with the beggars cup positioned in the street. Also ordinary Frenchmen for no apparent reason will also sit in a doorway with a paper cup out to appeal for loose change. The local longstanding beggars are part of street-life and as professionals, will often be accompanied by "cute" pets like cats, dogs and even rabbits. If you are so minded there are plenty of opportunities to give a little help to the less fortunate.

[edit] Cope

[edit] Religious services

• Holy mass in catholic churches in vicinity to the Convention center Acropolis (Palais des Congrès et des Expositions):

Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice, 36, Place Don Bosco.[21] Sat: 18:30; Sun: 8:30, 10:00; Mon-Fri: 16:15, 18:30

St. Joseph, 21, Rue Smolett. Sat: 18:30; Sun 9:00; Thu: 18:00

Saint Jean-Baptiste, Place du Voeu/Rue Alfrede Mortier. Sat: 18:00; Sun: 11:00, Mon-Wed: 18:45; Thu-Fri: 8:30

St. Martin-St. Augustin, Place Saint-Augustin. Sat: 16:00, 17:30; Sun: 9:30, 11:00; Tue-Fri: 16:00

Some other catholic churches in downtown Nice:

Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate, Place Rossetti. Sat: 18:30; Sun: 10:00, 12:00; Mon-Fri: 10:00

Notre Dame du Port, 8, Place Ile de Beaute. Sun: 10:00; Mon-Fri: 18:00

Basilique Notre Dame, 2, Rue d’Italie. Sat: 11:00, 17:30; Sun: 8:30, 10:00, 11:15; 18:00; Mon-Fri: 11:00, 18:00

• Protestant churches

Reformed temple, 21, boulevard Victor Hugo. Sun: 10:15

Lutheran church, 4, Rue Melchior de Vogüé. Sun: 10:30

Baptist church, 32 rue de l'hôtel des postes. Sun: 10:30

Evangelical church, 51bis, avenue de Pessicart. Sun: 10:00

Anglican church Holy Trinity, 11, rue de la Buffa. Sun: 11:00; Mon&Thu: 12:15; Tue: 18:15; Wed&Fri: 10:30; Sat: 09:00

• Orthodox churches

Greek orthodox church Saint Spyridon, 2, Avenue Desambrois. Sun: 10:30; Mon-Sat: 10:15

Russian orthodox cathedral Saint Nicolas, Avenue Nicolas II. Sun-Sat: 10:00

Apostolic Armenian church, 281 Boulevard de la Madeleine. Sun: 10:00

[edit] Get out

[edit] By train

If you're getting out of Nice towards Paris, consider taking the TGV. Cruising at 300 km/h is quite fun (but the train only reaches high speed beyond Marseille) and the train has a nice route with plenty of views of the coast. Be sure to ask for a seat on the left-hand side of the train when going west from Nice. Search online in advance to find dramatically reduced advance-purchase fares for which you can print out tickets yourself. These fares change on an hourly basis so check back often.

Some nice places just to the west of Nice include Antibes and Cannes.

East of Nice the trains stops at Villefranche, Monaco and Menton. San Remo in Italy is also just a little over one hour away.

Villefranche is two stops east of the main station in Nice and is a rather nice village with a small beach (and it is much less rocky than in Nice). The village is quieter and more relaxed than Nice. A train ticket from the main station in Nice is just 1.40 euros each way.

[edit] By bus

There are express coaches from Nice Airport to most places between Marseille, Aixand Genoa. These are run by the Lignes Expresss Regioneux (LER)whose offices are next door to the main local bus station (Gare Routiere)

Eze can be reached using line 82 or 112 from the Gare Routiere (bus terminal) in Nice. (Note that the train station is in Eze-sur-Mer, which is a considerable walk from the village of Eze. There is an infrequent bus service connecting the village of Eze and Eze-sur-Mer.)

[edit] Helicopter

There are a number of helicopter services available with regular flights to St Tropez, Cannes and Monaco. The price is quite competitive, at only three times the taxi fare, but the views are stunning.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!