Nice and the French Riviera

Nice curves around the Baie des Anges, where the Promenade des Anglais runs for several kilometres beside pebble beaches and blue water. The old town behind it is a maze of pastel lanes and flower markets, and Castle Hill gives the classic view over the bay.

From Nice it is easy to explore the rest of the Riviera: the cliff-top village of Èze, the harbour and casino of Monaco, and the film-festival town of Cannes. Summer is for the sea, and February brings the Nice Carnival.

Nice is about an hour and a half from Paris by air, or around six hours on the TGV, so we plan it as a stay of two or three nights. It also combines well with Italy, just across the border.