Nice city centre: Place Masséna, the Promenade du Paillon and Avenue Jean-Médecin

Place Masséna

The heart of Nice, between Old Nice, the sea and the 19th-century districts. You will know it by its large black-and-white checkerboard paving and its red arcaded façades in Italian style.

Look up: seven figures sit on top of tall poles, watching the square. This is "Conversation à Nice" by the artist Jaume Plensa. At night they light up and slowly change colour, one of the best times to cross the square.

The Fountain of the Sun

At the south end of the square, a large fountain ringed by bronze statues and crowned by a marble Apollo. A classic meeting point for locals.

The Promenade du Paillon

The great park running through the centre, from the sea towards the northern districts, above the Paillon river, which flows underground.

• The water mirror, with jets bursting from the ground, is a summer favourite with children.
• Playgrounds, lawns and shady gardens make it a real break in the middle of the city.
• The extension, completed in 2025, added about 8 hectares of gardens designed as an urban forest.

Avenue Jean-Médecin

Nice's main shopping street, from Place Masséna towards the station, served by the tram. Along the way, the neo-Gothic Notre-Dame basilica surprises with its two towers. Our guide to shopping in Nice.

The Carré d'Or and Jardin Albert-Ier

Between Place Masséna and the sea, the Carré d'Or gathers the luxury boutiques around Rue Paradis. Right next to it, Jardin Albert-Ier, Nice's oldest public garden, links to the Promenade des Anglais.

Our 2-hour walk

1. Start at Place Masséna, then the Fountain of the Sun.
2. Stroll through the Promenade du Paillon to the water mirror.
3. Walk up Avenue Jean-Médecin to Notre-Dame basilica.
4. Return through the Carré d'Or and Jardin Albert-Ier to the sea.
5. In the evening, come back to Place Masséna to see the statues lit up.

Where to stay in the centre

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