Family trip in Nice : tips, visit, plan

Here’s a look back at our family visit to Nice, a city of which we only knew the Promenade des Anglais, discovered before the children arrived many years ago.
Since then, Miss Voyageuse has decided to continue her studies in Nice this year, and we discovered the city on several weekends while Miss Voyageuse was interviewing at the city’s film school, and then while looking for flats.
The capital of the Côte d’Azur will enchant your family and your children, with its lilting Niçois accent, its magnificent little streets, its huge Prom’s (Promenade des Anglais) and its many museums. As you stroll along, you’ll discover the different hills of Nice and the view over the Bay of Angels.

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Port Lympia ❤️❤️

Family visit in Nice

This is our starting point for discovering Nice with our family. Miss Voyageuse was interviewing for her future film school on the quayside of this charming little port and I think she’s really going to love it here.
As for us, we fell under the spell of the small colourful boats on the left of the port, much prettier than all the yachts strutting around at the back of the harbour.
To get there: walk from the old town via the castle rock or take tram 2 to the terminus.

La colline du château: Castle Hill ❤️❤️❤️

We’re definitely attracted to the green hills, just as we were when we visited Avignon as a family. Here, too, on this 93-metre-high rock, is a lovely 93-hectare park, with Gallo-Roman and even prehistoric ruins.
To get there from the port, we followed the Montfort road for a while, then finally reached the stairs (the first ones were closed). As we climbed, we were rewarded with lovely views over Nice and its old port.
At the top, there are a number of play areas and benches for you to enjoy. And there’s even a lovely waterfall that we weren’t expecting at all!

The “Promenade des Anglais”

This long promenade, nicknamed the Proms by the locals, runs along the magnificent Baie des Anges via a 7km-long rambla. You can walk, cycle or drive along the seafront, past some of the most majestic hotels on the French Riviera. After all, it was the English who first worshipped this coast and Nice. Read about the history of this promenade here.
The most popular part of the promenade is towards the old town of Nice, where the famous blue chairs for admiring the sea are regularly set up between 2 bars with their feet in the water. Further along, if you’re walking with younger children, there are fewer places to rest, but the beach will welcome you for a break during the walk.

>> Read more : the most famous event of nice Nice carnival

Nice beaches

Overlooked by the famous Promenade des Anglais, Nice beach is impressively long, with around fifteen beaches to choose from. It is renowned for the quality of its waters, which have been awarded the Blue Flag. However, the beach is made up of pebbles, not sand.
If you’re a fan of sandcastles, be warned not to be disappointed.

For a swim away from the crowds, choose the beaches of Cap de Nice, Plage de la Réserve, Plage de la plateforme or Coco Beach. You can get there by following the coastal path around Cap de Nice. Be careful, though, as there are a lot of rocks in the area, which is best for older children.

Plage de la réserve: a small beach for swimming enthusiasts

At another weekend, we tried out the Plage de la Réserve, which is located right next to the yacht club. It wasn’t very crowded, but it was early November, so it was all locals who came to swim! It’s a great place to relax, with a lovely diving board featuring statues of divers.
Be careful, the waves seemed quite strong the day we were there! This beach may not be suitable for very young children.

Old Nice ❤️❤️

If, like me, you enjoy wandering around a city without really knowing where you’re going, letting the music and smells guide you, then old Nice is the place for you. I loved these narrow streets (on a slope, but we were getting there!), where you’ll fall under the spell of the old, more or less restored houses in every nook and cranny. Mini Voyageur fell in love with the staircase railings and wanted to slide down them, but they’re all safe these days!)
We got lost, not really knowing what we were admiring, but the better to soak up the sights! The streets are lined with shops, ice-cream parlours and bars, all with varying degrees of liveliness. Let yourself be guided past the Cathedral of Sainte-Reparate, the Chapelle de la Miséricorde, the Church of the Annunciation, through Place Garibaldi, Place Rossetti, Place du Palais de Justice, and end up on the seafront, on Cours Saleya.

The Franciscan monastery of Cimiez and its garden ❤️

The visit to the monastery is a quick one, as you only enter the cloister. We really enjoyed the gardens just next door, even though we visited them in a light drizzle. But the delicious scent of roses enchanted us from the moment we set foot in the garden. It’s bucolic, with a few works of art.
To the left of the garden is a view of Nice and the Pasteur district, which we descended to from the garden to take tram 1 back to the Old Town.

Address: Place Jean Paul II – Quartier Cimiez

Parks and gardens … just for kids?

Nature in Nice for all the family

The Paillon green corridor

An attractive architectural project by landscape architect Michel Pena, which, like the Turia gardens in Valencia, Spain, is rooted in the old river bed. The result is a landscaped and botanical promenade stretching for over 1 km along the edge of Nice’s old town. There’s something for everyone, with benches, play areas, photographic exhibitions and a bandstand.
But the children’s favourite spots are undoubtedly the mirror and the large park with its animal-themed wooden games!

The Ray garden

We discovered this park by taking the tram to the monastery in Nice, but by taking the little roundabout ways to see Nice in a different way. Even though it rained the first time, the little park is well worth a diversion if you’re in the area with the kids. A small waterfall and a lovely play area. It’s the perfect place to take a break from your family visit to Nice.

To get to the Jardin des Arênes, we took the Chemin de la Galère, which is shaded in parts, to cross Nice from hill to hill.

Jardin des Arènes

This large garden and its play areas are located in the upper part of Nice, in the monastery area. Numerous events take place here throughout the year. There are playgrounds, benches and the ruins of Nice’s arena. At the other end of the park is the Matisse Museum and the Gallo-Roman ruins, which can also be visited.

Phoenix Park

Located to the west of Nice, this small zoological park offers a nature outing to observe small mammals and pretty tropical greenhouses. We didn’t go because our older children weren’t tempted. I think it’s perfect for younger children.
Address: 405 Promenade des Anglais – Please note that the entrance is now on the Tram 2 side.

Museums to visit in Nice

Of course, we didn’t visit all these museums, but they’re on the list for our next family visits to Nice.

Matisse Museum

The disappointment of the weekend! Mini Voyageur’s cultural intentions were good, and we were curious to see the colourful works of this famous painter. Unfortunately, from 16 March to 27 May 2024, the collection went to Japan. So we’ll be going back to give you a report on this museum. Please note, however, that it will be closed until the end of June 2024, when a new exhibition will be put on.

Musée Chagall

We haven’t visited this museum yet, but we’ll be planning to do so during our next weekend in Nice. The painter Chagall lived in the St Paul de Vence region after taking refuge in France and then in the United States and returning to France after the Second World War.
I imagine that my Mini Voyageur artist will be delighted to see all the colours of Chagall!

National Sports Museum

A museum dedicated to the history of sport, with a wealth of sporting artefacts and archives spanning more than 500 years of sporting history. It is located near the Nice Allianz Arena stadium, not far from the Asian Arts Museum, in the west of Nice.
The permanent exhibition explores the history of the Olympic Games, while the temporary exhibitions will tell you all you need to know about sport. There are also workshops and guided tours (combined with the stadium for teenagers).

Charles Nègre Museum of Photography

A museum for my Miss Voyageuse that we’ll be visiting together on a future trip to Nice. During my last weekend in Nice with my family, we finally visited this museum which, contrary to popular belief, focuses more on photographic artists than on the history of photography. The museum isn’t very big, so your curiosity isn’t likely to be exhausted!

At the time of our visit, the exhibition was showing works by Bettina Rheims, i.e. nude or very nude women, and under-18s were not allowed in. exhibitions change every 6 months or so.

Museum of Asian Art

The visit to the Asian Arts Museum was a delight for all the family. This contemporary building overlooking the lake in Phoenix Park is home to some magnificent works of art. There aren’t many of them, at least not when we were there, but we were able to read all the information about them. Many of them brought back fond memories of our trips to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
The permanent exhibition is on the 2nd floor, while the temporary exhibition is in the basement. When we visited, it was an exhibition about Tintin, based on his 2 trips to Asia in The Blue Lotus and Tintin in Tibet. The visit to the Asian Arts Museum was a delight for the whole family. This contemporary building overlooking the lake in Phoenix Park is home to some magnificent works of art. There aren’t many of them, at least not when we were there, but we were able to get a good read on them. Many of them brought back fond memories of our trips to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
The permanent exhibition is on the 2nd floor, while the temporary exhibition is in the basement. When we visited, it was an exhibition on Tintin, based on his 2 trips to Asia in The Blue Lotus and Tintin in Tibet. It was an enriching discovery and reminded us of our visit to the Hergé museum in Belgium.

• Address: 405, Promenade des Anglais, 06200 Nice
• Price: free of charge – workshop, tee ceremony payable by reservation
• Schedule :
• Duration on site: 1h
• Baby equipment recommended: physiological baby carrier or stroller (I think there was a lift)
• Official website

Nice off the beaten track : the crypt

During our last weekend in Nice, we discovered part of underground Nice. The Crypte de Nice houses the remains of medieval Nice, which were discovered when the Tram 1 line was built in 2007. The entrance is located just beside the Place Garibaldi, under which it extends. It reveals the remains of the 16th-century ramparts and the Porte Pairolière, the town’s main entrance. We were able to see the impressive foundations, ancient underground galleries and remains of the Roman aqueduct. It was a unique experience, as the guide gave us lots of details about Nice in medieval times and how it has changed over time.

What to see around Nice with your family

When we come back, we’ll take a trip to the surrounding area to visit other sites on the Côte d’Azur with kids:

• Eze,
• Monaco for my car fans
• Villa Ephrussi Rotschild in Saint Jean Cap Ferrat
• Villa Kerilos in Beaulieu sur Mer
• Menton
• Grasse to attend a perfume workshop
• Hiking around Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
• Try out a boat trip for a diving session or see the dolphins from Hyères with Alpha Marine
  

What specialities try in Nice with children and our top addresses?

La Socca

It was a discovery for the whole family! The dish was recommended to us by friends when we went hiking in the Vercors. And we loved it! A galette made from chickpea flour, just fried in the oven! A delicious accompaniment to a good beer or a quick snack at lunchtime! We had it at René Socca in the old town of Nice “à la bonne franquette”.

Le Pain Bagna

A round loaf filled with Niçoise salad, tuna, egg and tomato, all drizzled with olive oil. Enjoy it as you stroll through the town… Bought near the Parc du Ray at the Saturday market, 6€ for a 20 cm diameter “pain bagna”, less expensive than in old city

Ice cream

Close to Italy, you can find good gelataio. We loved the ones at Neron glacier in Piazza San Francesco.

For seafood, we went to Café de Turin. Beware, there’s not much choice of other dishes if you don’t like seafood! We also ate at Place du Pin, my favourite place in Nice to find a small restaurant.

Our family review on Nice

Although I’d been to Nice before, I didn’t really remember much about the city, as I’d had more of a beach day than a visit. I don’t regret this discovery. And as Miss Voyageuse is busy at school, I’ll be writing about my future discoveries, in particular the Nice Observatory and the Chagall Museum.

• What we liked: The port, the old town, the coastal path, the free water fountains in the Parc du Paillon and the old port, the hill of the castle, the socca…
• Transport via trams 1 and 2, which take you to the various sights in no more than 30 minutes.
• What we didn’t like: the density of the city as soon as you drive away, with motorways running right up to the roofs of buildings. I’d advise you to take the Promenade des Anglais, which is slower but much more pleasant in your own car! But it’s a shock for us, mountain savages!

>> We might like : Aix-en-Provence en famille

Practical information for visiting Nice with your family

Where to stay in Nice as a family?

During this impromptu weekend, we stayed near the Vieux Port Lympia, just a few minutes’ walk from Place Garibaldi and close to Vieux Nice. This makes the Hotel Du Pin an excellent location for a family visit to Nice. Our room was spacious and comfortable, and we enjoyed a generous all-you-can-eat breakfast. Rate for a room of 4 in May: 187€ with 1 suite 2 bedrooms.

In June, we went by 4X4 and slept a little inland, at Les Pinèdes campsite in La Coll sur Loup. A classified sites and landscapes campsite that we really enjoyed this shoulder season. Pitches are available for tents or converted vehicles, but there are also some very nice cottages with spas. For a night for 4 without electricity: 31€, which is still reasonable considering that the sanitary facilities were perfect and the team friendly.

>> Other accommodation ideas on the Côte d’Azur

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Nos autres bonnes adresses

Plus d’hébergements testés et approuvés dans le 06

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How do you get there?

• From Briançon, in summer, the prettiest route is the one through the Mercantour. It takes a turn, passing over the highest road in Europe at the Col de la Bonnette, but it’s just magnificent, and it lasts 4 hours! In winter, unfortunately, the pass is closed, so we’ll take the A51 and cross over to Sain Maximin.
• From Lyon: about 5 hours by train or car.
• From Paris: 9 hours by car – 6 hours by train – 2 hours by plane.
• When arriving by plane, remember to book your transfer by private car

How do you get around Nice?

• By tram: During our stay, to go up to the Cimiez district, we took tram 1. It’s fairly easy, as there are only 2 trams in Nice: tram 2, which runs along the ‘sea’, and tram 2, which runs in a sort of horseshoe up the hills of Nice.
• On foot via the ‘chemin de la galère’: from the Jardin du Ray to the Hôpital Pasteur, we crossed the upper part of Nice to visit our various sites on foot via a pretty path: the ‘chemin de la galère’, which goes up and down through the districts of Nice, starting from the Avenue Brancolar and cutting across the hill to join the Avenue Henri-Dunant and the Vallon des Fleurs.

>> Vous aimerez aussi : Marseille en famille

Visiting Nice with a baby

A few tips for visiting Nice with a very young child:
A stroller is practical everywhere except for the visit and the descent to old Nice, where there are numerous staircases along the way (but there is a lift to get to the château hill). It’s very easy to take the tram with a stroller.
You may not want to come to Nice with an infant in midsummer to avoid the heat.
I didn’t pay much attention to the changing areas.