Nice

Arriving at Nice Airport (NCE)

Nice Côte d'Azur Airport in France is located just 3.7 miles southwest of the city of Nice. Nice is France's third busiest airport with just two terminals.

There are 8 different car parks offering long and short-term parking and courtesy shuttle buses that run between the two terminal buildings and the car parks.

Train and bus tickets can be purchased at Terminal 1. It takes approximately 10 minutes to walk to the train station from the airport or you can get a free shuttle bus in less than 5 minutes. Buses to the city leave the airport from Terminal 1 and there is a taxi rank is also located just outside the terminal buildings.

The Car Rental Centre at Nice Airport is located on the Arrivals level. At Terminal 1 the car rental desks can be found by Gates A1 and A2, the right of the Information Desk. At Terminal 2 the rental desks are located between Gates A2 and A3.

What to expect in Nice

Nice is situated on the French Riviera, and has a mixture of stunning beaches, buzzing bars, delicious restaurants and fabulous views. Compared with the winter months, the warmer temperatures of spring attract more tourists to the city and the streets become more bustling.

The Promenade des Anglais is a promenade filled with bars, beach clubs, restaurants and ice-cream stalls. It is an iconic road filled with blue chairs where you can sit and read a book or simply just watch the world go by. The local delicacy of the region is Socca, made in copper pans from chickpea flour, olive oil and water. It is similar to a crispy pancake and is the local fast-food.

The national language of Nice is French.

Culture in Nice

As American expats made Nice their home in the 1920s, they brought Jazz with them. There are many jazz clubs in Nice and the city hosts an amazing Jazz Festival in July. If you're interested in visiting two of the most iconic locations in Nice for jazz, try the Hotel Belles Rives and the Hotel du Cap both synonymous with F. Scott Fitzgerald.

A key period that shaped French history and culture is ‘La Belle Epoque’ (meaning ‘the beautiful age’). The country experienced many social and cultural changes during this optimistic period, and the architecture of Boulevard de Cimiez, the Majestic Hotel and the Excelsior Regina Palace reflect this time in French history.

Matisse and Chagall, two iconic painters, chose to make Nice their home. The Musee Matisse has a lovely collection of his work and is housed in his home so is a great reflection of the artist. You will find examples of some of the lovely stained glass windows from Chagall in museums in the city.

Along with socca, local delicacies include ratatouille, a vegetable stew that blends vegetables and herbs; salade nicoise, one of the healthiest salads in France made with tuna, sliced hard-boiled eggs, and olives; and Pissaladière, a caramelised onions tart.