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The Promenade des Anglais in Nice lives up to its name. It is a walking path that extends from the airport in the west to the « United States Pier » in the east, for a distance of approximately 7 km.

Why this name: promenade des Anglais ?

Naturally, it is said that it was the English winterers staying in Nice at the beginning of the 19th century who had the idea of building a promenade along the Baie des Anges in Nice. More precisely, the origin of this project was the Reverend Lewis Way who had the idea and contributed to the financing, with the help of the English community at the time, in 1820, of the construction of a path for the walks of the rich, idle winterers of the French Riviera (many English).

Evolution of the Promenade !

Originally, it was a dirt road, 2 m wide from Paillon to today’s rue Meyerbeer. Formerly, a small path, the developments undertaken since 1844 have transformed the « Prom », (common name used by the people of Nice to designate it), into one of the most majestic avenues in the world.

For this walk, I am going to separate the « Quai des Estates », from the Promenande des Anglais, because although the two avenues follow one another and are arranged in an identical manner, their name is different and the articles and videos will be shorter for these two visits.

Obviously, below the avenue, the alternation of pebble beaches, public and private, extend from Ponchettes, a district in front of the old town to the airport. All the palaces and numerous hotels along the avenue have their private beach with bar and restaurant. I couldn’t tell you more, because I have never visited these private establishments in 25 years of living in Nice.

Like many locals, we have our preference for the beauty of the avenue. I would advise tourists for whom time matters to take the walk from the Albert I garden to the Négresco.

Sites to see along the Promenande des Anglais

Albert I Garden in Nice and the Centenary monument

Opened in 1852, it is also the oldest public garden in the city! it is bordered by a paved esplanade where the Centenary monument inaugurated in 1896 is located, commemorating the attachment of the County of Nice to France.

(Pdf file of information on the Centenary Monument)

It represents the Greek goddess of victory and messenger of the gods who was called Nike or Nikaïa.
Which meant « victory » or « triumph » among the Greeks. The choice of the goddess Nikaïa is symbolic in its allusion to the Greek name and origins of Nice.

At the height of the Albert I garden, on the sea side, sits a contemporary sculpture by the artist SAB, in honor of the Nice institution of the « Blue Chairs » of the Promenade des Anglais. You can come across them again throughout your walk on the « Prom », lined up facing the sea.

Palace of the Mediterranean

The Palais de la Méditerranée, at N°13, is considered one of the masterpieces of Nice’s Art-Deco style (architects: Charles and Marcel Dalmas).

After 1950, the rich wintering clientele, the hotels on the hills fell into disuse in favor of the new palaces installed along the seaside. 

It is a luxurious hotel complex as well as a casino (international Hyatt Hotels chain of hotels). It is not of much interest to me especially since the complex is controlled by Qatari capital, but it is different for its main facade on the Promenade des Anglais and the facade in return on Rue du Congrès which are classified as historic monuments in 1989. In addition, the facades of the building received the « 20th century Heritage » label. I will show you photos of the night facade which I find interesting like many other monuments.

For more information on this establishment, I recommend the following page: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palais_de_la_M%C3%A9diterran%C3%A9e

Musée Masséna de Nice

The Masséna Museum was a noble vacation home (Masséna family) built in 1898, of classical Italian inspiration and Empire style in obvious homage to Napoleon I. The facades and roofs of the villa have been listed as historic monuments since 1975. It was one of the last prestigious villas of the 19th century.

Today, it is the Masséna museum, inaugurated in 1921 and whose gardens are located at n°35 of the promenade. It is one of the many municipal museums in the city of Nice, because a descendant of the Masséna family sold the building to the city with the conditions that it become a museum and that the garden be open to the public.

This paid museum traces Nice art and history through the ages (19th and 20th centuries) on a permanent exhibition area of 1,800 m2. You will be able to discover in particular the magnificent landscaped garden, a chronological and thematic approach to the history of Nice from 1792 to 1939 and much other information on the history of the County of Nice, Provence, Savoy and the ‘Northern Italy. The museum is fully accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Address: public entrance 65 rue de France. Open between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. every day except Tuesday.

Phone : (33) 04 93 91 19 10

Le Négresco

Negresco, is located at n°37 of the Promenade des Anglais, it has been a 5-star palace since August 2009. The facades are based on a classic framework, with opulent quasi-baroque ornamentation. It is, like the Sacher hotel in Vienna, the Ritz in Paris or the Astoria hotel in Brussels, among the legendary places of luxury hotels. It is one of the symbolic places of the city of Nice.

On June 13, 2003, the facades and roofs of all the buildings overlooking the four streets as well as the large central hall known as « royal lounge » with its glass roof were classified in the inventory of historic monuments. In 2001, it obtained the « Heritage 20th century » label and in November 2015, it was classified as a Living Heritage Company.

It was inaugurated on January 4, 1913. The origin of the hotel is a Romanian butler, Henri Negresco, who dreams of owning his own hotel. His dream came true thanks to the help of wealthy businessmen of the time. He entrusted the design of the building to the famous architect, known worldwide at that time: Édouard-Jean Niermans. It is a magnificent, modern and sumptuous hotel until the war of 14-18. Then, the hotel changed owners several times to the Augier family. The palace, thanks to renovation work, still manages to rise to the top of luxury hotels today.

I’ll let you discover this establishment on their site : https://www.hotel-negresco-nice.com/fr