Why Nice Is This Summer’s Must-visit French Destination

When well-heeled tourists first came to the Côte d’Azur in the mid 19th century, they were drawn to Nice for its wide waterfront promenade and warm winter days. But over the years that allure faded and the hotel landscape became tired compared with nearby Cannes and Monaco. Now, with new high-end properties; stylish, made-in-Nice clothing labels; and restaurants that put a fine-dining twist on traditional dishes, the city has some of that luster back.

The hotel scene got a boost last year with the opening of the Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel, the brand’s first address in France. More have arrived. Among the most anticipated was the Hôtel du Couvent, which debuted in June. The serene, 88-room retreat, which is set inside a 17th-century convent in Old Town, has Roman baths. Also new, in the port district, is Mama Shelter, which appeals to younger travelers with bright, maximalist décor and a popular rooftop pool and bar.

Across town in the sophisticated Carré d’Or neighborhood, the 132-room Maison Albar-Le Victoria is coming in late September and will have sweeping views of the beach and the Baie des Anges, as well as a ground-floor shopping gallery. Older hotels are getting a refresh, too. Le Negresco — a legendary 1913 property that has hosted Princess Grace, the Beatles, and other luminaries — opened its first spa and wellness space this year. Between treatments, guests can admire works by Dalí, Picasso, and Rubens in the hotel’s 6,000-piece collection.

Niçoise cooking is also being reconsidered by a new generation of chefs. At Le Chantecler, a Michelin-starred restaurant at Le Negresco, chef Virginie Basselot has reinvented street-food classics. One spectacular addition is a dainty amuse-bouche of gold-leaf-topped socca (a chickpea pancake) and a soufflé-style pan bagnat (a salade niçoise sandwich).

Other established dishes, like barbajuan (vegetable fritters) and panisses (chickpea fries), get a twist at Chez Davia, a cozy bistro that has been run by the same family since 1953. The 20-seat La Merenda still serves some of the city’s best traditional snacks, like stuffed sardines and tomato tarts.

Another coveted reservation is Onice. The chefs, Florencia Montes and Lorenzo Ragnir, met at Mauro Colagreco’s famed Mirazur, up the coast in Menton. Colagreco himself has also been experimenting: his artisanal bakery, Mitron, now sells fresh breads made from heirloom grains, such as pétanielle noire de Nice, at a stand in the city’s fragrant Cours Saleya market.

Related: In This Storied Port City an Hour from Nice, You’ll Find Beautiful Beaches, Progressive Street Art, and Delicious Avant-Garde Tasting Menus

Increasingly, Nice’s sea-meets-mountain setting is drawing a sporting crowd. The city cemented its athletic status this summer by hosting the final day of the Tour de France (the first time the bike race has ended outside of Paris) and several Olympic soccer matches.

Café du Cycliste makes cycling gear and streetwear that gives Lycra a dapper twist. Another brand to know is La Boulisterie, which carries an entire range of clothing bearing the slogan “Pastis Pétanque,” referring to the anise-flavored aperitif and the cherished bocce-like game, both beloved in the south of France. 

A version of this story first appeared in the August 2024 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline “Moment in the Sun.”