Discover the story of how Nice became the glamorous heart of the French Riviera.
During the Belle Époque, Nice was transformed from a Mediterranean city into an international playground for aristocrats, artists and wealthy travellers. Grand hotels, elegant boulevards, casinos and gardens appeared across the city, while visitors arrived from Britain, Russia and across Europe to spend their winters on the Riviera.
Begin at Place Masséna, where the transformation of Nice into a modern French city took shape. Discover the creation of its grand boulevards, elegant squares, public gardens, luxury shopping districts and railway connections that helped open Nice to the rest of Europe.
Continue through Jardin Albert I, once a favourite meeting place for Riviera society. Discover the social rituals of the Belle Époque, from fashionable promenades and music in the gardens to the importance of appearance, fashion and public life.
Then explore the former Casino Jetée-Promenade, an extraordinary symbol of the Riviera's new culture of entertainment, luxury and spectacle. Learn why a casino was built over the sea and how entertainment became an essential part of Nice's identity.
Walk along the Promenade des Anglais, where the story of the Riviera truly comes to life. Discover why wealthy British and European families began spending their winters in Nice, how the city became known as a health destination, and how the first generation of luxury tourism transformed the coastline.
See the Hôtel Westminster and Hôtel West End, two landmarks of Nice's early luxury hotel industry. Discover how the first grand hotels welcomed Europe's elite and the stories hidden behind their elegant façades.
Continue to the Hôtel Negresco, one of the most recognizable symbols of the French Riviera. Hear the story of Henri Negresco and his ambition to create one of Europe's most spectacular hotels, as well as the building's transformation through the twentieth century.
See the Palais Meyerbeer, an elegant Belle Époque residence that reveals how wealthy families lived in the new Riviera. Discover its architecture and the world of affluent residents who helped shape Nice's prestigious neighbourhoods.
Conclude on Boulevard Victor Hugo, surrounded by the architecture of the period. Here, look at the eclectic styles that define Belle Époque Nice and understand how architects combined influences from across Europe with new materials, engineering and decorative ideas.
By the end of the tour, you will have seen more than beautiful buildings: you will understand how Nice became the Riviera.
