Nice’s Hidden Architectural Gems: 10 Beautiful Buildings You Shouldn’t Miss

Venture off the beaten track in the capital of the Côte d’Azur and you’ll discover its amazing range of buildings.

Nice is renowned for its elegant architecture and rightly so. But it has much more to offer than the emblematic Hôtel Negresco on the Promenade des Anglais (which featured in Elton John’s, I’m Still Standing video) and the pretty, pastel-coloured buildings of the old town which look as much Italian as French.

You’ll need to spend a full day or more trekking around to find all the gems in our ‘ten of the best’ selection. But you’ll be rewarded not only with a strong impression of how delightfully diverse (different styles and distinct historical periods) the city’s architecture is, but also the fascinating stories behind each one of the buildings.

Travel tip: buy a tram pass from any stop and break up your journey by walking between nearby buildings, or hire a bike/e-bike for a more convenient approach (simply download the Lime or Pony app and you’ll be directed to the nearest bike).

Reference:  

With the exception of Le Plongeoir, all the buildings here are featured in this excellent pocket guide: Nice — A Short History of Architecture by Félicien Carli.

1. Église Sainte-Jeanne d’Arc (1914-1933) 

Nicknamed ‘Our lady of the eggs’ (because it looks like an upturned egg box) this gleaming white Art Deco church is quite unlike any other religious building in Nice. The murals inside by  are well worth a look too. 

Location: 86 Avenue Saint-Lambert. 

2. Excelsior Régina Palace (1897) 

The clue is in the name with this Belle Époque-style edifice. Built to provide suitably regal hotel accommodation for Queen Victoria on a hill overlooking the city, it declined in popularity after she died due to competition from the coast. However, it has retained its architectural majesty as an apartment building.  

Location: 71 Boulevard de Cimiez 

3. Tête Carrée (2001-2002)  

It might have a very mundane function (the building houses the administrative offices of the Louis Nucéra library over seven floors) but the Tête Carrée (blockhead), is a prime example of provocatively postmodern architecture. Blot on the landscape or must-see site? You decide. 

Location: 2 Place Yves Klein

4. Cascade de Gairaut (1880-1883) 

Crowned by an Austrian-style chalet, this charming waterfall was a popular attraction in the early 20th-century and is still in operation (it helps to oxygenate the waters of the Vésubie canal). 

Location: Avenue de Gairaut

5. Musée des Beaux Arts (1878-1883) 

Originally commissioned by wealthy Russian, Leon Kotchoubey, in the late 19th century and completed by Niçois architect Constantin Scala as a private residence, this palatial building was inspired by the Italian Renaissance. Today, it functions as the Musée des Beaux Arts so the bonus is you can enjoy exhibitions and the extensive permanent collection. Look out too for the resplendent staircase – one of the finest from the Belle Époque period on the Riviera.  

Location: 33 Avenue des Baumettes

6. Hôtel Alhambra (1900-1901) 

Built to compete with the Régina Palace, this hotel is an excellent example of the Moorish (néo-mauresque) style that flourished in the Belle Époque period (late 19th-early 20th century). It’s now an apartment building but the eye-catchingly ‘exotic’ facade and two minarets remain. 

Location: 46-48 Boulevard de Cimiez

7. Cathédrale Orthodoxe Russe Saint Nicolas (1903-1912) 

With its six onion domes, gilded crosses, and dazzling mosaics, this magnificent cathedral in the affluent Cimiez area is the largest orthodox church outside of Russia. It’s also testament to the size of the Russian community in Nice which established itself in the 19th century. 

Location: Avenue Nicolas II

8. Château de l’Anglais (1856-1858) 

French poet, Stéphen Liégeard, described this pink château on the slopes of Mont Boron as ‘neither a palace, nor a wedding cake’. But you have to credit Englishman and retired Indian Army colonel, Robert Smith, with some architectural audacity. It’s now another apartment building but has kept its curiosity value. 

Location: 176 Boulevard Carnot

9. Poste Thiers (1930-31)  

Standing in defiant contrast to the recently opened and ‘ultra-modern’ Iconic centre just a stone’s throw away, this red brick post office building with its majestic clock tower is another example of Nice’s exceptional Art Deco heritage.  

Location: 21 Avenue Thiers 

10. Le Plongeoir (1941) 

This iconic restaurant at the head of the port not only offers fine dining and fabulous sea views, but a magically evocative experience thanks to architect, René Livieri, who reimagined it in the 1940s with diving boards and divers.  

Location: 60 Boulevard Franck Pilatte