35 Interesting Facts About Nice, France

Facts on Nice France to Learn All About It

Ready to learn all about Nice France?

Facts are one of the best ways to learn more about something, and I personally love to read them! I’ve put together for you quite a bit of facts on Nice France; I’ve split them in 3 categories:

• The best Nice France facts
• Fun facts about Nice France
• General facts of Nice France

Let’s dive in straight away with our first category!

The Best Nice France Facts

In this first part, you will learn about the overall best facts about Nice in France. That means history, events and general facts. 

1. Nice was named after a Greek goddess, Nike (no, not the brand)

The Greek goddess Nike personified victory. If you have been to the Louvre, you can see the Winged Victory of Samothrace, her most famous depiction.

The city of Nice takes its name from the goddess herself, being first named Nikaia, to remember the victory over the neighboring Ligurians.

Statue of Nike

2. Nice draws lots of artists, composers and writers over the years

With its amazing views, this is quite easy to understand. The city looks over the Mediterranean Sea in a unique manner.

For instance, you can find a very bright yellow building, which was the house of Henri Matisse. Other famous people that lived in Nice were Paganini, Cocteau and even Picasso.

3. Another name of Nice is “Nice la Belle”, which means “Nice the Beautiful”

Nice is so beautiful that even its nickname reflects this gorgeousness. It is also the title of the unofficial anthem of the city, written in 1912 by Menica Rondelly.

With the pristine beach, the wonderful architecture and the rich history, you can see the name makes a lot of sense.

4. An annual festival is held in Nice, and has been ever since the Middle Ages

Every year in February, the carnival of Nice is a colorful and festive event. Traditionally, it was a day for the lower classes to wear masks and to mock the powerful without drawbacks.

Musicians and dancers from all around the world put on a fantastic show since the Middle Ages. 

So, make sure to book your tickets in advance, because this is definitely one of the best things to do in Nice!

5. Nice is the fifth most populated city in France

Between France and Italy, among mountains and in front of the sea, Nice is the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department. Apart from Marseille, it is the largest city on the French Mediterranean coast.

It comes in 5th in terms of population in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse.

6. The weather in Nice is quite ideal, especially during summer

One of the most important reasons why people love Nice so much is the weather, especially during summer.

While the South of France is overall very hot, in Nice that is not the case. The wind there, the Mistral, is very refreshing and summers are always very cool.

7. A lot of rich and famous people have a holiday home in Nice, that is not a myth

The reputation of Nice to host wealthy and famous people is not a myth, it is entirely true.

It is indeed a wonderful city to visit, but also to live in, at any time of the year. The overall feeling of the city is very luxurious, that’s why people like Elton John, Bono, Keith Richards and Tina Turner have a holiday home there.

8. Nice’s beaches are very unusual: they are filled with rocks

While the beaches are fantastically beautiful, they are very unusual, as they are filled with rocks.

That is because they come from the mouth of the Var and the Paillon rivers. The stones were then washed down, to be later deposited on the beach.

9. Nice was in a very poor shape after the war and was named the “Babazouk”

Lots of major cities in Europe, and especially in France, have been struck very hard by the World Wars. The Old Town of Nice was hit by poverty and was nicknamed the “babazouk”, or Monster’s Lair.

There was no refrigeration even in the 60s, and laundry was washed by hand for years.

10. Nice was such a coveted city that, during World War II, it was occupied… twice!

World War II has brought lots of different countries to occupy other countries. France was circled by both Germany and Italy, and they were the ones who occupied Nice.

First, the Italians took control of the city but did not do anything significant. On the other hand, the Germans built secret tunnels under the city to store munitions and create escape routes for officers.

11. There used to be a very important casino in Nice, until World War II

Nice’s Golden Age happened during the 20s. Then, a huge casino called “Casino de la Jetée” stood on a long wooden pier, seemingly floating over the water. It was corrupted, and filled with mafiosi.

Unfortunately, the casino does not exist anymore, as the Nazis dismantled it for its metal. Today, you can see a small remnant of the pier.

12. Nice has strong French and Italian heritage, and only joined France relatively recently

That’s right, Nice only joined France in 1860. The Italian did not want to let the city go, but since the French helped them defend themselves against Austria, they offered the people to vote.

Though you can see “Nice chose France” in the Mayor’s office, the vote was actually rigged, no “no” ballots were printed.

13. Nice has its own local heroine: Catherine Ségurane

Only 3,000 inhabitants lived in Nice in 1506. At that time, they were attacked by an army of 20,000 Franco-Turks. The siege lasted for weeks, and the town was still hanging on.

However, when the soldiers tried to attack once more, a washer-woman called Catherine Ségurane climbed up the walls and beat a soldier to death with her laundry bat. She then grabbed his flag and… wiped her ass with it. The attackers were humiliated, and left the city.

Myrabella / CC BY-SA

14. Just like in most European cities, Nice had a Jewish Ghetto

You might not know this, but Jewish people were segregated since the Middle Ages. The Jewish community of Nice was forced to live in a one-gated street called “Street of the Jews”.

But because the non-Jewish inhabitants did not like this idea, they built secret passageways between the two parts of the city.

15. The bay of Nice is called the “Bay of Angels”, because of a 3rd century miracle

During the 3rd century, it is said that a young Christian was arrested and tortured in Palestine, because of her faith. She did not abandon her one and true god, and was thus beheaded.

When her body was put out to sea, the angels took it over and guided it to the bay of Nice. The martyr later became known as Saint Reparate, the patron saint of the Cathedral.

16. Nice used to be a prime destination for entertainment during Roman times

Where the chic residential neighborhood now stands, there used to be lots of leisure activities during the Roman Empire.

There, you will find an ancient Roman coliseum, a Roman bath complex, a 5-century old olive grove and a monastery, still operating to this day.

17. Nice was designed by Turin architects

You now know it, Nice has been French since only 1860, but was Italian before. First, the county belonged to the House of Savoy, which was at that time ruling the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Since Turin was the capital of the Savoy Empire, architects from there built the city. You can still see the resemblance between the two cities especially in squares and plazas.

18. Giuseppe Garibaldi was born and raised in Nice

You might already know Giuseppe Garibaldi because he had a very important role for the unification of Italy. He was a general of the Royal Italian Army and was born and raised in Nice.

His statue in Nice is sad and looks towards Italy because when he came back to his home city, he learned that it was given away to France.

Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / CC BY

19. The flag of Nice is made of a red eagle, since the 15th century

This is probably the most accurate way to depict the community of Nice. Since the 15th century, the Red Eagle has been the symbol of the city. It was the emblem of the House of Savoy, which was ruling the city at the time.

The bird of prey represents both pride and strength.

20. “La Rue Droite” is one of the oldest streets in Nice and is straight

In the middle of the Old Town, you can find “La Rue Droite”, which means “the Straight Street”. Its first name was “Drecha” which means “Direct”, because it is very straight and narrow, and links the Port to the heart of the city.

It then became “La Rue Droite” because of its efficiency regarding goods transportation.

And that’s it for the most general and interesting France Nice facts.

Onto the fun part now!

Fun Facts About Nice France

Everyone likes funny and unusual facts. Nice has a lot of them.

I have gathered 15 Nice France fun facts for you here. 

21. There were already tourists in Nice 400,000 years ago

Yes, Nice is very popular among tourists, and it could even be one of the oldest tourist cities in France!

During an archeological dig on the hill, above the port, it was found that cave-dwellers temporarily settled where Nice currently stands. They would come once a year to hunt woolly mammoths.

22. The famous “Promenade des Anglais” was named after the first wealthy English tourists

The “Promenade des Anglais” is the most famous part of Nice. It is a walk that runs for 7 km / 4.34 miles hugging the beach.

Its name originates from the first rich English tourists that walked there a while ago, like Queen Victoria or Winston Churchill.

23. Every day at noon, you can hear a cannon shot in Nice

This tradition dates back to 1860. At that time, Sir Thomas Coventry and his wife were living in Nice. Because she was always late, he asked the mayor to shoot a daily noon shot from a cannon.

He was inspired by his home village in Scotland, and to this day the tradition still lives on.

24. Nice’s castle was lost in 1706 and its stones were used to pave the Promenade des Anglais

There was a castle in Nice… until the famous King of France Louis XIV conquered it by being extremely lucky. A random cannonball flew into the munitions storage and made the whole castle explode.

Because Louis never wanted to conquer it again, he ordered it to be dismantled, and lots of its stones were used to pave the Promenade des Anglais.

25. The iconic Blue Chairs of Nice, inseparable from Nice, used to be stolen

The Blue Chairs of Nice are very iconic and you immediately think of them, gazing at the sea, when you think of the Southern French city.

They were an initiative of Charles Tordo, who lined them up in the 1950s. However, they were stolen, so the city had to chain them down together.

26. One of the most beautiful views of the coast and the sea is… the Russian Cemetery

This is very unexpected: not only does the city have an Orthodox Cemetery, but it is also one of the best points of view to see the Mediterranean Sea and the coast!

It was built because of the large Russian community in Nice, and is home to Russian members of the Royal families.

27. A local man, Spaggiari, is famous for robbing the Société Générale bank in 1976

You might have heard of Albert Spaggiari. In Nice, he is a local legend, and probably the robber of the century.

Along his crew, he drilled a passageway beneath the bank when he discovered that a series of tunnels still ran through the city. They stole 60 million francs (30 million euros).

28. There is an archaeological crypt under the city of Nice

Recently, during the construction of the tramway line, diggers discovered the archaeological crypt of Nice. They are in fact the remains of the ancient city dating back to the 14th century.

It is now a Historic Monument and can be visited, alongside 14 other people, but the tour is only in French.

29. Nice used to host the Holy Shroud before Turin

Turin, Italy is famous for being the guardian of the Holy Shroud, and that was the case for centuries. This sacred relic is supposed to be the cloth that was buried with Jesus after crucifixion.

It remained in Nice for several years before being moved to Turin.

30. A very unique and weird sport was created in Nice: the Pilou

The Pilou is not very well-known, I will give you that. However, you might have heard of it in “How to Catch a Thief” by Hitchcock.

It was born in the streets of Nice. The goal of the sport is to juggle a coin with your feet, and a large piece of paper runs through the coin.

31. The first inhabited sculpture in the world lies in Nice

Not only is “La Tête Carrée” itself very weird, as it is a 30 meters high sculpture of a human head mixed with a cube.

It was built by Francis Chapuis, Yves Bayard and Sacha Sosno. At night, it is lit up and you can see through it, revealing tons of books.

Pablo Gonzalez / CC BY-NC-ND

32. “La Maison des Nains”, or “The Dwarf House” is a peculiar medieval-style home in Nice

“La Maison des Nains” is a very peculiar attraction in Nice. It is famous for having very strange proportions, hence its name.

Its foundations were, by mistake obviously, planned 1.50m too low, causing a lot of the house to be buried. You cannot enter the house but it is definitely something you should see.

33. The city is so beautiful that even garbage is art in Nice

Nice is filled with art. From its historical monuments to its godlike beach and sights, everything is wonderful in the city.

In fact, even garbage bins have been turned into art by local street artists. The aim behind this initiative is actually very noble: artists want to spread awareness about recycling and respecting nature.

34. Rauba-Capèu is a beautiful point of view… and a place where you get stolen

Rauba-Capèu is a wharf that was built in 1770. Originally, it was used to connect the port to the market. Because it became less about that over time, the city renovated it, and it is now filled with people a lot of the time.

Its name literally means “hat thief”, because there is a lot of wind there!

35. The hidden beach “Plage de la Réserve” is a wonderful getaway in Nice

The “Promenade des Anglais” shows you a lot of beaches, usually overcrowded. If you want to be in a more quiet area while still enjoying the Mediterranean coast, you should head to the “Plage de la Réserve”.

This beach is a hidden gem, tucked in a peaceful corner next to the port.

And we’re done, these were the whole 35 interesting facts about Nice France. I hope you enjoyed them and that you learned something new today.

In case you want to learn more about the city, or the country as a whole, feel free to keep reading, as I still have lots of things to tell you about:

General Facts of Nice France

You’ll find below a few general facts of Nice, to learn more about this city:

• Name: Nice
• Province: Nice
• Region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
• Land area: 71.92 km² / 27.77 sq mi
• Population: 341,000
• Name of inhabitants: Niçois, Niçoise (French)
• Website: Nice

Nice France Flag

More Facts!

Do you want even more facts about France?

Well, I have more facts about France, I’m sure you’ll love reading them!

Here is the main guide of the best France facts 👉 The 60 Best Facts about France

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Or these French facts by region:

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You can also check these French facts by topic: 

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Or click here to see ALL the facts up on the blog! Spoiler alert: there’s A LOT of them.

The Full List of 35 Nice France Facts

1. Nice was named after a Greek goddess, Nike (no, not the brand)
2. Nice draws lots of artists, composers and writers over the years
3. Another name of Nice is “Nice la Belle”, which means “Nice the Beautiful”
4. An annual festival is held in Nice, and has been ever since the Middle Ages
5. Nice is the fifth most populated city in France
6. The weather in Nice is quite ideal, especially during summer
7. A lot of rich and famous people have a holiday home in Nice, that is not a myth
8. Nice’s beaches are very unusual: they are filled with rocks
9. Nice was in a very poor shape after the war and was named the “Babazouk”
10. Nice was such a coveted city that, during World War II, it was occupied… twice!
11. There used to be a very important casino in Nice, until World War II
12. Nice has strong French and Italian heritage, and only joined France relatively recently
13. Nice has its own local heroine: Catherine Ségurane
14. Just like in most European cities, Nice had a Jewish Ghetto
15. The bay of Nice is called the “Bay of Angels”, because of a 3rd century miracle
16. Nice used to be a prime destination for entertainment during Roman times
17. Nice was designed by Turin architects
18. Giuseppe Garibaldi was born and raised in Nice
19. The flag of Nice is made of a red eagle, since the 15th century
20. “La Rue Droite” is one of the oldest streets in Nice and is straight
21. There were already tourists in Nice 400,000 years ago
22. The famous “Promenade des Anglais” was named after the first wealthy English tourists
23. Every day at noon, you can hear a cannon shot in Nice
24. Nice’s castle was lost in 1706 and its stones were used to pave the Promenade des Anglais
25. The iconic Blue Chairs of Nice, inseparable from Nice, used to be stolen
26. One of the most beautiful views of the coast and the sea is… the Russian Cemetery
27. A local man, Spaggiari, is famous for robbing the Société Générale bank in 1976
28. There is an archaeological crypt under the city of Nice
29. Nice used to host the Holy Shroud before Turin
30. A very unique and weird sport was created in Nice: the Pilou
31. The first inhabited sculpture in the world lies in Nice
32. “La Maison des Nains”, or “The Dwarf House” is a peculiar medieval-style home in Nice
33. The city is so beautiful that even garbage is art in Nice
34. Rauba-Capèu is a beautiful point of view… and a place where you get stolen
35. The hidden beach “Plage de la Réserve” is a wonderful getaway in Nice

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