Promenade des Anglais

The Promenade des Anglais is the 7 km seafront walk along the Bay of Angels (Baie des Anges), and it is genuinely beautiful despite the fact that every photograph of Nice features it. The promenade was built in the 1820s, funded by English aristocrats wintering here (hence the name), and the current version has a dedicated walking lane, a cycle lane, and the famous blue chairs (chaises bleues) that face the sea. The beach is shingle, not sand: round white pebbles that are actually more comfortable to lie on than sand (they drain quickly, do not get as hot, and do not stick to everything). The water is the transparent Mediterranean blue that made the Cote d'Azur famous. Private beach clubs (EUR 15-25 for a mattress, umbrella, and shower) line most of the western promenade; free public beaches (Plage Publique Beau Rivage, Plage Carras) exist too. The most photogenic section is between the Jardin Albert 1er and the Hotel Negresco (the white building with the pink dome): 1.5 km that covers the quintessential Nice view. The Negresco (built 1913) is not a budget hotel (rooms from EUR 400) but the carousel outside, the view of the rotunda dome, and the brasserie Chantecler are worth knowing about.