Nice

Currency

Euro. The Riviera is expensive in July and August but shoulder season rentals drop sharply. Cards work everywhere.

ATMs & cards

BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole and Société Générale are reliable. Avoid the machines on the Promenade des Anglais that charge €5 per withdrawal. Decline conversion.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Safe, though the Promenade and train station area attract pickpockets in summer. The beaches are pebble, not sand — bring water shoes.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

No vaccinations are required for entry from Europe or North America.

Worth having

• Routine vaccinations up to date

Getting treated

EU/EEA and Swiss visitors are treated on the same terms as residents with an EHIC or GHIC card; UK visitors use a GHIC. Everyone else pays, and travel insurance is worth having for the repatriation cover rather than the treatment.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Local specialities are socca (chickpea pancake), pissaladière and salade niçoise, which contains no cooked vegetables if made properly. Eat socca hot from Chez Thérésa in the old town.

Getting around

• Tram — 3 lines including a direct airport connection, €1.70 flat fare
• Walking — Vieux Nice, the port and the Promenade are all walkable
• Train — the coastal line to Monaco, Cannes and Menton is cheap and scenic
• Bus — €1.70 regional buses reach Eze, Saint-Paul-de-Vence and beyond
• Airport: Tram line 2 to the centre (25 min, €1.70)

Must-see

Things to do

• Walk the Promenade des Anglais
• Climb Castle Hill for the bay view
• Browse Cours Saleya flower market
• Train to Monaco and Menton
• Visit the Chagall and Matisse museums
• Day trip to Eze village

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

French

• HelloBonjourbon-ZHOOR
• PleaseS'il vous plaîtseel voo PLEH
• Thank youMercimer-SEE
• Yes / NoOui / Nonwee / non
• Excuse meExcusez-moiex-koo-zay MWA
• How much is it?C'est combien ?say com-BYEN
• The bill, pleaseL'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-SYON
• Cheers!Santé !son-TAY

Open with bonjour before anything else. Launching straight into a question without it reads as rude, and explains a lot of reputed French coldness.

Religion

Catholic, and strictly secular

Laïcité is a constitutional principle: religion is kept out of public institutions, and conspicuous religious symbols are banned in state schools. Cover shoulders in cathedrals.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Say bonjour before anything else, every single time you enter a shop
• Keep your voice down in restaurants and on public transport
• Keep both hands visible on the table while eating, wrists on the edge
• Dress a notch smarter than you would at home — it changes how you are treated

Don't

• Do not ask for a doggy bag or substitutions; the dish arrives as the kitchen intends
• Do not start with English without at least attempting bonjour, parlez-vous anglais
• Do not tip more than rounding up — service is included by law
• Do not eat while walking; it reads as slightly uncivilised