Le Vieux Nice has hardly changed since the 1700s, so its narrow streets retain an antique charm despite the sleek gentrification that has popped up in recent years. Clusters of ladies gossiping in Niçois and dingy diners full of locals assure visitors the original residents haven’t gone anywhere.
Tourists imagining their Nice vacation on an endless stretch of coastline dotted with multi-coloured parasols and topless bronze bathers can rent a mattress at one of 14 private beaches, or brave the pebbles at the Plage Publique des Ponchettes, which provides lifeguards and cold showers.