In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The Promenade des Anglais is almost 7 km long, free, open every day and has no hours. From west to east it passes the Villa Masséna (€10 museum, closed Tuesday), the Negresco hotel, the junction with Place Masséna, the beaches, the Centenaire monument and Quai Rauba Capeu with its #ILoveNice sign. The little train starts at the foot of the Centenaire monument: €12, or €14 on GetYourGuide. Tram line 1 from Gare Thiers to Masséna takes about 15 minutes. Work on the Mercantour bridge near the airport runs for eleven months from 2 October 2026. Prices are in euros. Or book a tour: the panoramic e-bike tourad is from €55 and the hop-on hop-off busad from €24 (GetYourGuide).
Cost and access
The Promenade is free, with no hours, and dogs are welcome (tourist office). The things you pay for on it are the museum, the little train and the beach clubs.
| What | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The Promenade | Free | Open every day |
| Musée Masséna, 65 rue de France | €10 | Closed Tuesday; 11:00 to 18:00 to 30 April 2027 |
| Little train | €12; €6 aged 4 to 12; free aged 0 to 3 | From the foot of the Centenaire monument; 50-minute castle circuit |
| Private beach clubs | Varies | Nice beaches separates them from the public stretches |
Bikes can be hired from the self-service operators Lime and Pony, which cover Nice. The seafront is also where the Nice Carnival, sporting competitions and cultural events take place, and in 2021 UNESCO inscribed “Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera” on the World Heritage List.
Tours worth paying for
The walk is the main thing. These three save legs or add a commentary. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” prices, per person; where the operator sells the same ticket, its price comes first.
The little train
€12 from the operator · from €14 on GetYourGuide · 50 minutes · 4.3 stars from 1,382 reviews
France Voguette’s electric train leaves from the foot of the Centenaire monument. The 50-minute castle circuit has a 10-minute stop on Castle Hill, and the commentary comes in 8 languages. It runs daily on a low-season timetable of a departure every 20 minutes between 9:40 and 12:20 and between 13:40 and 16:40. The operator sells tickets at a kiosk beside the departure point for cash, holiday vouchers or card, and in advance at francevoguette.com. Nice: A gentle ride on a small electric train with panoramic viewsad costs €2 more. The city-centre circuit, 45 minutes, runs only at the end of the day.
Panoramic e-bike tour
From €55 · 3 to 4 hours · 4.9 stars from 294 reviews
Nice: French Riviera E-Bike Tour with Panoramic Sea Viewsad is sold by Mobilboard Nice, which also lists a bike or e-bike rentalad from €10.
What to see
The Promenade began in 1824 and was widened and modernised through the 20th century. Street numbers rise westward, so this list runs from the airport end to the old town.
- The airport end. Eleven months of work on the Mercantour bridge began on 2 October 2026, with two lanes of the seaward carriageway diverted round the clock. The first phase runs to March 2027 (Nice-Matin).
- The Negresco. At number 37, a five-star hotel listed as a historic building since 2003, with 121 rooms and 24 suites, each decorated differently.
- The Villa Masséna. The Musée Masséna at 65 rue de France is a Belle Époque villa built from 1898 to 1901. Its garden, the Jardin de la Légion d’Honneur, holds the memorial to the victims of the attack of 14 July 2016. Best museums in Nice has the museum.
- Place Masséna. The square at the crossroads of the old town, Avenue Jean Médecin and the Promenade has red façades with arcades, a black-and-white paving and Jaume Plensa’s seven figures, Conversation à Nice, which light up at night.
- The beaches. Pebbles, with public stretches and private clubs side by side: Nice beaches.
- The Centenaire monument. The little train leaves from its foot, and the tourist office is a 3-minute walk away.
- Quai Rauba Capeu. At the foot of Castle Hill, on the east side, it is known for the monumental #ILoveNice sign and won the 2004 Architecture Prize for urban development. Castle Hill is a short climb above it.
The blue chairs on the Promenade des Anglais. Photo: Jumilla, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
The order that works: take tram line 1 to Masséna and walk west to the Negresco and the Villa Masséna, then back along the beaches to the Centenaire monument, and finish east at Quai Rauba Capeu. What to skip: the airport end, where the bridge works are.
The Quai des États-Unis below Castle Hill. Photo: Zairon, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Getting there and practical information
- From Nice-Ville station: the little train’s operator gives 1.4 km, 18 minutes on foot or 15 minutes by tram line 1 from Gare Thiers to Masséna.
- By bus: bus 12 runs along the Promenade from the airport to Place Masséna, the old town and Place Garibaldi, at €1.70. Nice public transport has the fares.
- From the airport: Nice airport to the city compares the tram, the bus and the taxi.
- Parking near the little train: the Sulzer and Ruhl Méridien car parks are 3 minutes’ walk away, and the Masséna and Palais de la Méditerranée ones 6.
- Two casinos stand on the Promenade: the Casino Barrière Le Ruhl at number 1 and the Casino Partouche at the Palais de la Méditerranée at number 15.
- The one thing that ruins a visit: expecting the Villa Masséna on a Tuesday.
The old town and the Cours Saleya market start at the east end, and the old town walk begins at Place Masséna, where the Promenade meets them. The Flower Battle of the Carnival runs on the Promenade in February: Nice Carnival 2027. What to book in Nice has the hours of every sight, things to do in Nice lists the rest, and free things to do in Nice gathers what costs nothing. For a bed, see where to stay in Nice and hotels near the Promenade des Anglais, and 3 days in Nice puts the walk on an afternoon.
Common questions
How long is the Promenade des Anglais?
Almost 7 kilometres, along the Baie des Anges, lined with palm trees, beaches and its blue chairs.
Is the Promenade des Anglais free?
Yes. It has no ticket and no opening hours, and it is open every day. Dogs are allowed.
Why is it called the Promenade des Anglais?
It began in 1824, when the British Reverend Lewis Way encouraged a coastal walkway to give work to local people after a harsh winter. It is named for the British community that helped develop it.
What is on the Promenade des Anglais?
From west to east: the Villa Masséna (the Musée Masséna), the Negresco hotel, the junction with Place Masséna, the beaches below, the Centenaire monument where the little train starts, and Quai Rauba Capeu with its #ILoveNice sign at the foot of Castle Hill.
How do I get to the Promenade des Anglais from Nice-Ville station?
By tram line 1 from Gare Thiers to Masséna in about 15 minutes, or on foot in about 18 minutes: the operator of the little train gives the distance as 1.4 km.
Are there roadworks on the Promenade des Anglais?
Yes. Work on the Mercantour bridge near the airport began on 2 October 2026 and lasts eleven months, with two lanes of the seaward carriageway diverted. It affects cars, taxis and buses to the airport.
