# Promenade des Anglais, Nice > The Promenade des Anglais is Nice's main street and a symbol of the Riviera: a broad boulevard about 7 kilometres long along the Baie des Anges, from the airport to the old town. On one side are the turquoise Mediterranean and pebble beaches; on the other, palms, Belle Époque hotels and the famous pink-domed Negresco. It was built in 1820 with money from the English who wintered in Nice. People walk, run, cycle and sit in the blue chairs by the water. It's free at any hour. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/nice/promenade-des-anglais - City: [Nice](https://yesgo.io/france/nice), France - YesGo score: 50/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 1 h 15 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Hours: Open 24 hours - Length: ≈ 7 km, from the airport to the old town - Beaches: Free public and paid private with loungers - Duration: ≈ 1–2-hour walk - Location: Nice, tram T2 and seafront buses - Coordinates: 43.69111, 7.24750 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 7 km** — length of the promenade (source: English Wikipedia) - **1820** — the first seaside path was built (source: English Wikipedia) - **1931** — the renovated promenade opened (source: English Wikipedia) - **2021** — Nice joined the UNESCO list (source: English Wikipedia) ## About the Promenade des Anglais The Promenade des Anglais runs along the Baie des Anges in Nice for about **7 kilometres**, from Nice airport in the west to the Quai des États-Unis by the old town in the east. It's the city's main promenade and one of the most famous seafronts in Europe. It owes its name to the English. From the late 18th century the English aristocracy wintered in Nice for its mild climate. In the harsh winter of **1820** the English community, funded by the Reverend Lewis Way and the Anglican Holy Trinity church, paid the poor to build a path along the sea. Locals called it the 'English Way', and after Nice joined France in 1860 it became the Promenade des Anglais. ## What to see on the promenade - **The Baie des Anges** — turquoise water and a pebble beach all along. - **The blue chairs** — a symbol of Nice, free to sit in by the sea. - **The Hôtel Negresco** — a Belle Époque palace with a pink dome. - **The Jardin Albert I** — a garden with fountains by the old town. - **Hotels and villas** — façades from around 1900. - **The sunset** — the sun sinks into the sea towards the airport. ## Sea, beaches and the blue chairs A **pebble beach** runs the length of the promenade: large smooth stones instead of sand, with water that deepens quickly and stays strikingly clear. Some beaches are public and free, others private with loungers, umbrellas and restaurants. Swimming season is June to September. The famous **blue chairs** line the railing the whole way and have become a symbol of Nice. Sit down, watch the sea and the planes coming in over the bay, all for free. Palms, wide pavements and a cycle lane make the promenade pleasant year-round. > **When to walk** Best in the morning, when the promenade is nearly empty and the sea calm, and at sunset, when the sun drops into the water. At weekends it fills with runners, cyclists and skaters, so keep to the pedestrian side and off the cycle lane. On summer afternoons the pebbles get very hot: bring water shoes and a hat. ## The Negresco and the Belle Époque Belle Époque hotels and villas built for the wintering aristocracy line the promenade. The best known is the **Hôtel Negresco** with its pink dome, a symbol of Nice. Queen Victoria and her son Edward VII wintered in Nice, and its soft light and clear air drew painters such as Chagall and Matisse. In **1931** the renovated promenade was formally opened by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught. Today it holds casinos, hotels and museums, and since 2021 Nice, as a winter resort of the European aristocracy, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ## A promenade for sport and strolling Locals simply call it **'La Prom'**. It's loved by runners, cyclists, skaters and families with pushchairs, especially on Sundays. A cycle lane runs along the sea, and bikes and scooters can be hired. The promenade has seen big sport too: **Tour de France** stages in 2013 and 2020, and in 2024 the whole race finished here for the first time, instead of on the Champs-Élysées. The Nice Carnival and marathons pass along it as well. ## What's nearby At its eastern end the promenade becomes the Quai des États-Unis by the **Jardin Albert I**, behind which begins old Nice with the Cours Saleya market and Castle Hill. Place Masséna, the main square, is a 10-minute walk away. At the western end, near the airport, are quieter beaches and the Parc Phoenix with its glasshouse. Buses run the whole length, and tram T2 runs parallel to the sea, linking the airport with the centre. ## How to get there 1. From Nice airport, tram T2 to the centre, ≈ 25 minutes, with stops near the seafront. 2. From Nice-Ville station, a 15-minute walk down Avenue Jean Médecin to the sea. 3. From the old town, 5 minutes through the Jardin Albert I. 4. Seafront buses stop all along the promenade. ## Tips for your walk There's no need to walk all 7 kilometres: the finest stretch is from the Negresco to the old town, about two kilometres. Stroll it at sunset and ride back by tram or bus. For swimming, bring water shoes for the pebbles and a towel; private beaches rent loungers. The drinking fountains on the promenade are safe. Keep your belongings close in crowds and don't leave bags unattended on the beach. Cross the cycle lane carefully, as cyclists move fast. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Sit in a blue chair by the sea - [ ] Photograph the Negresco - [ ] Swim in the Baie des Anges - [ ] Watch the sunset on the promenade - [ ] Walk on to the old town ## Places in Nice: compare and choose Places in Nice rated by YesGo. - [Promenade des Anglais](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/promenade-des-anglais) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 15 min · Free - [Villefranche-sur-Mer](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/villefranche-sur-mer) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free - [Èze](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/eze) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free - [Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/saint-jean-cap-ferrat) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free - [Vieux-Nice](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/vieux-nice) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free - [Beaulieu-sur-Mer](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/beaulieu-sur-mer) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free - [Saint-Paul-de-Vence](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/saint-paul-de-vence) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free - [Menton](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/menton) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free ## Don't mix it up The Promenade des Anglais in Nice is a seafront on the Riviera; St Petersburg also has an English Embankment, on the Neva. ## Tips - Free to walk. - Sunset by the sea. - Shoes for the pebbles. - Stay off the cycle lane. ## Questions ### How long is the Promenade des Anglais? About 7 kilometres, from the airport to the old town. ### Why is it called the Promenade des Anglais? It was built in 1820 with money from the English who wintered in Nice. ### Can you swim off the Promenade des Anglais? Yes, a pebble beach runs alongside; the season is June to September. ### Do the blue chairs cost anything? No, they're free to sit in. ### How do I get to the Promenade des Anglais? By tram T2 from the airport, or on foot to the sea from the centre. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. The promenade is open public space. Private beach rules weren't confirmed — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Promenade des Anglais, Nice - City of Nice website, nice.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.