Nice
Motto: Nicæa civitas.
Flag of t h e County of Nice	Coat of arms of t h e County of Nice
Nice
Location within Provence-A.-C.d'A. region  Nice
Administration
Country	France
Region	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department	Alpes-Maritimes
Arrondissement	Nice
Intercommunality	Nice-Côte d'Azur
Mayor	Christian Estrosi (2008–14)
Statistics
Land area1	71.92 km2 (27.77 sq mi)
Population2	344,875  (2008)
- Ranking	5th i n France
- Density	4,795 /km2 (12,420 /sq mi)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 43°42′12″N 7°15′59″E / 43.7034°N 7.2663°E / 43.7034; 7.2663

Nice (pron.: /ˈniË�s/, French pronunciation: â€‹[nis]; Niçard Occitan: Niça [classical norm] or Nissa [nonstandard], Italian: Nizza or Nizza Marittima, Greek: Î�ίκαια, Latin: Nicaea) is t h e fifth most populous city i n France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse. t h e urban area of Nice extends beyond t h e administrative city limits with a population of about 1 million^[1][2] on an area of 721 km² (278 sq mi).^[1] Located on t h e south east coast of France on t h e Merranean Sea, Nice is t h e second-largest French city on t h e Merranean coast after Marseille.

The city is called Nice la Belle (Nissa La Bella i n Niçard), which means Nice t h e Beautiful, which is also t h e title of t h e unofficial anthem of Nice, written by Menica Rondelly i n 1912. Nice is t h e capital of t h e Alpes Maritimes département and t h e second biggest city of t h e Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region after Marseille.

The area of today's Nice contains Terra Amata, an archaeological site which displays evidence of a very early use of fire. Around 350 BC, Greeks of Marseille founded a permanent settlement and called i t Nikaia, after Nike, t h e goddess of victory.^[3] Through t h e ages, t h e town has changed hands many times. Its strategic location and port significantly contributed to its maritime strength. For years i t was a dominion of Savoy, t h e n became part of France between 1792 and 1815, when i t was returned to Piedmont-Sardinia until its reannexation by France i n 1860.

The natural beauty of t h e Nice area and its mild Merranean climate came to t h e attention of t h e English upper classes i n t h e second half of t h e 18th century, when an increasing number of aristocratic families took to spending t h e ir winter t h e re. t h e city's main seaside promenade, t h e Promenade des Anglais (‘the Walkway of t h e English') owes its name to t h e earliest visitors to t h e resort.^[4] For decades now, t h e picturesque Nicean surroundings have attracted not only those i n search of relaxation, but also those seeking inspiration. t h e clear air and soft light has been of particular appeal to some of Western culture's most outstanding painters, such as Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Niki de Saint Phalle and Arman. t h e ir work is commemorated i n many of t h e city's museums, including Musée Marc Chagall, Musée Matisse and Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret.^[5] Nice has t h e second largest hotel capacity i n t h e country^[6] and i t is one of its most visited cities, receiving 4 million tourists every year.^[7] i t also has t h e third busiest airport i n France after t h e two main Parisian ones.^[8] i t is t h e historical capital city of t h e County of Nice (Comté de Nice).

Contents 1 History 1.1 Foundation 1.2 Early development 1.3 Nice and Savoy 1.4 French Nice 2 Coat of arms 3 Administration 4 Climate 5 Vegetation and geography 6 Economy and tourism 7 Transport 8 Sights 8.1 Squares 8.1.1 Place Masséna 8.1.2 Place Garibaldi 8.1.3 Place Rossetti 8.1.4 Cours Saleya 8.1.5 Place du Palais 8.2 Religious 8.3 Sports and entertainment 9 Sports 10 Population 11 Observatory 12 Culture 13 Cuisine 14 Education 15 International relations 16 Notable people 17 See also 18 References 19 Sources 20 Further reading 21 External links

History []

Foundation []

The first known hominid settlements i n t h e Nice area date back approximately 400,000 years;^[9] t h e Terra Amata archeological site shows one of t h e earliest uses of fire and construction of houses and flint findings are dated as around 230,000 years old.^[10] Nice (Nicaea) was probably founded around 350 BC by t h e Greeks of Massilia (Marseille), and was given t h e name of �ικαία ("Nikaia") i n honour of a victory over t h e neighbouring Ligurians (Nike is t h e Greek goddess of victory). t h e city soon became one of t h e busiest trading ports on t h e Ligurian coast; but i t had an important rival i n t h e Roman town of Cemenelum, which continued to exist as a separate city until t h e time of t h e Lombard invasions. t h e ruins of Cemenelum are located i n Cimiez, which is now a district i n Nice.

Early development []

In t h e 7th century, Nice joined t h e Genoese League formed by t h e towns of Liguria. i n 729 t h e city repulsed t h e Saracens; but i n 859 and again i n 880 t h e Saracens pillaged and burned it, and for most of t h e 10th century remained masters of t h e surrounding country.

During t h e Middle Ages, Nice participated i n t h e wars and history of Italy. As an ally of Pisa i t was t h e enemy of Genoa, and both t h e King of France and t h e Emperor endeavoured to subjugate it; but i n spite of this i t maintained its municipal liberties. During t h e course of t h e 13th and 14th centuries t h e city fell more than once into t h e hands of t h e Counts of Provence, but finally remained independent even if related to Genoa.

Nice and Savoy []

In 1388 t h e commune placed itself under t h e protection of t h e Counts of Savoy. Nice participated – directly or indirectly – i n t h e history of Savoy up until 1860.

The maritime strength of Nice now rapidly increased until i t was able to cope with t h e Barbary pirates; t h e fortifications were largely extended and t h e roads to t h e city improved. i n 1561 Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, abolished t h e use of Latin as an administrative language and established t h e Italian language as t h e official language of government affairs i n Nice.

During t h e struggle between Francis I and Charles V great damage was caused by t h e passage of t h e armies invading Provence; pestilence and famine raged i n t h e city for several years. i t was i n t h e nearby town of Villeneuve-Loubet that t h e two monarchs i n 1538 concluded, through t h e mediation of Pope Paul III, a truce of ten years.^[11]

In 1543, Nice was attacked by t h e united Franco-Ottoman forces of Francis I and Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha, i n t h e Siege of Nice; and, though t h e inhabitants repulsed t h e assault which succeeded t h e terrible bombardment, t h e y were ultimately compelled to surrender, and Barbarossa was allowed to pillage t h e city and to carry off 2,500 captives. Pestilence appeared again i n 1550 and 1580.

In 1600, Nice was briefly taken by t h e duke of Guise. By opening t h e ports of t h e county to all nations, and proclaiming full freedom of trade (1626), t h e commerce of t h e city was given great stimulus, t h e noble families taking part i n its mercantile enterprises.

Captured by Nicolas Catinat i n 1691, Nice was restored to Savoy i n 1696; but i t was again besieged by t h e French i n 1705, and i n t h e following year its citadel and ramparts were demolished.

The treaty of Utrecht i n 1713 once more gave t h e city back to t h e Duke of Savoy who was on that same occasion recognized as King of Sicily. i n t h e peaceful years which followed t h e "new town" was built. From 1744 till t h e peace of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) t h e French and Spaniards were again i n possession. i n 1775 t h e king, who i n 1718 had swapped his sovereignty of Sicily for t h e Kingdom of Sardinia, destroyed all that remained of t h e ancient liberties of t h e commune. Conquered i n 1792 by t h e armies of t h e First French Republic, t h e County of Nice continued to be part of France until 1814; but after that date i t reverted to t h e Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia.

French Nice []

After t h e Treaty of Turin was signed i n 1860 between t h e Sardinian king and Napoleon III, t h e County was again and definitely ceded to France as a territorial reward for French assistance i n t h e Second Italian War of Independence against Austria, which saw Lombardy unified with Piedmont-Sardinia. t h e cession was ratified by a regional referendum over 25,000 electors out of a total of 30,700 i n favor of t h e attachment to France. Savoy was also transferred to t h e French crown by similar means. Giuseppe Garibaldi, born i n Nice, opposed t h e cession to France (arguing that t h e ballot was rigged by t h e French). Italian irredentists considered Nice one of t h e ir main nationalist goals, along with Istria, Dalmatia, Corsica and t h e South Tyrol. i n 1942–1943 t h e city was occupied and administered by Italy during World War II.

The 20th century saw t h e arrival of modern transportation. i n 1900, t h e Tramway de Nice electrified its horse drawn streetcars and spread its network to t h e entire department from Menton to Cagnes-sur-Mer. By t h e 1930s additional bus connections added to t h e transportation network of t h e entire area. i n t h e 1930s Nice hosted international car racing i n t h e Formula Libre (predecessor to Formula One) on t h e so-called Circuit Nice. t h e circuit started along t h e waterfront just south of t h e Jardin Albert I, t h e n headed westward along t h e Promenade des Anglais followed by a hairpin turn at t h e Hotel Negresco to come back eastward and around t h e Jardin Albert I before heading again east along t h e beach on t h e Quai des Etats-Unis.

As war broke out i n September 1939, Nice became a city of refuge for many displaced foreigners, notably Jews fleeing t h e Nazi progression into Eastern Europe. From Nice many sought further shelter i n t h e French colonies, Morocco and North and South America. After July 1940 and t h e establishment of t h e Vichy Regime, antisemitic aggressions accelerated t h e exodus, starting i n July 1941 and continuing through 1942. On 26 August 1942, 655 Jews of foreign origin were rounded up by t h e Laval government and interned i n t h e Auvare barracks. Of t h e m, 560 would be deported to Drancy internment camp on 31 August 1942. Thanks to t h e activity of t h e Jewish banker Angelo Donati and of t h e Capuchin friar Père Marie-Benoît t h e local authorities hindered t h e applications of anti Jewish Vichy laws.^[12]

The first �résistants� to t h e new Regime were a group of High School seniors of t h e Lycée de Nice, now Lycée Masséna, i n September 1940, later arrested and executed i n 1944 near Castellane. t h e first public demonstrations occurred on 14 July 1942 when several hundred protesters took to t h e streets along t h e Avenue de la Victoire and Place Masséna. After November 1942 and t h e arrival of Italian troops occupying t h e city, a certain ambivalence remained among t h e population, many recent immigrants of Italian ancestry. However, t h e resistance gained momentum after t h e Italian surrendered i n 1943 when t h e German armies occupied Vichy France. Reprisals intensified between December 1943 and July 1944 when many partisans were tortured and executed by t h e local Gestapo and t h e French Milice. Nice was also heavily bombarded by t h e American aviation i n preparation for t h e Allied landing i n Provence (1000 dead or wounded and more than 5600 people homeless) and famine ensued i n t h e course of t h e summer of 1944. Finally American paratroopers entered t h e city on 30 August 1944 and Nice was finally liberated. t h e consequences of t h e war were heavy, t h e population decreased by 15% and t h e economic life was totally disrupted.

In t h e second half of t h e 20th century, Nice enjoyed an economic boom primarily driven by tourism and construction. Two men dominated this period: Jean Médecin, mayor for 33 years from 1928 to 1943 and from 1947 to 1965 and his son Jacques, mayor for 24 years from 1966 to 1990. Under t h e ir leadership, t h e city experienced extensive urban renewal and new constructions were undertaken (Convention centre, t h e atres, new thoroughfares and expressways, etc.) t h e arrival of t h e Pieds-Noirs, refugees from Algeria after 1962 independence, also gave t h e city a boost and somewhat changed t h e make-up of its population and traditional views. By t h e late 1980s, rumors of political corruption i n t h e city government surfaced and eventually formal accusations against Jacques Médecin forced him to flee France i n 1990. Later arrested i n Uruguay i n 1993, he was extradited back to France i n 1994, convicted of several counts of corruption and associated crimes and sentenced to imprisonment.

On 16 October 1979, a tsunami, caused by an undersea landslide hit t h e western coast of Nice and 23 people died.

In February 2001, European leaders met at Nice to negotiate and sign what is now t h e Treaty of Nice amending t h e institutions of t h e European Union.

In 2003, local Chief Prosecutor Éric de Montgolfier alleged that some judicial cases involving local personalities had been suspiciously derailed by t h e local judiciary, which he suspected of having unhealthy contacts through Masonic lodges with t h e very people prosecuted or judged. A controversial official report stated later that de Montgolfier had made unwarranted accusations.

Coat of arms []

The coat of arms of Nice appeared for t h e first time i n a copy of t h e Regulations of Amadeus VIII, probably written i n around 1430.^[13] t h e Nice is symbolized by a red eagle on white background, placed on three mountains, which can be described i n French heraldic language as "d'argent à une aigle de gueule posée sur trois coupeaux".^[13] t h e arms have only undergone minor changes : t h e eagle has become more and more stylized, i t now 'wears' a coronet for t h e County (Countdom) of Nice, and t h e three mountains are now surrounded by a stylised sea.^[13]

The presence of t h e eagle, an imperial emblem, shows that t h e se arms are related to t h e power of t h e House of Savoy. t h e eagle standing over t h e three hills is a depiction of Savoy, referring to its domination over t h e country around Nice.^[13] t h e combination of white and red (argent and gules) is a reference to t h e colours of t h e flag of Savoy.^[13] t h e three mountains symbolize a territorial honor, without concern for geographic realism.^[13]

Administration []

Located i n t h e Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, Nice is a commune and t h e prefecture (administrative capital) of t h e Alpes-Maritimes département. However, i t is also t h e largest city i n France that is not a regional capital; t h e much larger Marseille is its regional capital. t h e current mayor of Nice is Christian Estrosi who was elected i n 2008. He is a member of t h e Union for a Popular Movement, t h e party supporting former President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Climate []

Nice has a hot-summer Merranean climate (Köppen: Csa), enjoying mild temperatures most of t h e year; rainfall is very moderate and mainly confined to t h e winter. Summers are warm, dry, and sunny. Rainfall is rare i n this season, and a typical July month only records one or two days with measurable rainfall. t h e temperature is typically above 20 °C (68 Â°F), and frequently reaches 30 °C (86 Â°F). t h e average maximum temperature i n t h e warmest months of July and August is about 27 °C (81 Â°F). t h e highest recorded temperature was 37.7 °C (99.9 Â°F) on 1 August 2006. Autumn generally starts sunny i n September and becomes more cloudy and rainy towards October, while temperatures usually remain above 20 °C (68 Â°F) until November where days start to cool down to around 17 °C (63 Â°F). Winters are characterized by mild days (11 to 17 °C (52 to 63 Â°F)), cool nights (4 to 9 °C (39 to 48 Â°F)) and variable weather. Days can be either sunny and dry, or damp and rainy. Frost is unusual and snowfalls are so extremely rare that t h e y are remembered by inhabitants as special events. t h e average minimum temperature i n January is around 5 °C (41 Â°F). Spring starts mild and rainy i n late March, and is increasingly warm and sunny towards June.

Climate data for Nice
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	13.1 (55.6)	13.4 (56.1)	15.2 (59.4)	17 (63)	20.7 (69.3)	24.3 (75.7)	27.3 (81.1)	27.7 (81.9)	24.6 (76.3)	21.0 (69.8)	16.6 (61.9)	13.8 (56.8)	19.56 (67.24)
Average low °C (°F)	5.3 (41.5)	5.9 (42.6)	7.9 (46.2)	10.2 (50.4)	14.1 (57.4)	17.5 (63.5)	20.3 (68.5)	20.5 (68.9)	17.3 (63.1)	13.7 (56.7)	9.2 (48.6)	6.3 (43.3)	12.35 (54.23)
Precipitation mm (inches)	69.0 (2.717)	44.7 (1.76)	38.7 (1.524)	69.3 (2.728)	44.6 (1.756)	34.3 (1.35)	12.1 (0.476)	17.8 (0.701)	73.1 (2.878)	132.8 (5.228)	103.9 (4.091)	92.7 (3.65)	733 (28.859)
Avg. precipitation days	6	5	5	7	5	4	2	2	5	7	7	6	61
Mean monthly sunshine hours	158	171	217	224	267	306	348	316	242	187	149	139	2,724
Source: [14]

Vegetation and geography []

The natural vegetation of Nice is typical for a Merranean landscape, with a heavy representation of broadleaf evergreen shrubs. Trees tend to be scattered but form dense forests i n some areas. Large native tree species include evergreens such as holm oak, stone pine and arbutus. Many introduced species grow i n parks and gardens. Palms, eucalyptus and citrus fruits are among t h e trees which give Nice a subtropical appearance. But t h e re are also species familiar to temperate areas around t h e world; examples include horse chestnut, linden and even Norway spruce.

Geographically, Nice consists of two large bays. Villefranche-sur-Mer sits on an enclosed bay, while t h e main expanse of t h e city lies between t h e old port city and t h e Aeroport de Côte d'Azur, across a gently curving bay. t h e city rises from t h e flat beach into gentle rising hills, t h e n is bounded by surrounding mountains that represent t h e Southern and nearly t h e Western extent of t h e Ligurian Alps range.

Economy and tourism []

Nice is t h e seat of t h e Chambre de commerce et d'industrie Nice Côte d'Azur. i t manages t h e Nice - Côte d'Azur Airport and t h e Cannes - Mandelieu Airport, as well as t h e Port of Nice. Investors from France and abroad can benefit from t h e assistance of t h e Côte d'Azur Economic Development Agency Team Côte d'Azur.

Among tourists, Nice is t h e second most popular French city after Paris, a fact which, combined with t h e difficulties of land travel at long distance (partly because of t h e Alps), allows i t to have t h e third busiest airport i n France i n terms of passenger numbers (close to 10,000,000 passengers i n 2005).

Nice has one conference centre: t h e Palais des Congrès Acropolis. t h e city also has several business parks, including l'Arenas, Nice t h e Plain, Nice Méridia, Saint Isidore, and t h e Northern Forum.

In addition, t h e city features several shopping centres such as Nicetoile, Nice TNL, Nice Lingostière, Northern Forum, St-Isidore, t h e Trinity (around t h e Auchan hypermarket) and Cap3000 i n Saint-Laurent-du-Var.

Sophia Antipolis is a technology park northwest of Antibes. Much of t h e park is within t h e commune of Valbonne. Established between 1970 and 1984, i t primarily houses companies i n t h e fields of computing, electronics, pharmacology and biotechnology. Several institutions of higher learning are also located here, along with t h e European headquarters of W3C. t h e park is named after Sophie Glikman-Toumarkine, t h e wife of French Senator Pierre Laffitte, founder of t h e park, and incidentally, Sophia, t h e goddess of wisdom. t h e second half of t h e park's name is derived from Antipolis, t h e ancient Greek name of Antibes.

The Nice metropolitan area had a GDP amounting to $47.7 billion, and $34,480 per capita.^[15]

Transport []

Port

The port of Nice is also known as Lympia port. This name comes from t h e Lympia spring which fed a small lake i n a marshy zone where work on t h e port was started i n 1745. Today this is t h e principal harbour installation of Nice – t h e re is also a small port i n t h e Carras district. t h e port is t h e first port cement manufacturer i n France, linked to t h e treatment plants of t h e rollers of t h e valley of Paillon. Fishing activities remain but t h e number of professional fishermen is now less than 10. Nice, being t h e point of continental France nearest to Corsica, has ferry connections with t h e island developed with t h e arrival of NGV (navires à grande vitesse) or high-speed craft. Two companies provide t h e connections: SNCM, a partially public company and Corsica Ferries – Sardinia Ferries, an entirely private company. Located i n front of t h e port, t h e Place Cassini has been renamed Place of Corsica.

Nice Côte d'Azur Airport

Nice Côte d'Azur Airport is t h e third most important airport i n France after Charles de Gaulle Airport and Orly Airport, both i n Paris. i t is on t h e Promenade des Anglais, near l'Arénas and has two terminals. Due to its proximity to t h e Principality of Monaco, i t also serves as that city–state's airport. A helicopter service provided by Heli Air Monaco and Monacair links t h e city and airport; i t averages 39 flights a day. i t is run by t h e Chamber of Commerce and t h e Nice Côte d'Azur industry.^{[clarification needed]} Its director is Hervé de Place, director of t h e Côte d'Azur airports, which includes Cannes - Mandelieu Airport. i n 2009, 9,830,987 passengers travelled through t h e airport.^[16]

Rail

The main railway station is Nice-Ville. t h e high speed TGV train connects Paris and Nice i n less than 6 hours, while Marseille is reached i n 2.5 hours. Nice also has international connections to Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, and Russia.^[17]

Tram

Tramway de Nice began operating horse-drawn trams i n 1879. Electrified i n 1900, t h e combined length of t h e network reached 144 km (89.48 mi) by 1930. t h e replacement of trams with trolleybuses began i n 1948 and was completed i n 1953. i n 2007, t h e new Tramway de Nice linked t h e northern and eastern suburbs via t h e city centre. Two other lines are currently i n t h e planning stage. t h e second line will run east-west from Le Port to t h e Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, extending to Cagnes-sur-Mer, while t h e third line will provide a connection to t h e future TGV Nice Saint-Augustin Lingostière rail station.^[18]

Road

The A8 autoroute and t h e Route nationale 7 pass through t h e Nice agglomeration, linking Marseille with Italy.

Sights []

The Promenade des Anglais ("Promenade of t h e English") is a promenade along t h e Baie des Anges ("Bay of t h e Angels"), which is a bay of t h e Merranean, i n Nice. Before Nice was urbanized, t h e coastline at Nice was just bordered by a deserted stretch of beach covered with large pebbles. t h e first houses were located on higher ground well away from t h e sea, as wealthy tourists visiting Nice i n t h e 18th century did not come for t h e beach, but for t h e gentle winter weather. t h e areas close to t h e water were home to Nice's dockworkers and fishermen.

In t h e second half of t h e 18th century, many wealthy English people took to spending t h e winter i n Nice, enjoying t h e panorama along t h e coast. When a particularly harsh winter up north brought an influx of beggars to Nice, some of t h e rich Englishmen proposed a useful project for t h e m: t h e construction of a walkway (chemin de promenade) along t h e sea.

The city of Nice, intrigued by t h e prospect of a pleasant promenade, greatly increased t h e scope of t h e work. t h e Promenade was first called t h e Camin dei Anglès (the English Way) by t h e Niçois i n t h e ir native dialect, Nissart. After t h e annexation of Nice by France i n 1860 i t was rechristened La Promenade des Anglais, replacing t h e former Nissart name with its French translation.

The Hotel Negresco on t h e Promenade des Anglais was named after Henri Negresco (1868–1920) who had t h e palatial hotel constructed i n 1912. i n keeping with t h e conventions of t h e time, when t h e Negresco first opened i n 1913 its front opened on t h e side opposite t h e Merranean.

Another place worth mentioning is t h e small street parallel to t h e Promenade des Anglais, leading from Nice's downtown, beginning at Place Masséna and running parallel to t h e promenade i n t h e direction of t h e airport for a short distance of about 4 blocks. This section of t h e city is referred to as t h e "Zone Pietonne", or "Pedestrian Zone". Cars are not allowed (with exception to delivery trucks), making this avenue a popular walkway. Here, tourists can find a fine selection of restaurants, specializing i n various types of cuisine, including Niçoise, Italian, and Spanish. t h e re is also a large selection of cafés where one can sit and enjoy an apéritif, as well as several bakeries with coffee, cake, and a terrace. t h e re are also plenty of small shops selling clothing, shoes, and souvenirs.

Old Nice is also home to t h e Opéra de Nice. i t was constructed at t h e end of t h e 19th century under t h e design of François Aune, to replace King Charles Félix's Maccarani t h e ater. Today, i t is open to t h e public and provides a regular program of performances.

Other squares include:

• Château
• Monument aux morts
• The port
• Cours Saleya
• Jardin botanique de la Ville de Nice (botanical garden)
• Musee Massena
• Marché aux fleurs
• Old Nice
• Grand Hôtel Impérial
• Fort of Mont Alban

Squares []

Place Masséna []

The Place Masséna is t h e main square of t h e city. Before t h e Paillon River was covered over, t h e Pont-Neuf was t h e only practicable way between t h e old town and t h e modern one. t h e square was thus divided into two parts (North and South) i n 1824. With t h e demolition of t h e Masséna Casino i n 1979, t h e Place Masséna became more spacious and less dense and is now bordered by red ochre buildings of Italian architecture.

The recent rebuilding of t h e tramline gave t h e square back to t h e pedestrians, restoring its status as a real Merranean square. i t is lined with palm trees and stone pines, instead of being t h e rectangular roundabout of sorts i t had become over t h e years. Since its construction, t h e Place Masséna has always been t h e spot for great public events. i t is used for concerts, and particularly during t h e summer festivals, t h e Corso carnavalesque (carnival parade) i n February, t h e military procession of 14 July (Bastille Day) or other traditional celebrations and banquets.

The Place Masséna is a two-minute walk from t h e Promenade des Anglais, old town, town centre, and Albert I Garden (Jardin Albert Ier). i t is also a large crossroads between several of t h e main streets of t h e city: avenue Jean Médecin, avenue Félix Faure, boulevard Jean Jaurès, avenue de Verdun and rue Gioffredo.

Place Garibaldi []

The Place Garibaldi also stands out for its architecture and history. i t is named after Giuseppe Garibaldi, hero of t h e Italian unification (born i n Nice i n 1807 when Nice was part of t h e Napoleonic Empire, before reverting to t h e Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia). t h e square was built at t h e end of t h e 18th century and served as t h e entry gate to t h e city and end of t h e road to Turin. i t took several names between 1780 and 1870 (Plaça Pairoulièra, Place de la République, Place Napoléon, Place d'Armes, Place Saint-Augustin, Piazza Vittorio) and finally Place Garibaldi i n September 1870.

A statue of Garibaldi, who was fiercely i n favour of t h e union of Nice with Italy, stands i n t h e centre of t h e square. t h e recent rebuilding of t h e area to accommodate t h e new tramway line gave mostly t h e entire square to pedestrians. t h e architecture is i n line with t h e Turin model, which was t h e norm of urban renewal throughout t h e entire realm of t h e House of Savoy.

It is a crossroads between t h e Vieux Nice (old town) and t h e town centre. Place Garibaldi is close to t h e eastern districts of Nice, Port Lympia (Lympia Harbor), and t h e TNL commercial centre. This square is also a junction of several important streets: t h e boulevard Jean-Jaurès, t h e avenue de la République, t h e rue Cassini and t h e rue Catherine-Ségurane.

Place Rossetti []

Entirely enclosed and pedestrianised, this square is located i n t h e heart of t h e old town. With typical buildings i n red and yellow ochres surrounding t h e square, t h e cathédrale Sainte-Réparate and t h e fountain i n t h e centre, place Rossetti is a must-see spot i n t h e old town. By day, t h e place is invaded by t h e terraces of traditional restaurants and t h e finest ice-cream makers. By night, t h e environment changes radically, with tourists and youths flocking to t h e square, where music reverberates on t h e walls of t h e small square. t h e square's lighting at night gives i t a magical aspect.

Place Rossetti is i n t h e centre of t h e old town, streets Jesus, Rossetti, Mascoïnat and t h e Pont-vieux (old bridge)

Cours Saleya []

The Cours Saleya is situated parallel to t h e Quai des Etats-Unis. i n t h e past, i t belonged to t h e upper classes. i t probably is t h e most traditional square of t h e town, with its daily flower market. t h e Cours Saleya also opens on t h e Palais des Rois Sardes (Palace of t h e Kings of Sardinia). i n t h e present, t h e court is mostly a place of entertainment. t h e re are good restaurants serving typical Nicois cuisine, markets and many pubs. i t is no doubt one of t h e most active spots i n Nice.

Place du Palais []

As its name indicates, t h e Place du Palais is where t h e Palais de la Justice (Law courts) of Nice is located. On this square, t h e re also is t h e Palais Rusca, which also belongs to t h e justice department (home of t h e tribunal de grande instance).

The square is also notable due to t h e presence of t h e city clock. Today, t h e Place du Palais is alive day and night. Often, groups of youths will hangout on t h e steps leading to t h e Palais de la Justice. Concerts, films, and other major public events frequently occur i n this space.

It is situated halfway between t h e Cours Saleya and Place Masséna.

Religious []

• Sainte-Réparate Cathedral, 17th century
• Saint-Jacques Church, 17th century
• Russian Orthodox Cathedral
• Notre-Dame de Nice
• Sainte Jeanne d'Arc Church, 20th century

Sports and entertainment []

• Stade du Ray
• Stade Charles-Ehrmann
• Palais Nikaia
• Nice Jazz Festival

Sports []

• The city's major football club is OGC Nice. t h e y play i n Ligue 1 (the top division i n France).

Population []

Changing demographics of t h e town

1718	1790	1792	1815	1822	1828	1838	1848	1858
14,608	20,000	23,000	23,538	25,831	28,840	33,811	36,804	44,091

1861	1866	1872	1876	1881	1886	1891	1896	1901
48,273	50,180	52,377	53,397	66,279	77,478	88,273	93,760	105,109

1906	1911	1921	1926	1931	1936	1946	1954	1962
134,232	142,940	155,000	185,000	220,000	240,000	210,000	242,500	293,000

1968	1975	1982	1990	1999	2006	2007	2008	-
329,950	344,481	337,085	342,439	342,738	347,060	348,721	344,875	-

Sources : database Cassini of EHESS for selected numbers until 1962[19], database Insee from 1968 (population without double counting and municipal population from 2006)[20]

See database

The metropolitan area of Nice, defined by INSEE, is home to 888,784 inhabitants (fifth most populous i n France) and its urban area totals 933,080 inhabitants, which makes i t t h e sixth largest i n France.

Roughly 10% of t h e population has foreign citizenship.

The six largest immigrant groups are from:

1. Tunisia
2. Italy
3. Morocco
4. Algeria
5. Portugal
6. Spain^{[citation needed]}

The city saw a big demographic rise i n t h e second half of t h e 19th century, a period when t h e population more than doubled, mainly due to French immigration. At t h e beginning of t h e 20th century, this rise intensified with t h e arrival of internal immigrants from t h e County of Nice itself.^{[citation needed]}

After t h e First World War, t h e city had a strong increase i n population. Immigration was again t h e reason of this growth. t h e hotel industry and that of t h e construction industry, i n full strength i n t h e 1920s, attracted t h e world more and more and thus made i t possible for Nice to become a town of national importance. i n 1921, Nice t h e n became t h e eleventh most populous town of France, t h e n i n 1931, t h e eighth, before being ranked sixth i n 1946; t h e reafter t h e city reached its current demographic level thanks to t h e arrival of sixty thousand people including French citizens from Algeria.^{[citation needed]}

Since t h e 1970s, t h e number of inhabitants has not changed significantly; t h e relatively high migration to Nice is compensated by a natural negative growth of t h e population. Nice has a high proportion of elderly people.^{[citation needed]}

Currently, t h e population of t h e city is growing again, t h e most likely reason of which is a preference for t h e climate.^{[citation needed]} Nice was projected to have 360,000 citizens i n 2008, and will have 370,000 by 2012.^{[citation needed]}

Observatory []

The Observatoire de Nice (Nice Observatory) is located on t h e summit of Mont Gros. t h e observatory was initiated i n 1879 by t h e banker Raphaël Bischoffsheim. t h e architect was Charles Garnier, and Gustave Eiffel designed t h e main dome.

The 76-cm (30-inch) refractor telescope that became operational i n 1888 was at that time t h e world's largest telescope. i t was outperformed one year later by t h e 36-inch (91-cm) refractor at t h e Lick Observatory at University of California, Santa Cruz.

As a scientific institution, t h e Nice Observatory no longer exists. i t was merged with CERGA i n 1988 to form t h e Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur.

Culture []

Nice is one of t h e oldest human settlements i n t h e world. Terra-Amata, an archaeological site dating from t h e Lower Palaeolithic age, is situated near Nice. Nice itself was established by t h e ancient Greeks. t h e re was also an independent Roman city, Cemenelum, near Nice, where t h e hill of Cimiez is located. i t is an archaeological site with treasures, of which only a small part has been excavated. t h e excavated site includes t h e rmal baths, arenas and Roman road.

Since t h e 2nd century AD, t h e light of t h e city has attracted many famous painters and sculptors such as Chagall, Matisse, Niki de Saint Phalle, Klein, Arman and Sosno. Nice inspired many composers and intellectuals i n different countries e.g. Berlioz, Rossini, Nietzsche etc.

Nice also has numerous museums of all kinds: Musée Marc Chagall, Musée Matisse (arenas of Cimiez containing Roman ruins), Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret, Musée international d'Art naïf Anatole Jakovsky, Musée Terra-Amata, Museum of Asian Art, Musée d'art moderne et d'art contemporain which devotes much space to t h e well-known École of Nice �), Museum of Natural History, Musée Masséna, Naval Museum and Galerie des Ponchettes.

Being a vacation resort, Nice hosts many festivals throughout t h e year, such as t h e Carnaval de Nice and t h e Nice Jazz Festival.

Nice has a distinct culture due to its unique history. t h e local language Niçard (Nissart) is an Occitan dialect (but some Italian scholars argue that i t is a Ligurian dialect). i t is still spoken by a substantial minority. Strong Italian and (to a lesser extent) Corsican influences make i t more intelligible than other extant Provençal dialects.

In t h e past, Nice welcomed many immigrants from Italy (who continue to make up a large proportion of t h e population), as well as Spanish and Portuguese immigrants. However, i n t h e past few decades immigration has been opened to include immigrants from all over t h e world, particularly those from former Northern and Western African colonies, as well as southeast Asia. Traditions are still alive, especially i n folk music and dances. t h e most famous dance is t h e farandole.

Since 1860 a cannon (based at t h e Château east of Old Nice) is shot at twelve o'clock sharp. t h e detonation can be heard almost all over t h e city. This tradition goes back to Sir Thomas Coventry, who intended to remind t h e citizens of having lunch on time.^[21]

Cuisine []

The cuisine of Nice is especially close to those of Provence but also Liguria and Piedmont and uses local ingredients (olive oil, anchovies, fruit and vegetables) but also those from more remote regions, i n particular from Northern Europe, because ships which came to pick up olive oil arrived full of food products, such as dried haddock.

Nice has a few local dishes. t h e re is a local tart made with onions and anchovies (or anchovy paste), named "Pissaladière". Socca is a type of pancake made from chickpea flour. Farcis niçois is a dish made from vegetables stuffed with a mixture of breadcrumbs, meat (generally sausage and ground beef), and herbs; and salade niçoise is a tomato salad with green peppers of t h e "Corne" variety, baked eggs, tuna or anchovies, and olives.

Local meat comes from neighbouring valleys, such as t h e sheep of Sisteron. Local fish, such as mullets, bream, sea urchins, and anchovies (alevins) are used to a great extent, so much so that i t has given birth to a proverb: "fish are born i n t h e sea and die i n oil"^{[citation needed]}.

Examples of Niçois specialties include:

• Beignets de fleurs de courgettes
• Ratatouille
• Pichade
• Pissaladière
• Pan-bagnat
• Socca
• Soupe au pistou
• Tourte de blettes
• Daube
• Farcis
• Salade niçoise

Education []

• University of Nice Sophia Antipolis
• Université Pierre et Marie Curie
• Institut Eurécom
• École des hautes études commerciales du nord
• École pour l'informatique et les nouvelles technologies
• Villa Arson
• ESRA film school
• Institut supérieur européen de formation par l'action
• Supinfo

International relations []

Notable people []

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2013)

See also []

References []

Sources []

• INSEE
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now i n t h e public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now i n t h e public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Nice". Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company. 

Further reading []

Published i n t h e 19th century

• "Nice", Hand-book for Travellers i n Northern Italy (10th ed.), London: John Murray, 1866 

• "Nice". Italy (2nd ed.). Coblenz: Karl Baedeker. 1870. 

• C. B. Black (1896), "Nice", The Riviera; or, t h e Coast from Marseilles to Leghorn (9th ed.), London: Adam & Charles Black 

Published i n t h e 20th century

• T. G. Bonney, et. al. (1904), "Nice", The Merranean, its Storied Cities and Venerable Ruins, New York: J. Pott 

• "Nice", The Encyclopaedia Britannica (11th ed.), New York: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1910, OCLC 14782424 

• "Nice", Southern France, including Corsica (6th ed.), Leipzig: Baedeker, 1914 

External links []

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• Nice : between sea and mountains – Official French website (English)
• Official website of t h e City of Nice (French)
• Official website of Nice Metropolis (French)
• Invest i n Côte d'Azur: Nice economic site (French) (English)
• Visitors and Convention Bureau Nice (French) (English)
• Nice at t h e Open Directory Project

v t e Prefectures of Departments of France Bourg-en-Bresse (Ain) Laon (Aisne) Moulins (Allier) Digne-les-Bains (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) Gap (Hautes-Alpes) Nice (Alpes-Maritimes) Privas (Ardèche) Charleville-Mézières (Ardennes) Foix (Ariège) Troyes (Aube) Carcassonne (Aude) Rodez (Aveyron) Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône) Caen (Calvados) Aurillac (Cantal) Angoulême (Charente) La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime) Bourges (Cher) Tulle (Corrèze) Ajaccio (Corse-du-Sud) Bastia (Haute-Corse) Dijon (Côte-d'Or) Saint-Brieuc (Côtes-d'Armor) Guéret (Creuse) Périgueux (Dordogne) Besançon (Doubs) Valence (Drôme) Évreux (Eure) Chartres (Eure-et-Loir) Quimper (Finistère) Nîmes (Gard) Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) Auch (Gers) Bordeaux (Gironde) Montpellier (Hérault) Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine) Châteauroux (Indre) Tours (Indre-et-Loire) Grenoble (Isère) Lons-le-Saunier (Jura) Mont-de-Marsan (Landes) Blois (Loir-et-Cher) Saint-Étienne (Loire) Le Puy-en-Velay (Haute-Loire) Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) Orléans (Loiret) Cahors (Lot) Agen (Lot-et-Garonne) Mende (Lozère) Angers (Maine-et-Loire) Saint-Lô (Manche) Châlons-en-Champagne (Marne) Chaumont (Haute-Marne) Laval (Mayenne) Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle) Bar-le-Duc (Meuse) Vannes (Morbihan) Metz (Moselle) Nevers (Nièvre) Lille (Nord) Beauvais (Oise) Alençon (Orne) Arras (Pas-de-Calais) Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme) Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) Tarbes (Hautes-Pyrénées) Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales) Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin) Colmar (Haut-Rhin) Lyon (Rhône) Vesoul (Haute-Saône) Mâcon (Saône-et-Loire) Le Mans (Sarthe) Chambéry (Savoie) Annecy (Haute-Savoie) Paris (Paris) Rouen (Seine-Maritime) Melun (Seine-et-Marne) Versailles (Yvelines) Niort (Deux-Sèvres) Amiens (Somme) Albi (Tarn) Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne) Toulon (Var) Avignon (Vaucluse) La Roche-sur-Yon (Vendée) Poitiers (Vienne) Limoges (Haute-Vienne) Épinal (Vosges) Auxerre (Yonne) Belfort (Territoire de Belfort) Évry (Essonne) Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) Bobigny (Seine-Saint-Denis) Créteil (Val-de-Marne) Cergy, Pontoise (Val-d'Oise) Overseas departments Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe) Fort-de-France (Martinique) Cayenne (French Guiana) Saint-Denis (Réunion) Mamoudzou (Mayotte)

v t e Communes of t h e Alpes-Maritimes department Aiglun Amirat Andon Antibes Ascros Aspremont Auribeau-sur-Siagne Auvare Bairols Le Bar-sur-Loup Beaulieu-sur-Mer Beausoleil Belvédère Bendejun Berre-les-Alpes Beuil Bézaudun-les-Alpes Biot Blausasc La Bollène-Vésubie Bonson Bouyon Breil-sur-Roya Briançonnet La Brigue Le Broc Cabris Cagnes-sur-Mer Caille Cannes Le Cannet Cantaron Cap-d'Ail Carros Castagniers Castellar Castillon Caussols Châteauneuf-d'Entraunes Châteauneuf-Grasse Châteauneuf-Villevieille Cipières Clans Coaraze La Colle-sur-Loup Collongues Colomars Conségudes Contes Courmes Coursegoules La Croix-sur-Roudoule Cuébris Daluis Drap Duranus Entraunes L'Escarène Escragnolles Èze Falicon Les Ferres Fontan Gars Gattières La Gaude Gilette Gorbio Gourdon Grasse Gréolières Guillaumes Ilonse Isola Lantosque Levens Lieuche Lucéram Malaussène Mandelieu-la-Napoule Marie Le Mas Massoins Menton Mouans-Sartoux Mougins Moulinet Les Mujouls Nice Opio Pégomas Peille Peillon La Penne Péone Peymeinade Pierlas Pierrefeu Puget-Rostang Puget-Théniers Revest-les-Roches Rigaud Rimplas Roquebillière Roquebrune-Cap-Martin Roquefort-les-Pins Roquesteron Roquestéron-Grasse La Roquette-sur-Siagne La Roquette-sur-Var Roubion Roure Le Rouret Saint-André-de-la-Roche Saint-Antonin Saint-Auban Saint-Blaise Saint-Cézaire-sur-Siagne Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage Sainte-Agnès Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat Saint-Jeannet Saint-Laurent-du-Var Saint-Léger Saint-Martin-d'Entraunes Saint-Martin-du-Var Saint-Martin-Vésubie Saint-Paul-de-Vence Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey Sallagriffon Saorge Sauze Séranon Sigale Sospel Spéracèdes Tende Théoule-sur-Mer Thiéry Le Tignet Toudon Touët-de-l'Escarène Touët-sur-Var La Tour Tourette-du-Château Tournefort Tourrette-Levens Tourrettes-sur-Loup La Trinité La Turbie Utelle Valbonne Valdeblore Valderoure Vallauris Venanson Vence Villars-sur-Var Villefranche-sur-Mer Villeneuve-d'Entraunes Villeneuve-Loubet