Nice Belle Époque: The Birth of the French Riviera

Overview

Explore Nice and learn about the Belle Époque, a short period of optimism, prosperity, and cultural flourishing in Europe. Begin your tour at Place Masséna, and continue to Jardin Albert I, a place where Europe's elite came to participate in what was known as la vie mondaine. Visit the Casino Jetée-Promenade site, a symbol of the Riviera's new lifestyle: elegance, leisure, and spectacle. Discover on the Promenade des Anglais why wealthy British and European families started wintering on the Riviera. Go in front of the Hôtel Westminster and Hôtel West End, which together tell the story of the birth of luxury tourism in Nice. Learn about the first palace hotels of the Riviera, the pioneer of luxury hotels. Discover the story of the Negresco, the immigrant who built Europe's most famous hotel. See the Palais Meyerbeer, a Belle Époque palace for the wealthy. Conclude your tour at Boulevard Victor Hugo, where you can read Belle Époque architecture.