Touring Nice on Two Wheels

Take a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice and you can be almost guaranteed of a couple things all year long: sun and plenty of people watching. The song Nissa la Bella (Nice the Beautiful) makes lots of sense for this coastal city on the Mediterranean where the sun is said to shine 300 days a year.

Archaeological evidence of human habitation near Nice dates to about 400,000 BC in a place called Terra Amata (read the details here). It was the Greeks who gave the city her name after their goddess of victory Nike in 350 BC. Today, Nice is the fifth largest metropolis in France and remains an extremely popular destination for tourists.

A colourful rainbow of beach umbrellas lines the pebble beaches the length of the Baie des Anges (Bay of the Angels). The full list of public and private beaches is here. Promenade des Anglais is popular, public and what cool locals sometimes call la Prom. However, this glorious boardwalk was first proposed in 1820 by some of the English visitors who by that time were used to spending their winters on the sunny coast and who did not want to stroll amongst the masses.

With only had two days in Nice, I was tempted to try the Vélo Bleu rental bike option, you can pick up a bike at one station and return it to another at any time. However, I thought that my self-guiding skills on Nice’s busy streets might be less than perfect. So after a morning of sampling Nice’s local food with this tour, I signed up for the Nice Cycle Tour.

Gustav, one of two principals at A Taste of Nice, was our guide for this 3-hour tour. This company started in 2010 and now offers five regular tours and several customized private options. Gustav expertly led us on a tour of his city so that you could enjoy the photos:

We visited the beach:

The old town:

Climbed a hill:

Checked out the old port:

 What to sign up for a tour?

A Taste of Nice Bike Tour web page

Telephone: +33 (0)9 86 68 93 81

In case you missed some of our contributors’ posts on Nice:

Don’t Get Burnt in Nice Budget Travel Tips

3 (unusual) things to love about Nice

Thirsty? Best Nice Wine Bars

Ask a Local: Nice Insider Tips

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).