Nice
Nice, the main resort on the French Riviera, which became a fashionable destination for tourists, writers, and artists in the early 20th century. Sheltered from cold north winds by the Alps, the area has a mild climate allowing the cultivation of flower gardens and fruit, for which the area is well-known.
City on the French Riviera and administrative centre of the département of Alpes-Maritimes, situated at the mouth of the River Paillon on the Baie des Anges, near the Italian frontier; population (1999) 343,100. Founded in the 3rd century BC, it repeatedly changed hands between France and the Duchy of Savoy from the 14th to the 19th century. In 1860 it was finally transferred to France after a plebiscite. Nice is the fifth-largest city in France, and one of the best-known resorts on the Cote d'Azur. Although its economy depends largely on tourism, Nice is also a seaport, handling commercial fishing and a passenger service to Corsica.
History
The city was probably founded by by Greeks (
Nikaio, or
Nicaea in Latin) in the 5th century
BC. The coast was occupied by the Romans in 154
BC, who established the settlement of
Cemenelum 3 km/1.9 mi inland. A bishopric was founded here in the 4th century. The county of Nice shared the history of Provence until 1388, in which year it attached itself to Savoy. It was ceded to France by Sardinia (House of Savoy) in 1796, but was restored to the House of Savoy in 1814. Nice was ceded to France in 1860 by Victor Emanuel II (future king of Italy) in return for French assistance in driving the Austrians from Italy. Nice was claimed and temporarily occupied by Mussolini during World War II.
Features The city is situated on a small coastal plain, sheltered on the north by an arc of hills on which are numerous villas. In the centre of the town is a hill, ‘le Chateau’, where the original settlement stood, and which has the remains of a citadel (destroyed by the Duke of Berwick in 1706) and a Romanesque cathedral. Along the shore, and around the base of the hill, stretch promenades, of which the most celebrated is the Promenade des Anglais. At the eastern end is the garden of Albert I (part of Nice's 300 ha/3 sq km of public botanical gardens), and the Place Masséna, built in 1832, which is the city's focal point. |
| The University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis was founded in 1965; in 2000 there were 30,000 students in attendance. There are several churches of note, including the cathedral of Ste Reparate (1650). The Masséna and Jules Chéret museums contain notable collections. Nice has a Chagall museum, built in 1972, which contains the largest collection of the artist's works in one place. The Matisse Museum, tracing the painter's development as an Impressionist, was modernized and expanded in 1993. Matisse lived in Nice 1917–54. |
| Other tourist attractions include the 17th-century Palais Lascaris (in the Italian-style old town), a 19th-century opera house, the Palais des Expositions, and a number of casinos. Nice Cote d'Azur airport is the second busiest in France. Many carnivals and fêtes are held in the city, but the most famous, the Nice Carnival dates back to 1294, and takes place during the three weeks leading up to Shrove Tuesday. |
Economy Nice's industrial development has taken place relatively recently, and has focused on electronics and research facilities. Other local manufacturing includes soap, perfumes, musical instruments, furniture, chocolate, and cotton goods. The tourist trade remains the city's main source of income, and service industries are the main source of employment. |
Famous people Marshal Masséna (1758), who fought under Napoleon, and the Italian soldier Garibaldi (1807) were born here. |
)
