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Nice

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Nice is a major city located in the Alpes-Maritimes department of France. It sits on the southeastern coast of France along the Mediterranean Sea. The city lies at the foot of the French Alps.

Nice SPOT 1161
Nice SPOT 1161

It is situated near the principality of Monaco and the Italian border. Nice is the second-largest French city on the Mediterranean coast. It is also the second-largest city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. The wider Nice agglomeration covers an area about the size of Singapore. This metropolitan area has a population of nearly one million people.

County of nice
County of nice

The city has a very long history of human presence. Archaeological evidence at the Terra Amata site is quite significant. It shows that early humans used fire in this area 380,000 years ago. These early inhabitants also built houses and used flint tools.

NiceVieuxCartier
NiceVieuxCartier

Around 350 BC, Greek colonists from Phocaea founded a permanent settlement. They called the town Nikaia. This name honored Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.

NIKAIA-palaisN5
NIKAIA-palaisN5

Nikaia became a busy trading port on the Ligurian coast. It competed with a nearby Roman town called Cemenelum. Today, the ruins of Cemenelum are found in the Cimiez district of Nice.

Political control of Nice shifted many times through the centuries. In 1388, the city became part of the County of Savoy.

Italy 1494
Italy 1494

During the Middle Ages, it participated in the complex wars of Italy. It was sometimes an ally of Pisa and often an enemy of Genoa. The city was also attacked by Saracens in the 8th and 9th centuries. In 1561, the Duke of Savoy made Italian the official language of government. Nice later became part of the French First Republic from 1792 to 1815. It then returned to the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. Finally, France annexed the territory in 1860 following a plebiscite.

Les manifestations pro-italiennes à Nice du 1871
Les manifestations pro-italiennes à Nice du 1871

The annexation to France was a controversial event. A plebiscite, which is a direct vote by the people, was held in April 1860. The official results showed 83% of voters in the county supported joining France. In Nice itself, the "yes" vote was 86%. However, some officials used information control to influence the outcome. This led to many irregularities in the voting process. For example, in the town of Levens, 481 votes were cast despite only 407 registered voters. This caused a "Niçard exodus" where about 11,000 people moved to Italy.

Nice from Baedeker
Nice from Baedeker

Nice became a famous winter resort in the late 18th century. The mild Mediterranean climate attracted the English upper classes. Many aristocratic families began spending their winters in the city. This influx of visitors led to the creation of the Promenade des Anglais.

Promenade des Anglais Nice IMG 1255
Promenade des Anglais Nice IMG 1255

This famous walkway was inaugurated by Prince Arthur in 1931 after a refurbishment. The name honors the English visitors who made the city a resort. Today, the city is a massive center for tourism. It is the second most visited metropolis in Metropolitan France. It receives approximately four million tourists every year.

CollineDuChateau NiceFrance2022
CollineDuChateau NiceFrance2022

The unique light and air of Nice have inspired many famous creators. Notable painters like Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall worked here.

NiceVieuxCartier
NiceVieuxCartier

Their art is preserved in local museums, including the Musée Matisse. Other famous artists include Niki de Saint Phalle and Arman. Writers have also found inspiration in the city. Friedrich Nietzsche spent six consecutive winters in Nice while writing *Thus Spoke Zarathustra*. The Russian writer Anton Chekhov completed his play *Three Sisters* while living there. The city's cemeteries also hold many notable figures. The Russian Orthodox Cemetery contains the remains of Prince Nicholas Alexandrovich.

Nice, France 2016-473
Nice, France 2016-473

Nice remains a culturally rich and significant location today. In 2021, UNESCO proclaimed Nice a World Heritage Site. This recognition honors its history as a winter resort for European aristocracy. The city is known for its mix of different cultures. It also possesses the second-largest hotel capacity in France. Looking toward the future, Nice will play a major role in global sports. The city is scheduled to be a main venue for the 2030 Winter Olympics.

AllianzRiviera342
AllianzRiviera342
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🖼️ Images & Media (25)
File:Regio IX Liguria.jpg
Regio IX Liguria.jpg
File:Nice tour Saint-Francois.jpg
Nice tour Saint-Francois.jpg
File:Italy 1494.svg
Italy 1494.svg
File:Cosmographie universelle 50551.jpg
Cosmographie universelle 50551.jpg
File:Plan-Nice-1624.jpg
Plan-Nice-1624.jpg
File:County of nice.svg
County of nice.svg
File:Les manifestations pro-italiennes à Nice du 1871.jpg
Les manifestations pro-italiennes à Nice...
File:Nice from Baedeker.jpg
Nice from Baedeker.jpg
File:Promenade des Anglais Nice IMG 1255.jpg
Promenade des Anglais Nice IMG 1255.jpg
File:NiceVieuxCartier.JPG
NiceVieuxCartier.JPG
File:CollineDuChateau NiceFrance2022.png
CollineDuChateau NiceFrance2022.png
File:Cathedrale Sainte-Reparate Nice.jpg
Cathedrale Sainte-Reparate Nice.jpg

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