La Californie is a largely residential, suburban area, with a few interesting attractions within reach. Stay in this neighborhood during your time in Nice and expect to enjoy sea views and strolls along the Promenade des Anglais.
Heading up the coast into La Californie, arrive at the southern edge of the famous Promenade des Anglais. This stretch of gray pebbles, dotted with blue-and-white sun loungers, makes up Nice’s most iconic beach. It gets its name from the English expatriates who built it in the 19th century.
Before you begin strolling up the Promenade des Anglais toward town, stop at Port Nice Carras, a small harbor where you can get a sense of life in Nice in times gone by. Tiny fishing boats still bring in their haul here. Look out upon great views of the Bay of Nice.
Travel a little way north of Port Nice Carras, on the other side of the Avenue de la Californie, to find the Musée d'Art Naïf Anatole Jakovsky. The museum is the private collection of art critic Jakovsky and is housed in a grand terracotta-colored mansion. If you don’t know much about naïve art, this is the perfect introduction. Paintings are created by artists without formal education, which means they often make unconventional use of perspective and other techniques.
If you’re flying into Nice and staying in La Californie, visit a few great attractions on the way from the airport. At the Phoenix Park, find hundreds of exotic plant and animal species, as well as the fascinating Asian Arts Museum. The huge greenhouse within the park is one of the largest in Europe and houses many tropical plants.
Adjacent to L’Arenas, La Californie’s proximity to the airport means it’s very easy to get to for travelers flying into Nice. Alternatively, take the train to the nearest station, Gare de Nice-Saint Augustin. The area is also well connected by bus.
