Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate, Nice: visit, times and access

Updated on 24 September 2026

A few steps from place Rossetti, the cathédrale Sainte-Réparate is the baroque heart of Old Nice: a dome of glazed tiles, ten chapels and a bell tower above the rooftops. Entry is free and twenty minutes is enough for a first look.

The history in brief

The bishop's seat moved down from Castle Hill to the old Sainte-Réparate priory in the 16th century. Found too small, the church was rebuilt from the 17th century onwards:

• 1650: work starts on 7 January, choir first, to designs by the Niçois architect Jean-André Guiberto;
• 1699: the cathedral is consecrated on 30 May, after building resumed and was completed by Marc-Antoine Grigho from Ticino;
• 1906: listed as a historic monument (decree of 9 August 1906);
• 1949: raised to the rank of minor basilica;
• since 2009: a full restoration campaign, with the façade tackled from late 2011.

The façade and the bell tower

From outside, three things stand out:

• The baroque façade, added over the original between 1825 and 1830, in a uniform pale grey;
• The bell tower: the first campanile was demolished in 1651 and rebuilt between 1731 and 1757, partly hiding the dome;
• The dome, over the crossing, covered in glazed Genoese-style tiles — the signature of the Old Nice skyline from the rooftops and Castle Hill.

The great bell, cast in 1900, weighs 3,700 kg: it rings at the end of Sunday mass and on major feast days.

The interior

A Latin cross plan, nave with two aisles, a complete baroque decoration: ten side chapels, once maintained by private families and guilds.

• The choir: its decoration begins in 1655 with the Lombard stucco artist Giovanni Pietro Riva;
• The high altar, topped by the Glory of Saint Reparata;
• The Sainte-Réparate chapel: the glass reliquary holding the saint's remains, placed here in 1690 and authenticated in 1689, with three 17th-century paintings of her martyrdom;
• The organs: three instruments, including the historic great organ rebuilt in 1974 and inaugurated by Pierre Cochereau.

The cathedral is also a concert venue: the maîtrise Sainte-Réparate programmes baroque concerts all year, particularly in September.

Visiting and mass times

• Visits: open Tuesday to Sunday, usually 9am to noon and 2pm to 6pm. Times checked online and to be confirmed before you come, as they follow the liturgical calendar and works;
• Masses: times are published by the Diocese of Nice and posted at the entrance;
• During services: visiting is suspended, dress appropriately, and photos without flash only, quietly.

Access, time needed and budget

• Address: 3 place Rossetti, in Old Nice;
• Tram: the stops « Opéra - Vieille ville » and « Cathédrale - Vieille ville » drop you a short walk away; tram and bus in Nice
• On foot: walk up the lanes from place Masséna or the seafront, about ten minutes;
• Free: entry is free with no ticket, donations welcome at the door;
• Time: allow 20 to 30 minutes, more if you stay for a service or a concert.

To go further: guided tours of Nice.

What to see nearby

The cathedral makes sense when you chain it with the district:

• Place Rossetti, the shaded square in front of the façade, with its terraces and local produce market. Place Rossetti
• Old Nice: rue Droite, place du Jésus and the church of the Gesù, two streets away. Visiting Old Nice
• Cours Saleya, five minutes on foot, for the morning market. Cours Saleya
• Castle Hill, for the view over the bay and the dome seen from above. Castle Hill park

Frequently asked questions