Driving in Nice: Traffic, Parking & Tips
By car
Driving around the Riviera can be enjoyable, but using a car inside Nice itself is often not the most practical option.
Driving in Nice
We advise avoiding this mode of transport in Nice itself whenever possible. During high season, the city is often affected by traffic jams. The numerous tourist buses don't help matters. The result is difficulty accessing the center and finding parking. Free parking spaces are rare and often limited to outlying districts. In the center, your only options will be the numerous, but expensive and often crowded, paid parking lots. Visit the Vinci Park underground parking website for information on this parking option. Generally, count over €4 for two hours of parking.
If you've come by car, the simplest solution is to leave it at your hotel and use public transport to get around the city, even if you're traveling with family.
Driving around Nice
By contrast, the car is an excellent means, if not the best, for making excursions around Nice and enjoying the landscapes offered by some of France's most beautiful roads combining sea, palm trees, and mountains. It would be a real shame not to drive these routes or make a stop in one of the many tourist destinations around Nice. It's unthinkable to leave the French Riviera without having explored its surroundings by car.
Road precautions
Driving in Nice and more generally on the French Riviera is very particular. Remember that we're close to the Italian border! Failure to respect right-of-way, running red lights, drivers on phones, and not using turn signals are common.
If you're driving in the city, be vigilant and pay special attention to the many two-wheelers who don't hesitate to weave between cars.
