France – Nice Beach
Nice, situated in the south of France on the Mediterranean Sea, is the capital and main resort of the French Riviera, known in France as the Cote d’ Azur. The coastline boasts breathtaking cliffs and beautiful beaches. The beaches in Nice extend along the bay between Rauba Capau and the new airport at the other end of the Promenade des Anglais. There are roughly 15 private beaches separated by public beaches in Nice.
The stretch of beach consists mainly of pebbles and rock. Beachgoers are advised to bring sandals or plastic shoes because the stones can get very warm during the hottest part of the day. Despite being rocky and pebbly, the beaches are quite busy. Sun worshippers can usually be seen carrying a book, a towel or a mattress to lie in while sun tanning. If you tire of reading, people watching is always an interesting activity in Nice Beach. It is also common to see topless sunbathers and swimmers, but no nudity. The blue waters are calm and warm, but can be polluted because of the many private yachts that empty their sewage and bilge tanks straight into the Mediterranean. Several spots on the beach have been covered with sand, and showers were also installed by the city. The beach also offers spots designated for beach volley ball. These areas were artificially replaced with white sands in order to protect players’ feet. The public beaches are free, but do not offer much in terms of facilities. Beachgoers can buy a snack in the cafe or restaurant in any private beaches, and they will be allowed to use the toilets. The private beaches offer a variety of services, including cafe, restaurants/bars, changing rooms, showers, and lounge chair and towel rental. However, these amenities can come with exorbitant prices. Nice also features the famous seafront esplanade, the Promenade des Anglais. It is an enchanting walkway to take a stroll any time of day or night. The promenade is almost three miles long, so it is not unusual to see people on bicycles and rollerblades. On the other side of the promenade are cafes, restaurants, shops, museums and hotels.