Parking in Nice

As the fifth largest city in France, Nice stretches along the Bay of Angels on the French Riviera, close to Cannes, Monaco and the Italian border. It is a city of museums, festivals and beach life — and, like most Riviera cities, one where finding a parking space can test your patience. Parclick has car parks in Nice city centre and near the airport, so you can book your spot before you set off and skip the usual hassle.

How much does it cost to park in Nice?

Street parking in Nice is paid Monday to Saturday, from 9:00am to 8:00pm. The first 30 minutes are free. After that, the standard rate is 1,30€ for one hour, or 2,60€ for two hours. On Saturdays, a reduced rate applies: 1€ for 2 hours instead of the weekday 2,60€ — significantly cheaper, but not free. Parking is free on Sundays and public holidays.

* Street parking rates are set by the City of Nice and subject to change. Always check the local signage on arrival.

When is parking free in Nice?

Street parking is free in Nice every Sunday and on public holidays, from midnight to midnight. It is also free on weekdays and Saturdays outside the regulated hours (before 9:00am and after 8:00pm). A few areas in Nice also have free street parking at all times, though spaces fill up quickly:

• The Russian church district (Église Russe)
• The Musiciens district
• The Port district
• Rue de Lépante
• Bellevue hill
• Boulevard de Cimiez

These free areas are popular and often full by mid-morning. If you need a guaranteed space, booking a car park through Parclick is the reliable alternative.

Yellow and red parking zones in Nice

Nice divides its street parking into two zones. The yellow zone covers residential streets and allows parking day and night, with a reduced rate for residents. The red zone covers commercial streets and is available for paid parking from 9:00am to 8:00pm. In both zones, vehicles cannot remain in the same spot for more than 24 consecutive hours.

The city also runs a Nice City Pass parking application that allows digital payment and monitoring of your parking time without needing to return to the car. Some car parks in Nice also offer the first hour free; notably the Promenade des Arts, Masséna, Palmeira, Marshall and Les Bosquets car parks.

Where to park in Nice city centre?

The city centre of Nice runs between the Gare de Nice-Ville train station to the north, the Promenade des Anglais to the south, and Old Town (Vieux-Nice) to the east. The main shopping street, Avenue Jean Médecin, runs from Place Masséna toward the station. The Nicetoile shopping centre sits on this axis, opposite Rue Jean Médecin.

The most central car parks available on Parclick are Q-Park Notre Dame — close to Place Masséna and the Nicetoile shopping centre, directly on the T1 tram line and less than 10 minutes' walk from the Old Town — and Easy Parking Gare de Nice — Couvert, a covered car park next to Nice-Ville station, served by bus to the Allianz Riviera stadium. Both are open 24 hours a day and include disabled parking spaces.

Where to park near Nice Old Town (Vieux-Nice)?

Vieux-Nice is the oldest part of the city, a compact area between the port, Boulevard Jean-Jaurès and Place Garibaldi, running south to the Quai des États-Unis on the seafront. Its narrow baroque streets — with the Cours Saleya flower market, the Sainte-Réparate Cathedral on Place Rossetti, the Chapel of La Miséricorde and the Nice Côte d'Azur Opera House — are best explored on foot. The area is served by the T1 tram (stops: Opéra — Vieille Ville and Cathédrale — Vieille Ville).

The closest car parks to the Old Town on Parclick are INDIGO Saleya — within walking distance of the Cours Saleya market — and Q-Park Notre Dame (under 10 minutes on foot from the Cours Saleya end), both available on Parclick.

Where to park in Nice overnight?

Street parking in Nice is free after 8:00pm, though in central neighbourhoods spaces are scarce by evening. Several private car parks offer a first hour free for evening arrivals, including the Promenade des Arts, Masséna, Palmeira, Marshall and Les Bosquets car parks. For longer overnight stays, booking a covered car park through Parclick guarantees availability and a fixed price regardless of how long you stay.

Cheap parking in Nice

The cheapest options in Parclick's Nice selection are the car parks with hourly or daily rates lower than the street parking equivalent. For short stays, the Saturday reduced street rate (1€/2h) is competitive, but for anything beyond a couple of hours, a private car park booked in advance tends to cost less than multiple parking tickets. For long-term stays — several days or a week — the airport car parks on the P9 économique tariff offer some of the lowest daily rates available.

The Promenade des Anglais and Nice beaches

Nice's coastline runs for over 7 kilometres, with 20 public beaches and almost as many private ones. The Promenade des Anglais follows the seafront from the Nice Côte d'Azur airport all the way to Vieux-Nice (where it becomes the Quai des États-Unis). It is the city's most famous thoroughfare — the venue for the Nice Carnival every February and a year-round place for walking, cycling and people-watching along the Bay of Angels. The Beau Rivage, Castel and Opéra beaches are among the most popular near the Old Town.

Monuments, museums and parks in Nice

Nice has a long cultural history: founded by Greeks on what we know today as the French Riviera, it was annexed by Rome in the 2nd century BC and integrated into France in 1860 after centuries under Savoy and Piedmont-Sardinia rule.

The Matisse Museum and the city's archaeology museum share the Villa des Arènes in the Cimiez district. The Marc Chagall National Museum is nearby. The Fine Arts Museum, the Asian Arts Museum, the Resistance Museum and the Terra Amata Museum of Human Palaeontology (on Mount Boron) complete a strong museum offer. The Massena Museum is in the centre, close to Place Masséna.

For those who prefer the outdoors: the Albert 1er Garden, just north of the Promenade des Anglais, is a pleasant green space and the regular venue for the Nice Jazz Festival. Mount Boron Park, rising to nearly 200 metres, gives panoramic views of the Bay of Angels. The Colline du Château — the castle hill above Vieux-Nice — offers another viewpoint, reached by steps or lift from the port end of the Promenade.

Events in Nice

The Nice Carnival (February) fills the Promenade des Anglais and Place Masséna with floats, music and crowds for two weeks — one of the largest carnivals in Europe. Parking in the centre during Carnival weeks requires advance booking.

The Nice Jazz Festival has taken place every July since 1948 in the Albert 1er Garden, welcoming internationally known artists across several evenings.

Football and rugby fans can attend matches at the Allianz Riviera stadium (home of OGC Nice). Parclick has car parks near the city centre with shuttle bus access to the stadium.

How to get to Nice by car

Nice is served by the A8 autoroute, also known as the Provençale, which runs from Aix-en-Provence and Marseille in the west to the Italian border at Menton, where it continues as the E80 toward Genoa. From the A8, several exits serve different parts of Nice depending on your destination (city centre, airport or the port area). The airport is at exit 50 (Nice-Aéroport/Saint-Augustin).

Parclick also offers parking in nearby cities: Cannes, Marseille, Genoa, Milan and Turin — all useful stops if you are driving along the Riviera or into northern Italy.