Nice: Essential Travel Tips
France is a normal, safe destination to visit, and Nice specifically is a safe, heavily touristed Riviera city; the real risks here are opportunistic, not violent. A few practical habits make the difference between a smooth trip and an annoying one.
Bags and pickpockets. Keep bags zipped and in front of you on the Promenade des Anglais, at Nice-Ville station, on the trams, and in the crowded Cours Saleya market, all documented hotspots for opportunistic theft. On trains, a known distraction scam involves someone claiming you’re in “their” reserved seat to create a crowding moment; stay alert around it. On the beach, don’t leave a bag unattended while swimming; use it as a pillow under you if sunbathing alone, or take turns watching belongings with whoever you’re with.
Moped and scooter traffic. Nice has real scooter and moped traffic through the centre and along the Promenade; look both ways more carefully than you would in a car-first city, especially crossing near Vieux Nice’s narrower streets.
Pebble beaches, not sand. Pack water shoes; the pebbles are genuinely uncomfortable barefoot. A thin hotel towel isn’t enough cushioning either; bring a proper beach mat or a thick towel, or rent a sunbed at a private beach club (roughly EUR15-30) if comfort matters more than saving money.
Tipping. A service charge, “service compris,” is already built into French restaurant bills by law, so tipping on top is a genuine choice, not the near-mandatory habit US visitors are used to. Rounding up a euro or two in cash for good service is normal and appreciated; a large, showy tip actually reads as excessive in French culture. In taxis, round up the fare.
Greetings. Say “Bonjour” (or “Bonsoir” in the evening) before asking anything in a shop, a market stall, or a restaurant; it’s standard French retail etiquette and noticeably enforced in Vieux Nice’s smaller shops.
Opening hours. Many smaller Vieux Nice shops and some restaurants close for a midday break, roughly 12:30-2:30 or 3pm, and on Sundays and Mondays. Don’t assume big-city continuous-hours retail; museums and major attractions run continuous daily hours instead.
Practical basics. Plugs are Type C/E, 230V/50Hz, standard continental Europe; modern phone and laptop chargers only need a plug adapter, not a voltage converter. Tap water is safe to drink. A standard EU/France eSIM activates on arrival if you’d rather not deal with a physical SIM.
Church dress code. Shoulders and knees covered is expected at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral and Vieux Nice’s churches, since they remain active places of worship, not just monuments.
A dialect worth knowing about, not learning. Nice’s own dialect, Nissart, a Ligurian-Occitan hybrid distinct from both standard French and Italian, survives in place names and local pride, a correct detail rather than something you need to speak. Useful phrases: “Merci” (thank you), “L’addition, s’il vous plaît” (the bill, please); “Socca, s’il vous plaît” works fine at a market stall.
For the sights these tips apply to, see our things to do guide .