Nice is the largest city and the pearl of Cote d'Azur. Property in Nice enjoys high popularity among the French and foreigners, because living in there is prestigious, fashionable and expensive. What a beautiful preface for a guide-book!
But in Nice, as in any other city, there is the centre and there are outskirts, its own Manhattan and its own Bronx. We've already been to popular districts of Nice, and now it's time to travel to the west of the city.
The most prestigious places for buying an apartment in Nice are: Promenade des Anglais, the Old Town and other central neighborhoods. In addition, luxury real estate in Nice can be found on the hill of Cimiez, which is 2 km north of the city center, as well as in respectable areas Mont Boron and Cap de Nice, which are on the coast to the east of the centre.
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On the west of the city there are areas that are connected to the city center only via two or three avenues. If you leave the centre of Nice (its approximate area is 4*4 km) and drive to the airport along the Promenade, then literally in 7-10 minutes you can appear in the luxury neighborhood of Fabron.
Apartments in West Nice are in demand because of several reasons. First, you can save a lot: apartments in the west of the city are worth from €2,500 per sq.m, while in the central areas from €4,000 and more. Note: we are talking about a minimal, not average prices. Buying an apartment in the west of Nice is an excellent option for those who want to live in this city on the Cote d'Azur, but can't afford expensive real estate.
Second, you may live close to the sea, not far from the city centre, but at the same time being surrounded by the silence of local streets and parks.
Third, the main international airport of the region "Nice Cote d'Azur" is nearby, as well as the highway to Monaco. There are plans of construction of subway line which will connect West and city centre. Eventually, the centre can always be reached on foot in an hour and a half.
West Nice is a triangle: one side is the river Var, other side is the coast, and the third side is the line connecting them. This part of the city is a home to over 105 thousand people, and in terms of the availability of real estate it's divided into three areas.
First is located in a hilly area, close to the coast and the city centre. Neighborhoods of Fabron, Corniche Fleurie and Napoleon III are typical areas of Côte d'Azur, with villas , luxury private residences, terraces, gardens, swimming pools and tennis courts. The prices of houses and apartments in these areas of Nice range from €4,000 to €6,000 per sq.m, almost the same as in the city centre. And no wonder: Fabron and its surroundings are the most popular places in West Nice.
Those who want to find an affordable apartment in Nice, should pay attention to the area of Sainte-Marguerite, which is also in the west of the city, in 2-3 km from the sea. Property prices are about €3,000-4,000 per sq.m, so that one-bedroom apartment in a nice residence can be purchased for €280-300 thousand.
But even if you can not afford it, but you still desire to become a resident of Nice, there are suitable properties in other areas in the west of the city. First of all, cheap apartments in Nice can be found in Saint-Augustin. Square meter costs €2,500-3,000, and it's quite inexpensive by the standards of Cote d'Azur.
The district is decent, but not everyone will like it. There are typical apartment buildings, industrial and warehouse areas, parking lots. Grey "sleeping area" in the outskirts of the city. Good place to live and stay overnight, but not to walk and admire local architecture.
One of the local neighborhoods, Les Moulins, is not considered the safest in the city. Les Moulins is a couple of streets with residential buildings of varying altitude, up to 20-storey towers. They were built 50-60 years ago as social housing, and similar to Soviet panel buildings. Guide books call the quarter "ghetto" and warn to stay away from it.
In September 2013, Les Moulins was included in the list of zones with priority of security (zone de sécurité prioritaire). This status implies the additional patrols by the police and even the gendarmerie (internal forces) . But do not panic and visualize terrible things: these zones are ordinary in many cities in France, and in fact the police just visits them a little bit more often.
In West Nice, on banks of the river Var, the huge business centre Eco-vallée is located. In fact, it includes all the nearby residential neighborhoods. Eco-vallée is an area with "friendly interface", which is fully designed for the comfort of people and focused on providing convenience and comfort. Formula of success is the combining the human capital assets, technologies and ecology. There are 10 thousand companies providing 60 thousand jobs in the valley. At the end of 2013, Allianz Riviera stadium (capacity 35 thousand), built specifically for the European Football Championship of 2016, was opened.
Buying an apartment in Nice, in the west of the city, is a good solution for those who plan to work in technopark of Eco-vallée.
And finally, once again let's define the average prices for real estate in Nice, in its most popular areas, as well as in the west:
| Nice |
€3,500-4,500 |
| Promenade des Anglais |
€6,000-7,000 |
| Golden Square (centre) |
€5,000-5,500 |
| Mont Boron |
€4,500-5,500 |
| Fabron |
€4,500-5,000 |
| La Californie |
€4,500-5,000 |
| Cimiez |
€4,000-4,500 |
| Corniche Fleurie |
€4,000-4,500 |
| Old Town |
€4,000-4,500 |
| Sainte-Marguerite |
€3,000-4,000 |
| Saint-Augustin |
€2,500-3,000 |
West Nice is definitely a good example of the diversity. There are prestigious Fabron and Corniche Fleurie, and there are areas with affordable real estate, such as Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Augustin. No matter what you buy, because in any case you'll get your own home on the Cote d'Azur. Isn't it marvellous?
Text: Alexander Fetyukov, ee24.com