Shopping · Nice · France
Shopping in Nice
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Miniwark, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Shopping in Nice ranges from department stores and chains on Avenue Jean-Médecin to luxury labels in the Carré d'Or and food and craft shops in the old town. Many old-town shops open on Sundays. Best souvenirs: Olive oil and tapenade, Candied fruit and Perfume from Grasse.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 3
- Top souvenir
- Olive oil and tapenade
Where to shop
Avenue Jean-Médecin
The main shopping street, with Galeries Lafayette, the Nice Étoile mall and international chains along tram line 1.
Rue Paradis and Avenue de Suède
Luxury fashion and jewellery boutiques in the Carré d'Or, near Place Masséna.
Vieux Nice
Olive oil, soap, candied fruit, Provençal fabrics and local artisans in small shops along the old-town lanes.
Rue Catherine Ségurane
A street of antique and vintage dealers near Port Lympia.
Markets
Cours Saleya flower and food market
Flowers, produce, olives and local specialities from Tuesday to Sunday mornings in the old town.
Cours Saleya antiques market
Antiques, old postcards, silverware and bric-a-brac on Mondays.
Marché de la Libération
The locals' food market in north Nice, with lower prices and fewer visitors than the Cours Saleya.
What to buy
Olive oil and tapenade
Oil from Niçoise Cailletier olives, sold in old-town shops that let you taste before you buy.
Candied fruit
Fruits confits, a local tradition, made from Riviera citrus, figs and melons.
Perfume from Grasse
Grasse, in the hills behind Cannes, is France's perfume capital; its houses sell scents in Nice and in Èze.
Provençal fabrics and soap
Printed tablecloths and Marseille-style olive-oil soaps are light and easy to pack.
Bellet wine
A bottle from Nice's own tiny appellation, rarely found outside the region.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Vieux Nice (Old Town)
Cours Saleya market
The long square at the edge of the old town hosts Nice's best-known flower and produce market from Tuesday to Sunday mornings, with local olives, courgette flowers, citrus and Provençal herbs.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
- Photo spot
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Pissaladière, Tourte de blettes, Courgette flower fritters and Bellet wine. Bakeries and snack counters across Vieux Nice and at the Cours Saleya market. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Vieux Nice (Old Town) | $$$ | Narrow ochre lanes, baroque churches, market stalls and late-night bars below Castle Hill |
| Promenade des Anglais seafront | $$$$ | Belle Époque hotels, sea-view rooms and the famous blue chairs along the bay |
| Carré d'Or | $$$$ | Elegant streets of designer boutiques and Belle Époque apartment blocks behind the seafront |
| Jean-Médecin and Place Masséna | $$ | Main shopping avenue, tram line 1 and the red-ochre Place Masséna |
| Le Port | $$ | Italianate façades around Port Lympia, Place Garibaldi and antique shops |
| Libération | $$ | Residential north Nice around a daily food market and the old Gare du Sud |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. Service is included in restaurant prices by law. Rounding up or leaving a euro or two for good service is common, and around 5–10% in upscale restaurants is generous but optional.
- Say 'Bonjour' when entering a shop or café and 'Merci, au revoir' when leaving.
- Cover up when leaving the beach: walking around town or into shops in swimwear is frowned upon.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January; the busiest months are July–August.
- February: Menton Lemon Festival — giant citrus sculptures in Menton (usually February to early March)
- May: Cannes Film Festival (usually mid-May)
- July: Nice Jazz Festival (usually mid-to-late July)
- August: Cannes fireworks festival — pyrotechnic displays over the bay of Cannes (usually July–August)
- December: Christmas village and ice rink on Place Masséna (usually December)
Staying near the shops
$$$$ · Best for shopping, luxury and couples
Carré d'Or
Elegant streets of designer boutiques and Belle Époque apartment blocks behind the seafront
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Nice?
Olive oil and tapenade, Candied fruit, Perfume from Grasse and Provençal fabrics and soap.
+Where is the best shopping in Nice?
Avenue Jean-Médecin: The main shopping street, with Galeries Lafayette, the Nice Étoile mall and international chains along tram line 1.
+What are the best markets in Nice?
Cours Saleya flower and food market, Cours Saleya antiques market and Marché de la Libération.