It was a happy day in Nice when UNESCO awarded it the status of World Heritage Site on 27 July 2021. Nice: Winter Resort Town of the Riviera they titled their official designation, pointing to Nice's long history as a tourist destination. It was the culmination of a long process, begun in 2012 by Mayor Christian Estrosi.
According to the World Heritage Committee, the objective of inscription on the World Heritage List is to “recognize and protect sites that are outstanding demonstrations of human coexistence with the land as well as human interactions, cultural coexistence, spirituality and creative expression”.
So what is so outstanding about Nice? Leisure and tourism. Nice pioneered a previously unknown form of urban development: cosmopolitan and leisure-focused. From the late 18th century until WWII, every expansion, every improvement, every change to the urban landscape was governed by one overriding principle: keep foreign visitors mostly from Britain, Russia and America happy, relaxed and entertained.
As readers of Nice Uncovered: Walks Through the Secret Heart of a Historic City have learned, British tourists began drifting down to Nice in the late 18th century, shortly after Scotsman Tobias Smollett published his bestseller Travels Through France and Italy in 1766.
By the beginning of the 19th century the trickle of British visitors had turned into a steady stream. They holidayed in the Marble Cross neighborhood (now the Carré d'Or) and raised money to build a seaside walk that eventually became the Promenade des Anglais.
Nice's 19th-century rulers, the Dukes of Savoy, quickly recognized the potential of their "distinguished foreign visitors" that grew to include Russians, Germans and Americans. From the mid-19th century onwards, every urbanization decision they made was aimed at increasing the comfort and enjoyment of holiday-makers. Foreign tourists liked exotic vegetation? Let's plant the Promenade des Anglais with palm trees! Foreign tourists liked gardens? The Jardin Albert 1er became a 19th-century seaside park while the ruins of the old Chateau became a luscious hilltop park.
Their urban planning commission, the Consiglio d'Ornato, launched a city urbanization project that included everywhere foreigners were likely to go: the rue St François-de-Paule, the neighborhoods to the west and north of Vieux Nice, the Quartier des Musiciens, Port Lympia, the extension of the Promenade des Anglais to West Nice and the train station. The street layout, facades of buildings and installation of parks were regulated to insure beauty and harmony.
Later in the 19th-century, real estate developers were quick to see opportunities. The verdant hill of Cimiez already had a few Belle Epoque hotels even before Queen Victoria chose the Excelsior Regina Hotel as her preferred holiday spot in 1895. Within a decade the entire neighborhood was transformed from farmland to a playground for European nobility.
Curiously, Nice's most historic neighborhood was the last to develop. The Old Town was left to languish in neglect until the 1960s when a series of initiatives restored or replaced the crumbling buildings. Now, it's elbow-to-elbow with tourists at the height of the summer season. As the Old Town was not part of Nice's evolution into a winter resort, the Old Town is not part of the Unesco zone.
Nice's designation is not just about buildings however. Nice's candidacy pointed out the "cosmopolitan" nature of the city as reflected in the historical diversity of its population. The Russian community built a stunning Orthodox cathedral; an ancient Jewish community established a synagogue in the 18th century; there was both an Anglican and American church in the 19th century (now only the Anglican church survives); there's a Greek Orthodox church, an Armenian church and even a Buddhist temple!
The Unesco protected area is outlined on the following map:
Here are the protected Unesco neighborhoods
Promenade des Anglais
The entire Prom from the Old Town to the Airport is in the Unesco zone.
Quai des Etats-Unis and Rauba Capeu
The Art Deco Monument aux Morts above is a highlight of the Quai Rauba Capeu.
Les Ponchettes
Les Ponchettes on the Cours Saleya was once a seaside promenade for 18th and 19th century locals and foreigners.
Castle Hill
After the Colline du Chateau lost its military importance it was transformed into the kind of park that foreign visitors liked.
Port Lympia
The 18th and 19th century buildings on Port Lympia were left intact even after development.
Mont Boron
The prestigious Mont Boron hill is replete with 19th-century villas such as the Villa Beau Site above.
Cimiez
When Queen Victoria started spending her holidays in the Hotel Excelsior Regina (above) Cimiez became the go-to destination for vacationing Brits.
Les Baumettes
West of the town center, Les Baumettes neighborhood was a popular choice in the 19th century. Above is the Musée des Beaux Arts, a magnificent example of Belle Epoque style.
Carré d'Or
The Carré d'Or neighborhood was the first to be settled by winter vacationers from Britain. The Palais Barety (above) is a remarkable example of a uniquely Niçois Belle Epoque style.
Quartier des Musiciens
The Quartier des Musiciens developed after the train station opened in 1864 and is noted for its stunning Art Deco buildings such as La Rotonde, above.
Piol
Avenue Jean Medecin east to boulevard Carabacel
Avenue Jean Medecin was developed as an elegant road to the newly-built train station. Many buildings are historical monuments such as the Credit Lyonnais building (above).
In all, the protected area encompasses 500 hectares including a UNESCO-authorized buffer zone.
Certainly it adds to the prestige of the city. International recognition of Nice's unique heritage will increase public appreciation of the city and add to the tourism potential.
But with prestige comes responsibility. Mayor Christian Estrosi must set up a Local Committee to protect the site and then submit regular reports to UNESCO on the condition of the protected zone. It's safe to say that any development project within the zone's parameters would have to be justified to UNESCO. And too much tourism can also imperil Nice's UNESCO designation! UNESCO has threatened Dubrovnik, Croatia and recently Venice with a loss of WHS status because of their tourist crowds.
My hope is that this recognition of Nice's unique culture will encourage more visitors to venture beyond Nice beaches to sample all the richness and variety of Nice's fascinating history.
The best way to visit the Unesco-protected neighborhoods is to take a walk! Start at Les Ponchettes where it all began, walk along the Promenade des Anglais and turn inland to stroll through the Carré d'Or and Quartier des Musiciens. It's easy to appreciate fine buildings along avenue Jean Medecin, boulevard Carabacel and in the Piol neighborhood north of the train station. Make sure to climb Mont Boron to marvel at the fine villas and don't forget Les Baumettes and West Nice.
To best understand what you're looking at, follow the audio tour I produced: Navigating Nice’s Belle Epoque: A Guide to the UNESCO Heritage City which gives detailed explanations on a step-by-step walk through central Nice. Or, follow my walks in Nice Uncovered: Walks Through the Secret Heart of a Historic City.
And, just to make sure I know what I'm talking about, follow a talk I recently gave on Unesco Nice for Adrian Leeds!
