Audio Guide: Nice Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Nice

As Cocteau, a French poet, put it, we’re not simply visiting a pretty coastline - we’re stepping into “the greenhouse where the roots grow”. Let’s walk the streets of Nice and discover how they shaped the city’s many lives.

The site of Nice has been inhabited since prehistoric times: archaeological evidence from nearby Terra Amata suggests human presence some 400,000 years ago. Around the 4th century BC, colonists from the Greek city of Massalia founded a settlement here. They called it Nikaia - likely in honour of the goddess Nike, symbolising victory. The name thus points to “victory” as its root.

Some propose alternate origins - perhaps from a local Ligurian word meaning “spring” or “water” - but the victory theory remains dominant. Over time, Nikaia became Latinised as Nicaea, and eventually evolved in French to “Nice.” The name, like the city itself, travelled across languages and centuries, carrying echoes of Greece, Rome, and Old French.

Under Roman rule, the area flourished: the nearby hill of Cimiez hosted the town of Cemenelum, an administrative hub of the region. During the Middle Ages, Nice fell under the Counts of Provence and endured invasions and upheavals. In 1388, seeking stability, the citizens placed themselves under the protection of the House of Savoy. For nearly five centuries, Nice remained part of Savoy - later the Kingdom of Sardinia.

After centuries of shifting borders and allegiances, Nice was definitively ceded to France in 1860 under the Treaty of Turin, linked to Italian unification and France’s support of Sardinia. The annexation ushered in prosperity: during the 19th century, Nice became a winter haven for European aristocracy, its mild climate and the glimmering Bay of Angels inspiring artists and travellers alike.

Today, the city blends Greek origins, Roman structure, Italian grace, and French refinement. Wandering through its centre, you’ll encounter the pastel-coloured lanes of the Old Town, the fragrant bustle of Cours Saleya Market, alive with flowers, local treats and buzzing stalls, and the sun-drenched sweep of the English Promenade. A short stroll away lies Massena Square-a lively square with shops, cafés and lively atmosphere.

And as you walk through this living greenhouse of history, you may find, just as Cocteau did, that Nice is not merely a place to admire - it’s a place where roots still grow, quietly feeding the beauty that blooms before you.