Nice, France
N
ice is a key player in the allure of the Cote d’Azur; the
French Riviera jewel has been the playground of the rich
and the privileged for more than a century.
Along the seafront, the long curve of the Promenade des
Anglais follows the beach, connecting the airport and the
harbour, and is the perfect spot for people watching with views of
the Mediterranean and the Old Town’s Belle Époque structures.
In the summer, the super yachts moor nearby, adding to the
glamour. “Be it a middle manager from Dusseldorf or a Russian
oligarch, they all basically crave the sun in a safe environment,
where you can access glitzy Cannes and Monaco or the olive
groves and inland villages,” said Alex Balkin, a broker at Savills
French Riviera. “Today, the high end of the market is dominated
mainly by buyers from Eastern Europe.”
Nice’s most popular areas to live are the Promenade des
Anglais, the Quai des Etats-Unis (the boulevard fronting the Old
Town), and the Boulevard Franck Pilatte to the east, due to their
Mediterranean views and 19th-century architecture. Housing
styles range from Belle Époque apartments to modern residences
with swimming pools and downtown seafront houses.
A mint-condition two-bedroom apartment in these sought-after
locations costs between €400,000 and €800,000 euros.