Shopping is not just the purchase of goods, but the whole art of making purchases. Only the lazy does not like to go shopping. Well, if it comes to shopping in Nice, then it’s worth to roll up your sleeves and work hard for glory. And although Nice is not the most economical shopping destination, but if you really wanted to get something truly French, then the Cote d'Azur is what you really need.
general information
Before leaving the hotel room for shopping, you must know the working hours of all local shops, markets and department stores. As a rule, they work daily from early morning until 7 pm. Once a week they are open until 21.00.
Despite the fact that on Sunday, many shops in France do not work, this does not apply to resort towns. And where is an amazing vacation, if not in Nice?
Depending on the store, a lunch break can last from an hour to 2-3 hours a day.
Expecting to make a shopping in Nice, you definitely need to know that in some stores there is a tax-free policy. That is, the opportunity to return from 12 to 15% of the finances spent. To do this, you can not cut tags from purchased goods. And in stores that support the tax-free system, they must issue a check with a list of purchases and the total amount. Further at the airport, having provided this check and goods at customs, it will be possible to return cash.
Sales periods
Twice a year, shopping enthusiasts have the opportunity to purchase global brands at a very low price. This is due to seasonal sales in winter and summer.
- Winter sale. It begins in the middle of the first month of the year and ends in mid-February.
- Summer Sale. It begins in early July and continues until early August.
The exact dates are set by the French government.
Discounts on products can vary up to 70%. And a month before the start of the sales season there is a ban on price changes.
In winter, customers will be able to purchase items from fall-winter collections, and in summer - spring-summer.
Shops and malls
To purchase luxury items, you need to go to the store. Nice is a storehouse of global brands. Gucci, Chanel, Versace, Gabbana and many others are waiting for their customers.
Nice Etoile ("Star of Nice"). A huge department store selling everything you need for a comfortable life, from personal hygiene items to furniture. More than a hundred boutiques open their doors in anticipation of an influx of visitors.
For tired buyers, cafes and restaurants are provided, and for children - a children's corner and professional educators. Moreover, from mid-May to mid-October, the store operates absolutely seven days a week and even on holidays.
Sar 3000. The huge center is located outside the city, where you can easily get on bus number 52, which goes to Cannes. It includes more than 150 boutiques with world brands: ZARA, Apple, Kiko, H&M, Desigual, Lacoste and many others. Other excellent restaurants overlooking the Mediterranean Sea will receive tired shoppers and feed amazing dishes.
Jeff de Bruges. Confectionery paradise for the sweet tooth. Many varieties of chocolate, cakes, sweets, desserts will make the cloud from the happiness of any buyer.
TNL One of the most affordable shopping centers in Nice. Families or those who have been living in the city for a long time are bought here. You can replenish the cabinets with good, high-quality clothing and very inexpensively. However, it is better to go to the Lafayette Gallery for those wishing to purchase fashionable brand new items.
Gallery "Lafayette"
You can talk about this famous gallery for hours. Five floors of the huge complex contain boutiques with the latest fashionable novelties. Clothing, jewelry, shoes and accessories - everything can be found here.
The building is painted in red ocher, and the shutters are in blue. It immediately attracts the attention of tourists and residents. The gallery is located in Place Massena.
Shopaholics looking for brands from the latest collections will surely find what they showed on the catwalks yesterday. Shopping in Nice without the Lafayette Gallery is not shopping. The store features more than 600 brands of goods.
Shopping streets of the city
Avenue Alphonse Karr, Avenue de Suède et de Verdun, Paradis - you should definitely walk along these streets to get real luxury from Chanel, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and many others. other
Les Puces de Nice will delight antique lovers. It is worth coming here just for the sake of pleasure and curiosity. This smell of centuries envelops, and antiques will plunge into the past anyone who touches them.
At Poilpot Guy, the client will be offered not only a wonderful aroma of perfume to choose from, but also make up their own, exclusive scent. It will be selected taking into account all the desires and requests of the buyer.
Rue de France Street will delight everyone, without exception. Books, delicacies, clothes, shoes, accessories are sold at every turn. Cafes and restaurants await visitors, and street performers perform for entertainment.
Nice Markets
Marché aux Fleurs à Nice is a flower market on the Cours Saley Square. This place is shrouded in the fragrance of a variety of colors, from wildflowers to stunning compositions created by florists.
In addition to ready-made bouquets, all kinds of additional materials for planting and caring for plants are sold here. Young seedlings, greenhouse flowers, pots, shovels, fertilizers, and many others. other
The heady aroma of spices, freshly baked bread and fruits is mixed with floral odors. Vegetables here are sold only locally produced, grown without chemicals and absolutely safe for consumers.
On Mondays, all kinds of trinkets and antiques go on sale to replace flowers and trees. On the flea market, buyers can buy old books, dishes, candlesticks, lamps and many more for little money. This square cannot be excluded while shopping in Nice. Reviews of tourists are full of praises in her honor.
In the same area, seafood lovers can visit the fish market. However, the main selling point for seafood is located at Place Saint-Francois. Already there you can try any living creatures of the sea depths.
Chur Saleya Square is the soul of the city, Nice itself. Shopping in this place will please the most sophisticated gourmets, and at the same time lovers. Here, most often they meet and spend their free time.
MARCHÉ AUX CARTES POSTALES ANCIENNES. Vintage Postcard Market at Place du Palais de Justice. A real treasure for philokartists. By postcards sold in this place, you can find out the whole history of not only Nice itself, but also all of Europe.
The book market MARCHÉ AUX LIVRES ANCIENS ET D'OCCASION is located in the same square. Here, collectors and just book lovers will be able to find second-hand, rare editions that are no longer anywhere.
There are no outlets in Nice
For those who want to visit stock centers, you will have to go to Italy. Shopping in Nice, you will not find outlets. To purchase branded items with discounts up to 70% you need to get to Ventimiglia or Serravalle.
The second option will be seasonal sales. Only at this time you can buy designer models at low prices.
Souvenirs
Shopping in Nice is not possible without the purchase of souvenirs. You can’t return from the Cote d'Azur without bringing anything in memory or as a gift to loved ones.
An ideal acquisition in memory of the south of France would be perfume. It is near Nice that there are such famous old factories producing perfumes as:
A bottle of rare spirits made according to an old, secret recipe will delight anyone.
An ideal reminder and souvenir from Provence will be small bags with lavender or verbena flowers, which are sold everywhere.
Sweets represented by amber jam, pollinated with powdered sugar, flowers or fruits, candied petals, will also pleasantly surprise relatives and friends.
And how can one return from Nice without wine or olive oil? Such a fragrant and unlike what is sold in our stores.
Lavender-scented soap, ceramics, silk scarves or curtains of vibrant tulle and, of course, Provence herbs. All this can be brought with you to remind you of the colorful and warm Nice.