Nice inaugurates the new face of Avenue Notre-Dame

Heritage, commerce and friendliness at the heart of the city center. After several months of work, Notre-Dame Avenue in Nice finally reveals itself in all its splendor: pedestrians, shops and heritage find a new balance at the heart of the city center. 

A heritage and urban project. Christian Estrosi recalls that the Basilica Notre-Dame de Nice and its forecourt have always been at the heart of his priorities: “some may have forgotten it, but it is one of the first churches we wanted to rehabilitate, with a view to Nice’s inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage site.“

This Gothic church, inspired by Notre-Dame de Paris following Nice’s attachment to France in 1860, gave rise to a district structured around Jean-Médecin Avenue and adjacent streets, which still bear the names of friendly cities and countries today.

Over more than 4,000 m², the avenue and forecourt have been completely redesigned: basalt stone paving, widened sidewalks for pedestrians, traffic limited to 20 km/h, vegetation including 28 trees and 110 m² of flower beds, while maintaining parking between the two rows of trees. The objective: to enhance heritage while boosting commerce.

Christian Estrosi wanted to thank the residents of Nice: “I wish you to make this thoroughfare your own. It is yours, residents and visitors.“

A festive inauguration. Like the Carnival of Territories, the inauguration took place in a friendly and festive atmosphere, in connection with the Nice Carnival clearance sale. Makeup stands run by Eloise, 22, and her sister Eza, 20, delighted the children. Games, music, DJs, mascots, large carnival heads and dance troupes kept the day lively until the Flower Battle at 2:30 p.m.

Shopkeepers and passersby enthusiastic

Mike, 31, head of sales at Darty, says he is “very happy”: “the work was completed on time, it’s beautiful with the view of Notre-Dame.“

Alex, 35, manager of the Cordial restaurant, adds: “frankly, it’s great, there’s a good atmosphere. We hope it will bring us more customers in the future.“

Tom, 25, a salesman at Bolia, is also delighted: “we’re very happy with the work. There’s real momentum now and it will attract more traffic to the street.“

Stephanie, 56, an executive assistant, frequents the street regularly: “the result is clean and pleasant. As time goes on and the trees grow, it will be even better.“

Hubert, 37, a neighbor and shopkeeper, points out: “it’s more pleasant for strolling. My grandmother lives here and she’s happy with the work.“

Finally, Nadhir, 31, a nurse, living next to the basilica with his family, qualifies this: “we followed the work, it was a bit complicated with the children and strollers, and the two large white jars slightly reduce the passage space. But otherwise, everything is perfect and we’re so happy to live here!“

Lamartine Street: affected but optimistic shopkeepers

Lamartine Street, perpendicular to Notre-Dame Avenue, was also affected by the work, but with a more direct impact on shops.

Fiona, 27, an aesthetician: “we like the work, the street looks beautiful now, the sidewalks and terraces are larger. But for more than three months, trucks blocked our shops and our customers couldn’t park. It was complicated, especially during Christmas. For now, the impact has been negative, but we hope this beautiful avenue will attract many people and benefit our businesses.“

Dorian, 35, a salesman and Fiona’s friend: “it’s nice that it’s finished. The result is beautiful and if it attracts more people, it will be positive. During the work, the noise, the trucks and the lack of foot traffic were very constraining, but we were able to help each other and now we hope customers will return quickly.“

Stephane, 59, a salesman, adds: “yes, I was aware of the work, we saw the trucks and the noise was significant. I find the result a little less aesthetic than other areas of Nice, but parking spaces are maintained for customers. In the long term, if this attracts more foot traffic, it will be beneficial. For now, the only complaint remains the difficult period during the work.“

An urban and social transformation. Between heritage, commerce and a peaceful living environment, the transformation of Notre-Dame Avenue and its perpendicular streets marks a major step in the metamorphosis of Nice’s heart. Thanks to these improvements, the city offers residents and visitors a more attractive, friendly space conducive to strolls, commerce and festive events.

As the last trucks have left the avenue and the rhythms of the Nice Carnival 2026 color the city center, residents and shopkeepers can finally enjoy a redesigned space where heritage, commerce and friendliness meet to write a new chapter in the heart of Nice.