The extension of the Promenade du Paillon, inaugurated last October, received funding of 11.6 million euros from the European Union. This aid, granted via the European Regional Development Fund, is in addition to the funding already provided by the State and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region. The project, at the heart of Nice, continues the transformation of the city center and generates both support and criticism.
The extension of the Promenade du Paillon already benefitted from significant funding from institutional partners. The State contributed 7.9 million euros. The Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur provided 14.7 million euros. The European Union is now among the major supporters of the project. A fund of 11.6 million euros has just been granted via the European Regional Development Fund.
This European aid is part of an urban transformation project launched several years ago. The Acropolis site, now entirely vegetated, is one of the central axes of this operation. The ERDF aims to promote economic, social, and territorial cohesion. The program supports projects related to ecological transition, innovation, and sustainable development.
Christian Estrosi, mayor of Nice and president of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, reacted to this announcement. “The extension of the Promenade du Paillon is a major achievement for our territory and a collective pride. It benefits from exceptional support from our institutional partners – the State, the Region, and now the European Union – proof of the solidity and ambition of this project. The allocation of 11.6 million euros by the ERDF for the transformation of the now fully vegetated Acropolis site constitutes an unprecedented commitment.”
The mayor of Nice also emphasized the environmental objectives of the project. “This recognition confirms that the Promenade du Paillon is a model project in terms of ecological transition: soil permeability, vegetation, fighting heat islands, and concrete improvement of the quality of life for residents. Through this project, we affirm our commitment to sustainable development and establish ourselves as a European reference in terms of green and resilient cities.”
A highly anticipated inauguration at the heart of Nice
After three years of work, the second part of the Promenade du Paillon was inaugurated on Saturday, October 18 in Nice. Eight hectares of urban forest have now been added to the green walkway. The project is both praised and criticized.
The transformation of the center of Nice has been ongoing for several years. The city hall inaugurated the second phase of the Promenade du Paillon this Saturday, October 18, 2025. A space of eight hectares now extends from Bourgada to the Palais des Expositions. The construction, launched in 2022, marks the end of a long program of landscaping the city center.
Christian Estrosi was present at the inauguration. Laurent Hottiaux, prefect of Alpes-Maritimes, and Renaud Muselier, president of the South Region, accompanied the official. The event attracted many locals who came to discover the new “urban forest.”
Urban planner Alexandre Chemetoff is behind the project. The space once occupied by the National Theater of Nice and the Palais Acropolis has been completely redesigned. The project is based on a composition of brick floors, white limestone, and pergolas. Symmetrical shapes and rigid lines have been avoided. Existing urban furniture has been preserved.
The South Region contributed to the financing of the project with more than 33 million euros. The total cost reaches 94 million euros. Renaud Muselier commented on the operation. “This project is the perfect example of what we are doing throughout the South Region, for greener, more peaceful cities, always serving the residents and their quality of life.”
The extension of the park brings the total area of the green walkway to 20 hectares. The Region mentions 2,500 trees planted and a rainwater recovery system intended to irrigate the gardens. Local authorities estimate an annual reduction in CO₂ emissions of approximately 1,740 tons. An improvement in air quality is also suggested.
The project is part of the “Our Territories First” 2023-2027 program. This framework also supports the T5 tramway line, the Nice–Saint-Laurent-du-Var cable car, and the renovation of the Museum of Modern Art and the Nucéra Library. Christian Estrosi discusses a long-term vision. The extension is, according to the mayor, “in pursuit of the metamorphosis of Nice into a garden city contributing to its inclusion by UNESCO on the World Heritage list.”
Political criticism remains present. The opposition denounces the overall cost of the project and its electoral scope. Julien Picot, departmental secretary of the PCF 06, declares: “Christian Estrosi orchestrates a media operation with a meticulously planned staging, animations, and a lavish buffet financed by public funds. It’s unacceptable, as once again, public space, institutional communication, and public funds are used to serve the political interests and personal promotion of a single man.”
Robert Injey, member of the Nice People’s Front list, adds: “The mayor is going to inaugurate, with great pomp, and an unprecedented display of means is being deployed for this initiative. Advertisement slots, luminous supports, lampposts, panels, tramway… All possible supports are being mobilized excessively. An amazing device, unprecedented, for the inauguration of a garden on a concrete slab that will have cost a bundle of 100 million euros (excluding the destruction of the TNN and Acropolis).
Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux also criticizes the financial choices. “The cost of the destruction of Acropolis impacts financially, in terms of fine particle pollution, and in terms of economic benefits on resources due to the absence of a Congress Center that will need to be rebuilt anyway.”
The extended promenade becomes a new space for walking and relaxation. Between the sea and hills, the green walkway now connects the city center to the northern districts. The debate on urban policy remains open.
