During the summer holidays, the municipal nurseries in Nice launched a series of projects. Objective: improve the comfort of children and professionals, while considering issues related to climate change.
As the new school year approaches, the young children welcomed in the municipal nurseries will discover redesigned spaces. The municipality took advantage of the summer period to conduct numerous works in its early childhood facilities. According to the city, this strategy aims to adapt the buildings to extreme heat, enhance safety, and improve the daily life of the staff.
Christian Estrosi, mayor of Nice, details this choice: “The actions we have been implementing for many years in family policy have made Nice more welcoming, inclusive, and caring towards young children and their families. We are one of the first cities to have our own ‘Baby-friendly’ label, to create a guide with valuable information and advice, from pregnancy to a child’s age of 6, the ‘guide du parent nissart’. Throughout the year, we improve the reception conditions for the pitchoui (…) Children’s well-being and support for their parents are central to our concerns.”
The municipal services detail three main areas of intervention: greening the playgrounds, adapting the buildings to the climate, and securing the spaces.
Greener playgrounds, better-equipped buildings
Nine nursery playgrounds have been greened this summer, for a total amount of €190,000. The establishments concerned — including L’Arbre bleu, Bellevue, and Villa Isabelle — have had their grounds renovated, new lawns laid, and trees planted. Since 2018, 29 such operations have been carried out in 18 structures, with nearly 3,000 m² of lawns installed and about thirty additional trees. These arrangements help limit outdoor heat and provide children with new play areas.
Adapting to climate change also involves interior works. In Nice, the budget planned is €550,000 for 2025. This summer, several facilities have already been modernized: air conditioning and heating at Bois du Château, at Les Coquelicots, and at La Roseraie, indoor blinds in six structures, motorized roller shutters in three nurseries. Some have also benefited from improved insulation, such as Terra Amata and Les Explorateurs.
Other practical adaptations complement these interventions. A water fountain has been installed at L’Ile des Enfants. Variable intensity LED lighting now replaces old lighting systems in two establishments.
The projects also affected the organization of the premises. At La Ritournelle, a bottle-feeding room and a break room have been created. Several sites have been given a simple refresh, with painting or waterproofing work. The budget dedicated to this section amounts to €116,000.
Enhanced security and long-term monitoring
The securing of buildings is the third focus of investments. The municipality announces over €300,000 dedicated in 2025 to this objective. The interventions are varied: installation of cameras in five structures, arrangement of access points in several nurseries, raising of fences, replacement of emergency exit doors, staircase and guardrail protection. Some facades and gates have also been reinforced.
These efforts aim to meet immediate comfort and safety needs for newborns while also preparing for the future. The choice to green, insulate, and modernize the installations is part of an overall climate adaptation approach that was once again very hot this summer. Thus, Nice’s nurseries are becoming places better protected against extreme heat, safer for children, and more suited to the work of professionals.
