The Mayor of Nice and President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis proceeded this Wednesday, February 18, with the delivery of the redevelopment of Valéry Giscard d’Estaing Avenue. In the presence of Louis Giscard d’Estaing, this inauguration marks the completion of a project launched after the opening of the Mathis road tunnel in May 2025.
A marching band played The Marseillaise after the unveiling of the inaugural plaque. Alongside the mayor, notable attendees included Louis Giscard d’Estaing, Mayor of Chamalières and President of the Valéry Giscard d’Estaing Foundation, as well as several local elected officials, including Monique Bailet, the 14th Deputy Mayor in charge of the Nice West Territory, and Gaël Nofri, Deputy Mayor of Nice, Vice-President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, and President of the Lignes d’Azur and Parcs d’Azur operations.
A Thoroughfare Redesigned Around Mobility
This operation is part of the extension of the western exit of the Mathis road, opened in May 2025. “It’s the extension, the end of the works, that has relieved the Mathis road,” declared Christian Estrosi at the beginning of his speech.
According to the statistics provided, 28,000 vehicles per day now use the tunnel, compared to an initial target of 20,000 cars. The community highlights a decrease in traffic on Avenue Grinda, as well as a reduction in noise pollution and emissions.
The development includes more than 4,000 square meters of green spaces, the planting of 90 trees and 19,500 shrubs, the creation of a two-way bicycle lane of three meters, the widening of sidewalks, and the securing of intersections, particularly around the Méarelli stadium.
The mayor mentioned a project lasting nearly eight years, noting that some residents previously experienced up to “30 minutes of traffic jams” during peak hours.
A Tribute in the Centennial Year
The inauguration takes place in 2026, the centennial year of the birth of Valéry Giscard d’Estaing. The mayor justified the choice of the name by highlighting his contributions to environmental and territorial planning, notably citing the creation of the Mercantour National Park in 1979. “It’s a mark of respect that every republican owes to every president,” he affirmed.
Speaking in turn, Louis Giscard d’Estaing recalled several visits his father made to Nice, including a speech given on July 10, 1976. He also mentioned the environmental laws enacted during the septennate, such as the creation of the Coastal Conservatory in 1975 and the 1976 Nature Protection Act: “inaugurating this new avenue named after Valéry Giscard d’Estaing is thus a pleasure, an honor,” he concluded.
The redevelopment is part of the broader transformation of the Arénas district and the development of the multimodal hub around the Nice Côte d’Azur airport, served by tram lines 2 and 3 and the train station commissioned in 2022.
