What to do in Nice when it rains? My best ideas for making the most of it all!

When you think of Nice, the first thing that comes to mind is a ray of sunshine, the sea and an endless blue sky. But without disappointing you, having lived here for the last 11 years, it can sometimes rain for several days at a time. Fortunately, it rarely lasts more than 5 days in a row, and even then – unlike in Paris or London, where the sun may only appear after two weeks! Fortunately, now that I’ve been living at Nice for a decade, I’ve found quite a few things to do to enjoy the city even when the skies are fickle.

Here are my favourite things to do to turn a rainy day into an enjoyable one!

1. Visit Nice’s museums

Honestly, on a rainy day, it’s almost a blessing to be able to visit Nice’s superb museums without feeling guilty about not going out! Here are the different museums you can visit:

• The Musée Marc Chagall : A real gem. Although Chagall is not my favourite artist, I enjoyed losing myself in his colourful and poetic works. The setting is really pleasant and peaceful.
• The Musée Matisse : Located in the hills above Nice, in Cimiez to be precise, this museum is well worth a visit. The collection is superb and the setting is really pleasant, not far from the Cimiez arenas.
• MAMAC : Nice’s best-known museum, just 200m from Place Garibaldi. If you like contemporary art, this is a must-see. I particularly liked the works by Niki de Saint Phalle and Yves Klein.
• The Palais Lascaris : Right in the heart of Vieux-Nice, this little museum is a nice surprise, with its baroque architecture and its collection of old musical instruments.

2. Browsing in a coffee shop

I also love rainy days when I can discover new coffee shops in Nice and relax with a good latte and my computer or a book. Here are my cosy addresses:

• La Claque Café : A favourite address in Vieux-Nice with superb speciality coffees.
• Brume Coffee Nice: I’ve fallen in love with this cute little coffee shop. I love their lattes and homemade pastries.
• Selah Atelier : located in the Libération district, this is probably my favourite. I love sitting there to read or work. The coffee and pastries are just delicious!

On a rainy day, I suggest you go early enough to make sure you get a seat!

3. Relax in a spa

A rainy day also means time to pamper yourself. I’ve tried out several spas in Nice and here are the ones that are really worth a visit:

• Spadelic : A superbly complete institute, with divine massages.
• Le Spa du Negresco : If you want a luxury experience, this is the place to go.
• AquaFit Spa : Hammam, sauna, balneotherapy… everything you need to forget the bad weather.
• Club Metropolitan Nice: probably my favourite of all as it combines a gym, coworking, restaurant and SPA with swimming pool, sauna and hammam.

4. Shopping spree

On a rainy day, I also take the opportunity to wander around the shops! Head for Nicetoile, the city centre shopping centre, or Galeries Lafayette for a bit of window shopping, and finally CAP3000, voted the most beautiful shopping centre in 2022!

5. Attend an evening show

Rather than staying cooped up at home, I love going to see a show when it’s raining. In fact, when it’s sunny, I prefer to be in a rooftop or on the beach. Here are the different cultural venues in Nice:

• The Théâtre National de Nice offers a wide variety of plays.
• The Opéra de Nice is a magnificent venue where you can see some very fine performances.
• The Cinéma Rialto is perfect for a film session in a slightly retro setting.

Even in the rain, Nice remains a city where there’s always something to do!