Story
The story of Promenade des Anglais
Stretching for about 7 kilometres along the Baie des Anges, from the airport to the Quai des États-Unis, this is one of the most famous seafronts in the world. It owes its name to the English aristocrats who, from the second half of the 18th century, came to spend the winter in Nice.
In 1820 a particularly harsh winter further north brought many beggars to the city, and some of the English proposed putting them to work building a walkway along the sea, funded by the Reverend Lewis Way and members of the Anglican church. Locals first called it the Camin deis Anglés, the English Way; after Nice became French in 1860 it was renamed the Promenade des Anglais.
Today the Niçois simply say 'la Prom'. Remember, too, the 86 people killed here on 14 July 2016. Then walk, cycle or skate, and watch the light on the water.
This story is compiled from Wikipedia and other open sources; dates and numbers are checked against the source. The text is shared under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Source ↗
Hear this story on the spot, in a natural voice
On Sightlore, the story of Promenade des Anglais is narrated in a natural voice in 5 languages. When you arrive, say "I'm here" and get your passport stamp.
13 more stories from Nice in the app
More highlights in Nice
- Opéra de NiceThe Opéra de Nice is the principal opera venue in Nice, France, which houses the Ballet Nice Méditerrannée and the Nice Philharmonic Orchestra. It offers three types of performances: operas, ballets and classical music concerts.
- Musée MassénaThe Musée Masséna, on the Promenade des Anglais next to the Hotel Negresco, has shown art up to the Belle Époque and the history of the Côte d'Azur since 1921.
- Colline du ChâteauThe Castle of Nice or Colline du Château was a military citadel. Built at the top of a hill, it stood overlooking the bay of Nice from the 11th century to the 18th century.
- Old NiceVieux-Nice is the old town of Nice, lively by day with traditional shops selling olives, spices, local vegetables and flowers.
- Musée MatisseThe Musée Matisse in Nice is a municipal museum devoted to the work of French painter Henri Matisse. It gathers one of the world's largest collections of his works, tracing his artistic beginnings and his evolution through his last works.
- Nice CathedralNice Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral located in the city of Nice in southern France. The cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Nice.