Place Masséna

Where it is & how to get there

• Tram: Tram 1 to Masséna stops right in the square.
• On foot: 5 minutes from the beach and the old town.
• From the station: 15 minutes on foot down Avenue Jean Médecin from Nice-Ville station.

The story of Place Masséna

The square was laid out in the 1840s, when Nice still belonged to the Kingdom of Sardinia, over the river Paillon. Its Italian-style arcades and red-ochre façades follow strict building rules, and it is named after André Masséna, a Nice-born marshal of Napoleon.

The Fountain of the Sun, with its 7-metre marble Apollo, stands at the southern end. When the tram arrived in 2007, the city added Jaume Plensa's "Conversation à Nice": seven kneeling figures on tall poles that change colour at night. In 2013 the Promenade du Paillon park opened next door with fountains and play areas.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Walk through the Promenade du Paillon park next to it, with fountains kids love in summer.
• The Miroir d'eau fountain in the Promenade du Paillon is a favourite with kids in summer.
• Avenue Jean Médecin, Nice's main shopping street, starts at the north side of the square.

What's around Place Masséna

• Promenade du PaillonA green park with water jets and playgrounds, running from the square to the theatre.
• Avenue Jean MédecinThe main shopping street and the Nice Étoile mall.
• Jardin Albert 1erGardens between the square and the sea.
• Vieux NiceThe old town begins just across the square.

Questions travellers ask