Place Masséna

Place Masséna is the main square of Nice, a broad open space that links the old town with the newer districts of the city. It sits close to the sea and to the Promenade des Anglais, and the streets around it lead to the market area, the pedestrian shopping streets and the quarter of Vieux Nice. The square takes its name from the military commander André Masséna, born in Nice, and it is a natural meeting point for locals and visitors.

Its architecture is a clue to Nice's history. The buildings around the square, painted in warm reds and ochres, with arcades and balconies, follow the Piedmontese style of the nineteenth century, when Nice was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. The square was developed over the covered bed of the Paillon river, which now runs beneath the city, and the open space and its rows of regular buildings give the centre a strong sense of order. Nice became French in 1860, and many of the grander public buildings were completed after that date.

The most striking feature today is the paving. A black-and-white checkerboard of stone, laid out when the tramway came through in the first years of this century, covers the whole square, creating a dramatic pattern that is especially photogenic from the upper floors of the surrounding buildings. In the middle stands the Fontaine du Soleil, with a bronze Apollo, a monument of the middle of the twentieth century, and lines of trees and water jets add shade and movement.

Seven statues by the Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa, known as Conversation à Nice, are perched on tall poles around the square, each representing a continent. At night they are lit in changing colours, which makes the square a popular place for an evening stroll. Their figures sit with crossed legs, looking at one another, a quiet contrast to the busy surroundings.

The square is free and open at all times. Cafés, restaurants and shops surround it, street performers appear in good weather, and events and markets use the space, including parts of the Nice Carnival. The tramway stops here, and a walk of a few minutes takes you to the Promenade des Anglais, the Jardin Albert 1er and the old town. Do not confuse it with the Musée Masséna, a separate museum at Rue de France, a short distance away on the French Riviera seafront. Allow an hour for the square and its surroundings, and come at dusk for the best light.