Nice, from Garibaldi to Masséna

The Old Town of Nice is a lively neighbourhood, even at night-time, with its restaurants, bars, pubs and discotheques. It is also an area which is undergoing development and picking up momentum. From the port to Place Masséna, focus on a very dynamic area.

Since 2009, the municipality of Nice has been carrying out rehabilitation of its historic neighbourhoods. An undertaking involving a considerable part of the Old Town, and helping to boost the area.

“Over the past seven or eight years, the Old Town of Nice and its perimeter have become much more attractive,” says Keren Cohen, sales agent with SESAM Immobilier. “From the Coulée Verte to the Port, the area appeals to foreigners and has lots of holiday residences. We have quite a lot of English clients in their fifties looking for new properties, and the least amount of refurbishment possible. Over towards the Port, prices revolve around 8,000 € per sq. metre, with potential buyers in the upper Socio Professional Categories hoping for a wonderful view of the sea.” His agency recently sold an apartment of this kind offering living space of 142 m2 on a high floor. In a luxury residence in the lower part of Mont Boron, it was priced at 1.1 million euros. “The other neighbourhood in demand is the landscaped park-promenade called the “Coulée Verte”,” adds Keren Cohen. “ In this case, clients are more local, drawn by the proximity to shops, Place Masséna, and access to the tram. This neighbourhood is also popular as there are more often lifts in the buildings, not always the case in the Old Town of Nice.” An apartment of 85 m2 here, in a select residence, which sold for 525,000 €, benefited from this sought-after asset, and was acquired by a Niçoise client wanting to be right in the town centre. “We are well-acquainted with our clients’ requirements,” says Keren Cohen. “The agency has been based in this neighbourhood for the past 30 years and has always had the same manager. This continuity is something we are rather proud of.”

In the micro-market comprised by the Old Town of Nice and its surrounding area, each neighbourhood has its own style and atmosphere : there is pretty much everything to be found here. Which is why, for Alban Leloup, director of the Masséna Immobilier agency, the key word is quality. “We mainly focus on the middle and upper end of the market. Though what we are looking for most is properties of quality. As well as quality clients, which means to say serious. It is an important factor, as prices here fluctuate from one street to the next.” Not far from the Coulée Verte, Alban Leloup is proposing an apartment of 44 m2 priced at 340,000 €. It combines closeness to public transport, a lift and, above all, a terrace facing south. “If we take our last nine sales in the area, three-quarters of them involved foreign buyers. They are looking for sunlight and a view. A terrace is therefore a persuasive sales argument.” According to Alban Leloup, another neighbourhood stands out from the rest. “The Port has its own special ambiance. It is very different to that of the Old Town, for instance, it’s rather like a town within a town. People who buy homes here would not consider living in any other neighbourhood in Nice.” Currently, a 1-bedroom top-floor apartment is up for sale here, at 249,000 €. It living space of 32 m2 offers tasteful appointments and a fitted open-plan kitchen.

The portolio of properties of the Borne & Delaunay agency covers the town of Nice and its surrounding area, with the Old Town accounting for about 10 % of its activity. At the moment, manageress Maureen Delaunay feels that an offer of apartments undergoing renovation stands out from the rest. “This VIR (sale of a building to renovate) is unique in the area. It will consist of exceptional properties with views of the Coulée Verte, a neighbourhood now in high demand. The idea is to acquire a rare property of quality in a prime location.” Called “Côté Jardin”, the project is located on Boulevard Jean Jaurès. Borne & Delaunay is handling the sale of about ten apartments. Modern and practical, they will range from studios to 3 main rooms with fitted kitchens and bathrooms, priced from 152,000 to 410,000 €. The agency also handles sales of old properties, as Maureen Delaunay explains : “With the Old Town of Nice undergoing restructuring, there are more and more people showing interest. We have also noticed that the appeal of the “Golden Square” has expanded to include the Coulée Verte area and the Old Town.” Just close by, the agency is handling the sale of a charming 1-bedroomed apartment of 27 m2 in perfect condition, priced at 183,800 €. In a bourgeois building on Rue Chauvin, it benefits from a balcony and is an ideal pied-à-terre or seasonal rental opportunity at the heart of town.

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