The Pied-a-Terre

You want a foothold in the property market, and in particular Nice. You need a solid investment, but have a limited budget. Fortunately there are plenty of well priced studios and one bedroom apartments to choose from. We recommend you start looking in the Old Town and the Carre d’Or. A budget for €150-200k will get a small studio or one bedroom, €200-250k and reasonable one-bedroom, and €250-300k a one bedroom with some outside space such as a balcony. In general avoid getting a two bedroom in this price range, as the trade-off is usually location and that is the one thing you do not want to compromise.

It is also worth reading our investment guide. The property developer market is quite hot here, so you are unlikely to find an abandoned property you can renovate and make a profit on. The bargains are usually snapped up before they officially go on the market (with the agent or Notaire given a little ‘incentive’). The best properties barely have a chance to hit the agency web site, let alone any web site. In this price range do not try and make a list of properties to visit, and then book a flight. Rather, book a flight and let us know your date of arrival. We will cherry-pick the very best matching properties on the market, refreshed 48 hours before your arrival, and will have them all lined up for viewing in a single day.

The Family Home

Having worked hard, you have decided to treat yourself to your dream holiday home. It may be a place to take the family, or it may be your own personal oasis. You may decide to rent it out to cover costs, and obviously if you sell in the future would like to make a profit, but the principle thing is that the apartment must be ‘you’. Perhaps you are looking for something that typifies France, with high-ceilings and in a classic Bourgeois building? Or maybe the contrast of a luxury loft style interior hidden behind the facade of a Nicois style building?

It is such a personal purchase, it is difficult to guide without getting as much detail as possible what you are looking for. In general, younger couples tend to look toward the Carre d’Or whereas more mature couples prefer to avoid the crowds and look toward the Musicians Quarter. When you contact us, anything you can tell us will help: type of building, should it be renovated, must it be above a certain floor, is the view important, do you need a terrace, etc. Note: one restriction is that Nice does not have bourgeois buildings with terrace, it is one or the other, though Art Deco if acceptable can strike a happy balance. Feel free to send us links from other web sites if that helps, we work with every single estate agency in Nice and have access to every property on the market.

A Place in the Sun

Perhaps it is time to shift down a gear, and make Nice your home away from home. There is a reason both British and Russian royalty chose Nice as their winter retreat. It is a place you can seek shelter without feeling lost. The superb climate all year around means you can use any outside space most of the year.

In general there are city people and non-city people. The city people want to absorb the local culture, enjoy a glass of wine in one of the piazzas or on the beach, and practice their French ordering from the menus in the fantastic restaurants Nice has to offer. Space becomes more important as stays are extended, as does a more community feel having French neighbours rather than empty holiday apartments around them. These clients gravitate towards the Musicians Quarter and the Carre d’Argent.

Others prefer to retreat to higher ground, away from the hustle and bustle. They want to be able to dine outside on a terrace, enjoying the stunning sunsets over the sea and city. For great views, there is no substitute for the prestigious Mont Boron. The other two hills have less success: Fabron suffers from unattractive 1970’s architecture, and Cimiez from a city rather than sea view. The city centre offers a number of quiet terraced havens so should not be discounted either!

Making a Statement

You want the best. This holiday home makes a statement you accept nothing less. Nice has plenty of spectacular apartments, and the multi-billion investment happening in Nice will bring it up on par with its more jaded neighbours of Cannes and Monaco. There are palatial bourgeois homes in genuine palaces. Modern loft style penthouse suites. Let us know what you want and we will find it for you.

If you want the best address in town then you will be looking at the Promenade des Anglais, Place Massena, and Boulevard Victor Hugo. In between, the Carre d’Or and the Musicians Quarter, are plenty of hidden gems. For something more private, the glamourous Mont Boron offers breathtaking views.