The city of Nice on the French Riviera continues to improve continuously, now with a completely new green lung in the center of the city. It’s like that famous Central Park in New York and even bigger if you look at it in proportion.
Nice Côte d’Azur
Part 1 (created in 2014)
12 hectares = 120,000 m2
Part 2 (opening in 2024)
8 hectares = 80,000 m2
Total 20 hectares = 200,000 m2 for 350,000 inhabitants = 0.57 m2 of park per inhabitant
New York
843 acres (843 x 4006 m2= ) 3,377,058 m2 on 8,400,000 inhabitants = 0.40 m2 of park per inhabitant.
Nice wins;-)
Nice Côte d’Azur has started building an urban forest
The hideous Acropolis building, which was only built in 1984, will soon disappear completely so that Season 2 of the Big Plan can be completed. In 2014, work started on the construction of a park from the coastline that was supposed to accommodate many elements. Nice won a prestigious prize at the Victoires du Paysage 2014 with the plan for the Promenade du Paillon.
The idea was not simple; the idea was to combine water and greenery by means of a green carpet. The design had to meet the expectations of multiple and different uses: intensive use of the promenade, exhibitions of works of art, fun activities for children and young people and peace and quiet for walkers, readers and dreamers.
The green carpet, resonating with the underground infrastructure, consists of four ribbons of 6.6 meters long that correspond to the supports. This geometry makes it possible to place point loads without disturbing the overall composition.
On either side of Place Masséna we find a large water surface with misting area with an area of 3,000 m² in the Masséna space and 1,500 m² in the Albert I garden respectively. Sequences with 128 water jets and nebulizers follow each other on a natural stone bed on the water surface, with lighting at night.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Avenue Felix-Faure / avenue Saint-Jean-Baptiste / boulevard Jean-Jaurès / crosses Flandres-Dunkirk / crosses de la Bourgada – 06000 Nice
Opening hours
From October 1 to March 31: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m
From April 1 to September 30: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m
Area: 12 ha
Urban Forest Nice Part 2
It has been more than 10 years since the Promenade du Paillon was built in the heart of our city. This year, the demolition of the Acropolis will start the reconquest of the Nice landscape. Instead of concrete and bitumen, the intention is to create an extensive lung of greenery, freshness and well-being over almost 20 hectares.
This urban forest promises new landscape, cultural and ecological perspectives. It will become an ecological refuge, improving the quality of life for the residents of Nice.
A botanical journey through the continents
Trees, shrubs and plants from all continents come together during this walk. The Péna Paysages agency is the project manager of this project. Thanks to the magic of a Mediterranean climate, the characteristics of which can be found in countless biotopes around the world, the Promenade invites you to a botanical journey without jet lag, with the promise of blossoming trees every season.
The Mediterranean Sea in the spotlight
The Mediterranean Sea is also fully present in this garden, with holm oaks, majestic umbrella pines and even Provencal cypresses. The central green ribbon that runs the entire length of the Promenade is planted with olive trees, vines, carob trees, pomegranate trees, fig trees and other plants from Southern Europe.
Asia
On the site of the old bus station, it is Asia that extends its arms to us with its camphor trees and gigantic bamboos. Already a good size, up to 10 meters high. Along the way there is a collection of citrus fruits to discover, a reminder that lemons and oranges were born in China and India long before they flourished on the Côte d’Azur in the 17th century.
Africa
A little further on, African vegetation spreads on the site of the old Paillon parking lot. Let’s take a look at this grove of Phoenix reclinata, an amazing palm tree consisting of several trunks, or this Erythrina, a large-leaved tree with lush red-orange blooms in spring. A symphony to which the scarlet red Aloe flowers respond like an echo in winter.
Oceania and Australia
At Square Leclerc, landing in Oceania and Australia. Walk through a eucalyptus forest with remarkable specimens, whose bark peels off in multicolored strips, red, pink, brown, green… In summer, the bunches of red flowers of the Brachychitons will compete with the “fire wheels” of Stenocarpus sinuatus , trees with flamboyant inflorescences. In the same area, dozens of tree ferns up to 2 meters high create a tropical atmosphere, under the protection of the existing giant ficus, an old resident of the square, a few meters from the statue of General Masséna.
South America
It is on the old forum of Jacques Médecin where South America taking root, with the yellow flowers (in summer) of the Tipuana tipu or the pink flowers of the Chorisia speciosa, a bottle tree that protects itself from herbivores with its covered trunk with a bowl of thorns. Among other curiosities are Jubea spectabilis or Chilean coconut palms that produce mini coconuts (edible). Mini fruits for a trunk that can grow up to 2 meters in diameter.
North America
The journey continues in the Albert 1st garden, with North America. Between the Bernar Venet Arch and the 3 Graces Fountain, dozens of magnolias with bunches of immaculate flowers are arranged in a colonnade. The excursion ends a little further on with the autumnal glow of oaks, American walnuts and maples. Shades from yellow to red and brown…for an Indian Summer in Nice.
