Nice by car

Move around

West - East

There are 3 main axes.

• The highway
  The Nice bypass has a toll. Speed limit is 90km/h between the toll and the "Nice Est" exit, 110km/h elsewhere.
• The "voie rapide" (urban freeway). Its official name is "Voie Mathis" (red marker on the map)
  Speed limit 70km/h all way long but at both ends. 50km/h in both directions under the tunnel at the Eastern end, Acropolis side. 30km/h at the Western end from the little tunnel on westbound. Beware, there are trafic lights at both ends. Expect jamming during day hours, especially when offices close (5-6pm or in the morning when the people go to work. The jamming is often less sensible in summer, when many inhabitants are on vacation.
  The voie rapide is often closed at night, completely or partially for maintenance. You have then to use the Promenade des Anglais.
  The voie rapide continues the N7 road. To take it when you are on the highway coming from Cannes or Cagnes, exit the highway at "Nice Promenade", and then stay on the right lane and always make a right when you can. When you have made 3 quarters of a cirle, you'll be on the N7 road and the voie rapide will be ahead of you, 400m further.
  An other way to enter it is from the seashore road. Drive until you are on the Promenade des Anglais (which continues the seashore road), and follow it for around 3km. Then on the left lane you'll see a tunnel with a sign saying : "Nice Est, Madelaine". It enables you to cross the Promenade and to enter the Voie rapide eastward.
• La Promenade des Anglais
  The speed limit is 50km/h everywhere but on its Western end (70km/h). When you come from Cagnes sur Mer, slow down when you pass the aiport control tower. Actually the sign is a little farther but you might miss it.
  It is useful to know that the promenade benefits from a green wave moving at around 50km/h. It moves Eastward. It means that if you drive at 50km/h from a green traffic light you'll see all the traffic lights turn green when you come close. You'll be able to drive quite a long way without any red light. In the opposite direction, you'll croos the green wave but it is wide enough for you to find several green lights nonetheless.
  The Promenade is dangerous because dirvers have the habit of endlessly changing lanes with the useless hope of gaining a little time.

North - South

Since the Jean Médecin street has been turned into a pedestrian street and is used by the streetcar, as the Borriglione avenue which continues it, the main North- South axis in the city is the Boulevard Gambetta. It is therefore often jammed.

More East there is the avenue Comboul - rue Pellos - avenue St Lambert - avenue Henry Dunant or avenue du Ray alternate axis.