10 Best Family Things to Do in Nice

Theater L'alphabet offers an ever-changing range of shows adapted for children. Located in the Carabacel neighbourhood, the small performance hall is within a 10-minute walk of Old Town Nice. 

Children aged 2 and above are encouraged to participate in friendly shows, which are full of good humour and poetry. Performances are between 35 and 50 minutes long, followed with a snack. Theater L'alphabet also offers pre-school classes, courses for older children, and birthday experiences. Be sure to check their website for all event details and what’s coming up.

The Terra Amata Museum of Human Paleontology retraces the life of the first inhabitants of Nice by using remains found during excavations of this excavation site. Located between the port and Parc du Mont Boron, the museum occupies the ground floor of an apartment building in a cul-de-sac just behind Boulevard Carnot. 

Follow the interactive trail inside the museum to get a deeper understanding of how people lived over 400,000 years ago. Budding young archaeologists will be impressed by the reconstruction of the original excavations. There is also an entertaining treasure hunt to keep things interesting throughout your visit. 

Maman Les P'tits Bateaux is a pretty cafe that welcomes children and their parents to relax and spend time together in Nice. It offers light snacks and organic smoothies, along with a baby menu that includes homemade mashed potatoes. A play area is available for children to have fun under the watchful eye of their parents seated nearby. 

On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the cafe organises hands-on activities, nursery rhymes and live music. Maman Les P'tits Bateaux is close to the playgrounds of the Promenade du Paillon and on the same street as the Theater L'alphabet, which hosts theatrical performances for young audiences. 

Musée National du Sport traces the history of sport in France through a multidisciplinary collection of objects. You can take a look at posters, postcards, photos, prints and paintings inspired by the world of sports. There's also sportswear and equipment, many of which are signed by great athletes. The exhibition areas are complemented by interactive activities, including a giant table football and a simulator of a Formula 1 car. Workshops take place regularly, especially during school holidays.

Located within the Allianz Riviera Stadium, Musée National du Sport is easily accessible by train (Nice-Saint-Isidore Station). From the centre of Nice, you can take the tram (Line 3) or bus routes 11 and 59. 

Park Castel des Deux Rois is a beautiful green space for kids to have fun in playgrounds and stretch their legs in the great outdoors. The park lies in the east of Nice, on the slopes of Mont-Boron, offering a superb view of the city and port. Children can play on vast lawns shaded by pine and palm trees, before refuelling with their parents at one of the picnic tables. 

Park Castel des Deux Rois has sprinklers to help you cool down during summer. You can find a small amusement park (additional fees required) with fun rides and games for children aged 2 and above. Guignol puppet shows take place during the holidays. 

On hot summer day, the Promenade du Paillon is perfect for coolling down as it boasts a water mirror with 128 water jets. You’ll enjoy the very fine water mist spraying from 960 misters, just right for some refreshing fun under the afternoon sun. The kids will love running through the mist, getting soaked and working up an appetite.

When the hunger strikes, set up a picnic on the lush green lawn or sit down for a leisurely lunch at one of the cafes and restaurants lining the promenade. All fuelled up, explore the sculpture park featuring a life-size whale, dolphins, octopuses and a huge turtle, or get your family together for a holiday photo in the carnation conservatory.

Molinard Nice is a perfume store in Old Nice, just a short walk of Plage de Carras and Albert I Garden. Besides buying quality fragrances, you can learn about the world of perfume making in its small museum.

This elegant boutique often hosts perfume-making workshops for children aged 4 and up. Learn to identify the many notes that make up a perfume, before choosing essences and available combinations to make (and take home) your very own signature scent. Be sure to book your workshop in advance.

La Ferme de Nice is a restaurant and farm in the beautiful countryside of Nice. It has an olive grove, lilac plantation, educational farm and restaurant, making for a pleasant day out for families. Children can pet and feed many farm animals, including goats, dwarf sheep, rabbits, chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks. Pony rides are also available at La Ferme de Nice.

A lunch of family-style dishes is served on a spacious wooden terrace that overlooks a lush meadow. La Ferme de Nice is within a 10-minute drive northwest of the city centre, in the Crémat neighbourhood. It's a good idea to make reservations as seats are limited. 

Musée Matisse is an art museum occupying a Genoese villa in the Parc des Arènes de Cimiez, perched high above the city of Nice. It has a vast collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures, as well as objects and furniture that once belonged to Henri Matisse. 

The museum fulfils its educational vocation through various workshops that change over time and correspond to the themes of the exhibitions. It offers art discovery workshops for kids on Wednesdays and during school holidays, as well as advanced sessions where children learn techniques like gouache paper cut-outs. 

Villa Arson is a modern arts centre offering educational visits, including artistic workshops, during the school holidays. Also known as École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts à la Villa Arso, it's within a 1960s wooded estate on Saint-Barthélemy Hill, near the Parc du Ray.

Workshops vary according to the artistic program taking place at Villa Arson. Children can discover the work of a featured artist through an interactive and specially designed tour. Be sure to check the centre’s website for details of upcoming workshops and tours.