a port city in southern France, on the Mediterranean coast. Capital of the department of Alpes-Maritimes; major transportation junction. Population, 322,400 (1968).
Nice is one of the principal resort centers of the French Riviera. The winters are mild and sunny, with an average January temperature of 7°C; summers are hot, with an average July temperature of 22°C. The annual precipitation is 1,000 mm. Nice has a large sandy beach and a long bathing season, extending from late May to mid-November. There is year-round climatotherapy and heliotherapy for persons suffering from fatigue or functional disorders of the nervous system. The local population is primarily engaged in service industries. There are also food-processing, textile, garment, perfume, furniture, and electrotechnical industries. Local firms produce souvenirs. Flowers and fruits are cultivated in the suburbs.
Nice was the birthplace of G. Garibaldi and is the site of the grave of A. I. Herzen. A university was founded in the city in 1965. Nice has a motion-picture studio and eight museums, including the archaeological, natural history, fine arts, and Matisse museums. Nice is the site of a cathedral, churches, and palaces, all belonging to the 17th and 18th centuries and in the Italian baroque style. The part of the city facing the sea has splendid eclectic-style buildings that were constructed in the 19th and early 20th centuries.