We're going to be arriving in Nice on a Sunday afternoon for just 2 days, and according to some of the guidebooks, a lot of places are closed on Mondays. At a general level, are most places in Old Town closed on Mondays but open on Sundays? What types of places use Monday as their day off?
Mark

Most of the stores in Old Nice will be closed on Mondays. A very few will be open. When the shops close, they pull down aluminim shutters over the storefonts, and these shutters are filled with graffit - making Old Town seem like a war-torn slum. Even the Michelin Green Guide warns about this. My wife found out the hard way after the Monday antiques market. A few more stores will be open on Sundays. Cedre Rouge (one of my wife's favorites) is not in Old Town, but it closes on Mondays also (perhaps Sundays too). I think most of the shops along the pedestrain-only street NOT in Old Town are also closed - except for the super tourist ones. According to the Patricia Wells book, the famous Alziari olive oil shop is closed Sunday & Monday.

Sorry to bear bad news.

Stu Dudley

However, the flower market at the Cours Saléya will be very much in operation on Monday, along with most of the other stalls. Just watch out for holidays.

What about restaurants along the beach on a Monday in Nice in the summer? Are they closed, too? Thank you!

By "restaurants on the beach", do you mean the ones directly on the beach & associated with the "private" concessions where you pay for a lounge chair, umbrella, etc?? If so, they're always open for lunch. You don't have to use/pay for the beach concessions if you have lunch there - you can just have lunch.

Stu Dudley

On Monday mornings at the Cours Saleya, there is also a brocante (flea market) in addition to the flowers. I think they pack up around noon.

The "stalls" on the Cours on Mondays are for antique/flea market dealers. On all other days, it's food vendors. In the evenings, it's resaurants & craft vendors.

Stu Dudley

Stu
When you refer to the restaurants and craft dealers in the stalls, are they typically open on Sunday and Monday nights?
Mark

Yep

Stu Dudley

Some of the restaurants may close on Mondays.

Stu Dudley