Staying in Nice Old Town - easy walking?
 

Looking at a couple of weeks in March. My husband has mobility issues. We were there before the last ice age (as nytraveler always said) and I recall it was fairly accessible. I've looked at some videos and done Google streetview but just looking for comments from those with experience. TIA

Are we talking about France or just any nice Old Town?

LOL France.

Yes, go for it! Nice is nice. I've stayed in the Old Town (Vielle Ville) section of Nice every time I go there and love it. I find it very central to getting around everywhere. While the old city center streets are often small and windy, I think you should be able to navigate around fairly easily. The Cours Saleya market is there selling all kinds of interesting finds from soaps to stalls selling food! On Mondays, they have a flea market so you can purchase larger items (furniture, clothing, etc) if desired. The Promenade Des Anglais is a nice wide expanse to walk/stroll along; and you should definitely visit La Colline du Chateau (Chateau hill) high above Nice for spectacular views over Nice's Baie des Anges, Old Nice and the Port. You can access it on foot from OId Nice and Place Garibaldi, it's easiest to catch the elevator from the end of the Promenade Des Anglais. Walk all the way down the Promenade until you see the word "CASTLE" on the wall that borders the beach. There's a bright blue sign directing you to the elevator "ASCENSEUR DU CHATEAU", walk past arches down the hallway until you find the elevator. It's about a 1-2 minute ride up to the top. March is a good month to visit, the temps should be high 50s-60 degrees which makes getting around nice, without it being too hot. Bon Voyage!

I agree that problems should be minimal, if you encounter any. The biggest problem I encountered with the streets of Old Town were the crowds -- but I was there in May; March should be much easier -- and in any event, the crowds weren't unmanageable. IIRC, there were a few areas as the flatter regions of Old Town yield to the base of Castle Hill where the streets were a bit steep, but those stretches were surprisingly short. Access to the elevator Huitres just mentioned is from a flat area. I think a hill was necessary to reach the Museum of Fine Arts, so if that's on your agenda, you might want a taxi rather than bus.

Hope that helps!

You should be fine, but be mindful of sometimes uneven terrain. There are some narrow streets with cobblestones. Just take it slow.

Hotel Perouse ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Thin,aristocrat 🎸

We enjoyed staying a little farther west, in the neighborhood behind the Hotel Negresco. Not as touristy. Completely flat so your husband should be OK there too. Look at Gotel Windsor.

One thing to check is the availability of an elevator. It is less common in the Old Town. Like any old town, the Vielle Ville does have some cobbled streets, although many areas are perfectly flat. There is a slight rise as you get to the end of the Promenade, and at the edge of the Old Town there are sometimes steps to get to the level of the Promenade du Paillon (Couleee Verte). The elevator to the top of Le Chateau is next to the Hotel Suisse, another alternative to La Perouse. The Beau Rivage is also near the Cours Saleya market.

The nearby Carre d'Or neighborhood, where HappyTrvlr noted, is where we have a place. There are a number of hotels in this area, as noted, with plenty or restaurants/cafes and good transport links, but it is further from the market. One thing to keep in mind is distance to a tram stop. Nice's new tram system criss-crosses most of the town and can bridge the distance to the train station and other points through the city, like the Port. While most of the city can be reached on foot, if a km is too far then this can help bridge the distances. Stops near the most common areas include Massena, Jean Medecin, and Opera-Vielle Ville.

While we love the La Perouse, it's at the top of the Promenade des Anglais on a hill. Getting into the hotel lobby requires ascending steps, although not too many. The Old Town, however, is flat until you go up the streets leading off the main square. Then there's a gentle but definite slope.

The Matisse and Chagall museums are best reached by taxi or Uber, as is the Musée des Beaux Arts. All three are up in the hills. Note that getting into the Matisse museum requires a fair number of stairs, and more when inside to reach some of the exhibits. We tried to use the handicapped lift, but no one was ever there to operate it.

I haven't stayed in Nice in a long time. Going there in June, booked a couple of nights near Place Massena, Airbnb.

Tram from/to airport is suppose to be right there.

Also found a place in Villefranche sur Mer as base.