Beach clubs in Nice

The beach clubs in Nice are private beach concessions, the plages privées, strung along the Promenade des Anglais. There are 13 worth knowing, from a beach-restaurant open since 1920 to the five-star beach of the Hotel Negresco.

The beaches here are pebble, not sand, so every club hires cushioned loungers on wooden decks. A sunbed runs about €35 to €55 a day, and double beds go from €85 to €180 at the top spots. Most open April to October, though a couple run longer and one stays open all year.

They fall into three groups. The old-town end, on the quai des États-Unis, holds the historic beaches. The central Promenade has the biggest names, and a quieter pair sits out west toward the airport. For more of the coast, see our guide to beach clubs in France.

Which beach clubs are on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice?

Nearly all of them. The central stretch has Ruhl Plage, N La Plage, Le Galet, Blue Beach and Hotel Amour Plage, one after another on the pebble shore.

The old-town end runs along the quai des États-Unis, the Promenade's eastern continuation, with Plage Beau Rivage, Castel Plage and Opéra Plage. For the central beaches pick Le Galet or Blue Beach. For a quieter day, head west to Les Canailles.

Are the beaches in Nice pebble or sand?

Pebble. The Baie des Anges is lined with smooth grey stones, not sand, which is why the beach clubs matter so much here.

A lounger gets you off the pebbles onto a cushioned bed with a parasol, and most clubs lay their decks over the stones. Bring or rent water shoes if you plan to swim from a free public stretch instead.

Start at the old-town end, on the quai des États-Unis, where the historic beaches sit below Castle Hill.

Plage Beau Rivage

Plage Beau Rivage is the largest private beach in Nice, and the closest to the old town on the quai des États-Unis. It lays out 253 sunbeds, split into a calmer zen zone and a livelier one.

The seaside restaurant runs a seasonal Mediterranean menu and is the only one on the front open seven days a week, year-round. There's also a small wellness space with a hammam and treatment rooms.

Loungers start at €35 a day, and a double bed with an umbrella is €85. Book ahead in July and August, when the two zones fill fast. €€€

Castel Plage

Castel Plage sits at the far eastern end of the bay, right below Castle Hill and next to the old town. Its spot under the hill catches some of the best late-day light on the whole Promenade.

The kitchen is built around seafood: live Brittany lobster, grilled fish and grilled meats. It stays open from 10am to midnight, so it's the pick for a sunset dinner with your feet near the water.

Reserve for the restaurant, especially at weekends. This is an old-town institution, so it books out for dinner well before it does for loungers.

Opéra Plage

Opéra Plage is the oldest beach in Nice, on the front since 1889 and still run by the same family. It's on the quai des États-Unis near the old town, with a refurbished terrace facing the Baie des Anges.

The restaurant serves lunch and dinner, and the beach opens 9am to 6:30pm. You can also hire it for private events.

Loungers run about €40 to €55 with an umbrella and a towel, and a double bed is around €180. It's a good-value historic option given the position. €€€

Bocca Mar

Bocca Mar is the newest of the old-town beaches, opened in 2023 by the Panorama Group behind the Bocca Nissa rooftop. It sits on the pebbles at the eastern end of the Promenade, close to the old town.

The food is modern Mediterranean, built for sharing: Iberian croquetas, sea bass carpaccio, Apulian burrata. Lunch runs noon to 4:30pm and dinner 7pm to 10pm, with a DJ from Thursday to Sunday in summer.

It's the liveliest of the eastern group without turning into a party. Book the restaurant for a summer evening.

Moving west onto the Promenade des Anglais proper, the central beaches begin.

Ruhl Plage

Ruhl Plage is the oldest managed beach-restaurant in Nice, open since 1920 and still run by the Malacarne family. It sits at the centre of the Baie des Anges with a sun terrace, a lounge and a seaside restaurant.

The kitchen leans Niçoise and Provençal, built on fresh local produce. There are 40 private cabins alongside the rows of loungers, which gives it a Belle Époque feel the newer beaches can't fake.

Open March to October, lunch through the season and dinner added in summer. It's an all-ages spot for a classic Riviera lunch. €€€

Le Galet

Le Galet is one of the more stylish beaches on the Promenade, with a front-row view straight out to the Mediterranean. It sets out 130 loungers and 15 double beds.

You can have lunch brought to your deckchair or bed, so there's no need to move all day. The look is contemporary and the crowd relaxed rather than showy.

Reserve a double bed in peak season, as the front row goes first. It's a strong pick if you want a full day on the loungers rather than a long lunch. €€€

Blue Beach

Blue Beach is a central private beach in front of the Negresco and the Palais de la Méditerranée. It's an easygoing, well-placed pick rather than a scene.

Chef Stéphane Smargiassi runs a Mediterranean menu with grilled fish, served for lunch and dinner straight to the deck. Loungers are cushioned and laid over the pebbles.

Book ahead in high summer, when the central beaches are busiest. It's a safe choice if you just want a good day by the water without fuss. €€€

N La Plage

N La Plage is the private beach of the Hotel Negresco, on the concession in front of the hotel that used to be Neptune Plage. It runs on five-star service, and the restaurant opens year-round.

The kitchen is overseen by Michelin-noted chef Virginie Basselot, who also leads the Negresco's Chantecler. There's a kids' playground, so it works for families with a bigger budget.

This is one of the higher-spend beaches on the Promenade, with sunbeds toward €75 a person at the top end. Come for the polish and the food. €€€

Hotel Amour Plage

Hotel Amour Plage is a stylish, unfussy beach halfway along the Promenade, run by the Amour Hotels group. Striped parasols and pastel tones set a retro-chic tone, with DJ sets through the day. It occupies the former Hi Beach site.

The food is Greek-Mediterranean: grilled halloumi, vitello tonnato, sea bream tartare. The beach runs 9am to midnight, with the kitchen open until 11pm.

It's the most laid-back of the central beaches, and the design crowd likes it. Good for a long, easy day rather than a formal lunch. €€€

Cocoon Beach

Cocoon Beach is a lower-key private beach and restaurant on the central Promenade, with a relaxed lounge feel. It hires cushioned loungers on the pebbles and serves Mediterranean plates from its own kitchen.

It's a comfortable, unshowy option among the busier central concessions. Reserve loungers ahead in the peak summer weeks. €€€

La Vela

La Vela is a central, family-minded beach mid-Promenade, in front of the Voilier public stretch. It's a friendly all-rounder rather than a scene, good for a straightforward beach lunch.

The restaurant leans Mediterranean with an Italian streak, and summer evenings bring live music or a DJ. It reportedly sets out around 220 deck chairs.

A lounger with a parasol is said to run around €30, though it's worth confirming when you book. Reserve loungers in high season. €€

Out west, toward Fabron and the airport, two calmer beaches round things off.

Les Canailles

Les Canailles is a contemporary lounge-style beach on the western Promenade, in the Fabron-Lenval area on Fabron beach. Its signature is a pontoon where the sea laps both sides of the loungers by day and the tables by night.

The kitchen runs creative Mediterranean plates: seafood, grilled dishes, pasta, pinsa and sharing boards. A DJ plays in summer.

It's a quieter alternative to the central beaches, worth the short trip west. Reserve for the pontoon tables. €€€

Régence Plage

Régence Plage is the private beach of the Radisson Blu, out toward the western end of the Promenade near the airport side. It runs as a hotel beach, with loungers, a bar and a Mediterranean restaurant facing the bay.

Loungers are open to non-guests, not just hotel residents. Reservations are advised in summer.

It's a relaxed, convenient choice away from the busy central stretch, handy if you're staying at the western end or flying out that day. €€€

Frequently asked questions about Nice beach clubs

How much do beach clubs in Nice cost?

A single lounger runs about €35 to €55 a day depending on the club and how close to the water you sit. Double beds go from €85 at Plage Beau Rivage to around €180 at Opéra Plage. The top beaches like N La Plage charge more, and lunch is extra on top.

Do you need to book beach clubs in Nice in advance?

Yes, in July and August. The central beaches and the front-row double beds go first, so book loungers a day or two ahead, and the restaurant sooner for a summer dinner. Outside peak weeks you can usually walk in, though weekends still fill up around midday.

What is the best beach club in Nice?

It depends on the day you want. Ruhl Plage is the classic for a Riviera lunch, N La Plage for five-star polish, and Castel Plage for a sunset seafood dinner below Castle Hill. For a quiet full day on loungers, Les Canailles out west is the pick.

Which is the cheapest private beach in Nice?

Prices are close across the front, but loungers generally start around €30 to €35 at the more relaxed beaches like La Vela and Plage Beau Rivage. The historic Opéra Plage starts near €40. The five-star hotel beaches cost the most, so skip those if budget is the point.

Are Nice beach clubs open all year?

Most run April to October and close for winter. A few run longer: Plage Beau Rivage keeps its restaurant open seven days a week year-round, and N La Plage at the Negresco also opens through the winter. For loungers and swimming, plan on the April to October window.

Which Nice beach club is best for families?

Plage Beau Rivage is the largest and has a calmer zen zone that suits families, plus wellness facilities. N La Plage has a dedicated kids' playground if you want the five-star option. La Vela is the low-key, family-minded pick mid-Promenade for a simple beach lunch.