Nice - Riquier

The Origins of the Riquier Neighborhood

The neighborhood is named after a wealthy Niçois family who owned land here in the Middle Ages. For a long time, the area was covered with orchards and vegetable gardens. Near the city walls, the area attracted various artisans, including coopers and blacksmiths, and later small industries, breweries, and urban transport depots (carriages, horse-drawn trams, and later buses). The development of the neighborhood was spurred by the destruction of the citadel and city walls by Louis XIV. Urbanization projects in the 18th and 19th centuries led to the creation of new streets outside the old city walls and the excavation of the port, further encouraging settlement in eastern Nice. The Riquier neighborhood is located north of the old town, just above the port area, between Boulevard Risso to the west and Corniche André de Joly to the east. Its southern boundary is marked by Rue Barla, and its northern boundary by the railway line running alongside Rue Auguste Galerie Prolongée. Discover all the properties for sale in the neighborhood through our agency specializing in real estate in Nice Riquier.

Highlights of the Riquier Neighborhood

Now central to the Nice metropolitan area, Riquier has become a residential area. Its buildings include worker's apartments from the 1920s, contemporary residences, and some surviving structures from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Notable sites include the Palais de l’Esplanade on Place de l’Armée du Rhin, Place Arson with its arcades and pétanque courts, the old buildings on Rue Arson near the port, several palaces on Rue Barla, the Torrini House and Palais Antoine on Rue Leotardi, and the Palais Bella Nizza on Boulevard Antoine-Risso. A bustling commercial area, Riquier hosts many national and international stores, including the large commercial complex on Boulevard Delfino Nice TLN. The neighborhood features pleasant green spaces like Place Arson, Place des Cigalusa, and the green areas of Nice TLN. Close to Place Garibaldi, it is also near Nice Acropolis, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Coulée Verte du Paillon.

Living in the Riquier Neighborhood

Although less spectacular in architecture than neighboring areas, Riquier presents a typically Niçois character with its warm-colored buildings, narrow streets, and green squares. Real estate prices are slightly lower than in the port area or western neighborhoods, with apartments mostly in newer buildings that are less elegant but more functional. Parking is not a strong point of the neighborhood, as with much of the city center. However, mobility is easy thanks to the SNCF Nice Riquier train station in the northeast and the tram line servicing the west side of the neighborhood. Riquier's vibrant and commercial atmosphere supports a walkable lifestyle. The streets are bustling with shops, cafes, and eateries, and the area also features restaurants, hotels, specialty stores, public and private schools. A warm and popular neighborhood attracting a diverse, multi-generational population with more attractive prices than neighboring central Nice areas.