Day 3043 (Tuesday) 7th October 2025

These photos were taken in Villefranche many years ago – it really hasn’t changed at all.

Our internet went down this morning and it took Huw over two hours to fix it with a helpline phone call – poor bugger, but he succeeded.

When it was all done we went to Nice on the scooter to enjoy our weekly kebab in the glorious sunshine. The weather is superb, a bit chilly on the scooter but deliciously warm when you get off, the pharmacy in Mont Boron (between Nice and Villefranche) says it was 32 degrees.

There were some people doing yoga in the park and despite the incredibly annoying flies it was lovely and relaxing in the park.

When we go home I looked up Promenade du Paillon and Miroir d’Eau and found this…

(The following photos are not mine.)

Promenade du Paillon

A large urban park containing the famous Miroir d’Eau.

Nice’s flagship urban park covers 12 hectares in the heart of the city, just a few minutes walk from Promenade des Anglais. Promenade du Paillon used to be a very congested and rather ugly thoroughfare where the old bus station and multi storey car park were situated. It was demolished in 2011 and a 3 year development project took place to turn it into the oasis of green open space, safe play areas and impressive water features that we enjoy today.

Originally there was a river of the same name that ran through this area; the more serpentine of the paved paths apparently follows where it used to flow. The river separated Old Nice from the more modern part of town but after a series of serious floods it was gradually filled in and built over, being used for markets and trade fairs until the bus station was built in the 1970s.

The Promenade begins in Place Massena with the Miroir d’Eau (mirror of water), a 3,000m² paved section dotted with water jets; sometimes they puff out a gentle cooling mist that is pure relief on a hot day, sometimes they shoot fountains of water high into the air - they can switch at a moment’s notice, so walk amongst them at your own risk! They are a huge hit with children who love running in and out of the jets and shrieking with laughter every time they change.

Further down the Promenade is a children’s play area with fantastical weird wooden creatures that they can climb and swing on. The ground is cushioned and covered with fake grass, while a gated fence prevents them from straying into the road.

The last section of the Promenade is a long stretch of lawn lined with olive trees; this section is the most peaceful and where you’re most likely to find office workers enjoying a packed lunch or elderly locals reading the newspaper.

The Promenade has paved walkways weaving through it and plenty of benches along both sides. With over 1,000 trees and 50,000 plants, it has been planned so that there are always some botanical varieties in bloom all year round. There are also a few shaded areas with wooden armchairs near to the public toilets and tourist information desk.

Entry to the Promenade du Paillon is completely free and opening hours are from 07:00-23:00 in summer and 07:00-21:00 in winter.

Cycling is not permitted in the park but a cycle path runs along the outside of it on Avenue Felix Faure and there are Véloblue stations at either end if you want to ride there and park up nearby.

I also found this article on Place Massena…

Place Massena and the Paillon Promenade in Nice

Place Massena is Nice’s main square and it is crossed by the Paillon Promenade, which is built over the river. The whole area is a great place to watch the everyday, unhurried lifestyle of the inhabitants of Nice, and relax among greenery and fountains.

Place Massena in Nice (Massena Square) is a place you cannot afford to miss. Firstly because of its characteristic checkerboard, made of pavement tiles across its entire surface. The second reason is the main shopping street in Nice that leads to it, and the route from the railway station, Avenue Jean Médecin, where the trams go.

Many urban events take place at Place Massena, including the Nice Carnival. From here, you can find roads to the most interesting attractions in the capital of the Côte d’Azur – the Old Town of Nice, the famous Promenade des Anglais, and Castle Hill. Together with the Paillon Promenade going east and west, Place Massena creates a Nice showcase. The more so because in recent years it has undergone a major renovation.

Place Massena built over the Paillon river

Place Massena is today the central square of Nice, but it was not always so. Before the second half of the nineteenth century, there was a bridge here that connected two smaller squares and Old Nice with the rest of the city, which were separated by the Paillon River. It often flooded the city, so a decision was made to cover over the river. Thanks to this, the Paillon river flows under the city centre, and Nice has gained quite a lot of land, which now permanently connects both of its parts. 

Being in Place Massena, it is worth paying attention to the sculpture and fountain standing in the semi-circular part of the square. This very often photographed object is called the Fountain of the Sun and consists of sculptures symbolising the planets: Earth, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and Saturn. In the middle there is a huge statue of Apollo – the sun of this system. The author of the whole piece is the French sculptor, Alfred Janniot. It is worth noting that the statue of Apollo is completely naked. Apparently, in 1970, he was removed so that no passers-by would be shocked. Today, however, you can admire the sculpture in its entirety.

The second interesting and intriguing work in Place Massena are the statues set on high poles. There are seven of them, and they symbolise the continents of our planet. The figures are illuminated at night and look impressive. The author of this installation is Jaume Plensa, a Spanish artist. His other work can be admired in nearby Antibes.

Promenade Paillon – here you can rest among greenery

From Massena Square you can go to all points of the compass. In the north you will find the above-mentioned Avenue Jean Médecin shopping street, the Promenade des Anglais in the south, and the Paillon Promenade in the east and west. Under the promenade flows the Paillon river, which a bit further on flows into the sea. Nearby stands a statue of the Greek goddess Nike on her tall column – Nice was named after this goddess. The monument stands on the grounds of the Albert I Garden, which has  been in existence since 1914. Just behind the Nike statue is an amphitheatre (Théâtre de Verdure) in which there are numerous concerts in the summer. Among the famous people who performed on the boards of this amphitheatre is Édith Piaf.

Nearby you will find some beautiful fountains with sculptures and a large steam fountain, a stylised two-level carousel, and a huge bronze arch. This is Venet’s Arc, whose shape is a representation of the coastline along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. Another well-known Venet sculpture stands nearby, right on the Promenade des Anglais.

On the other side of Place Massena, going east, you can find perhaps the biggest attraction in the city for children. This fountain was put into use at the end of 2014. It is called the Water Mirror (Miroir d’eau) and in summer it is besieged by youngsters. Walking along the Paillon Promenade you will pass, among others, a monument (from the 19th century) to André Masséna, one of the best Napoleonic generals.